Recipe by Steph Schall Hub
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins
This is a flavour packed Caesar salad, full of tender greens, crispy spiced chickpeas, luscious avocado and tangy hemp Caesar dressing. A great gluten free salad for summer, it is gorgeous, delicious and has loads of texture. A healthy version of a classic salad, this one is full of healthy fats, protein and greens, and
features my favourite vegan parmesan! The crispy chickpeas replace traditional bread croutons, the hemp dressing is just as good as the dairy version, and the sharp vegan parm replaces traditional parmesan seen in Caesar salad.
Ingredients
Chickpeas
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon avocado oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper
Salad
2 heads of cos lettuce finely chopped
1 head kale finely chopped
1 avocado finely sliced or chopped
2 tablespoons capers optional
Hemp Dressing
4 tablespoons hemp seeds
¼ cup water
Juice from 1 lemon
½ clove garlic
1-2 teaspoon capers
1-2 teaspoon caper brine optional but delicious
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegan Parmesan
¼ cup cashews
¼ cup nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
Steps
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Dry the chickpeas with paper towel or clean tea towel. To a small bowl, add the chickpeas, oil, spices and seasoning, and toss to combine. Lay the chickpeas out on the oven tray in an even layer, and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the chickpeas are crispy and golden brown. Remove and set aside to cool.
2. Make the vegan parm by combining these ingredients in a small blender or spice grinder and process until a fine crumb consistency. Set aside until salad is ready to serve.
3. Meanwhile, to a small blender, add the hemp dressing ingredients and blend until dressing is creamy and smooth. Dressing will thicken in the fridge, so if it feels too runny, leave to chill before adding more liquid.
4. For the salad, drizzle the kale with a small splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and massage/scrunch the greens until bright green and tender. The amount should reduce by about half in size. In a large bowl, add the kale together with the lettuce or other greens of choice, and pour over half of the dressing, toss to combine.
5. Arrange salad on platter or in bowl you will serve it in. Sprinkle over the crispy chickpeas, diced or sliced avocado, and pour over other half of dressing. Sprinkle over the vegan parm, capers and enjoy!
Notes
For a lower FODMAP version, you can omit the garlic and onion powders, and have an appropriate amount of the crispy chickpeas and vegan parm.
For a nut free version, replace the cashews with additional sunflower seeds in the vegan parm. This recipe makes more than is needed, so store in the fridge or pantry in a jar to sprinkle over pasta, pizza and lasagne!
To meal prep, make all of the components ahead of time and store separately in the fridge, and the chickpeas in a container at room temperature. The chickpeas may lose some of their crispiness and become a bit chewier, so if this is a concern then roast the chickpeas just before serving.
The hemp dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can mix up the greens to what’s available seasonally. In winter I love making this with kale and shredded Brussel sprouts. You can also do this with finely shredded cabbage and lettuce!
Steph Schall is a plant-based chef, registered nurse, qualified yoga instructor and health coach. She is the resident chef at the Abbie James HQ and you can find out more about her culinary adventures and her cooking classes at www.stephschallhub.com
Read our interview with Steph here.
