Spiced Lamb Wraps

• Makes 2 servings

Meat:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound lamb meat or 2 lamb steaks
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs freshly grated ginger (or in a jar/tube)
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Wrap:

Trader Joe's brand Tabouli

1/4 cucumber thinly slivered

Shredded lettuce

1 tomato, diced

Sour cream or plain yogurt

Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Middle Eastern Flatbread

Hot sauce (optional)

Lamb is known for being tough if cooked incorrectly. That's why I use a pressure cooker; it keeps all the moisture in and creates tender, pull apart the meat for a 'taco.' I know there are a lot of spices in this recipe, but man it makes for a tasty, complex flavor. 

First I mix all the spices and olive oil in a plastic bag with the meat portions, shake, and let sit in the fridge overnight. Simply heat up your pressure cooker base with a splash of olive and brown the lamb on all sides. Add chicken broth/water to almost cover the meat and pressurize.

Cook for 1.5 hours in the pressure cooker. Remove from heat, release steam, and let cool 15 minutes or so before opening.

Shred meat with tongs and a fork then fill warmed flatbread with meat, tabouli, and other toppings of your liking.

Enjoy the tender lamb!

Mouth-Watering Pork Carnitas

I love this recipe because it can be quickly made in a pressure cooker or just thrown in a slow-cooker in the morning an it's ready to eat when you get home. (It makes the house smell great!)
There are a few key ingredients that make this recipe over-the-top-tasty (hint: OJ).

Can easily serve 5 people.

4 Pork Chops or a 3-4lb. Pork Shoulder
1 14oz. can diced Tomatoes
1 small can diced Green Chiles
3 cloves of Garlic, diced
1 small white or red Onion, diced
1 tbsp. Lime juice (bottled or fresh)
1/2 cup of Orange Juice
1 cup beef or chicken Stock (or as much liquid as it takes to cover the meat)
2 tsp. ea. Paprika and Chile Powder
4 tsp. Ground Cumin
2 tsp. ea. Salt & Pepper
2 roasted and chopped Peppers of your choice (depending on how spicy you want it)
2 tbsp. chopped Cilantro (to garnish)

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pot or pressure cooker. Sprinkle salt & pepper on the pork, then turn to sear the meat on all sides. Push meat to the edge of the pan so you can also saute the garlic and onion until it's translucent. Either transfer the meat, onions, and garlic to a slow-cooker or keep it in the same large pot/pressure cooker.

How to roast a pepper: Spray or coat the peppers of your choice in oil and broil, turning with tongs until all sides are charred. Let the pepper cool and remove stem- and seeds if you want it to be less spicy.

Add the rest of the spices on top of the meat, add the can of tomato and chiles, fill the pot with the lime juice, orange juice, and stock (or water if you don't have stock on hand) and stir.

Cover the pot and bring up to a low-simmer (medium-low heat) if slow-cooking in a pot or CrockPot and cook for at least a few hours until meat can be shredded with a fork. If using a pressure cooker, bring up to temperature, then lower and cook for at least an hour.
Shred the tender meat using a couple of forks. Let the pork simmer in the juices to absorb all the spices throughout, while also thickening the juices. Keep warm until ready to serve.

This meat helps make my favorite tacos: warm some tortillas, add your hot carnitas, add chopped lettuce, tomato, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream to top it all off. Yummm.
Best of all, the leftovers only taste better as the flavors mix.