Pasta with Lamb and White Beans, Greek Style, Healthy Weekly Menu Plan.

Pasta with Lamb and White Beans, Greek Style

Cooking time: 25 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

We don't often use lamb with pasta, but, with the leftovers from Easter dinner, this is perfect. Just toss with some pasta, add some green garlic, cherry tomatoes and a 'touch of Greece', and Easter Monday dinner is served. The beans are left from Friday.

Pasta with Lamb and White Beans, Greek Style

Total time: 25 minutes
Originally made with leftover lamb, this could as easily be made with fresh ingredients. The cherry tomatoes and green garlic add a touch of spring, and just enough 'tomato' flavor. The feta and dry-cured olives add the taste of Greece.

Pasta with Lamb and White Beans Ingredients:

2 cups leftover lamb or raw lamb cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups (12oz, 360gr) white beans or 15oz (450gr) can or jar, drained and rinsed
1 carrot
1 rib celery
4 - 5 green garlic, about 1/2 cup, sliced substitute 4 green onions, sliced, and 1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup (4oz, 10gr) cherry tomatoes
3oz (90gr) feta
1/3 cup dry-cured Greek black olives
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken stock
1 1/4 cup (4oz, 120gr) pasta - penne, rigatoni, rotelle

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.
Roughly chop carrot, celery.
Cut the lamb into bit-size pieces.
Trim and thickly slice green garlic.
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Cut the olives in half.
Cut the feta into small cubes.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet.
Add the carrot, celery, (lamb if it's raw) and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the green garlic and sauté 3 minutes longer.
Add the cooked lamb, stock, beans, herbs and bring to a simmer.
Add pasta, tomatoes, olives and feta, heat through.
Serve.

Cooking schedule: 25 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
large skillet with lid, pot and colander for pasta
Put water on high heat for pasta
Roughly chop carrot, celery
Sauté carrot, celery.. Lamb if raw
Cut lamb
Trim, slice green garlic
Cut tomatoes

Cut olives
Cut or crumble feta
Add green garlic to skillet, sauté
Start to cook pasta
Add cooked lamb, stock, beans, herbs, cook gently
Wait for pasta
Drain pasta, add to skillet
Add tomatoes, olives, feta
Heat through
Serve

Menu Plan for Spring I: Week 7, Monday