Lamb coated with a Middle Eastern sauce of garlic, ground cumin, cucumber and yogurt is an easy, quick dinner. Look for lamb cut from the leg or for kabobs.
Helpful hints:
- Minced garlic can be found in jars in the produce or condiment sections of the supermarket.
- If lamb cut from the leg isn't available, ask the butcher for a quick-cooking cut of lamb.
Countdown:
- Prepare lamb sauce.
- Make lamb.
- Make rice.
Shopping list:
To buy: 6 ounces lamb cubes, cut from the leg, 1 carton plain, nonfat yogurt, 1 bottle ground cumin, 1 package microwaveable brown rice, 1 small cucumber, 1 bag washed, ready-to-eat spinach.
Staples: olive oil, olive oil spray, minced garlic, salt, black peppercorns.
Middle-Eastern Lamb
1/2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup peeled, diced cucumber
Olive oil spray
1/2 pound lamb cubes, cut from the leg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix yogurt, garlic, cumin and cucumber together and set aside. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Cut lamb into 1/2-inch pieces and add to the skillet. Saute 2 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Remove lamb to two dinner plates and spoon sauce on top.
Yield 2 servings
Per serving: 210 calories, 70 calories from fat, 7.8 g total fat, 2.4 g saturated fat, 3.6 g monounsaturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 126 mg sodium, 6.9 g carbohydrate, 0.3 g dietary fiber, 0.2 g sugars, 26.9 g protein
Exchanges: 1/2 carbohydrate, 4 lean meat
Spinach Brown Rice
1 package microwaveable brown rice (for 1 1/2-cups rice)
5 cups washed, ready-to-eat spinach
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Microwave rice according to package instructions. Measure 1 1/2-cups cooked rice into a bowl. Reserve remaining rice for another meal. Add spinach to warm rice and toss well. Add olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss again.
Yield 2 servings
Per serving: 238 calories, 66 calories from fat, 7.3 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 4 g monounsaturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 71 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 3.3 g dietary fiber, 0.3 g sugars, 5.9 g protein
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