Jane Clarke is one of the UK’s must trusted nutritionalists. She not only knows what’s good for you, but as a trained Cordon Bleu Chef, know’s how to make it taste fantastic. Her belief is grounded in the simple statement that “food nourishes your life, not just your body”. This week, find out her views on the greatest of spring meats – lamb…

“One of the easiest and yet most delicious meals to throw together when you have meat-loving friends round is lamb chops; if you can get them as a small rack, they look impressive (with or without the little white curly hats) – small enough to satisfy, but not over fancy and they’re very easy to cook. And nothing could be simpler or more delicious to serve with them than new potatoes and a big serving bowl of steamed greens-drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with plenty of freshly ground black pepper, throw in some very finely chopped mint, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to bring out the flavours, and lightly mix together.

Or you could give your lamb meal a North African theme by serving the chops (or any other cut of lamb) with couscous, maybe flavoured with lots of chopped herbs such as parsley, coriander and the classic served-with-lamb herb, mint.

Lamb, like most meat, needs a little fat on it to help give it flavour, but because like any other animal fat it’s high in saturated fat, a little balancing is necessary. It’s important to avoid animal fat in the rest of your meal, so skip butter on the vegetables and go for a dash of virgin olive oil instead.  I wouldn’t overpower vegetables or your meat with buttery sauces either, otherwise you will find that your lamb meal contains a lot of animal fat, which can increase the amount of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood.

Without sacrificing anything in flavour, this can all be avoided if you cook your lamb chops on a raised grill, so that the excess fat runs off. If it’s a leg of lamb you’re wanting to tuck into, drain the juices off from the bottom of the pan, allow to cool, and then, using either a spoon or one of the fancy but oh-so-useful brushes or pipettes that you can buy in cooking shops, remove the excess fat before using the juices in the gravy.

Nutritionally, lamb is a great source of protein, which is needed to build, repair and maintain body tissues, organs and cells in all parts of the body. Mineral-wise, although it contains less than beef, lamb is still a good source of iron a mineral needed for healthy blood, and for brain development in babies and important for many functions in the body including growth, sperm production,  our sense of taste and smell, maintaining a strong immune system and wound healing – so lamb is deliciously good news all round.”

Keep up to date with Jane Clarke at www.janeclarke.com where you’ll find tips on healthy eating and a weekly diary. If your mouth is watering at the thought of tender, succulent (and nutritious) lamb, click here to view our selection!