Steak and Avocado Salad

When you’re pregnant with a toddler, making dinner needs to be quick and easy, but also tasty and nutrient packed. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a world where easy and healthy go together quite as easily as PB & J. In my case, it gets even harder when my dear beloved hubs is of good ole German stock and could live happily on a diet of beer, tube meat, cheese, sauerkraut and pickles, and I like accolades when I cook. Finding something to please us both can be a challenge (is roasted sauerkraut a thing?).

While growing the next generation, all I want is protein and green stuff. All the vitamins to make up for what my new peanut is sucking out of me, and ALL the iron to combat the anemia I develop so I can shower without losing my breath. Hello steak salad! Red meat for my man, iron and green stuff for me! Voila!

A word of warning: I tend to make things up on the fly, so the measurements are not exact and should be adjusted for your tastes and quantities. All measurements accommodated two large salads.

Also, you’ll like this so much you’ll want it even if you aren’t pregnant.

Marinade the Steak (24 hours in advance is the best, but a couple of hours in a pinch would suffice)

The amounts of each ingredient depend entirely on how much steak you’re using, but it should be just enough to evenly coat all meat surfaces. I got a good deal on lean, thinly-cut steaks recommended for marinating at my grocery store.

Balsamic Vinegar
Garlic powder
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Olive Oil

Pour the ingredients directly to a large ziplock bag, then add the steak and mix well. Store in the fridge for up to 36 hours. When ready to eat, heat a saute pan on high and sear the steaks for 4-5 minutes on each side (this made it medium rare). Let the meat set on a cutting board for at least 15 minutes before slicing to retain the juices.

*Pro tip: If you’re like me and like your steak to be cold in your salad, cook the steak in the morning and refrigerate it to let it cool in time for dinner.

2. Mix the Dressing

In a medium mixing bowl add:

Generous dollop of Greek yogurt
White wine vinegar, 1/8 cup
Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp
Garlic powder, 1 tbsp, or a clove of fresh garlic ( I used the garlic powder)
Salt and pepper to taste (I like a lot of pepper)
Olive oil to mix

Combine well and set aside until ready to mix salad.

3. Chop the Green Stuff

Chop up one Romaine heart, cherry tomatoes (as many as you like), whole avocado, and half a small red onion. Add to a mixing bowl. Fresh spinach and chickpeas make nice additions as well.