#vegancaesar

Simple Vegan Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Bacon  

Salad Ingredients:

Romaine Lettucs

Hemp Seeds

Lemon for Garnish 

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 lemon juiced (approx 1/4 cup)

3-4 cloves garlic (I use 4 sometimes but I really like garlic, so use less of this if you’re impartial)

1/4 cup soaked cashews (use more for desired thickness)

Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing Method: 

Place olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and cashews in a blender and blend on high.

Add additional cashews for extra thickness and salt/pepper to taste.

Mix your dressing in with your greens in a large bowl, and serve topped with tofu bacon bits and hemp seeds.

Tofu Bacon Ingredients:

1/2 package firm tofu (or sub tempeh)

3 tablespoons tamari sauce

1 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon chilli powder

3 tablespoons coconut oil (or more if needed)

Salt to taste 

Tofu Bacon Method: 

Cut your tofu into thin slices as shown in the picture above. You can also cut your tofu into skinny pieces depending on the thickness of your tofu (mine was quite large so I opted to cut them into more “bacon” sized slices).

In a bowl, mix together tamari, maple syrup, and chilli pepper.

You can choose to let the tofu strips marinate for a few hours, or soak them quickly 5-10 minutes.

Put coconut oil in a pan, and place over medium heat. Add in the tofu strips. Use some of the excess sauce to cover the tofu strips for extra flavour.

Let your tofu strips cook for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Fry to desired crispiness. You may need to add a little more coconut oil if the tofu starts to stick to the pan.

This vegan twist on the classic Caesar salad combines marinated kale with a creamy vegan Caesar dressing and crispy shiitake bacon for a flavorful and nutritious meal.

Ingredients: 4 cups kale, stems removed and chopped. 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced. 1/4 cup nutritional yeast. 1/4 cup cashew nuts, soaked and drained. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 2 tablespoons lemon juice. 2 tablespoons olive oil. 2 tablespoons tahini. 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari. 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup. Salt and pepper to taste. Vegan Caesar dressing store-bought or homemade.

Instructions: In a large bowl, massage the chopped kale with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of salt for a few minutes until it becomes tender and vibrant. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 350F 175C. In a separate bowl, combine nutritional yeast, minced garlic, lemon juice, soaked cashew nuts, olive oil, tahini, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Blend until you have a creamy Caesar dressing. Spread the sliced shiitake mushrooms on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until they turn crispy, flipping them halfway through. Toss the marinated kale with the vegan Caesar dressing until well coated. Adjust seasoning if needed. Top the kale Caesar salad with the crispy shiitake bacon. Serve your delicious Marinated Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Shiitake Bacon, and enjoy!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Simple Vegan Caesar Salad with Crispy Tofu Bacon 

THE SALAD