New year, new you! The beginning of a new year is a great time to reconfirm your health and wellness goals. We here at IHI have teamed up with some of our friends to bring you fun, easy and delicious recipes to help keep you on the right track all winter long!

Sexy Pasta with Lamb by Briana Santoro

My husband Steve and I are in the middle of renovating our house. Since our own house is uninhabitable during this process we have been living with my brother-in-law Joe (Steve’s brother), my sister-in-law Steph and my little nephew Jackson for the past couple of months. What a blast! Steve and I are so grateful to them for taking us in. One of the ways I’m able to thank them and show them how appreciative we are, is to cook. A few nights ago I was inspired to cook lamb. When it’s grass fed, lamb can be a fantastic source of omega-3?s. Plus, adding meat to a pasta dish helps to slow down the glycemic effects of the pasta, balancing out the meal and providing a macronutrient balance. Below was the result of my lamb and pasta experiment. It was a hit! My nephew even loved it!

Serves 6

Ingredients:

10-12 small lamb chops (grass-fed)
6 cloves garlic 1 1/2 onions
3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
12 roma tomatoes
1 cup sweet green peas
1 tbsp oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped + a little to add in at the end
cayenne pepper to taste (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 bag of whole grain pasta (I use brown rice or kamut)

Directions:

On medium heat in a big saucepan add the oil, garlic, and onions, and stir. Then add the lamb chops so they are evenly spaced. Add the balsamic vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook for 1 minute then flip and cook for 1 minute on the other side. Remove just the lamb chops (leaving the garlic and onion mixture in the pot) and set aside.
Chop the tomatoes into large chunks and place them in a blender. Blend until there are only a few little chunks remaining. Pour the tomato into the pot and add the remaining salt and pepper, as well as the peas, oregano, basil, and cayenne. Cook on medium heat for 20-30 minutes. The sauce will start to reduce. Add the lamb chops back in and turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes or until lamb is cooked. Mix in a little more basil at the end.
Cook pasta according to directions on package. To serve put the pasta in a big bowl and pour the lamb and sauce over top. Server with a big salad and enjoy!
Briana Santoro is the Founder and Chief Product Undresser at The Naked Label Inc. She is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Iridologist, Business Strategy Consultant and lover of whole foods. She holds her own in the kitchen, loves growing organic food, yet is lacking a green thumb, and could eat hummus ever day of her life! In addition she is a dynamic public speaker and writer. Her passion for creating a world where everyone can be healthy and feel fabulous is what helps her spring out of bed in the morning. For more info, visit Briana online or on twitter.

Briana has just published a wonderful cookbook, Get Naked in the Kitchen, filled with even more great recipes to keep you happy and healthy all year long! Get your copy here.