Creamy Kale Caesar

Recipe

Vegan & Gluten-Free

Serves 4 sides or 2 mains

 

Who doesn’t love a good old Caesar salad?

Take-out salads and dressings are typically full of unhealthy saturated fats with way too much sodium and refined sugar. Our take on this classic doesn’t make you sacrifice creaminess or crunch and you can achieve the same levels of deliciousness by making a few simple healthy swaps. This salad is a great complimentary side or can be served as a main meal since it’s packed with a great source of protein and healthy fats.

Creamy Kale Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale, de-stemmed, rinsed, chopped

1 head romaine, rinsed, chopped

1 handful sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup or more of Creamy Kale Caesar Dressing (see recipe)

1/2 cup or more Tamari Almonds (see recipe)

1/2 cup Turmeric Chickpeas (see recipe)

Method:

  1. Rinse, dry, and de-stem 1 bunch of kale.

  2. Finely chop kale and place in a bowl. Add a tsp of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and massage the chopped leaves with your hands until wilted.

  3. Rinse, dry, and chop 1 head of romaine lettuce.

  4. Combine leaves in a large salad bowl.

  5. Add Tamari Almonds, Marinated Chickpeas, and sun-dried tomatoes. Toss together.

  6. Add in the desired amount of dressing and toss together until fully combined

  7. Garnish with Tamari Almonds and serve.

Creamy Kale Caesar Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 lb firm tofu (organic, non-GMO)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup water

1 TBSP capers

1-3 cloves of garlic (depending on your taste!)

1.5 Tbsp lemon juice (or juice from 1 lemon)

1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.  Keep for up to 8 days.

Tamari Almonds

Ingredients:

1 cup raw almonds

1 Tbsp tamari

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp maple syrup

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease 1 baking sheet with coconut oil.

  2. Place 1 cup raw almonds into a food processor, blend until finely chopped.

  3. Scoop into a bowl and add tamari, maple syrup, olive oil, and cayenne pepper.

  4. Mix well and place as a thin layer to your greased baking sheet.

  5. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes or until golden brown (even a little charred is okay to give a bit of a smokey flavor).

  6. Let cool. Scoop from the baking tray with a spatula (the almonds may stick or form into clumps which you can break apart by hand once cool). Store in a sealed Tupperware or glass jar in a cool dry place.

Marinated Chickpeas

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, patted dry

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 Tbsp turmeric

1/2 Tbsp or more nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper


Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F, grease a baking sheet with coconut oil.

  2. Drain and rinse 1 can organic chickpeas. Drain well.

  3. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until evenly mixed.  Add nutritional yeast or sea salt to taste.

  4. Place evenly on a prepared baking sheet and bake at 350F for 10 minutes, or until a little golden and crispy.  Bake a little longer for extra crispy (great for snacking).

  5. Cool.  Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 10 days or more (depending on how crispy they are).