When the stomach gets full it tells the head to sing. – Moroccan Proverb
Moroccan-Style Lamb and Chickpeas is a recipe with flavors that touch and satisfy every taste bud, and that’s a big plus to achieving satiety. This simple bowl is easy to fix and reminds me of a tagine but takes much less time. It’s full of vibrant color which contrasts beautifully when served over the suggested bright green and white arugula and couscous salad. Couscous-Arugula Salad Recipe | MyRecipes and Moroccan-Style Lamb and Chickpeas Recipe | MyRecipes
Although I rarely eat red meat, I do love to have lamb once in a while and prefer it to beef. I purchased a quality grass-fed ground Australian lamb from D’Artagnan. online. If you’re not a fan, you could use ground beef or chicken or skip the meat altogether and increase the quantity of chickpeas to create a delicious vegan meal. I prefer Jovial Foods legumes — they are pressure-cooked and packed in glass jars. They can be purchased online at the above link to the Jovial website or online at Thrive Market or Amazon. They are also sold at Whole Foods.
You can also substitute cauliflower rice for the couscous in the salad, or use dried blueberries in place of raisins. Tonight I substituted parsley because I didn’t have fresh cilantro on hand. I used a spice grinder to grind the coriander and cumin seeds and mixed them with red pepper and cinnamon. I also used Aleppo (Lebanese) red pepper flakes for extra kick. Feel free to be creative and adjust to your personal taste. The Mediterranean diet offers a lot of healthy choices and there are many cuisines and flavors to explore.
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground lamb
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups vertically sliced onion
- ½ cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut carrot
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
- 2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 3-tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons grated lemon rind
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 (15 1/2-ounce can) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add lamb to pan; cook 6 minutes, stirring to crumble.
- Remove the lamb from the pan with a slotted spoon. Discard drippings.
- Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. (I used a hybrid non-stick stainless steel Hexclad pan to sauté foods)
- Add onion and carrot to pan; sauté 4 minutes.
- Add cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and pepper; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Add reserved lamb, broth, and next 5 ingredients (through chickpeas); bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, and simmer for 4 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro and lemon juice.
- Serve at room temperature.
Enjoy!
♥ Susan L. Ward
Integrative Nutrition Health Coach