My Recipes: BBQ pork chops with chickpea & spinach rice

In this recipe, the side dish is actually the main attraction. I've already cooked it up three times since I snapped the pics of this dinner from two weeks ago. Even the husband eats it! The entire meal is easy, quick and painless and the side dish can go from a hearty helping during your meal to a light leftover lunch the next day. Dah dah dah dah dahhhh... I'm lovin' it.

Ingredients
2-3 bone-in pork chops, 1-2 inches thick
Your favorite BBQ sauce
Dried basil
Fresh ground sea salt & black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil or organic coconut oil

1 bag fresh spinach, a bunch of spinach or a lil' box of frozen spinach, thawed
1 can garbanzo beans, aka chickpeas
Feta cheese
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 microwaveable bag frozen brown or Spanish rice

**I use organic veggies, even canned and frozen, from my local grocer. My pork chops are all-natural and preservative-free.**

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add your EVOO or coconut oil and let heat for about 30 seconds. Slide pork chops into pan and coat in the oil, then reduce heat just slightly to reduce charring the outer layer. Somewhere between medium high and just above medium. Liberally douse the chops with BBQ sauce and sprinkle on a hefty helping of the sea salt, pepper and basil. Cover and let cook for 20-25 minutes. Check the pork often and don't hesitate to slice into a meaty portion to see if the inside is fully-cooked (a tender white or every so slightly pink).

Meanwhile, I heated my rice in the microwave. At the same time, I added my spinach to a second large pan with a little bit of organic coconut oil and stirred over medium-high heat until the spinach was wilted and cooked. (You can also steam it, if you prefer.) Then I added my rice, fire roasted tomatoes and chick peas and heated through for a few minutes. A spritz of salt and pepper and a good sprinkling of feta cheese mixed in, and it's good to go!

We paired our meal with steamed broccoli, finished off with a squirt of lemon juice and a dusting of garlic salt. Bon appetit!