20 Recipes To Get You Excited About Lamb

It's 2016!  Besides the usual New Year's resolutions I've made for this year (i.e. eat healthier, be healthier), I want to be more creative in the kitchen.  I want to work with new ingredients, discover new flavors, and master new techniques.

Lamb.  I really want to start cooking more lamb.  I'm always quick to order lamb when I see it on a NYC restaurant menu, but I don't utilize it nearly often enough in my own kitchen.  2016 is going to change that.  I'm super excited to announce that I am one of the American Lamb Board's official Lambassadors this year.  And I hope ewe (#terriblelambpun) will join me on this journey to American lamb enlightenment!

You're going to hear a whole lot this year about why I'm excited about American lamb, but here's a few to get us started:

• It's local.  American lamb is produced in almost every state.  Approximately 50%  of the United States lamb comes from Australia and New Zealand, which would have to travel 10,000 miles (and about 30 days) to reach me here in NY.  I'd rather support our local shepherds and their families, and eat lamb that is super fresh.
• American lamb can help me stay on track with my New Year's resolution to eat a more nutritious diet with lean meat.  It's nutrient-rich, on average only has 175 calories in a 3-ounce serving, and is raised 100%without any artificial or synthetic growth hormones.
• A 3-ounce serving of American lamb meets the FDA definition of lean meat, and it also provides nearly 5 times the amount of essential omega-3 fatty acids than beef!   Check out this really awesome American lamb nutrition infographic to learn more about its health benefits.  Seriously, take a look.  You'll be pleasantly surprised!

To get myself totally pumped about lamb, I searched through some of my blogger friends' recipes and curated these 20 Recipes To Get You Excited About Lamb .  Guys, I'm totally drooling over these.  They look so ridiculously good!

Mediterranean Spiced Roasted Leg of Lamb with Yogurt Mint Feta Sauce - Chez Catey Lou

Balsamic Brown Sugar Lamb Chops - Grandbaby Cakes

Pan-Seared Lamb Chops With Cipollini Onions - Fork Knife Swoon

Mongolian Grilled Lamb Loin Chops - Kevin Is Cooking

Mediterranean Lamb Burger - Real Food By Dad

Grilled Lamb Burgers With Whipped Feta and Cucumbers - Joyful Healthy Eats

Lamb Burgers With Goat Cheese and Avocado - Fork Knife Swoon

Gyro Burgers with Homemade Tzatziki and Seasoned French Fries - Cooking For Keeps

Hearty Rosemary Lamb Stew - American Heritage Cooking

Paleo Moussaka - The Iron You

Grilled Lamb Salad Bowls - Real Food By Dad

Dal Makhani with Lamb - Kevin Is Cooking

Slow Cooker Chipotle Leg of Lamb Tacos - Brooklyn Farm Girl 

Moroccan Lamb Meatballs with Toasted Fregula - Kevin Is Cooking

Greek Lamb, Chickpea, and Feta Tart - Kevin Is Cookingt

Spanish Style Lamb Meatballs With Spicy Tomato Sauce - Fork Knife Swoon

Lamb Endive with Cherry Balsamic Sauce - Joyful Healthy Eats

Moussaka Penne - Scrummy Lane

Lamb Leg Steaks with Lemon, Walnut, and Feta Israeli Couscous - Club Narwhal

Pasta with Butternut Squash and Lamb - Yankee Kitchen Ninja

Yea, I know.  My food blogger friends are super talented.  I love the flavors they are coming up with.  And for even more lamb inspiration, follow me on Pinterest so you can see what I'm curating on my Lamb board.  There are some really legit recipes on there I need in my stomach immediately.  And make sure to stay tuned throughout the year here on the blog for some of my own creative lamb recipes!