It’s Easter time, and whether or not you celebrate the holiday, a lot of you have asked me for an NSNG/Low Carb dinner menu to make for the fam. It got me thinking…
If you traditionally like lamb on Easter, I absolutely LOVE the lamb chop recipe in the first Eat Happy. So definitely give that recipe a look.
Below, I’ve posted a new recipe for lamb shanks, slow cooked in Eat Happy Kitchen marinara. It’s very simple and fool-proof, plus the meat is so tender after being slow roasted, you’ll love the way it tastes. The acid of the marinara sauce really tenderizes the lamb. As long as you salt and pepper your lamb shanks well, you will be in good shape flavor wise. If you don’t have a large enough Dutch oven, you can also use a slow cooker (on high for 3-4 hours).
As for sides, definitely take a look at my Thanksgiving Round Up post for some ideas. I would be partial to the Creamed Spinach recipe as it would go well with lamb or ham. And the newest version of Cauliflower Gratin on my site is perfection. For vegetables, the Roasted Zucchini and Squash Casserole is light, dairy free, and a perfect compliment to a heavy meat main dish. And you can’t go wrong with the tried and true Bacon Broccoli dish. Moreover, if you have carb-eaters coming over for dinner, they will not miss the grains in those dishes.
If you choose to make a ham, look for a pre-cooked, unglazed ham. But throw away any spice/glaze/flavor packet that might come with the ham. You can cover the ham with foil and heat it in the oven at 250 to warm it up. If you’re dying for a glaze, try squeezing the juice of one orange over the edges of the spiral cut before warming up in the oven. Serve alongside a nice mustard with no added sugar like this Bornier Organic Whole Grain Dijon Mustard. Not to fret, the “grain” is actually just mustard seeds, so it’s safe to eat.
OK…on to the star of the post…
Marinara Braised Lamb Shanks
Ingredients
- 2-4 lamb shanks, trimmed of excess fat
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 jar Eat Happy Kitchen Marinara
- 1 cup chicken broth
- parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. In a Le Creuset or similar Dutch oven, heat olive oil to medium high heat until shimmering. Brown lamb shanks on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove lamb shanks to a plate.
- Pour jar of marinara and chicken broth into pot, scraping up and mixing in any browned lamb bits stuck to the bottom. Bring liquid to a boil, add lamb shanks back into pan. Cover, turn heat to medium low, and let lamb shanks simmer for 2-3 hours, flipping lamb shanks once. Remove lid, flip lamb shanks once more, and continue simmering for 1 additional hour, or until lamb is fork tender.
- Serve lamb shanks, topped with pan sauce, garnished with chopped parsley.
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