Well, summer camp week has come to an end and I am off to pick-up the kids today. Can’t wait to see them.  The weather has not been great here, so I hope they had a good time and didn’t get too much rain at camp.  As usual, my “to do” list is far from done, but I did manage to get through many things on my list.  This year I was bound and determined to take some time away from giant list of projects and spend a nice evening out with my husband.

The Decision

We contemplated trying something new as there are so many great restaurants in town, but we decided to go back to a place we know and love.  The regular menu at Fude offers a great selection, but they also offer a feature menu that is always incredible.  The food they serve is very unique and often a mixture of unexpected flavours and combinations.  Much of the menu consists of “Manitoba grown ” food and they offer a “Love at First Bite” guarantee.  The service is always excellent and if the owner is there, he will often come out and give you a personal welcome.  We are never disappointed when we go there, but we decided to go the website to check out the current features just to confirm our decision.  I immediately made a reservation when I saw that they were serving lamb burgers.  Here is a screen shot of the feature menu and a description of the lamb burgers.

What’s The Big Deal With Lamb?

Well, as all of my readers know, I have been following Lyn-Genet Recitas book The Plan as a guide to healthy eating for about 2 1/2 months now.  I have been extremely pleased with the results and for the first time ever, I feel completely in charge of my own body.  I am still learning what foods are reactive and which are friendly through continued controlled exposure to new foods which expand my menu of friendly items.  What I love is that I already have an extensive list of “go to foods” which have tested “friendly” and are easily digested by my body.  Whenever I do indulge (eat a proven reactive food, try something new as a test or when eating out),  I can immediately follow with a friendly day and get right back on track.  So, how do lamb burgers fit into all of this?  Well, the premise of The Plan is to discover what works well for you specifically.  It is not about good or bad foods, but about how you react to specific foods in your diet.  Which foods cause an inflammatory response in your body and thus cause weight gain? (A reactive food can cause weight gain ranging from half a pound (for a moderate response) to few pounds for a food that you are wildly reactive to.)  Basically, everything is a test. I tend to test the foods that I love the most, so that I can discover how my body reacts with them.  I have eaten very little lamb in my life, but many years ago I did the “Eat Right For Your Blood Type” plan and it suggested lamb was highly beneficial for my type AB blood type.  At that time, the internet was not used as tool for finding great recipes and although I did eat some lamb during that time, I really never had a great recipe to work with.  In Lyn’s book,  she talks about what a great dense protein lamb is and how easily digested it is by most people.  In her list of reactive foods, she has found that 10% or less of her clients have reacted to lamb. She even suggests that you should be able to tolerate lamb up to three times per week.  (Most people who test “friendly” to beef, are still only able to tolerate it once a week or it sets off an inflammatory response in their body). She also says that ground lamb is less “gamy” tasting that other cuts of the meat. I had not yet had a chance to test lamb and although I knew that dinner out would not be a valid test (because of exposure to so many other foods at the same time), I was excited to try a lamb burger.  The burger was juicy and delicious with the perfect amount of seasoning. I can’t wait to make my own!

Of course, I did not limit myself to the lamb-burg-ini.  Tim and I shared an appetizer ~ baked brie with rhubarb chutney ….mmmm!  I had the burger and Tim enjoyed elk tenderloin for his main entrée.  For dessert, we didn’t share.  Not a chance.  I had a hot rhubarb crumble with vanilla bean ice cream and Tim had their signature Die By Chai Cheesecake.  The meal was incredible and we enjoyed a great evening out together!

Nutritional Value of Lamb

Like beef, it is ideal if you can get grass-fed lamb.  There is in excellent article put out by whfoods.com which outlines the nutritional components of grass-fed lamb in detail, but here are a few highlights from it:

• great source of Omega-3
• good source of Vitamin B12 and other B vitamins as well as niacin
• contains selenium and zinc
• conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which reduces inflammation
• great source of protein (60% of daily requirement)
• rich in iron

What Health Benefits Might Grass-Fed Lamb Provide?

• beneficial in general heart health and cardiovascular disease
• helps in blood sugar regulation
• niacin (aids in protection against Alzheimer’s and osteoarthritis and helps promote healthy skin)
• B12 is important for brain functioning and supports the nervous system
• zinc is important for general growth, cell development, healing and the immune system
• easily digested by most people

Homemade Lamb Burgers

I must confess that I have not yet tried this recipe, but it is from “The Plan” and Lyn says that many of her clients claim it as one of their favourites.    Here it is:

1 lb. ground lamb
1 zucchini, grated
4 to 5 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
Herbs and spices of choice (Italian, Herbes de Provence, cumin, turmeric, fresh ground pepper, Sriricha, etc)

Combine all ingredients, form into 4 patties, and pan sear to medium rare for 6 to 8 minutes.

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