Honey Dijon Pork Chops with Brown Rice Pilaf and Steamed Carrots

I am not a huge fan of pork because if it isn't prepared properly it can be really dry, but it makes a good change from usual chicken. Here is a quick and easy pork recipe that stays really moist.

Honey Dijon Pork Chops

• 2 pork chops (bone in or boneless, it really doesn't matter- if you want to make 4 just double the rest of the recipe)
• 3 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. herbes de provence (or you can use a mixture of thyme, rosemary, marjoram, and basil).
• 3 tbsp. olive oil plus more for cooking
• 1/4 dry white wine

In a bowl mix the dijon, the honey, the garlic powder, the herbes de provence and the olive oil. Place the pork chops in a large ziplock and pour the sauce over the pork. Marinate in the fridge for 2 hours up to 24 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large oven proof skillet and add the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the pork chops and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove the chops from the skillet, add the wine and deglaze. Put the chops back in the skillet and put in the oven uncovered for another 10 minutes or until the pork has an internal temperature of 165 degrees. If you do not wish to use wine, you can use chicken broth.

Brown Rice Pilaf
I love rice pilaf and it is SO easy to make- no box of Rice a Roni needed!

• 1 cup long grain brown rice
• 3/4 cup orzo (or you can use broken spaghetti, vermicelli, or angel hair, whatever you have on hand. I once used alphabet pasta cause that is what I had.)
• 1/4 cup lentils
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup peas (optional)

In a small saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the rice, the orzo and the lentils and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook about 3 minutes to toast the grains and bring out the flavor. I then transfer the mixture into my rice cooker and then add the chicken stock, but if you don't have a rice cooker, you can cook the mixture in the saucepan until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. I add the peas at the end. I like peas because they add color and flavor but they are totally optional.
I change this pilaf up several different ways, flavoring it in different ways to match whatever I am making. Yummy!

Until next time, happy and HEALTHY cooking! And eating!