Creamy Vegan Kale Caesar With Chickpea Croutons

This salad is so flavorful, and you would never know it's vegan! It's packed with protein from the chickpeas and is the perfect filling lunch.

These crispy chickpeas are so addictive, and can be made in large batches as a snack! You can also double or triple the dressing recipe, and it should last for at least a week.

Servings: 3-4 people

Ingredients:

Salad:

• 1 large head of curly kale, washed and dried (any variety of kale can work here)

• 1 15oz can of chickpeas

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp paprika

Vegan Caesar Dressing:

• 1 cup raw cashews

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 2-4 Tbsp dijon mustard

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

2. Drain and rinse your chickpeas, then lay flat on a dish towel to dry. You want to get all of the excess moisture out for peak crispiness.

3. Once your chickpeas are dry, place them in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, garlic powder and paprika.

4. Pour onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until crispy and lightly browned.

5. In the meantime, add your raw cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, dijon, garlic and salt to a blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. You can store this in the fridge until ready to serve.

6. Cut the stems from the inside of your curly kale and then chop as finely as possible. Rolling the kale tightly will help to cut it most efficiently.

7. Place your kale in a large mixing bowl. Pour on the caesar dressing in increments, until the kale is fully coated. Mix very well with a pair of tongs.

8. Once the chickpeas are out of the oven and cooled slightly, you can toss them right on top of the kale. Mix well and serve immediately. The kale holds up very well with this dressing, and can last a day or so in the fridge as well. Enjoy!