Fast and simple food packed with flavor. What could be better than that? Well, 0 fat grams I suppose, but that would be too much to ask.
I eyed this steak with absolute relish. I dug in for three robust bites of tangy, bright flavor. Only to immediately feel full – too full to enjoy my steak, or the accompanying squash and zucchini gratin, too full to finish my meal. Of course an hour later I was very hungry and somehow able to polish off a gigantic slice of peanut butter chocolate cake (thanks Catherine for the take-home!).
Pan-Seared Flat Iron Steak with Spicy Cilantro Sauce
Originally from wholefoodsmarket.com
Serves 6
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (I used less because I like things tangy and don’t ever think as much oil is required as listed)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 (10– to 12-ounce) flat iron steaks
Combine the cilantro, garlic, 1/2 cup of the oil, lemon juice, cumin, chili powder and salt in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set sauce aside.
Sprinkle steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare or 4 to 5 minutes for medium.
Transfer steaks to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing. Serve with sauce on the side.
Yum! I’m always looking for ways to use cilantro. Right now I have a bunch of cilantro sprouting in my backyard – bunch like HUNDREDS of plants. Yeah, I probably should have only planted 1/10 of the seeds that I did… oh well!
Maybe it’s just me, but whenever you eat steak with cilantro, does it make you think of Lomo Saltado???
Ha! I was such a picky kid growing up I probably never even tried lomo saltado. I didn’t really eat meat much.
Okay Kelley, thanks so much for your perspective on Wheaton’s clinical psych program that you wrote ages ago. I’m looking more seriously at programs now, since I may start taking night classes and I want to make sure they’ll transfer, and Wheaton is a definite option for me. What was your impression of the Counseling Ministries programs? I know it’s not for licensure, but if I plan on being overseas I may not need the licensure and may like their accelerated year-long program. However, I don’t want to invest in a program that isn’t going to give me a complete education and the tools I need to counsel well.
Your thoughts? Thanks so much!
Kacie, good question! To be honest I didn’t pay a ton of attention to the Counseling Ministries person. I am getting together with someone this weekend who I *believe* started out in the counseling ministries one and switched over. If that’s the case, I’ll try to get their perspective.
What I do know … it’s small. My year there were 5 doing the ministry track. The year after just 1 or 2 I believe. So I don’t know if that’s important to you or not, but it’s not what most people pick and you would be doing some of the courses in a really small group.
However, most of the counseling ministries majors courses are taken right alongside the Clinical Psych ones. So you get the same 1st year foundation that we all got. I think each semester there was one course they didn’t take that we did … and they had some kind of small class during that time period. I guess it depends how far into the studies you want to go. One good thing is that if you started out in the CM program and decided you wanted the whole thing, I think switching would be relatively simple and you wouldn’t lose much time/classwork in the switch.
The other thing that looks different is the internship – it’s sooner for the CMers so there is more of a feeling of being thrown in. And it isn’t as rigid. You could pick a less clinical/therapeutic environment. But I think if you wanted a more clinical experience you could probably find that within this major too.
It’s hard for me to know exactly what would be best for you. I guess here is my summary. We were told time & again in school that really anyone can help someone else with a few basic listening/helping skills. There isn’t a TON of difference in stats b/w the two groups (however those in the “basic” group tend to deal with more lay issues as opposed to heavy pathology.) So that’s true and would make sense with you wanting to do this in a more informal setting. On the other hand, one thing I felt – as did I believe 100% of my classmates – is that you still have SO much more to learn even once done the two years. Not one of us felt a sense of competence to just go out and do this. I still seek ongoing training opportunities. The field is absolutely overwhelming with all there is to learn … even if you pick a specific niche.
So have I confused you anymore? Those are all my thoughts!
ok, kelley, what is in that delicious salad in your header? I mean – it almost looks like potato.
sara
Good eye – it is! Most people don’t do it regularly but potato + salad = love.