Now this is what I call a REAL salad. It is packed full of rich and juicy flavours and you may not think it, but it fits the brief for a guilt-free, healthy lifestyle time and time again! Creamy gorgonzola cheese with juicy pears and a steak that is marinated in just a splash of teriyaki sauce. That small splash makes it the most succulent sweet tasting piece of meat, and when it’s thinly sliced as pictured above, each little bite is this bombshell of flavour! For me, it’s the ultimate dinner when you want something filling and satisfying yet still low in calories and doesn’t consist of just a big bowl of pasta!
One small request if I may for anyone trying out this dish: get a little bit of each ingredient on every forkful! Sounds like an odd thing to say I know, but honestly the combination of these ingredients are just incredible. I sometimes struggle cooking for my better half because he has this weird habit and love for saving his favourite individual ingredient till last, i.e he will eat the steak alone… which for me kind’ve defeats the point of putting it all together on a plate! Each to their own but I do ask if you have the same habit then you might consider ditching it for this one dish :)
The Cilantro-lime dressing is light and fresh and brings the whole dish together, it’s also super simple to make! Coriander is in fact a little super food in it’s own right! You can have a read here to find out more: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-coriander.html
Back to this ultimate salad fitting in the clean and guilt-free lifestyle…it’s not our usual chicken & cucumber or tuna sweetcorn salad so how can something this indulgent and delicious actually be good for us? There’s a few reasons. Firstly you have succulent lean protein which is essential for building muscle AND plays a key role in fat loss, it will also make you feel satiated and fuller for much longer hence wavering any temptations to snack! We all know vitamin and mineral loaded spinach is one of our super foods so I won’t go into too much detail for out green goddess! The pears? Full of fibre and Vitamin C and give that real sweetness to the salad that just makes you want to devourer the whole plate!
Finally our exquisite, and my much loved gorgonzola cheese. I know you may of heard from people to STAY AWAY from all cheeses because of its high fat content. However, I disagree with this statement for the individuals leading a healthy and active lifestyle. Is cheese high in fat? Yes sure, but eaten in moderation and as part of a balanced diet will in my opinion only lead to positive results. Nothing changes a salad like a bit of creamy cheese does, it’s heavenly, it’s satiating and it’s indulgent without causing severe spikes in your sugar levels which generally lead to fat gain. The point is, if you feel as though you are not restricting yourself, you are loving the food you get to eat and cook, it will only encourage you to continue developing that healthy cycle and you won’t find you over indulge. That little bit of cheese is not going to make a difference to your body on that day, but what it will make a difference to is your positive outlook on how brilliant and easy a clean-living and healthy life can be. I can’t speak for everyone but that’s how I choose to live and i’m very happy, healthy and fit because of it. Please do note that if you have serious health issues, I am not encouraging you to eat cheese salads every day.
Hello and welcome! I'm Carly, originally from London but currently enjoying a little adventure in Dubai. A travel and wellness blogger exploring the world one step at a time. Think fabulous food at undiscovered gems, unique destinations, skin care obsessions and so much more. This is my life, I hope you enjoy the ride!
Eva B.
May 27, 2017This looks amazing! I’d like to clarify, though, is the dressing made with coriander or cilantro or both?
Lean Living Girl
May 29, 2017Hey Eva,
I’m so sorry you’re right that is confusing, in the UK (or at least in my books!) they’ve always been one of the same for me. I did mean coriander though :)
Carly xx
Eva B.
June 3, 2017Oh how funny, I hadn’t ever realized the two were even related! Thanks! I’ll give this recipe a try soon and let you know how it turns out!