This Caesar salad with arugula is TO. DIE FOR. You may just lick the bowl. Right in front of the whole family at the Thanksgiving Dinner Table.
An exciting development has happened.
Arugula can be an acquired taste
I finally figured out a way to prepare arugula to where I actually enjoy it. Thank you Kris Carr. She posted links to 9 awesome arugula recipes and the first one I tried by Isa at Post Punk Kitchen was this Arugula Caesar recipe.
It's all in the dressing
I've never been the biggest fan of arugula, but I love salads. Sounds contradictory, right? I mean, of course, it's not in every salad, but it is in quite a few.
I love the concept of adding an ingredient that imparts some dry heat into a dish. For example, wasabi? Oh man, I'm a huge fan of wasabi. But arugula?? Even for someone like me who loves salads, arugula being mixed into one makes it feel like I'm eating leaves plucked straight off a tree's branches. It feels like I'm eating something I shouldn't be. That is, until, I stumbled upon this magical dressing. Yes, I called it magical because it seriously is just that. Try it, if you hate arugula as much as me, this will most likely win you over. Thanks to this dressing, now it feels like I can buy a big bag of arugula and finish the whole thing in one go because I'd just make an extra huge batch of this salad. The arugula tastes even better once you let the dressing really sit and marinate.
Kale yeah!
When it comes to kale, I used to be indifferent towards it, but I've found that massaging it is what makes the world of difference. Some olive oil, salt & pepper, and a few minutes of your time are all you need. I find that this combination gives just enough flavor to the kale for my liking. It takes away the earthy taste that can be overwhelming to some people, but it doesn't overpower the rest of the flavors in the salad.
With just a few tweaks to make it my own, I knew I had found a gem. As a side note, my daughter was not nearly as thrilled about the recipe as I was. Hmpf.
Speaking of my daughter, allow me a shameless digression to plug our work; we just finished our second children’s book together in a series called Agnes and the Martian. The book is called Agnes and the Martian’s Camping Adventure. Shocking I know – if you know me, you know we love camping. We even have a blog about THAT.
Your turn.....
What do you plan to make? Are you going to try something new this year? I plan to make coconut pumpkin soup (plant-based version), a veggie lentil loaf, roasted Brussels stuffing, and this salad.
Plant-Based Caesar Kale Salad with Arugula Recipe
Serves 6
Plant-based, Gluten-free
Dressing: 1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup water (plus more for thinning)
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp fresh grated garlic (see note)
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp whole grain Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
Salad:
1 bunch kale, chopped
Handful of baby arugula
15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 avocado diced
Fresh black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Mix dressing ingredients in a blender. Place kale in a large bowl; massage dressing into kale; stir in arugula until well coated; top with chickpeas, avocado, and black pepper; toss well.
Nutrition Info:
6 Servings
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 253.8
Total Fat 11.4 g
Saturated Fat 1.6 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 5.1 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 500.3 mg
Potassium 691.4 mg
Total Carbohydrate 31.0 g
Dietary Fiber 9.5 g
Sugars 1.9 g
Protein 10.2 g
Vitamin A 304.4 %
Vitamin B-12 22.2 %
Vitamin B-6 112.5 %
Vitamin C 88.0 %
Vitamin D 0.0 %
Vitamin E 8.0 %
Calcium 18.0 %
Copper 27.7 %
Folate 39.8 %
Iron 19.5 %
Magnesium 18.0 %
Manganese 60.5 %
Niacin 55.7 %
Pantothenic Acid 10.3 %
Phosphorus 23.0 %
Riboflavin 106.3 %
Selenium 10.6 %
Thiamin 122.2 %
Zinc 15.9 %
*Percent Daily Values for Plant-Based Caesar Kale Salad with Arugula are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
How many nights do you find yourself eyeing the phone for takeout after work because you’re too tired to think of what to make for dinner?
Put the phone down and pick up my 6 Ingredient or Less Cookbook.
Home-cooked. Simple. Fast.
Dawn Hutchins is a plant-based lifestyle educator, author, and self-taught chef. She holds a certificate in plant-based nutrition through Cornell University and the T. Colin Campbell Foundation and is a certified Nutritional Therapist with a focus in epigenetics. Discover the benefits that over 35,000 people have experienced through her recipes, cookbooks, and revolutionary programs, learning how to eat more whole, plant foods – and loving it!