Romaine Kale Sea Caesar Salad

Crisp, hearty and tangy, this kale Caesar is one of my favorite dishes during the summer months.

Prepare the salad by slicing the romaine into 1” ribbons. Transfer to a salad bowl and set aside. De-stem the kale by holding the stem in one hand and strip the leaves using the other hand. Then slice the de-stemmed kale into 1” ribbons. Put the greens with the romaine, wash and spin dry.  (You can slice the stems thinly and use them for another dish like a stir-fry.)

Vegan Caesar Dressing

• ¾  cup fresh lemon juice (4-5 lemons)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. water
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 ½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. ground flax seeds
• ½ cup raw walnuts soaked in water for 10 minutes
• 2 – 3 large garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp. dulce powder (sea vegetable)

For the dressing mix all the ingredients in a blender and store in a sealed jar. It will last in the refrigerator for one week.

Serve the kale and romaine in a large bowl and add the dressing, toss thoroughly, making sure each leave is nicely coated. Top with a sprinkle of roasted chickpeas for crunch.

Roasted Chick Peas

• 1 cup dried chick peas/garbanzo beans (or buy 2 cans of precooked garbanzos)
• water for boiling
• 1 ½ tsp cumin
• 1 ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• juice from ½ a lime
• juice from 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil melted
• 1 paper bag

 

1. If using dried chick peas, discard any rocks, soak the beans in water for about 5 hours or overnight. (If using canned beans, drain and rinse them but skip cooking them in step 2.)
2. Rinse and cover with fresh water to cook for 30-45 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
3. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F and line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.
4. Mix the spice seasonings (cumin, paprika, cayenne and salt).
5. In a bowl, toss the chick peas with melted coconut oil and half of the spice mixture. Spread on a lined cookie sheet and squeeze ½ of one lime and ½ of one lemon over the beans.
6. Roast 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Then place them back in oven for 10-15 minutes until crunchy.
7. Remove from the oven when crunchy and throw in with the remaining spice mixture and a few drops of lemon juice.