Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

I originally wrote this post three months into blogging, back when I posted between 8-10 photos for a recipe. Goodness gracious!! My style used to be photo / writing / photo / writing / photo / recipe / photo. Too many photos! I’ve abandoned that style now because it’s really hard to read something coherently when the text is broken up like that.

I’ve also updated the recipe because my directions were too scant to be effective. Since the time when I was just learning how to blog, I’ve tried to develop a recipe writing style that is clear and detailed, so the recipe is easy to follow. And I also hope my recipe videos will help show how everything is made!

You know, sometimes I just stop and think about how crazy it is that I’m a food blogger. But when I really think about it, I’ve always known that I wanted to blog. I’ve had 4-5 blogs over the years… one that was entirely about ethical, eco-friendly products, a blog about yoga, a blog about finding work-life balance, and a blog about my dog (hehe!), and a few others. I just love everything about it – writing, taking photos, sharing a little piece of myself with the world. I feel so lucky that I get to do this thing on a daily basis!! Growing up, I was never sure what my passion would be. But I do feel that blogging has allowed me to intersect my creative and logical sides, finding a balance between my strengths.

So! About the recipe. This caesar dressing is REALLY tasty. I know cashew caesar salad dressings have been done again and again, but this is my best version and I wasn’t going to not share it because others have shared theirs! It’s creamy, a little tangy, garlicky, and just super super good. If you’re not a fan of kale, feel free to sub in any sort of greens you like. However, I do want to mention that kale is a really good choice because it’s sturdy enough to stand up to a creamy dressing. But you could also use it as a dip for fries, or probably even as a creamy pasta sauce. The sky’s the limit with this dressing! I hope you love it :)

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

This vegan kale caesar salad is super tasty, topped with a mouthwatering homemade caesar dressing, crunchy hemp seeds, and freshly grated lemon zest.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

Raw Caesar Dressing

• Heaping 1/2 Cup Cashews soaked
• 4 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Juice from 1/2 Lemon
• 1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 Clove Garlic
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/4 Tsp Pepper
• 2-3 Tbs Water to thin

The Rest of the Salad

• 6 Large Kale Leaves
• Raw Hemp Seeds
• Zest from 1/2 - 1 Lemon

Instructions

 

Raw Caesar Dressing

• To prep the cashews, soak for at least two hours or overnight.
• When cashews are done soaking, combine with all other dressing ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Add more water to thin, if needed.

Making the Salad

• Take your kale leaves, and remove the leafy parts from the woody stem. Chop up the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
• Squeeze the juice from about 1/2 a lemon onto the kale leaves, and "massage" them with your hands. That helps break the kale down so it's easier to digest.
• Drizzle the caesar dressing over the kale leaves, as much as you like. Note - there may be some leftover. 
• Top the salad with hemp seeds, fresh black pepper, and lemon zest (or any other toppings you like).
• Enjoy!

Song of the Day:

Riversong – Chris and Thomas

P.S.

If you make this recipe and post it on Instagram, be sure to tag me @wellandfull and #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your takes on my recipes :)