Monterey Jack & Dijon-Smothered Pork Chops

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Drain and rinse the beans. Roughly chop the pickle chips; place in a bowl. Add the mustard and stir to thoroughly combine. Grate the cheese on the large side of a box grater. Halve the lime crosswise. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops. Halve the tomatoes. In a bowl, combine the halved tomatoes, sliced white bottoms of the scallions, and the juice of 1 lime half. Season with salt and pepper. Cut off and discard the stem of the pepper; halve lengthwise, then remove the ribs and seeds. Thinly slice crosswise. Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling. 

In a medium pot, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced pepper and half the spice blend; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the rice, drained beans, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Add 2 cups of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); stir to combine. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 18 to 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and stir to combine. Stir in the juice of the remaining lime half.

Meanwhile, pat the pork dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the remaining spice blend. In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned pork. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned. Flip and cook 2 minutes. 

Carefully top the pork with the mustard-pickle mixture and grated cheese. Loosely cover the pan with foil and cook 2 to 4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the pork is cooked through.* Transfer the finished pork to serving plates; let rest at least 5 minutes before serving. 

*An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.

While the pork rests, halve and pit the avocado. Using a spoon, remove the avocado from the skin, then thinly slice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the finished pork with the cooked rice and beans, seasoned avocado, and marinated tomatoes (discarding any liquid). Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions. Enjoy!