First Days, Last Days

Today was the first day of school for the kid. As I did with the hubs, I asked him if he wanted anything special for his "back-to-school" meal, to which he replied: "hmrpshghr" (i.e., grunted). So, I took it upon myself to select a steak-based dish, as he really loves steak. Champagne taste, people.

I also decided that because BTS time means fall is on the way (and in Cleveland's case, one month of fall before six months of snowy torture), this would be a good time to end my Summer Salad challenge. It was fun while it lasted, and I may revisit salads periodically during the next several months, but I'm kind of ready for chili, casseroles and [healthy] comfort chow.

Edamame Salad with Crisp Steak Bits
Source: Cooking Light (not sure of the issue date)

Ingredients:

• 3 c. frozen shelled edamame
• 2 tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger (used refrigerated)
• 1 tbsp mayo
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dark sesame oil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (skip - don't like fresh tomatoes)
• 1.5 c. chopped seeded cucumber (about 1)
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz. flank steak, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt (skip)
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (skip)

Directions:

• Cook edamame according to package directions. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain.
• Combine soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through sesame oil) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add edamame, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, toss to coat.
• Heat a medium cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add olive oil to pan, swirl to coat. Combine steak, salt and pepper, tossing to coat steak. Add steak mixture to pan, cook 5 minutes or until browned and crisp, stirring frequently.
• Spoon about 1.5 c. edamame mixture onto each of 4 plates, top evenly with steak.

Yield: 4 servings
Per serving: Calories: 277; Fat: 14.8g (sat: 2.7g, mono 6.7g, poly 2.8g); Protein: 231g; Carb: 14.6g; Fiber: 6.1g; Chol: 20mg; Iron: 3.5mg; Sodium: 540mg; Calc: 97mg

Reviews:
This recipe takes absolutely no time to make - tops 20 minutes from start to finish, including chopping. Both me and the hubs give this a "very good" while the kid picked off his steak, and ate just a few mouthfuls of edamame and cucumbers, primarily so he could have an after-dinner cupcake. This is a great meal to whip up on a busy weeknight.