My good friend Alyssa is my partner in crime when it comes to food. We have thrown many dinner parties and cooked together for years. Awhile she told me about her idea for these Mediterranean Bowls she was putting together. They sounded amazing! That night she sent me a picture, and I knew that I HAD to make them too! OH MY GOODNESS! SO GOOD!
The best part is that you can add or take away any part of this meal. These are the components we assembled for our bowls. My kids LOVED it because they could put whatever they want in their bowls.
There are FOUR recipes attached at the bottom of this post. Pick and choose which ones you want to use. We suggest ALL of them!
First, get the lamb marinating, according to the recipe. This is a great step to do in the morning, or the night before. Costco always has great lamb loin roasts in the Spring. I have also bought lamb roasts from the butchers. It can be harder to find in the USA. This could also be made with beef.
Next, the RICE! This rice is adapted from an old Weight Watchers cookbook I got from a garage sale. I’ve updated it to make it more flavorful!
Then the carrots. These carrots are SO yummy! They are a great addition to these bowls. Start by peeling the carrots and cutting them down a bit so they roast evenly.
Blend the yogurt and spices, then smother the carrots sticks with the spiced yogurt.
Spread the carrots out over a large baking sheet.
Roast the carrots for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
Next, it’s time to grill the lamb kebabs! Thread the lamb pieces onto skewers.
Grill the skewers for about 5-8 minutes on each side.
Grill till lightly charred, and slightly firm when you press down on the meat.
While the lamb is grilling, chop up veggies and prep –
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Red onion
- Feta cheese
- Hummus
- Tzatziki
The Hummus and Tzatziki could also be homemade, and recipes for those will come eventually. I was already making so many other things that it was easier to buy those two things premade.
I remove the lamb from the skewers into a larger serving bowl.
Time to assemble the bowls. I set it up like a buffet, and all the kids could come assemble their own.
DO NOT FORGET THE WARM NAAN OR PITA BREAD!
Lamb Kebabs
Equipment
- Kebab skewers
Ingredients
- 1 onion, cut in large chunks
- 1 clove garlic, peeled 1 Tablespoon minced
- 1 lemon, zested about ½-1 teaspoon
- 1 lemon, juiced about 3 Tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon allspice, ground
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 pinch saffron threads optional
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pound lamb loin roast, trimmed, and cut into 1 inch cubes
Instructions
- Prepare the lamb by trimming off excess fat, and cutting into 1 inch cubes.
- Put the rest of the ingredients into a blender. Blend until pureed.
- Place the lamb into a gallon sized ziploc bag. Pour the marinade into the bag over the lamb. Seal the bag, with as little air as possible left in the bag. Manipulate and turn the bag till the lamb pieces are all coated. Place in the regrigerator and marinate for 6-12 hours.
- If the skewers you are using are wood, then set them in long shallow dish with water for at least an hour.
- Thread about 5 pieces of lamb onto each skewer, leaving some space between the pieces.
- Spray cooking oil or rub oil on the grill. Place the lamb skewers onto a preheated grill. Cook for 5-8 minutes on each side or untill they are lightly charred, and slightly firm when you press on them.
- Remove from grill. You can serve on the skewers, or remove all the meat into a large bowl for people to dish up from there.
Garam Masala
Equipment
- 1 small spice jar for storage
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅓ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
Instructions
- Measure all the spices into a small bowl. Blend together with a fork. Store in spice jar or small airtight container.
Curried Basmati Rice
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced about 2 teaspoons
- 1 cup basmati rice, uncooked
- ¼ cup onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- In a medium sized pot over medium heat add the olive oil. Add in the onions and garlic. Saute till they are fragrant and softened. About 3 minutes.
- Add in the rice and seasonings. Stir over the heat for about a minute to lightly toast the rice.
- Add in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low. Put the lid on, and simmer for 12-15 minutes. If you double the recipe it will need to cook closer to 15 minutes.
- Fluff with a large spoon and serve.
Yogurt Roasted Carrots
Ingredients
- 8 full sized carrots
- ½ cup cilantro, fresh and chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon minced
- 2 Tablespoons sweet onion, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric, ground
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Peel the carrots. Cut down if the carrots are too thick. You need them about 4-5 inches long and about the thickness of a finger.
- Blend together the yogurt and spices. If you need a good Garam Masala check out Most Delicious Life for a recipe to make your own!
- Place the carrots in the dish with the yogurt blend. I use my hands to help smother and coat all the carrots.
- Spread carrots out on a large baking sheet. I use a silpat. If you not, then I suggest spraying or rubbing some oil on the sheet.
- Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.