cleanse/ raw/ recipes/ salads + greens

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad | Well and Full | #healthy #vegan #recipe

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 :)

Raw Vegan Caesar Salad w/ Crunchy Hemp Seeds | Well and Full | #vegan #plantbased #recipe

Raw Vegan Caesar Salad w/ Crunchy Hemp Seeds | Well and Full | #vegan #plantbased #recipe

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.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

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!

Vegan Kale Caesar Salad | Well and Full | #healthy #vegan #recipe

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 :)

18 Comments

  • Reply
    dixya | food, pleasure, and health
    August 20, 2015 at 4:16 pm

    im the same way when it comes to blogging,..i love food and have understood the power of it and want to share it with everyone..i have never tried making vegan caesar dressing, pinning it.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      August 20, 2015 at 7:00 pm

      Let me know how it comes out!! :D

  • Reply
    Annie @ Natural Sweet Recipes
    August 20, 2015 at 5:11 pm

    Happened to stumble upon your site and so glad I did! You have a beautiful blog! I love your recipes. I have realized through blogging that there is truly no more creative outlet then blogging – from recipe development to photo editing to writing! Glad you are spending the time on such a beautiful project and sharing your creativity! I am looking forward to reading and (drooling!) over your posts.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      August 20, 2015 at 7:00 pm

      Thank you so much for stopping by, Annie!! :)

  • Reply
    Jessica DeMarra
    August 21, 2015 at 9:37 am

    Nothing has me eating a big bowl of raw kale quite like a great creamy dressing. I use to love Caesar salads when I ate meat and dairy but as it turns out, cashew dressing is totally comparable and tastes way fresher. Bring on the Caesars!!
    p.s. I think there is a furry friend in your photo trying to take a whiff of your kale!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      August 21, 2015 at 10:14 am

      Haha yes that’s my pup, Ivy! She’s my most enthusiastic recipe tester ;)

  • Reply
    Meg @ Noming thru Life
    August 21, 2015 at 8:09 pm

    I LOVE that Disney caused your foodie epiphany instead of a delicate princess who needs a prince to save her. Foodie epiphany is much better ;) And this salad woowwwwweeeee! I can’t wait to have me some of this beautiful caesar salad!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      August 22, 2015 at 9:11 am

      Haha you know what that made me think of?? That song “Cinderella” by Play! I used to love them growing up. One of the original feminist pop songs :D

  • Reply
    Maya | Spice + Sprout
    August 22, 2015 at 10:50 am

    This looks so great! I am always testing out new ways to eat kale (bcuz it’s so fast + yummy) and I am super stoked to try out this dressing. I was totally the same before I started blogging! But I find that the time it takes to create, test, make, photograph, style, edit, eat etc. is almost a meditative process. It is so nice to have that time to work slow and love your passion <3

    • Reply
      Sarah
      August 22, 2015 at 9:24 pm

      Yes!! I find it to be very meditative and calming as well. :)

  • Reply
    genevieve @ gratitude & greens
    August 22, 2015 at 5:22 pm

    I don’t remember when my culinary awakening was exactly- I watched a lot of cooking shows when I was a kid and I used to oggle over the cookbooks whenever I was in a bookshop. I begged and begged my parents until they finally bought me my first cookbooks: a Williams-Sonoma kids cookbook, a Betty Crocker kids cookbook, and then… Nigella Lawson, with all those kiddy cookbooks. I haven’t looked back since! I never enjoyed caesar salad that much growing up, but it’s become one of my favourite things in the past two years. This creamy cashew caesar dressing sounds absolutely delish! I think it might be time for a caesar salad ;)

    • Reply
      Sarah
      August 22, 2015 at 9:26 pm

      That’s so crazy that you remember your first cookbooks! Now that I think about it, I think my first cookbook was this kid’s book that involved making faces on plates with raw vegetables !! XD

  • Reply
    Alison @Food by Mars
    August 22, 2015 at 9:33 pm

    Stunning… I need to try that dressing, it sounds fabulous!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      August 22, 2015 at 9:38 pm

      Thanks girl :) Hope you like it!

  • Reply
    Agata
    August 29, 2015 at 9:41 am

    I like this green such kale. I’m looking for a recipe with this. It’s very healthy. Yours looks nice. It must be tasty, I need o prepare it as soon as possible. It’s a great idea for lunch to work. Hmm, but I need to steam or boil a kale before… ?

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