Lunchables: Tuesday

For Tuesday's lunch, I really struggled to find the energy to make something. I've been ill with a sore throat and general flu-like symptoms since Sunday so combined with teaching I'm exhausted! However, I really wanted to keep up the lunch blogging so I poked around in my cupboards for something relatively easy to throw together. The result? Moroccan inspired couscous!

Sizzling Halloumi

Browning Halloumi

I'll admit, I may have been slightly heavy handed with the Cayenne pepper so my lunch is definitely packing a punch! However, I'm hoping using the little pot for some yogurt to have along side will help to temper the heat. I also sauteed some Halloumi quickly and added that in to help bulk it up a bit. If you had leftover roast lamb or chicken this would be really tasty to have along side! I split the sauteed vegetables into two servings because I haven't been very hungry while I've been ill but I'm listing it as a single serving recipe since I think it's a pretty normal portion size.

Veggies getting started in the pan 

Spices going in

Finally, I'm listing the spice amounts as dashes because it will depend on your preference. Feel free to throw in any other spices you like! If you don't have Halloumi in your local shop, feta might be a nice substitute. If using Halloumi, make sure to keep it a light golden color because over cooking will make it rubbery.

Ready to be added to the couscous

Boxed and ready for lunch!

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

Olive oil

3 slices of Halloumi cheese, 1 centimeter thick

1/2 a small onion, roughly chopped

1/2 cup zucchini, chopped

1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 chestnut mushrooms, chopped

1 handful of raisins

Dash of ground coriander

Dash of cayenne pepper

Dash of ground cinnamon

Dash of allspice

Dash of cumin

1/4 vegetable bouillon cube

Splash of water

30g couscous

Yogurt to serve along side

Method:

Add a splash of olive oil to a medium sized pan and place over medium heat. Carefully lay the Halloumi cheese slices into the oil and leave until golden brown on both sides. Meanwhile, prepare your vegetables. When the Halloumi is ready, remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the vegetables and saute until softened. When almost ready, add the spices and the raisins and saute for 2 minutes. Next add a splash of water and crumble the bouillon cube into the mix and leave until the water has been absorbed by the vegetables.

For the couscous, boil a kettle of water. Place 30 grams of couscous in a bowl and pour the water over until it's just above the level of the couscous. Cover with a plate and set aside for 10 minutes. When ready, mix with the vegetables, top with the Halloumi and pop into your lunch container. Enjoy!