Lamb: A great fall food that may even fight depression

Lamb is a rich food that tastes great with the new crop of butternut squash and pumpkin. It may also fight depression.

In the book Rebuild from Depression, I identify the foods highest in combination of the seven depression-fighting nutrients (deficiencies of which are most associated with depression in the medical literature.) I use the USDA’s databaseof over 5,000 foods. Read more about the Rebuild philosophy on food and depression.

Lamb is an excellent source of vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6, zinc, and iron, all of which will fight depression if you are deficient in them. One great thing about lamb is that sheep in the United States tend to graze on grass (like those in the picture above) and their fat is higher than it would be otherwise in the depression-fighting Omega 3 fatty acid. (Read more on grass diets and Omega 3 content.) In honor of real food (the only kind that fights depression), this post is part of Real Food Wednesday.
A lamb chop recipe favorite
Mom describes one of our favorite ways to cook lamb in the video below, but my ears hear some serious funkiness when I listen to it. Is someone humming into the mic? (I have become accustomed to a much better mic. Follow the written instructions below with me.

Mom writes:

Lamb: you either love it, or you really don’t. This is for the lamb lovers. Sheep people tell me that lamb needs to be baked or grilled – never fried. Here is a recipe for baked lamb chops that relies on a spicy garlic rub for its flavor. It sure does have flavor! Wow! But, be advised: this is a long slow cook, one to do when you will be home for a few hours. For the time investment, I encourage you to double or triple the amounts here and cook for the freezer. Singly bag each cooked chop for the freezer and you will be thanking yourself in the near future that you did. I can see the smile on your face already!

Serves 4
Ingredients:
8 lamb chops (2 per person)
For the rub:
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin seed
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 cube of softened butter
2 teaspoons sea salt
Steps
1. Place the chops in a large baking container with at least ½ inch sides. There will be some oil released and you don’t want it released onto the floor of your oven.
2. Thoroughly mix together all the ingredients of the rub and rub onto both sides of the chops. Use all the rub, even though it seems extravagant. It is extravagant! Wait till you taste these fine chops!
3. Bake at 400 for about ten minutes, then turn the oven down to 300. Bake for 11/2 to 2 hours. The meat should be falling of the bones. Serve hot with rice to sop up the incredible sauce or with quinoa or bulgur.

Variations
a. Use the same kind of rub for any type of lamb roast. Be generous with the rub. A large roast could take as long as 3 hours to reach the fall-from-the-bones state. But, the wait is worth it.