A meal in itself, this salad is rich in iron, and makes use of those leftover hard-boiled Easter eggs.

3 strips bacon
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
8 ounces flank steak
6 ounces baby spinach
4 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1 small cucumber, sliced
1 avocado, sliced

Spray a cast iron pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Place 3 strips of bacon in pan and cook until crisp, about 7 minutes, turning once or twice to ensure both sides cook evenly. Remove bacon to a paper towel-covered plate and set aside. When cool, crumble bacon into small bits.

Meanwhile, pour excess bacon fat out of pan, leaving about a teaspoon. Add shallot and saute over medium heat until softened and browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer shallots to a large bowl (reserving pan to cook steak) and add balsamic vinegar and mustard. Combine with a whisk. Drizzle in olive oil, whisking constantly. Set aside.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Season both sides of flank steak with salt and pepper and sear in pan, about 8 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time. Remove from pan and let rest for 5 minutes.

Add spinach to bowl with salad dressing and toss to coat spinach leaves with dressing. Divide spinach between two plates. Arrange mushrooms, eggs, cucumber, crumbled bacon and avocado in rows or wedges on the spinach. Slice the steak on the bias and place half of the steak on each salad.

Serves 2.

Note: for perfect hard-boiled eggs, I use Martha Stewart's method.