Vegan Kale Caesar with, Yes, Croutons

For “Parmesan Cheese”:

• 1/3 cup raw Cashews

• 2 tablespoons Hemp Seeds

• 1 garlic Clove

• 1 tablespoon Nutritional Yeast

• 1 tablespoon Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

• Fine grain Pink Salt, to taste

For the lettuce:

Ingredients

• 1 small/medium bunch Kale, destemmed (5-6 cups chopped)

• 2 small heads Romaine Lettuce (10 cups chopped)

Ingredients

•  1 (15 oz.) can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

• 1 ½ tsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

• 1/2 tsp. Pink Salt

• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

For the Roasted Croutons:

Tahini Caesar Dressing

• 1/4 cup Tahini

• 3 tablespoons fresh squeezed Lemon juice

• 2-3 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

• 2 cloves Garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoons organic Dijon Mustard

• 1/4 teaspoon Pink Salt & Pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons Water

  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. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place chickpeas in a tea towel and rub dry (it’s okay if some skins fall off). Place onto large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on oil and roll around to coat. Sprinkle on the garlic powder, salt, and cayenne. Toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes at 400°F, 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.   To make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, mustard, and salt. Whisk until blended, then add the water and whisk until you have a smooth, blended tahini sauce. Season generously with black pepper. The dressing should be tangy, like classic Caesar dressings. If it’s overwhelmingly tart or too thick to pour, whisk in an additional tablespoon of water.

4.   Prepare the Parmesan cheese: Add cashews and 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 lettuce: 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 dry. Place into bowl along with kale. You should have roughly 5 cups chopped kale and 10 cups chopped romaine.

6.   Add dressing onto lettuce and toss until fully coated. Now sprinkle on the roasted chickpeas and the parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy with soup or by itself. YUMMY!