How do you prepare a healthy, satisfying meal for your family yet still have time to go outside and enjoy the nice weather? Main dish salads to the rescue. Start with nutrient-rich greens such as spinach, arugula, or kale, then add seasonal fruits or vegetables, even cooked whole grains. A simple dressing is all you need to pull everything together. For extra protein, add leftover deli chicken, shrimp, or grilled steak. Sourdough makes delicious croutons in this recipe, but you can use other types of fresh bread, such as Italian or a baguette. If you don’t want to crank up your oven to make croutons, you could try making them in a baking pan on the grill, or just grill oiled slices of bread and chop them afterward. Baby bell peppers are the shape of regular bell peppers, unlike sweet mini peppers, which are smaller and have thinner flesh. If you prefer sweet mini peppers, reduce the grilling time to about 8 minutes. Be sure and let the steak rest the required time; this allows the juices to stay in the meat, instead of running out into your salad.
How to Make It
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together bread and 3 tablespoons of the oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until toasted, 10 to 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high. Stir together black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over steak. Coat bell peppers with cooking spray. Add steak, bell peppers, and shallots to pan. Cook steak to desired degree of doneness, about 7 minutes per side for medium. Cook bell peppers, turning occasionally, until char marks appear, 10 to 15 minutes. Cook shallots until tender, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove steak, bell peppers, and shallots from pan as they finish cooking. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak thinly across the grain. Cut bell peppers into strips, discarding stems and seeds. Cut shallots vertically into slices.
Whisk together vinegar, remaining 6 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add toasted bread; toss to coat. Add steak, bell peppers, shallots, and arugula; toss gently to coat. Divide salad evenly among 4 plates. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.