Easy and Healthy Mediterranean Lamb Bowls

When you think of a summer dinner, what sounds GOOD? For me I tend to lean towards fresh, light, and usually on the healthier side. There is something about these HOT and humid Kentucky days that make my taste buds crave less calories.

We recently partnered with Kroger to show how they support our local brands, and while this blog post is NOT sponsored, it is thanks to them that we found and created this dish and I wanted to share! I haven’t eaten a lot of lamb in my lifetime, but that’s what we went with when working with Kroger, to help promote Freedom Run Farm. Let me tell you, this lamb was DELICIOUS!! We looked up recipe ideas for working with ground lamb and we were led to Fox and Briar’s blog. She introduced us to this INCREDIBLE Mediterranean Lamb Bowl and I had to share with YOU.

For the Spiced Ground Lamb:

• 1 pound ground lamb

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/4 cup finely diced onion

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon allspice

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• salt to taste

• pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped plus more for garnish

• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped + a little more for garnish

Ingredients for the Bowls:

• 1 cup Turmeric Rice or other rice of choice

• Spiced Ground Lamb

• 1 tomato diced

• 1 cucumber peeled and diced

• 1 cup hummus homemade or store bought

• 1 cup feta cheese

• 2 pita bread optional, for serving

To Make The Spiced Ground Lamb:
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add your onions and garlic.  Sauté all of this for five minutes, until starting to soften and then add the ground lamb.  Brown the lamb until cooked through. Add paprika, allspice, red pepper flakes, ginger, salt and pepper.  Mix until fully combined, cook for one or two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh herbs. To assemble the bowls, layer the Turmeric Rice, top with some of the spiced lamb, tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus, and feta. Sprinkle it with fresh mint and parsley! (It’s DELICIOUS!)

I think Asa has made this almost every week since discovering this recipe. He put his own little touches on it, but overall this comes from Fox and Briar. Make this for your next date night, family night, or when you have some friends over. The vibrant Turmeric Rice with the veggies and cheese and pita is SUCH a fun and refreshing meal. We bought some hummus and spinach dip to use on the pita’s, and every bite was filled with so much YUM! Let me know if you make it, I want to hear your spin on it and how/if you enjoyed it as much as we do.

Happy Summer dining, Friends! Stay safe stay well!

xx

Kicking Off 30 Right: a Night at the Omni!

When you are about to turn a chapter on a brand new decade, I'd say it's absolutely necessary to go big or big home celebration wise! I am super thankful to our brand new Omni Hotel for ensuring that this happened for me last weekend and I am pumped to tell Y'all about it. First of all, look at that VIEW!! That was from our room, which was on the tenth floor. It was so inspiring to look out the window and see so much beautiful history--from the buildings, skyscrapers, and even in the distance, the bridge connecting Louisville and Indiana. 

The hotel is covered in a crisp and shiny glass, giving you that WOW impression as soon as you arrive. There are intersecting towers that represent the crossroads of the past, present, and future of Louisville. There is a common theme of bourbon, culture, and water throughout the Omni, and within the design, there is a beautiful blend of polish and grit; seen in the colors, the shine, textures, and nuances throughout. 

The trusses in the lobby ceiling are representative of the Big Four Bridge, which has a TON of history! There are Edison lightbulbs throughout the entire hotel--did you know his light bulb was first demonstrated to the public IN Louisville?? I had no idea he lived in the Butchertown neighborhood [not far from where Asa and I spent the majority of our marriage thus far.] 

We walked so slowly around the Omni, soaking in the richness of the culture, history, and beautiful art pieces throughout. Across from the escalators, there is a giant wall of art, which are all locally sourced from various Kentucky artists across ALL media [photography, watercolors, textiles, contemporary, and interactive]. Can you guess which my favorite pieces were...? 

I have never been to a hotel that offered SO many things and activities to do. There are at least twenty within the Omni; ranging from restaurants to eat in, a marketplace to shop, a bourbon tasting lounge, an amazingly adorable retail store, a flower shop, a Spa, a rooftop pool, a library bar, and get this--even a speakeasy with a cocktail lounge and bowling alley inside!! And guys, that isn't even covering them all. So, what were our favorite parts? Well, I hope I can convey to you just how incredible they are but I have a feeling you're going to want to check out the Omni for yourself--and I hope you do! 

I am very much so a 'knick-knack' kinda gal, so the Miller & Co. retail store was heaven for me. I literally want ALL of you reading this to go here, if for nothing else, then to meet Leeanne, who greeted us with a huge smile and Southern charm. She made me laugh out loud the second we met and when I asked her if I could snap her photo, she said, "Girl! Let me put my hair down!" I told her I wanted her autograph and she signed my receipt. YES, I bought stuff, duh! Do you SEE that horse bag I'm holding?! It's mine all mine and was only $25! 

Lewis + Louis was next. This is a bourbon retail and tasting room, where you will be professionally guided through bourbon tastings in a unique and relaxed setting. The city of Louisville was actually established AFTER Louis XVI, in 1778; so this was another incredibly culturally rich experience. PS: there are more bourbon barrels than people AND horses in the state of Kentucky, sooooo that's kind of mindblowing. 

The Library Bar was one of my absolute favorite spots. A stylish and casual atmosphere, there is a giant fireplace in the center and tons of comfortable seating throughout. Here too, there is no shortage of BEAUTIFUL art; one of the walls is covered in beautiful black and white vintage images. I love seeing the history behind where we live, I think it is so inspiring and really made me fall in love with Louisville all over again. 

The Falls City Market was absolutely mind-blowing. Here is where you will find the Omni's urban market and Food Hall, with open-air street access featuring tons of locally sourced products. The well-known Heine Brothers is your easy access to delicious coffee and lattes, and there are a TON of dining and food options. You can get delicious crepes and waffles at Belle Crepe, or mouthwatering BBQ at Bridges, sushi at the sushi bar which has counter seats, as well as daily prepared gourmet rolls. There is a butcher there providing meats from local farms, fresh seafood, a food truck featuring tacos, Iron Quarter which serves Artisan pizza paired with wine and local Louisville craft beer. In the Market, you'll find a flower shop, the Bottle Shop that sells fine wine and spirits, fresh produce, milk, cheeses, fruits, and over 2,000 grocery items! There are housewares such as Williams Sonoma, and Wendell's Book and Magazine store; Y'all, I could go on and on but I think you need to check it out for yourself. I'm telling you, everything is designed and created so beautifully, you will love experiencing it! 

Let's talk about our actual room for a moment, shall we? The carpet is a stylized interpretation of flowing water (Falls of Ohio!) and ties back to one of the three design elements. The windows overlook our magnificent city, providing excellent natural light. The bed was comfortable, the room spacious, and the BATHROOM was the nicest hotel bathroom I've ever seen. The shower in our house is so small and so cramped, my six-foot-four husband barely fits. Even petite me has my nose in the corner and it's always more of a chore than a refresher to be in! THIS shower, is first of all gigantic with strong water pressure, and guess what? We weren't fighting over who got to stand in the stream of water! 

Now let's talk about my favorite part, equally my husband's favorite as well--the Mokara Spa up on the third floor! We have been married for nine years and we have never had a couples massage. Let me just tell you that I am now convinced we need to have one at LEAST a few times a year because hello, Heaven! The spa is absolutely stunning! There are seven massage treatment rooms, four manicure, and four pedicure stations, and there are an array of products you can buy to treat and take care of yourself. 

Inside the Spa's locker room, there is a beautiful and large shower. There is also a cedar sauna (I wish I had had more time to indulge in that but we were kind of on a time crunch to pick up our kiddos from the sitter--guess I'll just have to go back, right? Ha!) There were cold rags, fruit-infused ice water, and gorgeous vanities where you could sit and do your hair. Asa and I had an hour-long massage and truly, it was magical. The ladies had us choose which oil we preferred, lit a calming candle, and they both did a fabulous job helping us feel relaxed (especially since we had run nine miles together the day prior!)  I really want to go back some time this spring or summer and do that again, I have realized that I am not the greatest at being still and remaining calm--and the massage helped me do just that. 

I have SO much more to share about the Omni, but truthfully, I believe you need to head downtown and see for yourself. Allow yourself a moment to get away, eat some delicious food, enjoy some beverages, and definitely treat yourself to a Spa treatment. Asa and I ate at Neighborhood Services for dinner and we weren't disappointed ONE bit. This is a restaurant ran by renowned chef Nick Badovinus, featuring his signature self-described 'honest food and drink in the American tradition.' For an appetizer, we ordered the Hot Brown Tater Tots (oh my word, I'm making myself so hungry writing this, guys). Asa got the chicken and waffles as his entree and I ordered a giant salad with a side of mac n' cheese. ALL of it was SO good and we want to go back with friends soon! 

Last but not least, let me just say that I haven't ordered room service at a hotel since I was a KID and my parents were the ones paying--so this basically felt like real life heaven Sunday morning. We had crepes and vanilla yogurt with granola, fresh fruit, orange juice, and a pot of coffee.

Asa and I haven't had a weekend away from our house in a LONG time. We feel forever thankful to our sweet babysitter who stayed overnight with our kids and for the Omni, for making all of this possible.  

If you're planning a trip to Louisville, I give the Omni five stars. If you're local, go take a little staycation and enjoy the history of this beautiful city! You could even go for a date night or girls night, the options are limitless with all that this hotel has to offer. Dinner, drinks, bowling ALL in the same spot?! And valet parking to boot!