Frugal Foodie is back, with a delicious dinner

The couscous isn't so golden in this pic as all the brown bits stuck to our new pan! still delicious though!

Whoa, it's been nearly a month since I posted any content on the Frugal Foodie! Apologies for the absence, forced by a quickening of the pace of life, as well as the arrival of a new computer (and the loss of some of my photos and documents in the process...grrr hubby!). But I've still been doing a lot of cooking, baking and eating in my absence (and taking photos of it!) and my aim is to make a concerted effort to post more regularly from now on.

To get back into the groove, here is a meal that's become a favourite in our home. Now, I must preface this by saying any time my husband asks me to make a meal again is a good sign it's a winner, but when he specifically requests it you know you've struck gold! So it was with this tasty dinner of couscous with haloumi and chickpeas.

This is a perfect meat-free dinner for times when you want something lighter, but still super tasty. You all know how much I love the nutrition-packed legumes (especially chickpeas) and I am equally crazy about haloumi cheese. Nigella Lawson once described it as vegetarian bacon and I have to agree with that description. It's salty and toothsome and when you cook it in a pan, you get a golden crispy outside and a gorgeous soft, slightly oozy cheese within. Haloumi is not too expensive if you get it from ALDI, but you could also stock up when it's on sale as it keeps fairly well in the fridge. Oh, and pan fried haloumi is good on its own with a squeeze of lemon, some fresh herbs and a little chilli.

Combine these two great ingredients with couscous (your passport to a speedy supper) and a minty, spicy dressing and dinner's done. No need for meat (though you can add chicken or something); a rocket salad to accompany it is good, or eat it on its own.

This recipe originated from Super Food Ideas, and has been modified to serve two hungry people (with some leftovers for lunch the next day)

Couscous salad with chickpeas and haloumi

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup stock
3/4 cup couscous
150g haloumi cheese (you can get away with more if you like)
olive oil
1 1/2 cups of chick peas (or a 400g can) drained and rinsed
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 long red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
Dressing
1 small lemon, rind finely grated, juiced
1 tsp paprika
Two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

METHOD
Heat up the stock, either by bringing it to the boil in a small saucepan or boiling the kettle and adding a stock cube (my preferred method!). Place couscous in a large, heatproof bowl, add hot stock, stir with a fork then cover with foil for five minutes and let the stock absorb.
While the stock is absorbing, cut up the haloumi into rectangles (say three pieces). Heat the oil in the frying pan, then add the haloumi and cook for one to two minutes each side until golden.
Transfer to a chopping board, and chop each slice into cubes.
Take the foil off your couscous and stir it with a fork to separate and fluff up the grains.
Add the haloumi to the couscous with chickpeas, spring onion, mint and chilli. Toss to combine.
To make the dressing whisk the lemon rind, any juice from the lemon, paprika and oil in a jug until well combined. Pour dressing over salad, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Put into big bowls and scoff down.