Monday Recipe Review - spring is in the air? Summer, maybe?

I can dream, can't I? Without my annual March sojourn to Hilton Head Island - which usually consisted of 3-10 days of endless beach-walking in sunny 70 degree weather and eating at fabulous restaurants every night - I'm a little at a loss this February for something I can look forward to. That was actually something my therapist asked me the other day: What is it I have, that I can look forward to, when I get home from work? I thought hard for a few minutes and realized that this time of year, the only thing to which I look forward are my days off of work. Doesn't count. I need to find something to look forward to daily. I could say I look forward to watching Friday Night Lights on the dvr, but then of course there arises the next question: What snacks go with FNL? Counterproductive. So.. while I think about something that I can look forward to every evening after 12 hours of hand-holding, band-aid passing-outing and occasional life-saving, here's a nice distraction: Thai Beef Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw.

Something to remind us summer's on the way.

I love Cooking Light Magazine. The only thing I don't like about it is that I will never have the time or stomach capacity to make everything I see in a year's worth of magazines that I like. This one, though, I have made a few times. Whether served for company or just whipped up for a casual weeknight dinner, this has received rave reviews. The slaw just gets better and better the longer it sits. Of course, I can't say it's ever lasted more than 2 days.

Thai Beef Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Slaw
(serving size = 2 tacos - makes 4 servings)
Steak:
1 TB sugar
1 1/2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb flank steak, trimmed

Slaw: 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 TB sugar
2 TB rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups packaged angel hair slaw
2 cups packaged matchstick-cut carrots
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

8 tortillas (Cooking Light calls for fat-free flour tortillas. I usually use a corn or whole wheat tortilla)

Combine first 6 ingredients in baggie. Marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes. Marinating overnight really infuses the flavor and makes the steak super tender. Prepare grill or broiler. Remove steak from bag. Discard marinade. Grill or broil 5 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Let steak rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice thinly, diagonally across grain of meat. To prepare slaw: Combine liquid ingredients with minced garlic, then add slaw, carrots, green onion, and cilantro. Toss well to combine. Divide steak evenly among tortillas. Spoon about 1/2 cup slaw into tortillas. Fold and serve.

Nutrition information (using fat free flour tortillas)
Calories: 431 (24% from fat)Fat: 11.5g (sat 3.9g,mono 5g,poly 1.4g) Protein: 31gCarbohydrate: 50.8gFiber: 5.1gCholesterol: 42mgIron: 4.3mgSodium: 871mgCalcium: 157mg

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro - originally appeared in Cooking Light, April 2007