Category: Lamb

Lamb, Rosemary and Sweet Potato Pie


Use normal potatoes for the topping if you like, but sweet potatoes give this pie a distinctive taste

Due to the cost and length of cooking time, I’m quite selective over which lamb dishes I make but Lamb, Rosemary and Sweet Potato Pie from Pinch of Nom’s latest book was a no-brainer. This really is a beautifully tasting pie which contains a great balance of protein, vegetables and carbs, all for just 340 calories per serving (based on serving 6 people).

If pies / casserole-based dishes are your thing, check out lean lamb hotpot, mince and vegetable pie with tumbled spuds, cottage pie or tortilla chilli pie.

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Lamb, Spinach and Potato Curry


This lamb curry is a brilliant alternative to having chicken

Lamb, Spinach and Potato Curry is the Hairy Dieters’ take on the traditional Indian curry, saag gosht, and what a brilliant fakeaway this is. There are a fair few ingredients to prep here and the recipe takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to cook in the oven, but the end result is simply divine and bursting with flavour.

My son, who usually thinks spinach is something only aliens eat (I explained that Popeye does too), is a big covert of this dish and didn’t complain that there was no rice or naan bread. In truth, it doesn’t need it as the potatoes and tomatoes alongside the lamb are enough to bulk the meal out.

There are just 293 calories per portion in this recipe, which means you can have a couple of cheeky beers on the side and not feel too guilty! If curries are your thing, check out the Fakeaway section of this blog for lots of marvellous ideas.

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Green Lamb Curry


It made for a nice change to have lamb in a curry instead of chicken

I love lamb, spinach and curries, so when I came across Green Lamb Curry from the Hairy Dieters’ latest healthy eating book (Make it Easy) I was eager to try it. This recipe is a low-cal take on the Indian saag gosht dish, which means nothing to me, but it tastes mighty fine.

This isn’t a curry to make in a hurry – the lamb needs to be cooked for up to 2 ½ hours so it’s beautifully tender and flavoursome – BUT do check it after an hour and then at regular intervals thereafter to make sure it doesn’t dry out. You tend to think of lamb as being fatty, but there are only 267 calories per serving (without rice or naan) in this curry, although the suggestion that it will serve 6 people is somewhat ambitious.

If you’re in need of a curry fix, check out the Fakeaways section on this blog for more mouthwatering meals.  

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(Lighter) Moussaka


You can make this in 6 individual pots, or one big dish which is far less ‘faffy’

Moussaka beats a lasagne any day for me, and this gorgeous, lighter version from the Hairy Dieters is only 323 calories per portion. That’s based on using lean lamb mince though which you can pick up 500g packs containing 10% fat from Sainsbury’s, whereas most other supermarkets sell packs at 20% fat. Check the packaging before you buy (I’ve always wanted to say that).

The long list of ingredients may indicate that this recipe is tricky, but get everything out on the side before you start cooking and it’s relatively simple to make. But if you can, use a deeper, smaller dish as opposed to a larger, shallow dish so it’s easier to layer everything before you bake it in the oven.

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Mediterranean-Style Lamb Shanks


A proper treat for special occasions and/or ‘date nights’

Ok, so this might be 582 calories (and more if you opt to add couscous), but Mediterranean-Style Lamb Shanks from Pinch of Nom tastes divine so why not treat yourself once in a while? You deserve it!

Lamb Shanks literally melt in your mouth when slow cooked and I’ve recently switched to a fab local butcher who provides top-quality meat at affordable prices. The perception that butchers are more expensive than supermarkets isn’t always the case, but the quality you get from them is undoubtedly superior. I’m not sure I’d go back to buying meat from supermarkets again

In their book, Pinch of Nom provide two alternative cooking methods for cooking this recipe – electric pressure cooker and slow cooker – so check them out if they appeal to you. I decided to ‘rough it’ by using a conventional oven and it was ready in about 2 ½ hours – perfect for a lazy Sunday. If you decide to have couscous with this (in hindsight, I’m not sure it needs it), make sure you buy a decent quality brand. Ainsley Harriott is pretty good and is available from most supermarkets.

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Lamb Steaks with Mint and Broad Beans


Give this recipe the TLC it deserves and you’re in for a treat

Lamb Steaks with Mint and Broad Beans from the Hairy Dieters is an exquisite dish that seems somewhat out of place in their ‘Fast Food’ book – recipes which supposedly can be prepped and cooked in 30 minutes. It is somewhat stretching the truth to say you can create this in half an hour. In fact, it’s total bollocks.

But this is a fantastic recipe which will turn out perfectly as long as you give it some TLC. Firstly, marinate the lamb for more than 10 minutes (I marinated mine for a couple of hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon) and secondly, although you don’t have to, I’d recommend ‘de-podding’ the broad beans as they taste and look better with the skins taken off. This is a labour of love though!

I’m so pleased I took the time to make this meal and it went down extremely well in my household. If you’re wondering what to do with the remaining broad beans, try chicken and broad bean pilaf and leave out the chicken for a vegetarian friendly version.

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Lamb Tagine – thank goodness for lockdown


Lamb Tagine

Thank goodness for Lamb Tagine from the Hairy Dieters and thank goodness for lockdown – if I didn’t have a spare couple of hours I would never have got around to making this brilliant recipe. Before I put you off, yes it can take between 1 hour 45 mins and 2 hours to make this, but prep time is about 15 minutes and then it’s just a case of banging it in the oven and giving it a stir after an hour.

The tenderness of the lamb, the lovely flavours of the spices and the sweetness of the honey and apricots combine so well together. I was greedy and served this with couscous. But the serving, bulked out by the chunks of sweet potato, is ample on its own. Enjoy, and if you love Moroccan-based recipes, check out Moroccan-style Chicken with Vegetable Couscous. Continue reading “Lamb Tagine – thank goodness for lockdown” →

Lean lamb hot pot


Lean lamb hotpot

There are now over 50 recipes on this blog so it was high time that I featured one containing lamb. Lean Lamb Hot Pot from the Hairy Dieters is a comforting meal that is simple to put together, and although cooking this takes up to 1 hour and 45 minutes (do keep an eye on your pan so it doesn’t stick!), the oven does most of the work.

Given the relatively high cost of good quality lamb, and the time it takes to braise the meat, outside of a traditional Sunday dinner lamb rarely features on my menu. But the benefits of being on ‘lockdown’ (if I can label it in this way!) mean that l can make stews like this now that daily life as we know it is less chaotic.

Though naturally higher in calories compared to beef and chicken, it is possible to eat a nourishing meal including lamb for under 500 calories so you can stay on track with your diet. Both the Hairy Dieters and Justine Pattison in her ‘Without the Calories’ series of books feature a variety of lamb recipes so check them out. I’ll try and get round to featuring some of them on here eventually. Continue reading “Lean lamb hot pot” →