When warmer weather arrives, I gravitate to cool, crunchy salads.  I love this one, because it uses healthy red cabbage instead of lettuce.   Cabbage is probably one of the most important vegetables to add to your diet.

Its anti-cancer phytochemicals likely protect against breast cancer and environmental carcinogens.  Red cabbage’s purple color is caused by anthocyanins (the same type of pigment that makes blueberries blue) which are powerful antioxidants.  Anthocyanins are also known to have anti-inflammatory properties, which protect connective tissue and blood vessel walls from damage.  Cabbage is also a good source of fiber, making it one of the healthiest, low calorie vegetables you can eat.

This salad goes together fast.  Just put your steak in the marinade the night before, and you’ll have a healthy dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Marinated Thai Steak Salad
Serves 6

Marinade

1-1/2 pound flank steak

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
½ tablespoon seasoned pepper
¼ cup Tamari
¼ cup organic Canola oil or olive oil

Combine ingredients in a glass dish, stir with a fork to combine.  Add the steak, turning to coat.  Refrigerate, turning a few times for 2 – 24 hours.  Remove steak from refrigerator a half hour before cooking.   Heat a cast iron grill pan until it’s smoking hot.  Grill the steak 6 minutes on each side.  Remove steak and allow it to rest at least 10 minutes , tented with foil.  Slice steak across the grain into very thin slices.

Salad

¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1/2 head red cabbage, cored and finely shredded
2 cups mung bean sprouts, rinsed
1 cup julienned carrots
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves

Combine salt through chili sauce in a glass jar and shake to combine.  Divide the remaining ingredients among 6 plates.  Top with sliced steak.  Drizzle with dressing.