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| Hail Caesar! The King of Salads ~ for the Ides of March ~Kale Caesar Salad~ |
Today is March 15th, also known as The Ides of March. Caesar really should have paid more attention to that seer, don't you agree? I always feel the need to make a Caesar Salad on the 15th & since I make a really good, basic Caesar Salad ~ starring kale instead of romaine ~ I thought I'd share the recipe.
I don't know about you, but I believe kale is a superfood that has gotten a bad rap. A lot of people don't think it is very tasty & say it's hard to use in recipes. I've found it to be very versatile, either when cooked (steamed, braised, sauteed or simmered in soups) or eaten raw, in salads. I always use the regular curly kale, since I can always find it at the market ~ but the Dinosaur Kale does sound interesting. I'm up for giving that kind a try, if I ever find it at our local market. Not sure if it is necessary, but I soak the curly kale for a couple of hours in ice water (so it gets really clean & crispy), spin it dry & then use it in recipes. I've never had any problems using the regular curly kale that way, I think it must mellow it out. I sometimes use garbanzo beans when making my Kale Caesar Salad, instead of croutons, to keep the salad low carb.
I love any kind of salad, but I really enjoy a good Caesar Salad. Et tu, Brute?
Hail to the Kale! Caesar Salad
serves 1-25 cups kale ~ soaked, spun dry & crisped in fridge
chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup garbanzo beans ~ if you want the salad lower carb
or use croutons if you want it more traditional
2-3 tbsp grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
~ salt & pepper, to taste
Caesar Salad Dressing ~ adapted from Vegetarian Times recipe
4 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp low fat mayo (I'll only use Hellman's/Best Foods)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp sardines, drained & mashed OR tuna, drained & mashed
(optional)
~ black pepper, to taste (I use a fair amount, I really like pepper)
1) blend all ingredients for the Caesar dressing & set aside
2) toss the chilled, chopped kale with the Caesar dressing & either the
garbanzo beans or croutons (depending on which you are using)
3) plate it up & sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the salad,
salt & pepper to taste
Enjoy!