Kale Chopped Caesar Salad
Refreshing, bright, and tangy perfection.
2 large bunches of kale, chopped into bite size pieces and ribs removed
*You can also do ½ kale and ½ romaine lettuce
1 shallot, minced
½ cup Caesar dressing of choice (store bought or homemade: see recipe below), more as needed
1 avocado, sliced
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or shaved
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
Croutons or something crunchy- I made roasted chickpeas (recipe below)
Salt and pepper to taste
-Add the kale to a large bowl and lightly coat with olive oil. Massage with hands for about 1 minute, until soft. This step is key!
-Add shallot, parmesan, and ½ of dressing to bowl.
-Combine until combined and slowly add more dressing as needed. Less is more! -Top with chickpeas or your crunchy item.
-Top with avocado and tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste, and serve!
Roasted Chickpeas:
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried on kitchen towel
1 Tbsp olive oil, more as needed
Salt to taste
Paprika, garlic powder, curry powder, or other favorite spices (optional)
-Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
-Spread dried chickpeas on baking sheet and toss lightly olive oil and a large pinch of salt.
-Roast for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy to your liking .
-Remove from the oven and toss with other spices if using. Do this while they are still hot.
-Add to salads, soups, or eat plain as a snack!
*Can be stored at room temp for 2 days.
Caesar Dressing
*I love Ina Garten’s (Barefoot Contessa) Caesar dressing. This is not my own recipe.
1 extra large egg yolk (room temperature)
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
8 to 10 anchovy fillets (optional)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
-Place the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a food processor.
-Process until smooth.
-With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil in, until thick.
-Add the grated Parmesan cheese and pulse 3 times.
-Add to salad and enjoy!