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Kale Caesar Salad with marinated tempeh

Fresh & flavourful

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This veganized version of a classic Caesar salad is all about the sauce. Using cashews to create a Caesar dressing is the perfect dairy-free option, along with the traditional flavours of lime, mustard and lots of garlic. The marinated tempeh provides a delicious high-protein topping, making this a fully satiating meal.  This salad is:

  • Fresh and flavourful
  • High protein
  • Potentially gluten-free if gluten-free tamari is used

If you love this salad, try our 5-minute cashew alfredo sauce next for another creamy cashew-based sauce.

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Kale Caesar salad topped with marinated tempeh pieces, tomatoes, and croutons, served in a large black bowl on a hardwood table

Kale Caesar Salad with Marinated Tempeh

Shawna Barker BSc., R.H.N., Synergy Nutrition
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Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Salad
Servings 6
Calories 521 kcal

Ingredients
  

Tempeh Marinade

  • 3 cups tempeh (can use pre-marinated to skip the marinating step)
  • 1/3 cup tamari (or sub soy sauce or coconut aminos)
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika

Salad

  • 1 cup cashews (soaked and drained)
  • 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice (or lemon juice)
  • 1 tbsp caper brine
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 tsp black papper (or to taste)
  • 3/4 cup water (may need 1/4 cup more)
  • 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil (1 tbsp for dressing, 1-2 tbsps for cooking
  • 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds (or 1 tsp dijon mustard)
  • 1 tsp nori sheets (optional)
  • 6 cups romaine lettuce
  • 6 cups kale leaves (destemmed)
  • 1 1/2 cups red bell pepper (diced)
  • 1/3 cup hemp seeds
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 1/3 cup capers

Instructions
 

  • Soak cashews in a bowl of water for at least 20mins (up to an hour). Can be done on the counter or in the refrigerator.
  • Make the marinade for the tempeh in a large bowl by whisking together the tamari, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and water.
  • Place the cut up tempeh in the bowl and gently toss, make sure each piece of tempeh is coated with the marinade.
  • Place the bowl of tempeh in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 1 hour.
  • Drain and rinse the soaked cashews before preparing the dressing.
  • Make the Caesar dressing by blending together the cashews, garlic, lime juice, caper brine, sea salt, black pepper, half of the olive oil, mustard seeds, and nori (optional) with water. Add water slowly until the desired consistency is reached. Dressing will thicken a bit more in the refrigerator. Pour into mason jar and place in refrigerator until salad is ready to be served.
  • Prepare the salad by combining the chopped romaine, chopped kale, and diced red pepper into a large bowl. Set aside while the tempeh is being cooked.
  • Pan fry the tempeh in the remaining olive oil over medium heat until browned. Set aside until the salad is ready to be plated.
  • Add dressing to the bowl of greens and toss until all of the greens are mixed with the dressing.
  • Plate the dressed greens and top with capers, nutritional yeast, hemp seeds, and tempeh.

Nutrition

Calories: 521kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 32gFat: 30gSodium: 1514mgFiber: 7gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1885IUVitamin C: 73mgCalcium: 232mgIron: 7mg
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Watch Shawna make ‘Kale Caesar Salad with Marinated Tempeh’