Recipe of the Week: Middle Eastern Lamb Stew

Middle Eastern Lamb Stew
Makes 8 servings, about 1 cup each
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds boneless lamb stew meat (shoulder cut)
1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used veggie)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15- or 19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
6 ounces baby spinach
Optional (my additions):
3/4C chopped, pitted, cured black (moroccan) olives
3/4C golden raisins

Place lamb in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Mix oil, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Coat the lamb with the spice paste and toss to coat well. Top with onion. Pour tomatoes, broth and garlic over the lamb and onion. Cover and cook until the lamb is very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours on high or 5 1/2 to 6 hours on low. Skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew. Mash 1/2 cup chickpeas with a fork in a small bowl. Stir the mashed and whole chickpeas into the stew, along with spinach.

Per serving: 319 calories; 15 g fat (5 g sat, 6 g mono); 92 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 30 g protein; 5 g fiber; 494 mg sodium; 238 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (30% daily value), Vitamin A (25% dv), Iron (20% dv).

Had this for dinner tonight over a cup of cooked bulgar and it was fabulous, warm, hearty and filling. I coooked it in the slow cooker overnight, and then stashed it in the fridge until dinner time. The flavors are delicious, and it was really quite simple to make.

Oh, and I finally made a morning swim today, and was rewarded with total KLN eye candy in the next lane. A hot male swimmer I've never seen before. Wow, see what you miss when you sleep through pool time. I *will* be back. Is tomorrow too soon?