Grilled Halloumi You Say?

OK, I love breakfast I really do. I eat it not only in the morning but it's seen on my table fairly often at dinner time. That being said this blog has filled up with savory, sweet, and just dang tasty breakfast treats. But the point of this blog was never to expand my breakfast horizons. I've always felt that my breakfast has never lacked creativity. Rather, this blog was as a platform for me to try things that I might not feel comfortable with or 100% sure I will love.  So with that in mind, I took something I constantly crave, halloumi cheese, and I paired it with a spiced couscous that I wasn't exactly sure I would love or for that matter like. I originally found this recipe : Grilled Halloumi with spiced couscous. I tweaked it only slightly based on what was in my trusty pantry.

Halloumi is a mixed milk cheese that usually includes goat and sheep's milk and sometimes cow's milk. It has a thick, chewy texture with a salty bite. Halloumi has an extremely high melting point which makes it ideal for grilling, frying, etc. because it will keep it's shape and hold up to the high heat. The first time I enjoyed this scrumptious cheese was in Astoria, NY where Greek culture abounds. Astoria is home not only to my sister but some of the best friends this girl could ask for, so it is one place I frequent regularly. You can't find halloumi just anywhere, but if you have a specialty cheese shop I'm sure you can scrounge some up. Halloumi is seen mostly in Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese cuisines. So the next time your craving a Turkish flat bread look for one topped with halloumi it will not disappoint. 

The spiced couscous added a nice depth to the saltiness of the halloumi with the tomato, lemon and cilantro adding a certain brightness. If you don't care for cilantro, Italian parsley is always a great substitution and would pair well with the other ingredients here. The steamed cauliflower which I find to be an under utilized vegetable gives a meatiness and filling aspect to the dish. Doing meatless Monday's? Try this, you never know you may just like it! 

Grilled Halloumi with Cauliflower, Tomato, Cilantro and Spiced Couscous (Serves 3)

1 12 oz. log halloumi cheese

2 Tbsp. olive oil divided

1 small tomato, cut into small wedges

1 small head of cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

lemon juice for garnish 

3/4 cup plain couscous

1 cup water

1 cube vegetable bouillon

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. coriander

1/2 tsp. cumin seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle 

Salt and Pepper 

In a medium saucepan bring 1/2 cup water to a rolling simmer, add cauliflower and cover. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until cauliflower is steamed and tender. While the cauliflower is steaming, in a a small saucepan combine 3/4 cup water, vegetable bouillon, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, 1 tbsp. olive oil and bring to a boil. Add couscous, turn heat off and remove pan from heat. Stir couscous, cover and set aside for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork. Drain cauliflower and set aside. Cut halloumi into 6-8 slices of 1/2 inch think slices drizzle with olive oil on each side. On a hot grill pan cook halloumi for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown grill marks appear. In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, tomatoes, spiced couscous, chopped cilantro. Serve grilled halloumi over the couscous and vegetables, garnish with a healthy squeeze of lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper as necessary. 

New Cookbooks and a litte Berry Baked Oatmeal

This gorgeous weather inspired me to go for an outdoor run and it felt more like spring then winter and I couldn't be happier about it. A run always encourages me to be productive for the rest of the day. It energizes me and sets me up for a day of accomplishment. So why, you may ask, do I not run more often? If I knew the answer, I would tell you! But anyways I did it, I went for a run and now you will be gifted with a new blog post. I had a portion of this post saved in my drafts for about 2 weeks, so I tweaked it a bit to share the breakfast I made for myself and my parents who visited this weekend. Here it goes...

The best thing about the post holiday season is digging into all of your new toys, clothes, or in my case cookbooks! My sister gifted me with the awesome brand new " The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook" by Deb Perlman. I was so excited to receive this because I have been following the Smitten Kitchen blog for going on 4 years now. And the best part is that 85% of the recipes have never been seen on the blog. Brand new recipes from one of my favorite bloggers, yes please. I've already spent probably 2 straight hours just flipping the pages back and forth admiring the photography and delicious displays of food that were all created in a tiny New York City apartment kitchen. I"f she can do it, so can I" , ran through my head more than once. So for my very first try at a recipe I went with the Spaghetti Squash and Black Bean Tacos with Queso Fresco. Some of my favorite food items are listed in the title so how could I not try?! Here's a peak at what I enjoyed and will definitely be rotating into my cooking schedule.


Onto another favorite blogger of mine. Two weeks ago I first tried Heidi Swanson's Baked Oatmeal from her "Super Natural Everyday". I then recreated it again today for my visitors. It was awesome both times! The first time around, I wanted something I could make on Sunday and eat for breakfast throughout the week. This proved to be an extremely easy and delectable choice. I used blackberries in placed of the listed huckleberries because I honestly have never seen huckleberries at my grocery store plus the blackberries just looked too delicious not to try. The ripe bananas, crunchy toasted walnuts, sweet blackberries, and just a touch of real maple syrup make this concoction a new go to breakfast choice! You will not want to miss out on this. This is a heart warming winter breakfast that I must admit impressed my parents! I served with a side of turkey sausage to add a little protein.

Baked Oatmeal (adapted from SuperNatural by Heidi Swanson)

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not the quick cooking kind)

1 tsp. baking powder aluminum free

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup raw turbino sugar 

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup walnuts

2 pints blackberries, rinsed and dried

2 small ripe bananas, sliced into rounds

2 cups skim milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg

3 Tsbp. melted unsalted butter 

1/2 Tbsp. real maple syrup (plus more for serving)

In a medium bowl, combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, sugar and 1/4 cup walnuts. In another medium bowl, whisk together milk, vanilla, egg, melted butter (slightly cooled), and 1/2 Tbsp. maple syrup. Line the bottom of a baking dish with bananas and 1 pint of blackberries, top with oats mixture. Drizzle milk mixture over top of the oats and ensure everything is combine and the oats are covered with the milk. Top with the remaining 1 pint of blackberries and 1/4 cup of walnuts. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Serve with maple syrup and a side of turkey sausage links for a scrumptious, warming, winter breakfast!  

Now off to organize my closets and brand "new" antique dresser that was so lovingly brought down to me by my awesome parents! I hope your day is as productive as mine.