Date Night Grilled Steak Salad
I’ve tried sitting down to write this post several times. Inevitably, life gets in the way. The 4 year old needs me to put on his shoes (something he’s done with zero help approximately 147 times) or the 7 year old has a story to tell me (I realize this may not be the case forever so I try to drop everything and listen when I can). Other times, I get a phone call or someone comes to the door or the dogs are getting antsy and need some attention. Finding the quiet space in my day that I need to focus on writing is difficult right now. Sure, I could just sit down and write something for the sake of getting words on a page, but that’s not what makes me feel good about posting here for you all. I want my words to be thoughtful and meaningful and honest. That is something that only comes with the proper conditions.
Right now, I’m sitting at my kitchen counter. It is dreary outside as we await a late spring snow storm, which is allowing the kids to sleep in a little longer than usual. I have my coffee. The dogs are snuggled up on their beds and all is quiet. So here I am. Soaking up one of the last mornings I’ll have like this in our home in Colorado. In just over 6 weeks, I’ll be doing this in my new kitchen in Minnesota. I’ve been quiet about this here because I hate saying goodbye. It feels like everything has to change and change makes my heart hurt. I’m so excited to be going back to my home state. I’ve been waiting for this for nearly a decade. But transitions are hard for me. Are they hard for you, too? How do you cope?
One of the ways I’ve been dealing with our impending move is by making time with my husband a top priority. Even more than usual. We’ve started going climbing together, and sometimes following that up with a happy hour date involving margaritas, chips and salsa. Other days, we stay home and cook together. Just a week or so ago, we made this delicious grilled steak salad. We went to the store together and picked out the ingredients that looked best. Then, we came home and brought it all together into something simple, beautiful, and full of flavor. Nothing complicated. But the perfect meal to eat on our back patio while playing a game of scrabble and drinking wine.
Nurturing our relationship is the main thing that makes me feel grounded in life. Brad and I have been together for nearly 15 years, married for nearly 12. And still, after all that time, my soul needs time with him to feel settled and safe. Both our date nights at home and our dates out and about, whether they happen weekly or only once a month, are something I am thankful for.
This grilled steak salad doesn’t exactly need a recipe, but I’ve written one anyway ;) Now, take this as a sign that you need to carve out some time for you and your partner to reconnect! This is not something to brush aside. Instead, make it a top priority and everything else will fall into place a little easier as a result.
Date Night Grilled Steak Salad
*to make this recipe Whole 30 friendly, simply skip the bread! Done and done.
Serves 2 (maybe with leftovers)
1 ribeye steak (16 oz)
1 medium head of butter lettuce (or your favorite greens)
cherry tomatoes on the vine (if you can find them)
1 ripe avocado, halved and pit removed
2 spring onions, trimmed and halved lengthwise
Sourdough bread, cut into 1 inch slices
Favorite dressing- we went with this store-bought dressing but we also love making our own!
Prepare your grill by bringing it to high heat. While you wait, season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle the tomatoes, bread slices, onions and avocado with olive oil. Wash the lettuce and tear into preferred size.
Begin by grilling the steak to desired doneness. We like medium rare, which takes about 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t move the steak once you place it on the grill. You’ll get a nicer crust and it will not stick it you let it be. Remove the steak and let rest for 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes on the vine, the avocado slices, the spring onions, and the bread to the grill. Grill until just cooked and charred in places, being careful not to let anything burn (i.e. don’t multitask). Remove everything from the grill.
To assemble the salad, arrange the lettuce on a large platter. Slice the steak and arrange on top of the lettuce along with the remaining ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and serve with a nice (but affordable) red wine.
