Ah, the ever popular Caesar salad. Always a favorite due to it’s creamy, garlicky, parmesan cheesy, bread crumb-y calorie dense goodness. So tasty, but not exactly the healthiest choice as far as salads go, and forget it if you’re ditching the gluten, dairy or have an egg allergy! Unlike a traditional Caesar, which can quickly weigh you down and trigger inflammation, this Caesar salad is perfect for cleansing the body, boosting vitality and also happens to be delicious!
I love creating healthier versions of traditional favorites that I know will fuel my body in all the good ways. This recipe ditches the eggs, croutons and cheese, but gets it’s creaminess from tahini and crunch from roasted chickpeas (which are totally optional if you want to skip that step!) Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds and it’s literally one of my favorite things. I drizzle it everywhere. It’s full of calcium, and stands in really well in this flavorful dressing! This has all the garlicky-anchovy flavor of the original, but leaves the inflammatory ingredients behind. And did I mention the kale?
Dark, leafy greens are one of the most common foods missing out of the American diet, yet they are essential to creating a healthy and balanced body. They are a high on the alkaline scale, which means they help neutralize acidic conditions in the body, and are full of vitality boosting nutrients. Benefits of consuming leafy greens include a strengthened immune system, promotion of healthy gut flora, blood purification, better circulation, improved organ function, detoxification and even cancer prevention! Rotate a variety of dark leafy greens in your diet, to gain maximum benefits. There are plenty to choose from! Choose from kale, spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, bok choy, mustard greens, watercress, broccoli rabe and more.
This Kale Caesar salad is a delicious way to incorporate more dark leafy green goodness into your life and reap the many benefits!
Kale Caesar Salad (with Crispy Garlic Chickpeas)
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
1 large bunch kale, washed and stemmed
2 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
¼ cup tahini
3 tablespoons filtered water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
To make the dressing:
Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl. Whisk until well combined. Add more water, if needed, to create desired consistency.
Prepare the salad:
Chop or tear kale into bite size pieces. With clean hands, massage kale until it begins to soften (just a couple of minutes) Add about ½ of the dressing to the kale and mix well with hands until the kale is coated. Add more dressing to taste. (Store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator for another day.) Add crispy garlic chickpeas (recipe below), as desired, and toss well.
Crispy Garlic Chickpeas
Ingredients:
1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place rinsed chickpeas on a tea towel and rub them to dry (some of the skins will come off, that’s ok)
In a small bowl, combine chickpeas, olive oil, garlic powder and sea salt. Mix well.
Pour chickpeas onto a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake for about 45 minutes until crispy, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
Use as a topping on salad, or for a crunchy snack!
