Yeah, there’s a lot of meat going on in this dish. But it’s good. This was a meal that came together based on what I was craving – crispy bacon, luscious egg yolk and a carb – and what needed to be used up – a bag of fresh peas, the pork chops I had defrosted, and the celery nubbins hanging out in the crisper.

Pork & Bacon Quinoa with Peas and an Egg

1/2 cup red quinoa (regular would work just fine)
1 cup turkey stock
1-2 stalks celery (I used the inner core + a few leaves)
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. coconut oil
10 ounces fresh English peas (you can certainly use frozen if that is what you have on hand)
2 ounces bacon (1 thick cut strip)
6 oz. pork chops (2 small boneless)
2 eggs
2 tbsp. parsley

Rinse your quinoa and add to a small saucepan with the turkey stock. Bring to a boil, pop a lid on, and drop the heat to a simmer. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the curlicues open and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Dice the celery and shallots; slice the garlic thin. Add to a large sautee pan with the coconut oil and sautee over medium heat until just beginning to brown. Add the peas and sautee, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until peas begin to soften. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Slice the bacon into batons and chop the pork chops into bite-sized pieces.

To the pan (still over medium), add the bacon and fry until the fat begins to render and the bacon is about half-done. Add the pork to the pan and continue cooking until the pork is browned and the bacon is crisped. Remove and set aside, keeping the fat for the eggs.

Return the pan back to the heat and add the eggs. Fry until desired yolk runnyness is reached.

Chop the parsley and use as a garnish.

Serves 2 for dinner.