Cretan Lamb and Pumpkin-Seed Breakfast Mezze with Cucumber, Mint and Lemon
A Cretan village morning mezze — gently spiced ground lamb seared with oregano and garlic, finished with a generous spoon of toasted pumpkin seeds, served alongside fresh cucumber, ripe tomato, mint and lemon. Lamb and pumpkin seeds together carry the zinc emphasis cleanly in a light protein-led plate that won't fight your morning levothyroxine.
- Prep
- 6 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 16 min
- Servings
- 1
Ingredients
- 70g (raw)lean ground lamb (will yield ~50g cooked)
- 16gpumpkin seeds
- 50gcucumber, sliced
- 50gripe tomato, wedged
- 18gextra virgin olive oil (about 1.25 tbsp)
- 1clove (3g)garlic, minced
- 1/2tsp (1g)dried oregano
- 4gfresh mint leaves
- 1tbsp (15g)lemon juice
- 1tsp (2g)lemon zest
- 1/4tsp (1.5g)sea salt
- 1/8tspblack pepper
Instructions
- 01
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high. Add the garlic and oregano and stir for 20 seconds.
- 02
Add the ground lamb, break it apart with a wooden spoon, and brown for 5 minutes until cooked through. Drain off any excess fat.
- 03
Add the pumpkin seeds to the skillet and toss with the lamb for 60 seconds — the seeds will lightly toast in the warm pan.
- 04
Off the heat, stir in half the lemon juice, the lemon zest and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spoon onto the plate.
- 05
Arrange the cucumber slices and tomato wedges beside the lamb. Tear the mint leaves over the cucumber.
- 06
Whisk the remaining olive oil with the rest of the lemon juice and a pinch of salt; drizzle over the cucumber, tomato and mint.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 400kcal
- Protein
- 20g
- Carbs
- 11g
- Fat
- 31g
- Fiber
- 3g
- Selenium
- 17mcg
- Zinc
- 4mg
- Iron
- 3mg
- B12
- 1.8mcg
- Iodine
- 4mcg
- Sodium
- 410mg