Sirloin Steak & Salad with Honey Roasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese, Strawberries with Strawberry Honey Vinaigrette

I have been on a bit of a health kick lately, but I refuse to completely give up red meat and, today,  realizing it has been a while since I’ve had a good steak, I knew just where to go to get one… Trust me I know this may surprise you… Target! They sell steak from a meat company named Sutton and Dodge, and if you hadn’t noticed we share the same last name which for that reason and because it looked like a darn good steak, I had to try it! Let’s just say the sticker on the front that says “steak house quality” is not lying. They are now one of my go-to choices when I want to fry up a steak at home.

Now on to the salad… It feels like a bit of an indulgence, but it’s actually good for you as well. I dressed up the walnuts with fresh honey to give sweetness that I balanced out with salty blue cheese, then topped it with strawberry vinaigrette made from fresh strawberries, threw on some more fresh strawberries; and, boy was it good!

This made for a great lunch and it satisfied my craving for beef but was light enough so that I didn’t compromise my diet… Too much. 😉

For salad:

Bed of greens of choice
Honey Roasted Walnuts (recipe follows)
Chunks of blue cheese
Diced strawberries
Strawberry Honey Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Top a bed of greens with blue cheese, honey roasted walnuts, and strawberries. Then drizzle vinaigrette on top.

For Strawberry Honey Vinaigrette:

6 strawberries
1/2 – 1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon white whine vinegar
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Dash of salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper

Add strawberries to a blender and puree until smooth. Then add honey, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Then set your blender to “mix” mode and blend while slowly adding the oil. Adjust any ingredients to your taste. Chill in fridge while cooking your steak.

For honey roasted walnuts:

Chopped walnuts, approx 1/2 cup
Honey, 1-1 1/2 tablespoons
Sprinkle of salt

Roast walnuts in 400° oven for one minute. Remove and mix with honey and salt. Roast for one to two more minutes. Careful not to burn.

For steak:

Sirloin Steak (cut 1 1/2 inch thick)
Salt
Coarse ground freshly black pepper
Oil for frying

Method for steak:

Pre-heat oven to 400°. Then heat heavy duty skillet on med high to high heat. Season steaks with salt and pepper liberally for good flavor. Add oil and heat just until starting to smoke, then add steak. Your pan must be very hot and you should hear the sizzle! If not, remove steak and try again. Cook steak for 3 minutes on each side until a nice crust has formed. This is where you create all your flavor. Then put steak in preheated oven and cook for about 6 minutes more or until meat thermometer reads 145° for medium rare, or cook to your preference.