Simple Healthy Easter Dinner

Easter Week evokes thoughts of fresh in-season vegetables and Spring Lamb. Easy to make and nutritious too, the following menu will hopefully inspire you to cook.

Grilled Leg of Lamb

Steamed Green Beans and Asparagus

Roasted New potatoes with herbs

Tossed Green Salad with tangerine slices,

sliced almonds, scallions and a light vinaigrette

Fruit Sorbet for dessert

Allow about 4-6 ounces of lamb per person. Purchase bone-out leg of lamb. Have your butcher "butterfly" the lamb so that it cooks evenly. To butterfly a meat means to cut the meat so that it lays with even thickness in one piece.

Once the meat is butterflied, flatten it out with your hand and season the lamb with sea salt, pepper and garlic powder. Grill on a barbecue or broil in the oven until cooked, about 10 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the meat. Remove from the heat when cooked and cover with foil until ready to serve. Thinly slice the lamb "against the grain" and serve.

If you are not sure about steaming, you can poach the vegetables in a skillet. Fill a skillet with water and bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat on the stove. Trim the ends off the green beans and asparagus. Cook the green beans first in the simmering water for about 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Remove them from the water and set aside. Now cook the asparagus in the same water for 2 minutes or until tender. Remove them from the water and serve with the green beans. These may be seasoned with sea salt and pepper, or even a squeeze of lemon.

For the potatoes, allow 3-4 small potatoes per person. Rinse and cut them into pieces all the same size. Place in a baking pan and pour about a tablespoon or so of olive oil over. Toss well to lightly coat the potatoes. Season with sea salt and pepper and cook for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. About halfway through the cooking, remove the potatoes from the oven and turn them over on the pan. Place back in the oven to finish cooking. Depending on the size of the potato pieces, you can cook them longer if need be.

For the salad and to make things simple, use pre-washed lettuce from the store. A light vinaigrette may be made using 2 parts canola oil and 1 part rice wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Taste the dressing and adjust with more oil if you want a milder salad dressing.

Purchased fruit sorbets are a simple and elegant way to finish this meal.

-  Kim Fielding