Today’s recipe is a steak and corn salad to begin our summer send-off (I’m sorry!!! I promised I wouldn’t start sharing fall until the end of August, and I’m sticking to that; we’re just starting to transition!).
I had to pull out the most important components for the recipe name, but there’s so much goodness packed into this one. Beyond the delicious steak and peaches, we’ve got peaches, chickpeas, goat cheese, avocado, corn, and tomatoes, plus a really unique and delicious peach-balsamic vinaigrette to dress it all up.
If you’ve been here for a bit, you know flank steak is my go-to cut. It costs less than most other cuts, cooks quickly, and delivers a hearty serving of protein. It’s my favorite for chopped salads since it’s a bit leaner and slices into the perfect bite-sized pieces.
Not into steak? You can absolutely swap for chicken, shrimp, or an extra can of chickpeas—the swaps and subs have you covered!
And it’s dessert!! I’m sharing my new favorite no-bake dessert: key lime pie freezer bars. We’re putting together a cheesecake and a key lime pie and piling it on top of a delicious crumb crust—pretty sure it doesn’t get better. 🍋🟩
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serves 4 | prep time: 15 minutes, plus 10 minutes resting time | cook time: 6 minutes
gluten-free, nut-free
INGREDIENTS
For the steak
1 pound flank steak
kosher salt
ground black pepper
avocado oil, for cooking
For the peach-balsamic vinaigrette
1 ripe peach, pitted, peeled, and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon lime zest
kosher salt
ground black pepper
For the corn salad:
2 1/2 cups corn (from about 5 ears of corn or 16 ounces frozen and thawed)
15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 ripe peach, pitted and small-diced
1 ripe avocado, pitted and small-diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and small-diced (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves, additional for topping
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the steak: Heat a cast iron grill pan (or cast iron skillet or grill) over medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry with a paper towel and season generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. Heat a drizzle of avocado oil in the pan and sear the steak to a minimum of 140ºF*, about 3 minutes per side. Set it on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes, tented with foil.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: Add the diced peach, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 45 seconds. Taste and add additional salt if desired.
After 10 minutes, dice the cooked steak into 1/2-inch cubes.
Assemble the salad: add the corn, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, peach, avocado, jalapeño (if using), cilantro, and diced steak to a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Add the peach-balsamic vinaigrette and toss again to mix. Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese on top.
To serve, divide the salad between four bowls or plates and top with additional chopped cilantro, if desired.
STORE IT: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Store the steak and salad separate if you plan to reheat the steak, or enjoy leftovers chilled.
REHEAT IT: (optional) Microwave the steak until warm, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
*140ºF will give you a medium steak.
If you’re prepping this one ahead, I recommend leaving the avocado out until serving for best results.
For best results, allow the steak to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
Add a base of greens to bulk this up! Finely chopped curly kale or arugula would be delicious.
Steak: Swap for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Swap for shrimp. For a vegetarian option, use two cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed.
Jalapeño pepper: Swap for one small green bell pepper, small-diced.
Peach: Swap for mango.
Goat cheese: Omit for dairy-free, or swap for feta, or dairy-free feta
Today’s salad is summery and bright, so dessert has to match. These no-bake key lime pie freezer bars require no oven time but give all the creaminess of a chilled cheesecake and all the zest of a key lime pie—best of both worlds! If you’re a sucker for citrus like me, you’re going to love this one.
The crumb crust might be my favorite part. I used Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins, which have the perfect amount of sweetness and crunch (thank you, organic coconut sugar and watermelon seed flour!). Grab a box of Sweet Thins, a bundle of key limes, and make this one before summer’s over.
makes 12 bars | prep time: 30 minutes | chill time: 5 1/2 hours
INGREDIENTS
For the crust
two 4.25-ounce packages Simple Mills Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted melted butter or vegan butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the bar filling
8 ounces regular or vegan cream cheese, softened
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk or sweetened condensed coconut milk
2 teaspoons key lime zest (about 2 key limes), additional for topping if desired
1/2 cup key lime juice (about 15 key limes)
For the whipped cream layer
1 cup heavy cream or coconut cream
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Line a 9- by 9-inch or 8- by 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, allowing the paper to drape over the sides of the dish, and set aside. Place a small bowl in the center of the baking dish, or clip the sides with close pins to hold the parchment down before adding the crust.
Make the crumbs: Add the thins to a food processor and process at high speed until they are a sand-like texture, about 45 seconds. You should have about 1 3/4 cups of crumbs. Leave about 2 tablespoons of the crumbs aside for topping at the end.
Make the crust: Add the crumbs to a mixing bowl with the melted butter and sugar and stir to evenly combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and evenly press it between all four corners until flat and tightly packed. Chill in the fridge until the butter has hardened and the crust has set, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the bar filling: Using an electric mixer, stand mixer, or whisk, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice and continue mixing until evenly combined and smooth. Pour the filling on top of the set crust and spread it out evenly to all four corners, smoothing the top. Transfer to the freezer to set for at least 3 hours, until firm enough for gentle pressure.
Meanwhile, make the whipped cream: Clean out the food processor from the crumbs. Add the heavy cream, confectioners sugar, and vanilla to the processor and pulse a few times to mix. Turn the processor on high speed and process until light and fluffy, 30 to 45 seconds. Note: don’t process too long or it’ll turn to butter!! Chill in the fridge until step 6.
Once the bar filling has set, gently transfer the whipped cream on top and gently spread it out evenly to all four corners, smoothing the top as best as you can. Sprinkle additional lime zest on top and return the dish to the freezer to set again for at least 2 hours, but ideally 3 hours for best results. Don’t skimp on the chilling time or it’ll be much harder to cut the bars!
Once the bars are set, carefully remove by pulling the parchment upwards and placing the square on a cutting board. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top. Slice into 12 squares (3 by 4), and serve immediately.
If prepping ahead, keep frozen until serving. If the bars are in the freezer for more than 4 hours, allow about 15 minutes of thawing time at room temperature before serving.
Get the Honey Cinnamon Sweet Thins here.
sticky orange chicky and brussels: This sheet pan meal from Caroline Chambers’s new cookbook Make it Fast was thoroughly enjoyed this week. We shared the full recipe on the newsletter (+ there’s a giveaway!). Make it for an easy 25 minute meal this week!!
everything bagel breakfast biscuits: If you’re following the august meal prep plan, you’ll be pulling these out for breakfast this week!! Love how easily these freeze, and they reheat like a dream in the air fryer at 325ºF for 5 to 10 min.
Makeup picks on sale: I’m currently loving Tarte’s undereye corrector, CC tinted serum, and blush and glow duo in my everyday routine. Some of my faves, so I want to shout them out while they’re on sale: all are 35% off with code FAM35 right now!!
electric warming plates: These were a last-minute purchase before hosting my dad’s birthday dinner but I’m not sure how I ever lived without them!! They’re perfect for hosting and kept everything warm through dinner. I cooked a batch of the bolognese from DTAD and a simple pesto pasta situation with chicken on the side.
Pantry staples basket: My sister and her husband recently bought their first house, so I put together a little pantry staples basket to help stock their shelves for move-in. I included staples like oil, vinegar, chili crisp (duh), pasta, Diamond Kosher Salt (the absolute best!!), oats, and some of her favorite dressings and sauces to make dinner a little easier as they make their move!! This wicker basket was the perfect size, and great for storage!
Dolly All the Time: A Kate Eats Goood rec that also came highly recommended from you guys!! I just finished listening to the audiobook and loved this summer romance!! Such a great New England summer read, it kept me occupied on a few longer road trips this month. I’m ready for the on-screen adaptation now. Adding it to my TBR list!!
Let me know if you make either of today’s recipes, and don’t forget to send pics in our chat!
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