Kale Caesar Salad

Kale Caesar Salad

I love Caesar Salad and the proof is the variety of recipes for different options right here on this site! For those of you who have an aversion to thought of Kale or automatically give the classic eye roll, hear me out. The key to changing the texture of the Kale and creating a pleasant chewiness is to remove the hard center stem and give it a well deserved massage. This Salad is easy to make and uses simple ingredients and there’s something that just tastes better when everything from the croutons to the dressing is homemade.

Serves 2

---

Ingredients

6-7 oz (170-198 g) roughly chopped Kale

1/3 cup (43 g) or more grated Vegan Parmesan (I like Violife and Follow Your Heart)

Caesar Dressing

1/3 cup (50 g) Raw Cashews ( I use Terrasoul Mylk Cashews)

1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp (68 g) Raw or Sprouted Sunflower Seeds (I use Go Raw brand)

1/3 cup (20 g) Nutritional Yeast

2-3 cloves Garlic peeled

Juice from 1 small Lemon

1 Tbsp (15 ml) Bragg Liquid Aminos (sub w/ light soy sauce)

2 tsp (10 ml) Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

2/3 - 1 cup (158 -237 ml) of Water

Salt & Pepper to taste

Croutons

4 slices (160 g) thick crusted Bread cut into cubes

1 1/2 Tbsp (22.5 g) Vegan Butter melted

2 tsp (10 ml) Olive Oil

3 cloves of Garlic crushed

Salt & Pepper to taste

Note: (If using bagged chopped Kale then pick through and remove any remaining stems and discard any discolored leaves.

Directions

1. Make the Croutons by tossing the cubed Bread with the melted Butter, Oil, Garlic, Salt & Pepper until well coated. Spread out evenly onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until golden and crispy.

2. Make the Caesar Dressing by first soaking the Cashews and Sunflower Seeds in hot water for 25 minutes. Rinse, drain and set aside.

3. To a blender add the soaked Cashews and Sunflower Seeds along with the Nurtritional Yeast, Garlic, Lemon Juice, Braggs, Worcestershire Sauce, Salt, Pepper and 2/3 cup Water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. If the dressing is thick add the addtional Water and blend again until desired consistency.

4. Prep the Kale by removing as much of the leaves from the stem and giving the leaves a rough chop. Add the chopped Kale to a bowl and begin to massage the Kale. Grab a handful of Kale with each hand and squeeze. Toss and pick up more Kale repeating these steps until the entire bowl has been squeezed between your hands.

5. To assemble the Salad, pour about a 1/3 of the dressing over the Kale, add in the grated Vegan Parmesan and as many Croutons as you like and toss thoroughly. Serve with additional Dressing on the side.