Everyone always thinks SALAD when they think vegetarian meals. Well, this time we are actually gonna prove ’em right and eat some salad!
Basically what you are doing is supplementing chickpeas in place of chicken and croutons. And replacing the cheese with nuts. You are going to have a very similar taste profile, but in a more healthy package.
This is a complicated recipe, but it’s delicious and totally worth it when you are sitting down to eat.
Ingredients:
Roasted Chickpea Croutons:
- 1 15oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (add more as needed)
Caesar Dressing (makes 3/4-1 cup):
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 medium garlic clove
- 2 tsp capers
- 1/2 salt
Nut and Seed Parmesan Cheese:
- 1/3 cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp hulled hemp seeds
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt to taste
Greens:
- 1 small bag of kale/spinach mix
- 2 small heads romaine lettuce (10 cups chopped)
Directions:
Soak your cashews in a bowl of water overnight, trust me on this one. Drain and rinse when done.
Next you’ll roast your chickpea “croutons”: Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place chickpeas in a paper towel and rub dry. Place onto large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on oil and roll around to coat. Sprinkle on the garlic powder, salt, and cayenne. Make sure they are evenly coated. Roast for 20 minutes at 400°F, then gently roll the chickpeas around in the baking sheet. Roast for another 10-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Dressing is next. Add the cashews and all other dressing ingredients (except salt) into a high-speed blender, and blend on high until the dressing is 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.
Now we are doing our Parmesan “cheese”: Add cashews and garlic into food processor and process until finely chopped. Add in the rest of the ingredients and pulse until the mixture is combined. Salt to taste.
Lastly lets throw it all together. Add dressing onto greens and toss until fully coated. Season with a pinch of salt and mix again. Now sprinkle on the roasted chickpeas and the Parmesan cheese.
Consume immediately.