My Latest Craving: Halloumi Cheese

I first discovered this item a few years ago at a Lebanese restaurant. It was served along with other dishes like hummus and falafel with pita bread. I instantly fell in love with it, as it was very unique to other things I'd eaten in the past, but also, what can I say? ...I love cheese. :)

{Grilled Halloumi Cheese}

Halloumi is safe for eating by vegetarians because it is typically prepared using sheep's milk, and is free from rennet. Although I am not a vegetarian, I do tend to migrate towards eating veggies, fruits, cheeses, carbs, etc. Not a huge meat person, though I like a good burger. :) It's also quite healthy, as it contains minimal fat and instead, a pretty good amount of protein.


I've been loving this lately on pita bread with hummus as I mentioned, or I've also discovered its deliciousness (sorry, couldn't come up with a better word) in salads in place of feta as well as on a sandwich with avocado. (The sandwich was at one of my friends and my fave restaurants - "Eat Right")

{Halloumi & Cous Cous Salad}

{Halloumi Burger}

The cheese is tasty, and although I couldn't find the right words to describe it, I felt that this summary from About.com pretty much summed it up:

"Plain, Halloumi is firm, salty and a bit rubbery, perhaps most comparable to a thick feta, though the taste is certainly unique. Cooked, the saltiness fades into a strong savory bite, with a slightly creamy texture."

It is usually served pan-grilled, and from what I've seen, can be paired with almost anything and be super-duper yummy. 

So, that's something I've been loving recently. I highly recommend that you try it, and, if you already have, let me know what you thought in the comments below! I'd also love some new recipe ideas using Halloumi. :) 

Have a great weekend! 

-H xx

~1, 2, 3 ~

Study Snacks!

With final assessments and exams just around the corner, study hours seem to be increasing. Here are some of my favourite companions for when I'm hitting the books...

Coke Floats

This has been one of my faves since I was a kid. Refreshing, sweet, and it contains caffeine - a bonus for studying!


Fruit (With Nutella, of course)

So, this is one of my healthier options. Fruit is the healthy part, but I like to add the sweet part so it's a bit more mood lightening. :) Hey, studying burns calories anyway, right?

Pretzels

Filling and easy to eat, and they come in large bags. Perfect.

And finally, my ultimate studying companion, Starbucks...

Whether I'm grabbing a coffee on my way home or sitting inside at one of the tables working, everything about it is wonderful. <3

For more on my love of Starbucks, particularly Iced Caramel Macchiatos, click here. :)

Enjoy, lovelies! 

And good luck with your studying + exams! :) 

- H xx

~1, 2, 3, 4~

April's 5 Things - Halle

So, in addition to Emma's post from Thursday, we've decided to make this a topic for both of us in the last week of every month to show you what each of us has loved during the previous four week period. :)

Here are my five things from April:

My favourites from my pencil case

Coloured Pens - It's that time of year again! With exams coming up, I've been trying to keep my notes organized as I can using different colours of pens. I think it's more interesting to look at a page with different colours on it, rather than just plain black text. It makes studying a little prettier. :)

A beautiful picture of my beautiful coffee <3 hehe - photo from Tumblr

Starbucks Iced Caramel Macchiatos - Okay, I'll admit, this isn't a love that's been going on during April... I am madly in love with this drink and have been for about a year now. It's just that extra little treat that I've been enjoying more and more lately as my study hours get longer. :) Seriously, if you've never tried it, try it. I don't mind the taste of coffee so long as it's not too strong, and I think this is the perfect blend of sweetness and cream with that taste. Plus, when it's iced, it's super easy to drink, and refreshing in the hot weather! :)

A twisty pony - photo from the internet

Twisty Ponytails - This is a super easy style I've been wearing to school and out on the weekends. It looks good with any outfit really. I've paired it with "boho" style sundresses, and also with my school uniform and have been happy with the results. I do it with a little bit of a side pony and then a few pieces twisted back from the front. :) It keeps the hair out of your face, and adds an effortlessly stylish twist to the classic ponytail.

Application Icon :) 

Sleep Cycle - This iPhone app is great for so many reasons. When you're often a late sleeper like I am, it helps you keep track of when you're going to bed so that you can see where you can improve. It also helps monitor your sleep patterns and how deep your sleeping is going so that you can maximize your rest time. What I like most, though, is the wake up functions. I usually have my phone in my speakers and use it as an alarm in the mornings. But the iphone ringtones can sound a little harsh, and this one has a bunch of nicer options that help you wake up feeling a lot more relaxed, since you don't have to hear a loud beeping first thing in the a.m. My fave is "Warm Breeze."

Chocolate Cheesecake :)

Desserts - There's been a lot of baking going on in my apartment recently, and I am loving it. :) (The above is a picture of the remaining part of the most recent item - Chocolate Cheesecake) Even though it's not the best thing for you to eat health-wise, they put you in a good mood and add a bit of extra happiness to your afternoon/night. :) Desserts are also great study companions - or rewards for working hard! :)

Have a great week, lovelies!

-H xx

Yummy Sugar Cookies!

Hi Everyone!

So tonight I'd like to share a recipe that I tried around Easter with my friend Jamie. It's a pretty simple recipe we found online, and we made just a few adjustments to it. In the end, the result we got was exactly what we hoped for. The cookies were the perfect balance between hard and soft and tasted wonderful! :)

See the recipe below!

When we decided to make cookies, we chose to follow this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-best-rolled-sugar-cookies/detail.aspx

When we made it, we cut the recipe in half so that it made 30 cookies. (You can change the settings above instructions so that it suits 30 servings, and then it will automatically adjust the quantities of ingredients for you)

Following this, we proceeded through the steps and made a few adjustments:

1. Once you've mixed the additional quantities, add about another quarter cup of melted butter, or as much as you need for the dough to become soft enough to move easily. (It had a bit of a shine from the butter)
2. Add one more teaspoon of vanilla. (We tasted the dough to see how we felt the flavour was, and decided this would be the right amount for us, but you can adjust this to your preference)
3. We added a bunch of coloured sprinkles to add colour to the plain cookies! :)

We baked them for about the given amount of time at the same temperature, but took them out a minute or two early I believe, just when the edges were golden, but the middles still looked soft. Then we let them cool for around 20 minutes. :)

Finally, we left some of them plain (which still tasted really yummy), but decorated about 3/4 of them using storebought Betty Crocker's Rich & Creamy Vanilla Icing and some more sprinkles. The icing went really well with this recipe and tasted great with this, but I think it could be even better if you made homemade frosting. :)

Then, they looked like this! :) :) All ready to eat. :)

Also, as you can see, we made ours mostly easter-themed, but you could make them for any occasion using different coloured sprinkles or cookie cutters. :)

I hope you enjoy these! :)
Let me know if you'd like me to post some more of my fave recipes! :)

-H xx

Healthy Snacking

As a person who personally believes that vegetables are cursed, the word "healthy" always has a negative connotation. It has only been recently that I have extended my vision that other things, though delicious, could also be healthy. Huh, maybe I'll start a diet then. But I doubt it.

After school is the worst time for me, because I am hungry enough to eat right away, but I know that in only two hours I might be wanting a full meal. Oh the choices life gives us. My usual decision? Eat twice.

Usually I will have a larger snack in the afternoon and then at night something small like cereal to quench my hunger cravings that develop right before bed. So if you are looking for an epic snack that you might just be able to pass off as completely healthy, do keep reading.

Secret Ingredient #1 ~ Alfafa Sprouts 

Secret Ingredient #2 ~ Ham Flavored Laughing Cow Cheese

Secret Ingredient #3 ~ Thick Balsamic Vinaigrette 

 Ingredients: 

1 ripe avocado
1 toasted bagel
1 triangle of laughing cow cheese (preferably ham flavored)
1 cherry tomato
1 pinch of alfafa sprouts
2 leaves of basil - chopped
1 squirt thick balsamic vinaigrette


Spread the laughing cow cheese across the bagel (if the bagel is still warm, then the cheese will melt perfectly). The reason for using the ham flavor is so that you have the meaty taste but do not actually have to grab cold cuts. One less thing for you to clear up afterwards. As is probably obvious, stack the ingredients onto each half of the bagel to create two open faced sandwiches a la bagel style.

Bagel One: Cheese, avocado, basil, alfafa sprouts

Bagel Two: Cheese, avocado, tomato, basil, squirt of vinaigrette

Enjoy!
xx Em