Vegan Caesar Salad

This is one of my fave salads EVER. The dressing can be made ahead in a big batch and used with all types of veggie combos. I adapted this recipe from the Oh She Glows blog. I bring this to almost every potluck dinner and it truly is a crowd pleaser. I’ve done the salad very traditional with just kale & romaine but I also like to experiment and add lots of other veggies. Kale lends itself very well to this dressing because it is thick and creamy, and the kale is sturdy. Tender greens can be “drowned” by this type of dressing. That being said, have fun with this! Try different combos. Use different greens. The dressing and the parm are great with many combos.

ROASTED CHICKPEA CROUTONS:

• 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can chickpeas (or 1 1/2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed

• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt (I use celtic salt)

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

CAESAR DRESSING (MAKES 2 CUPS):

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight

• 1/2 cup (60 mL) water

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoon (30 mL) lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 2-3 garlic cloves

• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegan Worcestershire sauce (I use Wizard's gluten-free brand)

• 5 teaspoons capers

• 1 tablespoon dulse flakes

• 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon marash chili flakes, or to taste (can sub black pepper)

NUT AND SEED PARMESAN CHEESE:

• 1 cup raw cashews

• 2 small garlic cloves

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt,

SALAD:

• 1 small/medium bunch kale, destemmed (5 cups chopped)

• 2 small heads romaine lettuce (10 cups chopped)

• 1/2 cup purple lettuce

• 1 cup alfalfa sprouts

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak cashews in a bowl of water overnight, or for at least a few hours. Drain and rinse.

2. Roast chickpea croutons: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place onto large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on oil and roll around to coat. Sprinkle on the spices. Toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes at 400°F (200°C), then gently roll the chickpeas around in the baking sheet. Roast for another 10 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden. They will firm up as they cool.

3. Prepare the dressing: Add the cashews and all other dressing ingredients (except salt) into a high-speed blender, and blend on high until the dressing is super smooth. You can add a splash of water if necessary to get it blending. Add salt to taste and adjust other seasonings, if desired. Set aside - often needs to cool in the fridge.

4. Prepare the Parmesan cheese: Add garlic into a mini food processor and process until finely chopped. Now add in the rest of the ingredients and pulse until the mixture is combined. Salt to taste.

5. Prepare the veggies: Destem the kale and then finely chop the leaves. Wash and dry in a salad spinner. Place into extra large bowl. Chop up the romaine into bite-sized pieces. Rinse and then spin dry. Place into bowl along with kale. You should have roughly 5 cups chopped kale and 10 cups chopped romaine.

6. Assemble: Add dressing onto lettuce and toss until fully coated. Season with a pinch of salt and mix again. Now sprinkle on the roasted chickpeas and the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

TIP:

• Be sure to check the label to ensure your Worcestershire Sauce is gluten-free (if necessary) as not many are. I use Wizard`s Gluten-Free Organic Worcestershire Sauce.

• The dressing thickens when chilled, so be sure to leave it at room temperature to soften before using. You can also add some water to thin.

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