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Vegan Caesar Salad with Crisp Chickpeas

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Ingredients
  

For the Caesar Salad:

  • 3 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 avocado, sliced, optional
  • Vegan Almond Parmesan (see note)

For the Chickpea Croutons:

  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • ¾ tsp. garlic powder
  • Generous pinch of sea salt

For the Caesar Dressing:

  • ¾ cup raw cashews
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp. capers
  • 1 tbsp. vegan worcestershire 
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • Juice of 1 medium lemon or 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
  • Generous pinch of sea salt
  • Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

To prepare the oven and baking sheet:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

To prepare the chickpea croutons:

  • Place rinsed chickpeas between a clean dish cloth; gently rub to dry, removing any of the loose skins.
  • Place chickpeas on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with oil and toss to coat; sprinkle with garlic powder and salt.
  • Arrange chickpeas in a single layer; add garlic cloves (from the dressing); place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 40 – 45 minutes; stirring every 10 minutes or so.
  • Remove the garlic if it seems to be getting too baked.
  • Once done, remove from the oven; set aside.

To prepare the Caesar dressing:

  • Soak the cashews in hot (not boiling) water for 5 minutes; drain.
  • In a blender or food processor, add the cashews, water, roasted garlic cloves, capers, worcestershire, dijon, lemon juice, salt and pepper; blend until creamy smooth.

To assemble the salad:

  • Place the chopped romaine in a large mixing bowl, add as much or as little of the dressing as desired; give a good toss to completely mix.
  • Top with garbanzo beans croutons, avocado and a sprinkle of Vegan Almond Parmesan.

Notes

If  capers are not available, no worries, the caesar dressing is just as great without them.
If  vegan Worcestershire is not availalbe or looking for a gluten free option, try using a mixture of:
  • 2 tsp. coconut amins or tamari
  • 1/4 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp. cane sugar or pure maple sugar
  • Dash of hot sauce
Vegan Casesar Salad with Crisp Chickpeas recommends a dash of Vegan Almond Parmesan.  That recipe can be found on our CompleteComfortFoods. com website at:
https://completecomfortfoods.com/vegan-almond-parmesean/