This past week I’ve been feeling a heaviness regarding a personal matter and I really just needed something light and green and happiness inducing. No, I’m not talking about those kind greens, I’m talking about a salad. A f***ing amazing bowl of beautiful green things. Hope you’re with me on this…
I was inspired by a salad image I found on pinterest of a kale Caesar with roasted chickpeas. I honestly haven’t had Caesar dressing in many many years, so I’ve forgotten how it tastes. But this creamy dressing has tang and heat, umami and a touch of sweetness. It’s pretty damn delicious and I’ll be spreading it on sandwiches and avocado toast from now on. Roasted spiced chickpeas add crunch and flavor and are addictive as a snack on their own. Creamy green avocado seemed like a logical addition to this salad, and we had cucumber on hand so I sliced it up and tossed it in. After the fact I realized I had forgotten about hemp seeds, which would have been delicious, and the chive blossoms from the garden for flavor and beauty. You can really add anything you want to this, I love that about salads.
Thanks for lending an ear to my little rant/emotional release. I do so really appreciate you visiting this space and hearing from you here on on instagram!
Ode to Caesar
Ingredients
- Roasted Spiced Chickpeas
- 1 1/2 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon house seasoning I'll have our blend in the shop soon
- Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra firm tofu
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon rocket cider/fire cider or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mustard I use our own but Dijon works well
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon packed parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 1/2 clove of garlic
- pinch of salt and pepper
- Salad
- 1 head of lettuce I used red leaf
- 1 cup of sliced cucumber
- 1 avocado sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- optional: hemp seeds and chive blossoms wish I had remembered these!
Instructions
Prepare Roasted Chickpeas:
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Spread chickpeas on a baking sheet and toss with oil and seasonings.
- Bake for 15 minutes. They will still be tender inside. Bake longer (20-25 minutes total) if you want them crunchy.
Prepare Dressing:
- Add all ingredients to blender.
- Blend all ingredients on high speed until emulsified, smooth and creamy.
Assemble Salad:
- Toss salad fixings, roasted chickpeas and dressing (to your taste) all together in a large bowl.
- Serve immediately. Keep extra dressing in the fridge for spreading on sandwiches, avocado toast or a smaller salad. Enjoy!
Notes
Dorothy
Hello! I just discovered your beautiful website full of gorgeous and delicious looking products (yum!). I was wondering can the tofu be replaced with something else in the dressing recipe. Thanks and Happy Summer!
Kaity Farrell
Hi Dorothy! Thank you so much! Yes, you can try replacing the tofu with 1/2 cup soaked raw cashews, which will blend out smooth. Or try replacing it with your favorite plain (preferably unsweetened) yogurt. Since yogurt has a looser consistency, start with 1/4 cup then add more if you see fit. Let me know how it works out! xx Kaity
Kaity Farrell
test