Caesar Salad
Ingredients
- Caesar Dressing:
- 1/3 cup vacuum-packed extra-firm silken tofu (such as Mori-Nu)
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 1 lemon)
- 1/4 cup Veganaise (non-dairy mayonnaise, available in health food stores)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons drained capers
- 2 teaspoons white or yellow miso (fermented soybeans, available in health food stores)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast (available in health food stores)
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 (8-inch) nori sheet, snipped into thin shreds (toasted seaweed, available in Asian markets and health food stores)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Croutons and Salad:
- 4 cups of 3/4-inch cubes whole grain bread (approximately 3 large slices)
- 1 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 cups coarsely chopped hearts of romaine lettuce
- 1 cup blackened tempeh (available in health food stores) as garnish
Preparation
To make the dressing: Combine the tofu, lemon juice, Veganaise, garlic, capers, miso, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper in a blender. Sprinkle the nori into the mixture. Pulse once, then let stand for 5 minutes, or until the nori softens. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil.
To make the croutons: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Stir the bread cubes, rosemary, basil, dill, and pepper in a medium bowl. Drizzle the oil over and toss to coat. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning, or until the croutons are golden brown. Cool completely.
Toss the lettuce and croutons in a large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Mound the salad atop 4 large plates. Top with blackened tempeh over and serve immediately.
