I used to be a rather picky eater. In fact, I was such a picky eater growing up that my mom and dad had to tell me that beef came from a 'beef tree' so that I would eat it. As I've gotten older, my tastes have changed. My mind has expanded. And my pallet continues to get more and more educated. That isn't to say that my mouth is snobby, just that I'm far more open to new things.
Take goat cheese for instance. I'm an avid cheese lover, and I've never met a cheese I didn't like, but I have often found myself questioning and unsure of goat cheese for some reason. Maybe I secretly deep down don't like goats? Whatever the reason, I try try try my best to stick it through, and when I do... I love goat cheese! So what's halloumi anyway? Well, it's goat cheese. And today I piled it high on this sausage and zucchini tomato sauce to make one bangin' low-carb dinner!
Halloumi is a fun cheese to play with. It's not an 'easy melt' sort of cheese, which makes it perfect for grilling, baking, and using in usually unconventional ways that other cheeses couldn't handle. It can be crisped on the outside and still be creamy and chewy in the middle. The taste and texture is somewhere between feta and a fresh mozzarella. ...That's just my opinion though.
So, this halloumi bake is basically a hearty spaghetti sauce that is seasoned heavily and cooked to perfection. There's no noods here though. No noods, just foods, making it perfectly low-carb and even keto-friendly.
When I say that this is heavily seasoned. I mean that. This stuff is loaded up with heaps of turmeric and cumin, giving it a balanced and sort of earthy taste. And you won't want to skip out on the fresh basil on top. That's good stuff right there!
I opted not to use the cayenne in mine, but I do think that next time I will add just a couple of pinches to get more heat in there.
TheSkinnyFork.com A delicious low-carb dinner that cooks up in just about 30 minutes! Sausage and veggies are cooked up in a seasoned tomato sauce and topped with a crisp and creamy halloumi cheese. Prep Time: 5 Minutes • Cook time: 30 Minutes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: About 1 Cup + 1 Slice Cheese • Calories: 208 • Fat: 12 g • Saturated Fat: 7 g • Carb: 11 g • Fiber: 3 g • Protein: 15 g • Sugar: 7 g • Sodium: 587 mg
• 1 Medium White Onion, Diced
• 4 Lean Italian Turkey Sausages, Removed from Casing
• 3 Medium Zucchini, Cubed
• 4 Medium Tomatoes, Chopped
• 1 Tbsp. Turmeric
• 1 Tbsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 Tsp. Paprika
• 1 Tsp. Cayenne (Optional)
• 8 Oz. Halloumi Cheese, Sliced Thinly into 6 Pieces
• 1/4 C. Chopped Fresh Basil
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions:
Lightly coat the inside of a large oven-safe skillet with non-stick cooking spray and heat it over a medium-high heat on the stove. Place the 1 diced white onion and the meat of 4 Italian turkey sausages into the skillet. Cook until the onions are starting to become tender and the sausage is browned. Add the 3 cubed zucchinis and the 4 medium chopped tomatoes and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the 1 Tbsp. turmeric, 1 Tbsp. ground cumin, 1 tsp. paprika, and if desired 1 tsp. cayenne. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced a bit and the zucchini is tender. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Preheat the broiler on the oven to 525 degrees F. and place the halloumi cheese over the top of the veggies. Place the skillet in under the broiler for 5-10 minutes or until the halloumi is browning on the top. Carefully remove from the oven, top with fresh basil, and serve right away to enjoy!
Nutritional Claims: Low Carb, Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Egg Free, Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Soy Free, Fish Free, Shellfish Free, Pork Free, Red Meat Free, Crustacean Free, Celery Free, Mustard Free, Sesame Free, Lupine Free, Mollusk Free, Alcohol Free, No Oil Added, No Sugar Added
