Caesar Salad

This Caesar salad is dairy free, egg free, and gluten free. You could easily swap out ingredients to fit your personal dietary choices.

Crispy Baked Chickpea Croutons

1 (14 oz) can chickpeas, approximately 1.5 cups, drained and rinsed
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place chickpeas in a tea towel and rub dry, some skins may fall off - it’s okay. Place onto large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on oil and roll around to coat. Sprinkle on the garlic powder, salt, and optional cayenne. Toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes at 400, then gently roll around in the baking sheet, and roast for another 10-20 minutes, until lightly golden. They will firm up as they cool.

Dressing

1/4 cup hummus (store bought or homemade)
1 tsp spicy mustard
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp capers (finely minced/smashed + 3 tsp brining juice)
3 Tbsp fresh minced garlic (approx 4-5 cloves)
1 healthy pinch each sea salt + pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
1-2 tsp maple syrup or raw honey (optional)

To a small bowl, add hummus, spicy mustard, lemon zest + juice, minced capers + brining juice, and minced garlic, and whisk thoroughly to combine. Olive oil is optional, but will add a bit more creaminess. Add a little hot water to thin until pourable and whisk until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust as necessary. Maple syrup or honey will help offset how salty and briny this dressing is, if you find you need it. Use immediately, or alternatively, store in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Salad Base

1 bunch lacinto kale, chopped (5 cups)
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped (10 cups)

Parmesan Cheese

Feel free to use your parmesan of choice, I chose to use VioLife Parmesan in the photo. You can also make cashew version yourself if you’d like. Directions below.

1/3 cup cashews (soaked overnight if you don’t have a high powdered blender)
2 Tbsp hulled hemp seeds
1 small garlic clove
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Sea salt to taste

Add cashews and garlic to a 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.

Build the salad

Toss the kale and lettuce into a large bowl and coat with dressing until fully coated. Season with a pinch of salt and mix again. Sprinkle on the chickpea croutons and the parmesan cheese, and serve immediately. This salad was good the next day, even after the dressing was on it, but it’s definitely best fresh.