Baked Leg of Lamb

from: Persian Cooking for a Healthy Kitchen 

A delicious celebratory meal! Sunday was Mother's Day and Ezra's dedication service at church...what a day for celebration! And the baked lamb was a mini celebration in itself.

ingredients:
5-6 pounds leg of lamb (grass fed is better if possible)
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 T. sea salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 t. turmeric
2 onions, sliced thinly
2 t. ground rose petals
1/4 cup rose water
1 t. dried or 1 inch freshly grated ginger
1/2 t. Cayenne
1/2 t. paprika
1 1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 t. cumin
1  1/2 t. ground cardamom
1/4  t. ground saffron dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup lime juice
zest of three oranges
1 T honey
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 T. rosemary

Ezra enjoyed the oranges after they were zested...what a fun, juicy ball!

Ready to sit the the refrigerator over night.

directions:
1.  Rinse lamb. Pat dry. Make 10 slits all over the lamb. Insert a peeled garlic clove in each slit.
2.  Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl.
3.  Place lamb in baking  dish and score lamb to absorb seasonings. Rub spice paste all over lamb, cover, let sit for at least 2 hours (up to 2 days) in the refrigerator.
4.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover lamb with foil and roast 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Baste occasionally. Uncover the lamb for the last 30 minutes of baking. Use a meat thermometer   to make sure it is done.
5.  Garnish with rose petals. Serve with rice.

Carrot Khoresh (Stew)

From: Persian Cooking for a Healthy Kitchen 

4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup slivered orange peel

3 T olive oil

1/2 pounds lean grass fed chicken

2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1 pound carrots, scraped and sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp fresh grated root or 1/2 tsp powdered ginger

1/4 tsp saffron, dissolved in 1 Tb hot water

2 cups orange juice

1/2 cup lime juice
1 cup pitted prunes (optional)

Directions:

1.  To remove bitterness from  the orange peel, place it in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2.   Heat 3 T oil in a pan and saute chicken and onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Add carrots, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, ginger, saffron water, and orange peel and saute for a few more minutes.

3.  Add orange juice and lime juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours over low heat. Stir occasionally.

4.  Check for tenderness of chicken and carrots. Adjust seasoning if needed. Keep warm till ready to serve.

5.  Serve with saffron steamed rice, brown or white rice. 

5 Day Meal Plan - Southwest Flair

When you plan meals for the week consider meals that go well with one another so you can use up ingredients and even use leftovers with the next meal. Below is a sample meal plan with notes for use.

Example 5 Day Meal Plan
Monday - Black Bean Soup
Save leftover soup for Thursday dinner. The soup will be the spread for the burritos.

Tuesday - Santa Fe Rice
Save leftover rice for Thursday as filler for the burritos.

Wednesday - Mango Salsa Chicken and Quinoa
Cook four chicken breasts instead of two. Then you can use the leftover chicken for Friday's dinner and save some time in the kitchen.

Thursday - Black Bean and Quinoa Burritos
This burrito is a delicious combination of leftovers and whatever fresh ingredients you want!

Friday - Mango Chicken Salad
Use the extra chicken from Wednesday and make a delicious salad. Use up whatever extra veggies you have. You can even put quinioa or rice on the salad if you want.


Below is a grocery/ pantry check list for the needed ingredients:

Pantry/ Refrigerator/ Spice Rack  Staples (I usually have these ingredients on hand)

• Taste Adventure Black Refried Bean Mix 
• dried black beans 
• rice 
• Quinoa 
• garlic
• bag of yellow onions 

• Lemon or Lime Juice
• Salsa

• cumin 
• crushed red pepper 
• sea salt
• black pepper

Produce

• 2-3 sweet potatoes 
• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 avocado*
• bunch of cilantro
• bunch of scallions
• 1 or 2 jalapeño(s) 
• 2-3  mangoes
• 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, diced
• 12 oz  fresh spinach
•  head of Romain lettuce

Canned Goods/Pantry Items

• 1 small can tomato sauce
• flour or corn tortillas
• tortilla chips*

Dairy and Meat

• 1/2 cup shredded cheese*
• 4 chicken breasts

* optional ingredients

Mango and Chicken Salad

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free


Ingredients:
Romain lettuce
Fresh spinach
various veggies of your choice (bell pepper, scallions, carrots, broccoli, ect)
1/4 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 mango, diced
1-2 chicken breasts
oil and vinegar dressing (equal parts olive oil and balsamic vinegar)
avocado (optional)

Directions:
Prepare vegetable salad and top with: cilantro, mango, chicken, avocado and dressing

Mango Salsa and Chicken

Ingredients:
olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 cup sherry or dry white cooking wine

1 bunch of scallions, chopped

juice of one lemon

1 or 1/2 jalapeño (depending on your spice tolerance) 

1 mango, diced

1 cup of cherry tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped

2 cups fresh spinach

2 chicken breasts, chopped into pieces

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Prepare quinoa or rice to serve with Mango Salsa Chicken. 

2. Saute garlic in olive oil. Add sherry, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook on medium heat till chicken is done. About 10 minutes.

3. Add scallions, lemon juice, mango, jalapeño, tomatoes, cilantro, mix together. Add spinach, cook till spinach is barely wilted. 

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Serve over pasta, rice, polenta, or quinoa. 

Santa Fe Rice

Santa Fe Rice - Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (or more depending on taste preference)

1 small can tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans

1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2  bell pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen or fresh corn (optional)

Directions:
1.  Bring 2 cups of water to boil, add rice, then turn water down to a simmer. Cook for required time (20-40 minutes depending on type of rice).
2.  While rice is cooking: saute onion in olive oil about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and red pepper . Cook for 2 more minutes.
3.  Add onion mixture, salt, tomato sauce, and black beans, and corn if desired to rice. Stir together and heat through.
4.  Serve warm, topped with cilantro, fresh bell pepper (optional: diced avocado...or whatever else you like). Also good with corn tortillas or tortilla chips. Top with extra salsa if desired.

Baby GIRL blocks!

My first set of baby blocks for a little girl! Since I started making these blocks in about December I now have some baby girls to make blocks for. Yipee!