HANDS-ON: 15 MIN. // TOTAL: 15 MIN. // SERVES 4
Crisp lettuce leaves are a refreshing alternative to pita bread or flatbread. When reheating leftovers for lunch the next day, I often assemble them as a salad by spooning the warm lamb mixture over a bed of chopped greens and dolloping with tzatziki sauce.
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces lean ground lamb
1 cup chopped tomato or quartered cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped cucumber
12 Boston lettuce leaves
3/4 cup refrigerated Greek yogurt tzatziki or cucumber-dill dip
1 Heat a large skillet over high. Add the oil to the pan; swirl to coat. Add the onion, garlic, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and lamb to the pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until the lamb is done.
2 Combine the tomato and cucumber in a medium bowl. Stir in the lamb mixture. Place about 1/3 cup of the lamb mixture in each lettuce leaf. Top each wrap with 1 tablespoon of the dip.
(SERVING SIZE: 3 WRAPS): CALORIES 337; FAT 23G (SAT 10G, UNSAT 11G); PROTEIN 20G; CARB 15G; FIBER 3G; SUGARS 7G (ADDED SUGARS 0G); SODIUM 636MG; CALC 8% DV; POTASSIUM 8% DV
lamb perks
Lamb is a red meat that often gets overlooked, but it often leads the pack from a nutrition perspective. Grass is the primary food for lamb, typically regardless of whether it’s labeled 100% grass-fed or not, which gives it a slightly higher proportion of CLA (conjugated linoleic acids). These polyunsaturated fatty acids are believed to have an anti-inflammatory effect, reducing risks of heart disease, insulin resistance, and possibly obesity. Anti-inflammatory diet guidelines recommend limiting red meat in one’s weekly diet, so when you do indulge, choose lean cuts.