Greek Lamb Pilaf

The combination of lamb, mint and lemon is just amazing. This is a quick and filling meal that can be made easily on a weeknight. Add a side salad and dinner is served. This is another Cooking Light recipe… but I’ve altered it slightly. I don’t believe my alterations changed the caloric value very much. It serves four and according to the recipe - 1 2/3 cups of this contains 446 calories, 17.2 g fat, 26 g protein, 45 g carbs and 2.4 g fiber.

Note: I have made this twice. The second time I couldn't find ground lamb, so I used beef. It was still tasty - but for me I preferred it with the lamb. However, if you're not a fan of lamb - try it with the beef and substitute beef broth for the chicken.

Ingredients:

Drizzle of olive oil

1 large white onion, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped in small bite-sized pieces (about ¾ cup)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. (approximately) ground lamb

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ cups chicken broth (recipe calls for fat-free, low sodium. I used regular)

3/4 cup water

1 can diced tomatoes

Good sized handful of chopped fresh mint

3 - 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (taste after adding 3 to see if you would like more)

¾ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Drizzle olive oil in a heated large non-stick pan that has a lid. Add chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes; add carrots. Continue to cook until onions are translucent – about 5 minutes. Add lamb; cook and crumble the lamb for about 5 – 7 more minutes.

Stir in rice and cinnamon. Sauté for about 2 minutes allowing the rice to absorb the juices in the pan. Add the chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover with lid. Simmer for about 10 minutes, add the can of diced tomatoes; continue simmering for another 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. Remove from heat; add the mint, lemon juice and salt. Cover and let stand for about 5 minutes.