For many home-chefs, there may be certain cuts of meat that seem too intimidating to try outside of a restaurant. If lamb is one of those foods you never cook yourself, we have the perfect, fool-proof recipe for you to try at home. The result is a perfectly seasoned, juicy piece of rosemary lamb that the whole family will love.

Change up your plate

You know by now to choose a wide variety of colors when it comes to produce you are filling your plates with. While you may have mastered switching things up when it comes to fruits and vegetables, your protein sources may be a different story. Many of use stick mainly to chicken, turkey, pork, or beef out of habit. Lamb is a great meat to cycle in, especially since we eliminate beef during our 21-Day Cleanse.

Mediterranean diet

Lamb is a staple in Mediterranean diets and is considered to be one of the most nutritious types of meat available, especially as it is grass-fed. Lamb is a good source of iron, which is an important mineral for forming new red blood cells. This is crucial for transporting oxygen throughout the body. This helps fight fatigue, can help prevent anemia, and can improve symptoms of insomnia.

Lamb contains about equal amounts of saturated and monounsaturated fats, which will help satiate you when you choose this protein. It contains a beneficial type of fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is believed to help maintain a healthy weight, with some studies showing improved body composition (reduced body fat and increased muscle mass).

Rosemary is big on benefits

Since lamb is so flavorful on its own, we’ve kept the seasoning in this recipe simple. Rosemary is the only herb we’ve used and is often paired with lamb since it’s native to the Mediterranean. Rosemary contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which improves immunity and helps fight chronic illness. Rosemary contains carnosic acid, which is beneficial for fighting free radicals in the brain specifically. It can help prevent cognitive decline. Just the scent of rosemary has been shown to improve focus and mood.

Ingredients:

2 racks of lamb (about 2 lbs)

6-8 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup rosemary (stems removed)

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Add garlic, rosemary, and lemon zest to a food processor. Process until finely minced. Stir in olive oil to form a rough paste.

Spread the paste and a generous pinch of salt and pepper onto the outside of the lamb. Cover lamb and let sit for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450. Place the lamb on a baking sheet (fat side up) and bake for 15 minutes. Flip lamb and bake for 10 additional minutes for medium-rare meat. For best results, use a meat thermometer to reach the exact desired rareness (usually around 135 degrees).

Remove rosemary lamb from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing lamb to serve.

Recipe and photography by Kaitlyn Noble

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