Eating healthy – Thai beef salad

So I know that it’s nearly winter, and that winter is really not the time for salad, but I’m trying to be healthy and lose weight. So salads it is! And with the glorious weather we have been having in Brisbane lately, you would never know that next week marks the official start of winter. {I’m discounting that it’s currently bucketing down outside, and mentally transporting myself back to yesterday when I wore shorts and a tank top. And made this salad.}

Thai beef salad – yummo!

So, the health kick. I’ve decided that since my hubby has recently lost a heap of weight and looks great, that I need to get into gear and play catch up. And sadly my hips seem to have found a few at least 2-3 of the kilos he lost {don’t you just HATE that?}. Like many, I have signed up to do the Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation {#12wbt if you are on twitter}.

Today is day 1. And I’m determined to get off to a good start! Despite just accepting an invitation to attend the Brisbane Cheese Awards announcement breakfast {if you love cheese then pop along to the People’s Day on Sunday 5 June at Portside – it will be a great day! With a lot of cheese}.

But back to my salad.

It’s sooo easy and so full of flavour.

What you need:
400g beef fillet
salt and pepper
150g Vermicilli bean thread noodles (the Asian variety – I normally use the Pandaroo brand)
1 cucumber, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large red capsicum, deseeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced finely
1 bunch of fresh coriander, chopped (stalks and leaves only)
1 bunch of fresh Thai basil, remove the leaves and tear them into smaller pieces

For the sauce
juice of 1-2 limes (start with 1, add extra to taste)
1 tbs fish sauce
1/2 tbs palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 long red chilli chopped finely

What you do:

• Heat the oven to 180c. 
• Season the beef on a baking tray with salt and pepper. 
• Roast the beef for about 20 minutes so it is still pink (I usually use a larger piece of beef so there are leftovers, but you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly).
• Remove the beef from the oven once it’s cooked to your liking (rare, medium, well done) and leave it to rest for 15 minutes while you make the salad and the sauce.
• Once the beef has rested, slice it thinly
• To make the sauce – stir all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Let it sit for 15 minutes at least for the flavours to develop. Add extra lime, sugar or fish sauce as necessary to taste. 
• Cook the bean thread noodles according to the directions on the packet (it takes about 2 minutes in a pot of boiling water). Drain and leave to cool
• To make the salad, place all ingredients into a large bowl and gently toss together. 
• To assemble – place the bean thread noodles on the bottom of 4 plates,  add the salad, add the beef, spoon over the dressing.