I have been on a real “kale-kick” as of late. I feel like every week when I go to the grocery store, I am buying at least one {sometimes two!} of those huge 10 cup bags of kale! Kale is a great vegetable that can be used in so many different ways: smoothies, soup, kale pesto {see my spinach pesto here} and even salads. I have made plenty of kale salads, but was recently inspired by a salad I have seen on a few restaurant menus as of late: Kale Caesar. 

Caesar dressing can be pretty high in fat {and I always opt for the dressings without anchovies} but by using low fat or light mayonnaise, you can really cut down on the calories. I also like to combine the kale with chopped Romaine {you can use any amount you would like, but I used about 1-1.5 cups} since kale can be rough on it’s own. Another fun spin is roasted chickpeas instead of croutons. I am totally obsessed with roasted chickpeas and I love to flavor them with different spices, but the simplicity of olive oil, salt and pepper is so perfect with this salad and it adds the best crunch! If you are looking to add more protein to this salad you could add chicken or even tofu {another one of my current obsessions}. And don’t be afraid to add other favorite Caesar salad ingredients such as tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs or anything else you like! 

3.5-4 cups kale, de-stemmed 

1-1.5 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

15.5 ounces garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 lemon

Olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

Additional Parmesan cheese for garnish, if desired

For the dressing:

1/4 cup low fat or light mayonnaise

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the garbanzo beans with olive oil and salt and pepper; bake for 30 minutes until crispy. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the kale, chopped Romaine, and red onion; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth. Add the crunchy garbanzo beans to the kale and Romaine mixture and squeeze the other half of the lemon over the salad; toss with the dressing. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. 

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!


….