Grilled Steak Salad

The summer is a great time for salads. When the temperature rises outside a meal that is light, yet hearty is perfect for dinner. If it’s simple and comes together quickly that’s an added bonus! That is exactly what this Grilled Steak Salad has in it’s favor.

This is one of my new favorites that is great for a family dinner or for a quick meal poolside. Not only does it hit the spot, it has many nutritional benefits on it’s side.

Grilled Steak Salad

• 16oz cherry tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon + a pinch Himalayan salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cucumber, seeded and diced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2-4oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 beef top sirloin steak (1 ¼” thick, approximately 1 pound)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 2-3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning of your choice
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

1. Preheat oven to 425⁰F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Slice cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise. Lay them on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
3. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes. When finished roasting allow them to cool.
4. While tomatoes are roasting, in a large bowl combine rinsed black beans, green onions, cilantro, lemon zest, lemon juice, feta cheese crumbles, and ¼ teaspoon salt and set aside. Add tomatoes when cooled.
5. Rub both sides of steak with avocado oil, then sprinkle with Cajun seasoning.
6. Broil approximately 4 inches from heat for approximately 4-7 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (medium rare – 135⁰F, medium 140⁰F, medium-well 145⁰F).
7. When steak is done, let stand for 5 minutes then cut into slices and serve with bean salad.

A few things to know about this Grilled Steak Salad

• It has no lettuce or other leafy greens, although you could add them if you’d like.
• The recipes requests you roast the tomatoes, which enhances the production of lycopene. Lycopene has antioxidant properties whose health benefits range from heart health to fighting some forms of cancer.
  You can use fresh, raw tomatoes if you’d rather. Yet if you follow the recipe the tomatoes can be roasted ahead of time.
• Black beans provide a great source of fiber which can aid with binding to hormones and allowing them to be escorted and eliminated through your digestive tract.
• Cilantro is excellent way to aid with decreasing inflammation. If you are not a cilantro lover, you can leave it out of the recipe.
• Avocado is a great source of fat and fiber, if you can believe that!
• The lemon and feta cheese provide a flavor balance that is unmatched and really create a party for your taste buds.

Are you always up for a good salad in the summer?