Spring Hot Honey Halloumi Bowl

& acting as a tourist in my own city

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CATCH UP!

I am a day late sending this newsletter, and I do feel bad!!! We have some family in town, and since we have been giving them the full LA tour, I didn’t quite get this week’s post done as early as I would’ve liked to. We spent the day at the beach in Santa Monica on Monday, and the weather was so beautiful I could have cried. I even went into the water (just up to my ankles). We got our favorite poké at Sweetfin and had dinner at one of my classic spots, Cha Cha Chicken.

We’ve done the Hollywood Farmer’s Market, which allowed my niece and nephews to see the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and we took everyone to Griffith Park, which I think is a tourist destination that is more than worth it. The views from up top are incredible, and the exhibits inside are so fun and informative.

Yesterday, we went to Universal Studios, which was a treat for me since I haven’t been since probably high school?! This trip has definitely been kid and family-focused , but if you’re ever looking for recommendations for food in LA, I have a story highlight with some of my favorite spots!

THINGS I’M LOVING

I tried to hold out SO long on buying this TikTok viral Wavytalk Thermal Brush, but I finally caved, and it does indeed work very well and I am indeed very happy I bought it. I like how this one is so quiet and you can use it on dry hair, and it comes with other curling attachments. Like all heated hair products, I plan to use this one sparingly, but as someone with unpredictable wavy hair, it’s nice to have on days when my hair is not cooperating.

I LOVE love love the new Goodles Bling Bling Bacn’ flavor, which I will say, came as a bit of a surprise since I don’t usually gravitate towards bacon-flavored foods. But this one is actually bacon-less — it just has a sweet and smoky flavor that I think elevates the mac and cheese to a new level! I love how Goodles has such good ingredients, so that’s a bonus.

I struggle with bras — I hate the feeling of wearing one, but I need the support. The Aerie Sunnie Full Coverage Bra has been my saving grace. It’s only lightly lined, so it’s comfortable enough to wear even when I’m just around the house, but it still provides the support I need to prevent backaches.

RECIPE!

It’s the return of my seasonal hot honey halloumi bowl! Spring has officially sprung, so it’s time to load up a bowl of in-season produce and top it off with some pan-fried, hot-honey-lathered halloumi!

Last season’s Winter Hot Honey Halloumi Bowl is still going strong, and who could forget the original Summer Bowl?! God, I love Halloumi!!

This bowl features brown rice, lentils, arugula, roasted radishes and asparagus, lemon dill yogurt sauce, and quick pickled onions. If you haven’t had roasted radishes before — I’m excited for you! They’re much less bitter, which makes them more palatable.

Spring Hot Honey Halloumi Bowl

Ingredients (serves 2)

Bowl

• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (about 3/4 cup uncooked)

• 1 bunch asparagus, woody stems removed

• 1 bunch radishes, quartered

• 2 cups arugula

• 1 cup cooked lentils (about 1/2 uncooked)

• Olive oil

Quick Pickled Onions

• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• Pinch of salt

Hot Honey Halloumi

• Olive oil

• 8 oz halloumi, cut into 1-inch slices

• Hot honey

Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Pinch of salt

1. Prehet oven to 425 F. If your rice and lentils aren’t cooked yet, start by preparing those according to package.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add asparagus and radishes in an even layer, and toss with 1-2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes until veggies are soft on the inside but just starting to get crisp on the outside.

3. Prepare your quick pickled onions by mixing onions, red wine vinegar, and a small pinch of salt in a small bowl. Massage with your hands to break down the onion, and set aside to marinate, making sure the onions all get submerged by the liquid.

4. Prepare the yogurt sauce by whisking ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth.

5. Prepare the hot honey halloumi by heating up a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the halloumi, drizzle with hot honey, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until halloumi is golden brown.

6. When everything is ready, prepare your bowls. Add the rice as your base, and top with cooked lentils, arugula, halloumi, roasted radishes, asparagus (cut up a little), yogurt sauce, and pickled onions. Serve warm!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

An easy salad entered the rotation for last week’s 30-minute budget recipe. It’s vegan and gluten-free, and easily customizable! Definitely designed for simple meal prep.