Southwestern Steak Salad

By garciamoss

This steak salad recipe is packed with fresh summer corn, ripe tomatoes and silky avocado. It might be hard to imagine that this healthy dinner can be whipped up so quickly but the secret is in the timing. While the steak is cooking under the broiler, you’ll have plenty of time to whisk together the lightened-up creamy chipotle dressing and assemble the rest of the salad. Serve with crumbled tortilla chips for an extra crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 pound flank steak, trimmed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 6 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1-2 tablespoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (see Tip)
• 6 cups sliced romaine lettuce
• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 1 firm ripe avocado, diced
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Details

Adapted from eatingwell.com

Preparation

Step 1

Position oven rack about 3 inches from heat source; preheat broiler to high. Coat a broiler-safe pan with cooking spray.
Sprinkle steak with cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place on the prepared pan and broil, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 125°-130°F for medium-rare, 3 to 6 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice across the grain, then chop into bite-size pieces.
Meanwhile, whisk sour cream, oil, vinegar, chipotles to taste and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Transfer 4 tablespoons of the dressing to a small bowl. Add romaine, corn and avocado to the large bowl; toss to coat. Divide the salad and tomato wedges among 4 plates. Top each with cheese, the chopped steak and 1 tablespoon of the reserved dressing.

Tips & Notes:
Look for small cans of smoky chipotle peppers in adobo sauce near other Mexican ingredients in well-stocked supermarkets. Once opened, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.