Recently I came across a recipe worthy of sharing; a plant-based healthy Caesar salad dressing. For years before I transitioned to veganism, I used to make a wicked Caesar salad which was always met with rave reviews and recipe requests. I have to admit, I missed my Caesar salads but not to the point that I would resort to using cheese and eggs anymore; I just simply had to come up with a good alternative and this is it.

My version of a Caesar salad never used bacon (something, in my opinion, should never have been put in it anyway) but I make homemade croutons and use diced sweet onion. In this recipe, I used three hearts of Romaine lettuce, ¾ cup of diced Vidalia onions and 2 cups of homemade croutons. This recipe yields enough dressing to dress two very large salads but can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Healthy Caesar Salad Recipe

Croutons

3 slices of your favourite bread, cubed (including crusts)

A little over 1/3 cup avocado oil

1 ¼ tsp good quality garlic salt (I use one that needs to be ground so it remains fresh until I use it)

Fresh ground pepper to taste

In medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together oil, garlic salt and pepper. When well mixed, add bread cubes and gently stir until all cubes are coated.

Spread them out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350F until golden brown and dry approximately 20 – 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Lettuce and Onion

Wash lettuce and break into bite sized pieces. Slice and dice Vidalia or other sweet onion. Place in large salad bowl. Do not add croutons at this point.

Salad Dressing

1 cup hemp seeds

¼ cup water

1 avocado (small to medium)

1 T. capers

2 tsp whole grain or Dijon mustard (I used Dijon)

3 large cloves garlic

3 T. lemon juice (more if you like it tangier)

2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides. If the healthy caesar salad dressing is too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Toss into lettuce and mix well, adding croutons halfway through. Enjoy!