I’ve loved caesar salad since my days wearing Sears Toughskin jeans and saltwater sandals. But the high calorie count with minimal nutrition of conventional caesar salads started to severely limit the number of appearances the salad has made in my life over the past couple decades… Until now.
This kale caesar salad is my new obsession. I first stumbled upon the salad at a local juice shop, Urban Remedy. I immediately fell in love with their vegan caesar salad, but couldn’t stomach the price or all the plastic packaging they serve the salad in (and the dressing, and the chickpeas, and the “cheese”), so I decided to figure out how to make my own version.
This salad contains the best of everything–crunchy romaine with the added heartiness and health benefits of raw kale, fiber and protein packed roasted chickpeas instead of nutrition-empty croutons from bread, a delicious and creamy caesar dressing that doesn’t use egg or dairy, and “faux parmesan” cheese.
I eat this salad at least three times a week now. It’s so delicious, tastes rich, never gets dull, and gives me a big boost of energy without making me feel too full, ever. It takes a little work to get the various components ready–like roasting the chickpeas and making the dressing, but once you do, you can store the extras in airtight containers in the fridge and prepare future salads in just minutes.
Ingredients*
Greens:
4-5 kale leaves, washed, ribs removed, and chopped into 1/4-1/2-inch strips
4-5 romaine lettuce heart leaves, washed and chopped into 1/4-1/2-inch strips
Chickpea “croutons”:
1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans (I like this brand)
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Parmesan “cheese”:
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup raw hulled hemp seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp raw hulled sunflower seeds
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
Caesar dressing:
2 tbsp capers (vegan version) or 7 anchovies (jarred)
1 clove garlic crushed
5 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp worcesterhire
1 tsp Dijon
1 cup raw cashews
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
filtered water to thin
*The ingredients are for a salad for 1-2 people, but the dressing will make enough for 5-6 salads depending on size and how dressed you like your salads.
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375F (convection, if you have it).
Rinse and drain the chickpeas in a wire mesh colander. In a bowl, toss the chickpeas with the cumin, 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Spread the chickpeas out on an edged cooking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes or until they start to brown nicely. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a food processor, pulse together 1/4 cup cashews and the seeds from the “cheese” ingredients until coarsely chopped. Toss together with the remaining “cheese” ingredients and set aside.
In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine all the ingredients for the dressing except the water. Slowly add in a little water at a time to get a consistency you like. I like mine very thick, but you want to be able to toss the salad with the dressing and not have it stick in a lump.
Put the greens in a bowl, add in a little dressing and toss to coat. Taste and adjust amount of dressing as desired. Add in a handful of roasted chickpeas and a couple tablespoons of “cheese” per serving, and toss to coat. Serve immediately, although I find a good tossing helps soften and “break down” the kale, which I like.
Happy eating your greens!
Eat Well, Be Well, Live Well 