Dive into a Beaver Salad: 500 calories

Actual scene from a drive thru, the DAY we moved to Beaver County in 2008.

Me: Hi, I'd like to order two happy meals, one large Quarter Pounder meal and a Southwestern salad.
Drive Thru: What size fries did you want for your salad?
Me: I'm sorry, say that again?
Drive Thru: Fries for your salad. What size?
Me: Oh? Um... I don't want any fries? I ordered a salad.
Drive Thru: ... ...Whatever. Please drive around.

I offended Beaver, I think?

I live in Beaver County. Beaver is a Pittsburgh suburb nestled in the scenic foothills and valleys of the Appalachian mountains. It's known for it's once booming steel industry, top notch diving team, and their famous salads. What makes a Beaver Salad, you ask? No, not beavers. Beaver Countians top their salads with onions, hard boiled eggs, cheese, carrots and... wait for it...

STEAK & FRENCH FRIES! (I know)

Now, I've had some pretty funk-nasty versions of this salad over my 5 years here: Some topped with Steakumm, tater tots, scrambled eggs, pickles, etc. Needless to say the original salad is LOADED with calories. LOADED! My version uses sweet potato fries, balsamic vinaigrette and grilled corn. Sorry, no cheese. I must say that I prefer the sweet potato fries over the regular ones. Adds a whole new level of sweetness!

Beaver Salad :
Serves 3-4  Prep time: 20minutes

Sirloin tip roast (3-5lb)
Sweet potato fries, prepared per pkg directions (Alexia's frozen fries are excellent)
2 hard boiled eggs, diced
1/2  ice burg lettuce
1/2 package of spring salad mix
1 cucumber, sliced
Carrots, chopped
Ear of corn, boiled.
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
1 medium tomato, diced
Reserved steak juice
Balsamic vinaigrette

Get your sweet potatoes going in the oven per package directions... or... you can fry them? Up to you!

Prepare your sirloin with some olive oil (unless you have pre-oiled your grill grates), S&P, garlic powder and whatever your heart desires? I like Penzey's Sunny in Paris seasoning. Delicious rub for red meat! All you really need for a base seasoning is the above SP&G, but, go crazy! Who knows what you'll come up with? Get your grill going at a high temp (to get a good sear and lock in those juices) and grill to your preference. The Kertney clan likes theirs medium-medium rare.  Let the meat REST before slicing it. Steaks need a few minutes to let the juices redistribute for optimal flavor. Remember to reserve the "meat juice" for the vinaigrette.

FYI: Meat thermometers and steaks aren't friends. You poke a hole in your steak, the juices run out and you've ruined it. How to test your steak without gauging it? The trick to test meat for doneness is LITERALLY in the palm of you hand.  Check out this website for the finger method... the method most chefs use to determine doneness. 

 When your steak is just about finished cooking, take your pre-boiled ear of corn, rub some olive oil on it, S&P (Tajin is AWESOME on corn) and throw it onto the grill for 5 minutes. Get a mild char going, remove from the heat and slice the corn from the cob.

You are going to add ALL of the cold ingredients (salad veggies) to some salad bowls. Then add the one handful of sweet potato fries, a few tbsps corn, 5-7strips of sirloin, egg and the vinaigrette:

2 Tbsp Original Mrs. Dash seasoning
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup regular vinegar
1 packet of sweetener (or substitute 1/4 cup honey)
2 tbsp water
Meat juice
1/4 cup olive oil
S&P to taste

Whisk all of those together and BAM! Your lightened up Beaver Salad is complete. Each salad is under/around 500 calories and loaded with protein. (VS a REAL salad at 800+ calories) Don't quote me on the caloric intake, though. It's higher if you fry the sweet potato fries... but it's worth the cheat! Any dinner this tasty, this nutritious and under 600cal is a W-I-N in anyone's book!

PS: Beaver doesn't have a diving team... But they should.