Enjoy lamb with Mediterranean flavor

Lamb chops coated with a Mediterranean sauce of garlic, ground cumin, cucumber and yogurt is an easy, quick dinner. These lamb chops are cut from the leg with a very small, round bone in the middle. They’re juicy, tender and cook in minutes.

Sweet, little creamer potatoes or new potatoes are a harbinger of spring. They have a short season from April to June. Look for the very small ones, about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter, which are really sweet and don’t need a lot of cooking.

Mediterranean Lamb

Olive oil spray

3/4 pound lamb chop cut from the leg

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup peeled, diced, cucumber

Heat a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Add lamb and sauté 2 minutes. Turn and sprinkle salt and pepper on cooked side. Sauté 2 more minutes. Lower heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook 2 minutes for 1/2 -inch thick chop, 4 minutes for 1-inch thick. A meat thermometer should read 125 degrees for rare or 145 degrees for medium.

Mix yogurt, garlic, cumin and cucumber. Spoon over lamb and serve.

Yield: 2 servings

Nutrition per serving: 357 calories, 15.6 calories (6 grams saturated, 39 percent fat calories), 45.3 grams protein, 6.1 grams carbohydrate, 137 milligrams cholesterol, 0.3 grams dietary fiber, 152 milligrams sodium.

Creamers and Sugar Snap Peas

3/4 pound creamers or new potatoes

1/4 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Wash potatoes; do not peel. Place in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover the potatoes. Cover with a lid and place over high heat. Boil 15 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and boil 1 minute. Drain and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 2 servings

Nutrition per serving: 198 calories, 4.7 grams fat, (0.7 grams saturated, 22 percent from fat), 5.2 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 3.7 grams dietary fiber, 11 milligrams sodium.