We have been conditioned to think that the only healthy items that belong on a salad are veggies or grilled chicken. Well, it’s time to start thinking outside of the box and celebrating other lunchtime options that offer satisfying alternatives like a delicious steak salad! This high-protein, low-carb meal is hearty, delicious, and full of nutrients and mouth-watering flavor.

Creating a steak salad can be as simple as slicing up grilled steak (you can even use leftovers), tossing with a robust lettuce like romaine, a mesclun mix or spinach, and lightly drizzling with a complementary dressing. Try using an unused portion of the same marinade on the steak. You can even add roasted peppers, zucchini, grape tomatoes or mangoes, or accompaniments like light croutons, a pinch of almonds, sunflower seeds or bleu cheese crumbles.

Keeping the salad full of vegetables and using lean cuts of beef keeps it low in saturated fat, high in vitamins and big on flavor. Using a quality, lean cut of beef is important, and be sure to cut beef into thin slices. According to the USDA, shoulder has 6 grams of total fat based on a 3 oz. serving size, and top round has 4.6 grams of total fat.

At elements Living Magazine, we follow a “spa approach” to diet, which means making each meal colorful, flavorful and beautiful to look at. A steak salad provides plenty of options for presenting a gorgeous meal with a colorful array of vegetables and simple slices of beef arranged on top. (For more spa meal options, read our article Spa Diet ). 

Try the following simple recipe, then try your own hand at creating one of these delicious salads. So good, you’ll celebrate every mouthful!

A Taste of Asia Steak Salad

Serves 4

Prep and cook time: 30 minutes; Marinating time: 2-3 hours

For marinade / dressing:

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 6 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 Tbsp. grated or finely minced ginger
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil  

For salad:

• 1 lb. lean cut of steak, such as shoulder, top round, or top sirloin
• 1 red chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
• 8 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 small red onion, cut into thin wedges
• 2 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, torn  
• 1/2 cup scallions, finely chopped

1.                  Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade / dressing in a large bowl.

2.                  Pour a third of the mixture into a resealable freezer bag for the marinade.

3.                  Cover remaining mixture and set aside. This will be the dressing.

4.                  Add meat to marinade bag, seal and toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

5.                  Remove meat from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Discard marinade.

6.                  Heat lightly-oiled grill on medium. Grill meat uncovered to desired doneness, turning once halfway through. Medium-rare is about 16-20 minutes for shoulder, 16-18 minutes for top-round. Remove and allow to rest on plate for 10 minutes.

7.                  Warm dressing on stovetop or in microwave until it is lukewarm. Add chili pepper to dressing, if desired.

8.                  Cut meat into thin slices, across the grain.

9.                  Evenly distribute Romaine lettuce on four plates or large salad bowls.

10.              Arrange steak slices, onion, peppers, cilantro, and scallions on top of lettuce. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

Finding great recipes and healthy meal ideas can be a snap with online meal planning programs and recipe collections from diet sites like eDiets and BalanceD . Discover more nourishing, eye-catching meal options there, as well as in the Featured Diet section of elements Living Magazine.