Shish Kebabs - low FODMAP alternative

I love making these because they are easy, enjoyable to eat and versatile. You can put pretty much whatever you want on them - as long as they cook on a hot plate! I have one fussy eater so I made some which will suit him, and the others I made for the rest of us.

I made chicken and lamb shish kebabs. The chicken shish kebabs in the top photo have cherry tomatoes and corn spears - they are for my fussy eater! Whilst the lamb ones in the bottom photo have an assortment of red capsicum, green capsicum, onion, corn spears, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.

For IBS and for those following the low FODMAP diet - use zucchini, cherry tomato and capsicum. You could also use harder vegetables too like carrot, green beans, pumpkin and potato, but my suggestion is to pre cook them first so they don't take too long on the hot plate.

Ingredients:

• 500g diced lamb pieces
• 500g chicken breast
• Vegetables of your choice, suitable for sticking a skewer through and grilling on the hotplate
• Marinade of your choice. I marinated the chicken in soy sauce and sesame seeds (Mr fussy's choice) and the lamb in mint sauce alone. Marinate for at least one hour, the longer the better though!

Method:

1. The first thing you MUST do is soak the skewers in a bowl of water for about 30mins so they don't burn on the hotplate
2. Once the meat is marinated and the skewers have been soaked, place the meat and vegetables on the skewers in any order you like
3. Either BBQ them or use an electric frying pan or griddle pan
4. Cook on a medium heat, turning often and mind they don't burn.

Note: it is advisable to cut the pieces of meat and veg around the same size so they do actually touch the hotplate. If they are not touching the hotplate they won't cook!  D-E-L-icious  XD

Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks

I found a similar recipe to this online and adapted it for my slow cooker. It serves 4 generous serves and has a flavoursome tomato gravy which is perfect when served with mashed potato.

Ingredients:

• 4 lamb shanks to fit your slow cooker. Ask the butcher to trim the bone down if they are too long
• 1 x 400g tin diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smokey paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup red white
• 1/2 cup beef stock

Method:

1. In a large frying pan, brown the lamb shanks in olive oil, turning and browning all sides
2. Once browned, add them to the slow cooker
3. In the same frying pan, add a little more oil and cook the onion and garlic for 2mins
4. Add the carrots, cumin and paprika, stir through and cook for 2mins then place them in the slow cooker
5. Into the slow cooker, pour the stock, red wine, tinned tomatoes and rosemary
6. Cook for 1hr on high, then turn down to low for 8hrs
7. Serve with mashed potatoes and dutch carrots in maple syrup... D-E-L-icous  XD

Moroccan Lamb & Couscous Salad - Julie Goodwin

Please excuse the crappy photo, my Samsung phone camera used to be fantastic, 

but since the Jellybean update it is now rubbish.

Shame on you, Android! My next phone will be an iPhone!

I haven't cooked lamb backstraps before so buying them from my butcher was a new experience for me. I'm not sure if this is universal with all butchers, buy mine told me when you buy backstraps you get the 'backstrap' and a piece of 'fillet'. I didn't know what to expect, in fact I had never seen a backstrap before so when my butcher showed me the 'fillet' I laughed. The fillet was about 10cm long and 2cm wide. My first thought was 'what am I supposed to do with that?' So I served it up along with the backstrap XD

The backstraps are not cheap, in fact it was the most expensive piece of meat I had bought before - $29.99 per kilo but this meal only requires 400g. I can see why backstraps are expensive though - they are the most succulent cut of meat from the lamb. It is the trimmed part of the middle of lamb's loin and is free from any bone, gristle and fat so it is extremely lean.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup currants
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 oranges, zest finely grated, flesh reserved
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 400g lamb backstraps

Method:

1. Place currants in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 5-10mins, until plump. I left them for about 30mins
2. Bring the stock to the boil in a pan over a high heat. Remove from heat and add couscous. Stir, then cover and leave for 5 minutes. The liquid will absorb into the couscous. Add the butter and fluff with a fork. Cover again
3. Heat half the oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and orange zest and cook for a further minute. Stir through the brown sugar
4. Add the onion mixture to the couscous. Roughly chop the flesh of the oranges (discarding the membrane and pith) and stir through the couscous along with the drained currants and the orange juice. Season to taste with salt & pepper if required
5. Wipe out the frying pan and heat the remaining oil over a high heat. Combine the spices and salt in a large pres-seal bag and place the lamb inside. Seal and shake the bag to coat the lamb. Brown the lamb in the frying pan then cook for a further few minutes, until done to your liking. This will vary depending on the thickness of the fillets. When the lamb has about the same resistance to it as a palm of your hand, it's about medium. Let the lamb rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving over the top of the couscous. D-E-L-icious XD

Lamb Casserole with Tomato & Rosemary

I threw this together last night with 2 lamb chump chops and staples from the pantry. When you can get lamb on special - this is a very cheap, tasty and easy meal to make. It requires about an hour - two would be better so the lamb falls off the bone, but it was a definite winner with the family. It serves 4 with pasta.

Ingredients:

• 2 lamb chump chops (the larger the better)
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced
• 5 sticks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 and half teaspoons rosemary (dried or fresh)
• Salt & pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon oil

Method:

1. Heat a large pan with oil and brown the lamb chump chops for about 2mins each side, then remove and place on paper towel
2. To the juices in the pan, add the onions and garlic, stir and cook for 2mins
3. Add the celery, potato and carrot, stir and cook for 2mins
4. Add diced tomato, salt, pepper, rosemary, water and stir well
5. Return the lamb chops to the pan and bring to the boil
6. Once boiling, reduce to a low heat and simmer for at least an hour
7. Serve with pasta, rice or cous cous - there is lots of yummy gravy. D-E-L-icious  XD

Italian One Pan Lamb

This dish is easy, relatively fast, tasty and very healthy. This serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 4 x 100g lean lamb steaks, fat trimmed
• 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 red capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 medium eggplant, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 240g dried pasta

Method:

1. Heat a large, deep, non-stick frying pan over high heat
2. Season lamb with salt and ground pepper
3. Cook lamb for 3-4 minutes each side or until well browned
4. Remove lamb from pan and set aside
5. Add onion, capsicum, eggplant, garlic and vinegar to pan
6. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until vegetables start to soften and colour
7. Add tomatoes and 1 litre of boiling water
8. Bring to the boil and add the pasta
9. Simmer, uncovered for 7 minutes, stirring once during cooking
10. Return lamb and any juices to pan
11. Simmer gently for 5 minutes or until lamb is hot and pasta is tender
12. Serve into deep bowls with lamb placed on top

Note: Nice garnished with basil leaves too. D-E-L-icious XD

Scouse - Traditional Liverpudlian stew

Scouse

While simmering

When I was a kid I would spend a lot of time at my Nan and Grandad's. Nan would often make this traditional dish from her birth-place, Liverpool England, called Scouse. It's basically a stew which uses left-over leg of lamb with vegetables. The flavour of the cooked lamb and marrow from the bone permeate through all the elements to create a dish which will leave you wanting more. It is very easy and extremely tasty. Best made on a weekend when you have a few hours to put aside. However preparation is only 5-10 minutes. The serving sizes vary because it will depend on the amount of meat left on the bone.

Ingredients:

• Left-over cooked leg of lamb (including the bone)
• 1 onion peeled and diced
• 3-4 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 or 2 beef stock cubes
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons barley (optional)

Method:

1. Remove all meat from leg of lamb and cut into chunks
2. Place lamb, including bone, into a big pot
3. Add the vegetables, salt & pepper and stock cubes and cover with water
4. Boil/simmer (covered) until meat falls off the bone then remove bone
5. If you choose to add barley and boil/simmer until it's soft and you are ready to eat
6. Serve in bowls along with crusty bread rolls.

Slow roasted lamb with garlic & rosemary

I usually slow cook a lamb in the slow cooker, but decided I would roast it on a very low heat in the oven today. I warmed the oven on 140 degrees celsius for 10mins while I prepared the lamb. This is how easy it was:

Ingredients:

• Leg of lamb
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced Asian style
• 3 or 4 whole garlic cloves
• Salt & pepper
• Rosemary (I used fresh rosemary from my herb garden)

Method:

1. In a large baking dish lay the onion wedges and garlic cloves and place the lamb on top
2. Sprinkle salt, pepper & rosemary over the lamb and drizzle lightly with olive oil
3. Cover with baking paper AND aluminium foil and cook for 2hrs at 140 degrees
4. After 2hrs remove the baking paper and foil and place the backing dish back in the oven for another 2hrs to brown the meat
5. If you want to put potatoes in - now is a good time and turn them after one hour
6. When ready, the lamb should be very easy to remove from the bone. Place the lamb on a plate to rest and cover with foil
7. While the lamb is resting, place the pan it was in on the stovetop with the onion and garlic still in it and make your gravy with boiled water (and gravy mix if you wish)

Serve with vegetables and pour over your lovely chunky gravy.  D-E-L-icious  XD

Gravy

Greek Lamb Salad

This recipe has been adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe. It serves 4, is fast, very easy and delicious. You will need at least 30mins for the lamb to marinate, but you can make the marinade (dressing) hours in advance and leave it in the fridge until ready to cook.

Ingredients:

• 150g low fat natural Greek yoghurt
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 1/2 teaspoonground cumin
• Sprinkle of salt
• 450g lean lamb loin chop, bones removed (I used lean lamb steaks)
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint, shredded
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 4 sticks celery, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• Handful of sliced capsicums (I used a mixture of colours)
• 100g lettuce (I used baby cos lettuce)

Method:

1. Combine the yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Pour 1/4 of this dressing into a pres-seal bag and add the lamb. Seal the bag and toss to mix the dressing through the lamb
2. Cover the remaining dressing with glad wrap and leave in the fridge. Refrigerate the lamb for a minimum of 30mins, overnight is fine.
3. Preheat a griddle pan on high. Remove the lamb from the pres-seal bags and place on grill to cook
4. Cook 4mins both sides, remove and set aside for 5mins. Slice thinly.
5. Meanwhile stir half the mint into the dressing
6. Arrange lettuce and salad vegetables on plates. Top with lamb, drizzle the dressing over and garnish with the remaining mint.

D-E-L-icious  XD

Spicy Lamb Cutlets with Seasoned Wedges and Garlic Beans

These cutlets are to die for. They are tender, tasty, easy to prepare and absolutely beautiful. I serve them with seasoned wedges and vegetables. This recipe has string beans with garlic. It serves 4 and is D-E-L-icious  XD.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• 8 lamb cutlets or lamb chops
• 4 large potatoes, cut into wedges
• 2 handfuls of green string beans, ends removed
• Spray oil
• Very small amount of low-fat butter
• Salt, garlic powder and dried thyme

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcius
2. Combine all sauces, honey and the mustard in a bowl and mix well
3. Remove fat and arrange the cutlets in an ovenproof dish and cover with the sauce mixture
4. Cook for approximately 35 mins, turning after 20mins
5. On a separate tray arrange the wedges, spray with spray oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, thyme and salt and cook for 30mins (same temperature as cutlets) turning after 15mins
6. Cook the string beans any way you prefer (I steam them in a tablespoon of water in the microwave). Before serving stir through a smidgen of low-fat butter and garlic powder (or crushed garlic to taste).