Lamb roast with Feta, Mushroom, and Spinach...That's what I'm talking about!

I got to try this sometime....I love a good lamb roast!

Stuffed Lamb Roast

Lamb roast

• Approximately 2 lb boneless lamb roast

Marinade

• 1 cup dry left over red wine (this recipe is a great way to use up days-old wine!)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 TBS fresh thyme
• 2 TBS  fresh rosemary
• 1 TBS fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• 2 tsp Minced garlic
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

*Use fresh herbs if you can for this marinade, it does make a difference. If you only have dried herbs adjust the measurements down and be sure to use a processor to release as much flavor as possible.
In a food processor, crush the herbs and emulsify them in the olive oil and lemon juice. It will be a lovely green mixture. Place the lamb roast into a gallon size zip lock bag. Pour that lovely green mixture over the lamb and make sure that coats the lamb completely. Pour the red wine into the bag and seal. Gently shake the bag. Marinate the lamb for a minimum of 4 hours up to over night, rotating the bag a couple of times to make sure the lamb roast has maximum contact.

Stuffing

• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 TBS butter
• 1 TBS left over red wine
• 1 c fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 c. Basil and Tomato flavored feta cheese, reserve 1/4 c for garnish

Sauté the mushrooms in the butter. Deglaze the pan with the red wine. In a small bowl, combine the cooked mushrooms, spinach and 1/4 cup feta cheese.
Preheat the oven to 325°

Lamb stuffed with Spinach, feta and mushrooms

Remove the lamb roast from the marinade. Discard the remaining marinade. My lamb roast was secured with a twine net so I sliced a small hole in the net so I could expose the center of the roast. Then I stuffed the roast through the hole in the net. I cut a second hole in the side to fill the roast with the remaining stuffing. If your roast has been butterflied but not tied, lay the roast out flat as possible, place the stuffing along one long side and roll up the roast. Secure the roast with twine.
Roast the lamb on a grilling pan for 40-50 minutes or until it registers 180° with a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and let the roast settle for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve slices of lamb roast garnished with a sprinkle of feta cheese.

Fooled You! Healthy Yet Unhealthy Foods....

Okay, my first blog with an actual topic will be over one of my favorite subjects, FOOD....

I found these few links (below) from Yahoo and Cooking Light (can't forget to give credit to a source!).

The topic is based on foods that say or have the projection of being healthy, but in REALITY, are not....It has importance due to the fact that many times, we, myself included, are smidgened to the belief that just because a label may say "Low Fat", "Low Sodium", "Low Sugar", or several other healthy-inducing titles on the front, we automatically think that is okay to eat from a health point of view. On the contrary! Read the ingredients on the side or back....I know this may be time consuming, but it is worth it from a healthy stance....

For example, backed potato chips are on the list....Just because they are low in fat, what nutritional aspects are still available? In other words, just because it doesn't have something bad, doesn't mean it has something good, which is bad.

Or another example, which can be based on salad. I know salad sounds like the king of all healthy meals, and it really is, if it's a REAL SALAD. That would mean no crutons, no bacon bits, no cheese, and absolutely NO DRESSING WITH MAYO (Whole, Fat Free, Low Fat...All the same!), meaning Ranch dressing, Thousand Island (Insert teary face here), etc....Usually, salads with those ingredients are heavy in calories, sodium, and fat, and thus have defeated the purpose of eating a salad....Try putting a homemade olive oil dressing or light vinaigrette dressing....Still good taste, and still with the purpose of being healthy....

The packaged lunches for kids are on this list, and that is one of the main reasons why I chose this topic. Too many kids today are being given the convenient, processed foods which contain little of health value and plenty of unhealthy value.  And we wonder where obesity, chemical inbalances, and so many other problems plaguing children come from?! Now I understand portion control as well can help if these foods are still to be given to kids. But what if that is what kids eat 5-6 days out of the week? And don't think for a minute just because they may eat an apple, that automatically cancels out the processed food they had 10 minutes before.

It pains me to see my beloved pb&j on the list....

WORST KIDS' FOODS
http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/nutrition-101/worst-kids-foods-00412000068842/page3.html

10 FOODS THAT SOUND HEALTHY (BUT AREN'T)
http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/smart-choices/top-10-unhealthy-foods-00400000054971/?xid=yshi-ckl-unhealthy-kids-food-110210


Now don't get me wrong. I can tear up a bag of Doritos in minutes, so I'm just as guilty. But just remember to think about what you're eating the next time you eat it.....

Arrival

Ladies and gentlemen, I have arrived. I am applying the old adage, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Facebook just didn't seem to have the capabilities of entrenching the few enlightening thoughts from my little brain.

Welcome the few, if any, to my blog. Make sure you remember this amazing moment as you've witnessed my blog for the first time. I would have had a big unveiling celebration but I unfortunately have a tight budget of ZERO for the maintenance of this blog.

Just the word, blog, sounds funny. So I can now say I'm officially a blogger. I wonder if you can put that on a business card?

So, I bet you're anxiously wondering, "What will this blog consist of?" Right now, I'm still asking myself that same question, so I'll have to get back to you on that. It probably will be on the basis of Seinfeld, but instead of a show, it will be a blog about "nothing." I think I may have something there!

In that, thank you for your time, and I've probably just wasted a minute or two of your day that you will never have back. Come back anytime!

More to come soon.....