Smokey Herbed Lamb Chops with Quinoa Salad

Ingredients for Lamb Chops:

6 lamb chops (about 3 pounds, which is roughly 150g protein)
2 tablespoons of smoked paprika
2 tablespoons of dried rosemary
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of onion powder
2 tablespoons of olive oil (approximately 28g fat)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Ingredients for Quinoa Salad:

1 cup of cooked quinoa (approximately 8g protein, 39g carbs)
1 red pepper, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
1/4 cup of chopped mint
Juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon of olive oil (approximately 14g fat)

Cooking Instructions:

For the Lamb Chops:

In a bowl, mix together the paprika, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Rub the mixture evenly onto the lamb chops and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the lamb chops for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until they reach your desired level of doneness.

For the Quinoa Salad:

In a large bowl, mix together the cooked quinoa, diced pepper, cucumber, chopped parsley, and mint.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil. Pour over the quinoa salad and mix thoroughly.

Nutritional Info (per serving, serves approx 6):

Calories: Approximately 437 kcal
Protein: Approximately 26g
Fat: Approximately 14g
Carbs: Approximately 13g

Plating:

On a simple white plate, place one lamb chop slightly off center. Right next to it, place a helping of the quinoa salad. The colorful veggies in the salad should sit in contrast with the smokey, crisp-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside lamb chop. Garnish the salad with a sprig of mint and drizzle a bit of the lemon oil mixture over the chop, giving it a nice sheen. This white plate and the color contrast it offers would emphasize the vibrant colors of the ingredients and the golden-brown crust of the lamb chop. This plating is straightforward but provides an eye-catching and appealing balance between the components of this high protein meal.