Brushed with Dijon mustard and a mixture of walnuts, thyme, parsley and orange zest, these flavorful chops are accented with a sweet citrus dipping sauce

Did you know that walnuts are one of the healthiest foods you can eat?  Walnuts are the only nut that contain a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. No other nut even comes close.  Eating a handful of walnuts every day is one small step you can take to protect your heart.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration even approved a qualified health claim for walnuts, the first ever for a whole food.

Lamb:
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 rack of lamb (8 chops) “French trimmed” of all excess fat
non-stick cooking spray

Honey Walnut Sauce:
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted

Prepare Honey Walnut Dipping Sauce:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine Honey, orange juice, olive oil and orange zest. Heat until simmering. Remove from heat and stir in Walnuts. Makes 1 cup.

Prepare lamb:
Preheat oven to 400ºF.

In a food processor or blender, add bread crumbs, Walnuts, thyme, parsley, orange zest and salt and process to a coarse texture.

Brush lamb with mustard. Press on the crumb coating. Place lamb in a shallow roasting pan that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Roast for 30-40 minutes for medium rare, or until desired doneness.

8 Servings: 1 serving = 1 chop

(without dipping sauce) Nutrition information per serving:
178 calories, 16g protein, 7g carbohydrates, 1g dietary fiber, 10g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 43mg cholesterol, 218mg sodium.

(with dipping sauce) Nutrition information per serving:
268 calories, 17g protein, 26g carbohydrates, 1g dietary fiber, 12g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 43mg cholesterol, 219mg sodium.