MONDAY RECIPE POST - KALE CAESAR SALAD WITH CHICKPEA CROUTONS

This recipe came from The Cutting Veg hosted by Sarah.  Thank you Sarah!  You can find her recipe here.  I saw it on Instagram originally.  There is another variation I would like to try at this link.  It is Kale Salad with Garlicky Chickpea Croutons from The Roasted Root (click on last link in red to see).

Approximately 6 cups chopped kale

1 Avocado

Enough onion sliced thinly to suit your own taste, or leave off if its not for you. 

Crispy chickpeas:

1 15 ounce can (or 2 cups) cooked chickpeas, rinsed, drained and thoroughly dried

1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil

1 tablespoon tandoori masala seasoning (or garam masala, or cumin)

Salt and pepper

Caesar dressing:

1/4 cup tahini

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lemons, juice (approximately 1/3 of a cup)

2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

A pinch each of salt and pepper

Hot water for thinning

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Add drained chickpeas to a mixing bowl and toss with oil and seasonings.

Add seasoned chickpeas to a baking sheet.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chickpeas are slightly crispy and golden brown.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Add dressing ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk vigorously to combine, smashing the garlic with the whisk.  Taste and adjust seasonings as desired, add more lemon juice for brightness.

Add kale to a large mixing bowl.  Before adding dressing, add 1 tablespoon each of lemon juice and olive oil to the kale and massage with hands to soften the texture and lessen bitterness.  Then add as much dressing as desired (some may be leftover) and mix with a spoon.

Top with chickpeas and serve.  

One side of our team is not a big kale fan and truth be told, it's not something I have thought of too often, but as my sweet other half was away for a few days last week I went shopping, cutting down the recipe accordingly.  I bought a bag of baby kale.

  

I used very little dressing as am not a big dressing fan on any salad.  

I didn't use as much seasoning for the chickpeas.  I already had a small container of garam masala in the pantry, but had not used it very much and wasn't sure of the taste.  However, it added a lovely flavor and I will add a tad more next time.  

This salad is better eaten the day of, for my own preference. 

Thank you for looking and have a great week.