I think I found a salad that I can eat everyday.
I mean, besides that snickers apple salad that is made with… yep, snickers and apples and whipped cream and chocolate. Now THAT is a salad. Am I right or am I right?
I’m right.
But this salad is like, a normal salad that I can eat everyday. It takes a little more work than simply throwing a bunch of stuff together but it is totally worth it. It has layers upon layers of flavor. And texture! AHHHHH texture. The reason for my existence. I’m a texture faaaahreak.
The only things I love more than texture in my food are out-of-the-blue shoe sales and old school Lisa Loeb songs. Wait, I said songs with an “s.” Pretty sure I should just say song-ah. No s. That’s right. I only hear what I want to.
In my perfect world, I would eat a big salad just like this for lunch everyday. However, in my perfect world I would also live in an adorable little condo and split my time between the big city and the little lake town and be able to properly wear skinny jeans and actually want to drink cappuccinos everyday with incredible foam art swirled on top.
The consensus of my life? I’ve read way too many books. I’m pretty sure that might be one of the issues of all females in this generation today. Probably why my expectations for work, life, love and… heck, even food… are so outrageous and obnoxious.
Instead, my perfect world consists of eating tortilla chips microwaved with cheese on top for lunch. That is not chick lit worthy. Sort of depressing. But real life! Luckily, real life sometimes inspires lunch so microwaved tortilla chips become fajita steak salads.
Because I will jump at any chance to consume a margarita for lunch? Also… true.
So yeah, this real life, microwave chip inspired salad has just about everything on top that your little heart may desire. Or my little heart. I don’t do many vegetables so… you may want to change that. But. We’ve got tequila marinated flank steak, black beans, some sweet corn salsa with jalapeños, lime and red onion, sautéed peppers, grated cheese, tortilla chips and dun dun dun… avocado. Such a shocker. The whole thing is topped off with this chile lime dressing that I threw together on a whim and of course, immediately touched my eyes after dealing with the pepper flakes and jalapeños. That was so awesome.
Definitely made up for that with a marg.
Tequila Lime Flank Steak Fajita Salad with Chile Lime Vinaigrette
Yield: serves 2-4
Prep Time: 2-24 hours (marinating time)
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
tequila lime flank steak
1 (2 pound, 1-inch thick) flank steak
1/3 cup tequila
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
zest of 2 limes
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 head of red romaine lettuce, washed, dried and torn
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup copycat chipotle corn salsa
1 ounce colby jack cheese, freshly grated
1 avocado, sliced
blue tortilla chips for topping
chile lime vinaigrette
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon red pepper or chile oil
2 teaspoons honey
the juice of 2 limes
a pinch of salt + pepper
Directions:
tequila lime flank steak
Whisk tequila, olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper and lime zest in a bowl until combine. Add flank steak to a ziplock bag or baking dish and pour marinade ingredients over top. Marinate (in the fridge!) for 2-24 hours, flipping steak a few times. When you're ready to make the salads, heat the broiler in your oven on the highest setting and place an oven rack directly underneath. Broil steak for 5 minutes, flip and broil for 5 minutes more. If your steak is 1-1 1/2 inches thick, this will result in steak that is done medium-well. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice thin strips on an angle. You can cook the steak however you'd like! You can grill the steak if desired.
While the steak is cooking/resting, heat a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add peppers with a pinch of salt and pepper, tossing to coat and cook for 5-6 minutes, until slightly soft.
To assemble the salad, place lettuce in the bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper, toss, and cover with flank steak, black beans, corn salsa, peppers, cheese, avocado and tortilla chips. Top with dressing and toss!
chile lime vinaigrette
Combine all ingredients in a mason jar, shaker bottle or large bowl and shake/whisk until combined.
Yeah… I like this.
I’m Jessica and this is where I share my stuff. You will find a balance of healthy recipes, comfort food and indulgent desserts.
When did salad get so sexy?! I’m all over this.
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The dressing!!!!!!! If I were to make this salad I’d have to go to the grocery store (blah.). But I have everything to make the dressing!!! I prolly have lettuce and chicken too…. And now that Lisa Loeb song is stuck in my head so thanks for that.
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I eat salad every single day, and I am always looking for new recipes. This salad is seriously drool worthy! I think my husband would even like this one!
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I’m all over this salad. OH MY Gawsh…..
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Yum! Also, is this your longest recipe/post name??
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what a great idea for salads!
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You officially won my heart! This is my favorite kind of dish of all time!! I love it!!!!!!!!!
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We just had chili lime flank steak salad the other night, but oh my GOSH! I think your version looks amazing!!!!
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That chile lime vinaigrette sounds awesome and love the big awesome pieces of avocado. I can only imagine how many you have on hand to make this, the avo-choc pudding you made, and have enough extra for photo shoots, etc. I love them! And that you worked tequila into this recipe…nice!
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Ummm yes I think I like this too! I could definitely eat it for lunch every day, and that chile lime dressing sounds amazing! You’d think that by now we’d have learned our lesson with chick lit and chick flicks, and that we’d be wise enough not to get sucked into believing that sort of stuff actually happens. Having said that, if we can’t have perfect lives with lake houses and foamy swirly cappuccinos, let’s just eat this salad every day. With margs, of course. ;)
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I could eat this every single day as well!!! Gorgeous photos!
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YUM! Totally going on the meal plan for this coming week!!
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I think I could eat this daily for lunch too! I adore blue chips!
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Sounds great, Jessica!
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Yum! I love fajita salads so good!!!!
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If I gave you these bacon roses would you make these yummy fajitas for me?! K thanks :) http://pinterest.com/pin/266486502922431388/
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I agree with others, this is a sexy salad! I love all the veggie variety but it looks so much more palatable than a regular salad. Total love – plus when you can you wrong with ANY recipe that includes the word “steak”??
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Definitely trying this salad – it looks deliciously amazing! And I LOVE this post!! I like the references to chick lit. I wish my life were as awesome as one of those books, too. But margaritas help in dealing with the reality!
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I find salads to be so boring. I can eat them for a day or two and then I’m just completely over it and looking for a large bowl of pasta to eat instead, but this salad looks amazing! The perfect blend of flavors and layers to create the ultimate lunch. I’m sure I wouldn’t even get bored with this one. Love it!
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But, wait! Where are the French Fries?
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Whyyyy are you such a genius? This makes my tongue want to explode.
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This is the kind of salad I could get behind! Love everything about it :)
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My brain and mouth just collapsed, and there’s NOTHING IN THEM. Well, my mouth, not my brai….you know what, never mind.
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i love this salad – and that lisa loeb pun just made my day
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Beautiful! Is your blue corn chip obsession back in 2013? :)
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Jessica — February 6th, 2013 @ 5:28 pm
absolutely!
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Have you ever used Trader Joe’s frozen Roasted corn for your salsa? Looks amazing, can’t wait to try it!!!
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throw in a dollop of greek yogurt on top (my trusty substitute for sour cream) and I am SO into this :)
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This looks awesome!!!!!! Can’t wait to make it this week.
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This looks AMAZING!!!!
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Come to mama!!!
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This salad is amazing! I’m not a huge salad person, but even I would eat this every day (at least for a week)! And tortilla chips + cheese from the microwave is totally acceptable. I do it all the time as a “dinner appetizer”.
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So tasty looking – like spring! I miss the sun and the lime in this is making me think sunny thoughts!
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I want all of this right now. The dressing sounds soooooooooo good.
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Oh my goodness…this post is me in a nutshell! I live in a cute condo AND split my time between the big city (ATX, baby! Lol.) and a small lake town. Sadly though, I too have jumped on the microwaved chips-and-cheese bandwagon. There are just some things in life that are too good to refuse! ;)
Thanks for bringing a smile to my face this morning (as usual)! Love your blog SO much!! :)
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I’m just going to move in with you. I mean, it’s for the best, okay?
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Tortilla chips + cheese in the microwave is my go-to snack. AND this salad is totally going to happen!
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Truly a work of art! Salivating over here.
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Love me a big ol’ salad! For me it’s about the dressing, and I’m all over this vinaigrette!
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ooooh….yummy!
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Yes, I think I could probably eat this every day too. The dressing sounds particularly amazinggggg
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This looks phenomenal. Definitely making it for dinner next week!
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I love every bit of this!
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Yup….this is my dream salad. And I’m glad I’m not the only one who just wants to melt cheese on top of chips and call it lunch!
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THIS is the kind of salad I could dig into!
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I so wish this was what I was eating right now for lunch…. not last night’s leftovers! This looks amazing!
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yum. i would like to order this for delivery please…
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Looks fabulous!! Thank you for adding another salad dressing to my arsenal!!
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I could certainly eat this every day!
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That’s a salad even a man would eat!! Looks amazing….and I like margs for lunch, too!
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Now THAT is a salad I could love! Amazing!
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