Alright, here we go, another chopped salad recipe for you guys! If you already made the chopped salad base from yesterday’s post, then you should be good to go, if not, I included the recipe again for your convenience. Because I’m cool like that. Anyway, this version is a little more gluttonous than yesterday’s, but still very low in calories, so don’t feel bad about splurging a little. However, if you’re really serious about your daily calorie intake and don’t want the extra digits to add up, just omit the avocado and chips, and swap out the steak for chicken — you’ll still get the same great taste without the extra fluff.

CHOPPED SALAD BASE

• 1 large bunch of kale
• 4 cups prepackaged broccoli slaw
• 3 cups mixed salad greens, roughly chopped
• 3 scallions
• 1 lb. Brussels sprouts

Thoroughly wash and dry kale, mixed greens, and Brussels sprouts. With a sharp knife, remove the center stem from kale and roughly chop. Place in a large salad bowl. Finely chop the scallions and add them to the salad bowl along with the broccoli slaw and chopped mixed greens. Cut the stems off the Brussels sprouts and thinly slices, then cut slices a couple times in the opposite direction until leaves are roughly chopped. Place in salad bowl. With your hands or a pair of salad tongs, mix salad until combined.

Southwest Steak Chopped Salad with Chipotle-Lime Ranch Dressing

Serves 4-6

FOR THE STEAK

• 4-6 steaks (strip, skirt, or flank work best), ½-⅓ lb. each or 1 large 2-3 lb. steak
• 2 cups jarred salsa
• olive oil for cooking

MIX INS

• 1 avocado, diced (*see How To at the end of this post)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 ear of corn, uncooked, kernels cut off (*see How To at the end of this post)
• ¼ red onion, finely diced
• handful of tortilla chips for crumbling

FOR THE CHIPOTLE-LIME RANCH DRESSING

• ½ cup light sour cream
• ¼ cup light mayo
• 1 tsp jarred or canned diced chipotle peppers
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems only), roughly chopped
• 2 tsp lime juice (from about 1 lime)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp agave syrup (or honey)
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• ⅛ tsp smoked paprika
• ⅛ tsp onion powder
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

*Alternatively you can use ¾ cup pre-made low-fat Ranch dressing and blend it in a food processor with the chipotle pepper, lime juice, and smoked paprika until smooth. Go ahead and take the easy way out, I won’t judge.

PREPARE THE STEAK

Place steak and salsa in a resealable freezer bag and seal, removing as much air as possible. Marinate in bag for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.When steak is done marinating, remove from bag and shake off excess salsa, discard salsa. Using a paper towel, pat steak dry, then brush both sides with olive oil. Prepare an outdoor grill for high, direct heat, or a cast iron skillet on the stovetop for high heat. Cook steak for 6-8 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare, or 8-10 minutes if you like it cooked through. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.

PREPARE SALAD DRESSING

In a small food processor or blender, mix all ingredients until smooth. Dressing should be covered and can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD

Pour half of the dressing over salad greens and toss with salad tongs until combined. Taste a piece of the salad and add more dressing if needed. Add avocados, tomatoes, peppers, corn, and onion to bowl and toss gently to incorporate.

Divide salad among 4-6 dinner plates, top each salad with sliced steak, and a crumble of tortilla chips.

How to Dice an Avocado

Slice avocado in half lengthwise and separate. Slide your knife into the pit and twist to remove from flesh. Carefully score each side of the avocado lengthwise down to the peel, then widthwise (in the opposite direction). Use a large spoon to scoop out flesh.

How to Remove Corn from the Cob

Remove husk and silk from corn cob and discard. Cut the stem off the cob to form a nice flat base.

Stand cob upright on a cutting board. With a very sharp knife, run your blade as close to the cob as possible from top to bottom, cutting away corn kernels (be careful because these suckers are like popcorn and will shoot off in a bunch of different directions!). Turn cob and continue cutting down until all the kernels have been removed.