Fajita Salad with Avocado-Cilantro Dressing

Sometimes I just want a big salad for dinner (especially in the spring and summer). However, for my meat-and-potato-loving husband, if I make only a salad for dinner it better be hearty. This one passed with flying colors. Well, except for the dressing of which my husband wasn't "too fond" but I loved. I didn't tell him that it was made with avocado and mayonnaise (both of which he doesn't like - I first mentioned his dislike of mayonnaise back in my Turkey Roll-ups post).

So, my husband finished his salad and said "thanks honey, that was really good." - period end of story. The second time I made this salad he said the same thing but also added that he wasn't "too fond" of the dressing. Well, considering he doesn't like the main ingredients of the dressing I wasn't surprised, but this was a huge victory that he even ate the dressing - twice! The second time I made this salad he may have suspected mayonnaise was in the dressing since he heard me making it. I wonder because he liked the salad just fine the first time. I took a big risk by mixing the dressing into the salad instead of leaving it on the table for him to mix in, and it paid off. Just writing this post makes me giggle that I was able to sneak in ingredients that he doesn't like. And, no, he still doesn't know. That may change if he reads this post;-)

Fajita Salad with Avocado-Cilantro Dressing

For the salad

1/2 pound of leftover flank steak (I usually broil flank steak as shown in this recipe - even if I serve it with different sides, like potatoes and vegetables)

1 small head of iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup black beans

1/4 cup finely shredded mexican blend cheese

1/4 cup pico de gallo

For the dressing

1/2 avocado

1/2 cup mayonnaise - I used homemade mayonnaise (hoping he would like that better than store bought, sigh)

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

2-3 Tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1) Place all dressing ingredients in a blender or deep container to use with an immersion blender. Blend until smooth.

2) Rinse and chop iceberg lettuce and place in salad spinner or cotton salad bag to absorb water.

3) Toss lettuce with desired amount of dressing and divide the lettuce between plates. (This can serve as two large entree sized salads or several smaller salads as part of a few courses.)

4) Sprinkle beans and cheese over the lettuce.

5) Arrange flank steak pieces on top of salad.

6) Top with pico de gallo.