Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Roasted Chickpea Croutons:
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas
- 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Caesar Dressing (makes 1 cup):
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil
- 1 T lemon juice
- 1/2 T Dijon mustard
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 T vegan Worcestershire sauce
- 2 t capers
- 1/2 t sea salt and pepper
Lettuce & Parmesan:
- 1 bunch of Lacinato kale, destemmed (5 cups chopped)
- 1 lg head of romaine lettuce (10 cups chopped)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Directions:
- Roast chickpea croutons:
Preheat oven to 400F. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place chickpeas in a towel and rub dry. Place onto large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on oil and roll around to coat. Sprinkle on the garlic powder and salt and toss to coat. You can add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper if you like it spicy. Roast for 10 minutes at 400F, then gently roll the chickpeas around in the baking sheet, then roast for another 5-10 minutes, until lightly golden. They will firm up as they cool. - Prepare the dressing:
Add the cashews and all other dressing ingredients into a high speed blender, and blend on high until the dressing is super smooth. Add salt to taste and adjust other seasonings, if desired. Set aside. - Prepare the lettuce:
De-stem 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. - Assemble:
Add dressing onto lettuce and toss until fully coated. Now sprinkle on the roasted chickpeas and the Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Variations & Notes:
- For a nice variation, replace the chickpea croutons with store-bought Caesar croutons.
