Jalapeno and Mint Grilled Lamb

I'm excited! This is the first recipe I've developed for meat (and, of course, I had to choose lamb!). The result was this minty lamb that had a bite to it. Enjoy! 

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless lamb cut into steaks between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick

Marinade

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp grated ginger

2 large cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed

1.5 tsp salt

1/3 cup cilantro leaves, stems removed

2 tbsp mint

1) combine all marinade ingredients and grind to a coarse paste in a food processor. 

2) place lamb into a gallon-sized sealable plastic bag and pour marinade into bag. Seal bag, ensuring as little air as possible remains in the bag. 

3) marinate (refrigerated) for at least four hours (ideally overnight). For best results, turn bag over a few times to ensure proper distribution of marinade. 

4) grill to preferred "doneness". Serve immediately. 

Baked Carrot Cups

I realized the other day that I'm simply not getting enough of the orange vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, squash), into my diet, probably because I'm not a fan of sweet vegetables. So, today, I tried out a carrot pudding recipe.  The sweetness comes from the carrots and the maple syrup in a way that's customizable to individual tastes. 

2 lbs carrots, cleaned
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1tsp pumpkin pie spice

pinch of salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Oil coating spray or a few teaspoons melted butter

maple syrup (to taste)



1)Preheat oven to 350F
2) Steam the carrots till soft

3) Mash carrots in a food processor. Add eggs, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and salt.

4) Butter the compartments of a 12 cup muffin tray. 

5) Sprinkle a teaspoon of slivered almonds in each muffin tray compartment. 

4) Spoon carrot mixture evenly into the compartments of a well-buttered muffin tray. 

5) Bake at 350F for 25-30 mins, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a compartment comes out clean. 

6) Turn the baked cups out onto a plate. Add maple syrup to taste prior to serving. 

Tomato Curry Sauce Base

I've been on a quest to find a solution to quick and delicious weeknight meal preps. In that vein, I tried out a slightly modified "wet curry" recipe from Anupy Singla's "Indian Slow Cooker", and it's been a life saver!  I love the fact that it's as good as any store bought Indian "simmer sauce", but without all the fat(!). It's not too spicy, so I've actually used it in place of pasta sauce as an intro to spices for my kids. 

Here's the recipe:

3 lbs chopped onions

3 lbs chopped tomatoes

5 teaspoons turmeric

1/2 cup ginger paste

1/2 cup garlic paste

2.5 tablespoons salt

1 tsp finely ground black pepper

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1) Put all ingredients in a slow cooker, and cook on high for 4 hours.

2) Purée all ingredients (I used a hand blender), and cook on high for another additional hour. 

3) Allow to cool and store in refrigerator or freezer. 

I found myself freezing this in small (1/2 cup) containers and ice cube trays to make for easily quantifiable use later. I've tossed this with cooked veggies or meats for an instant curry. 

Roasted green beans with coconut oil and cumin.

Here's a quick and easy recipe that everyone in the family enjoyed. I used pretrimmed green beans so the prep took no time at all. Great for a weeknight dinner!

1 lb fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed

2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp salt

1) Pat the beans dry with paper towel. This will ensure that the oil coats them in the next step

2) If using coconut oil, melt to liquid consistency using package instructions.

3) Place green beans on a baking tray (lined if necessary), and toss with the oil, cumin and salt.

4) Broil on the top rack of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until beans develop a slight char.

Quick and easy spiced shrimp

I tried out a curried shrimp today that was both easy to make (no need to chop onions!) and a real crowd (and 2-year old!) pleaser too. Here's the recipe:

1 lb cooked shrimp (cleaned and at room temperature)

2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp ginger paste

2 tbsp garlic paste

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add the mustard seeds. 

2.  When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the garlic paste, ginger paste, turmeric powder, cardamom powder and stir for a few seconds. 

3. Add shrimp, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Cook, covered, for 5 mins. 

4. Serve warm.