HEALTHY CAESAR SALAD IDEAS WITH A
"TWO-WEEK" CAESAR DRESSING
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π RECIPE HACK 1: a proper Caesar dressing uses raw eggs, but that means you have to consume the dressing that day else risk a nasty tummy/food poisoning. I replace raw eggs with yogurt and pine nuts to create a creamy dressing that will keep for weeks in your fridge, so a restaurant-level Caesar salad is always at hand!
π RECIPE HACK 2: a proper Caesar dressing uses anchovy paste, which I never have, but because I do a lot of Asian cooking, I always have Thai Fish Sauce, and that does the trick to give this Caesar dressing that complexity and depth of flavor you get in a proper restaurant…and it’s useful in other recipes.
PREP TIME: 6-8 min
MAKES: 1 1/2 cups
DRESSING INGREDIENTS
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1 cup extra virgin olive oil
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½ cup (110 g) Plain or Greek yogurt*
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2 TBSP (30 ml) lemon juice
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½ tsp salt
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2-4 cloves garlic (to taste)*
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¼ tsp black pepper
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2 tsp (10 g) pine nuts
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2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
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¼ cup (20 g) grated parmesan cheese
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¼ tsp Thai fish sauce**
MAKE THE DRESSING
Blitz all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
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(yes, it's that easy)
SERVING INSPIRATIONS
JAZZED UP CAESAR SIDE SALAD
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Romaine lettuce
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Fresh spinach
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Shredded parmesan cheese
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Toasted pine nuts
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Whole grain croutons
The spinach adds nutrients and color to this dish, without affecting taste. Kids will gobble it up!
GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR
Simple, easy satisfying lunch or dinner. I keep grilled chicken slices on hand, as well as this dressing, so your meal is sorted in 5 minutes!
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1/2 to 1 grilled chicken breast per person - depends on the size, and hunger level :-)
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Romain lettuce
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Fresh spinach, finely chopped
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Grated parmesan
Mix the lettuce, spinach, croutons, and parmesan with the dressing, transfer to a serving plate, top with sliced chicken and drizzle a bit more dressing over the the chicken. Lunch or Dinner is served.
GRILLED BABY ROMAINES
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This idea is simple, and fun for when you have a dinner party and want to get something a letting festive and fancy on the plate!
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Whole heads of baby romaine (or baby gems)
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Olive oil
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Shaved parmesan
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add a bit of olive oil. Cut your baby romaine pieces in half and place cut-side down into the hot pan. Grill for 1-2 minutes to get the desired browning. Place cut-side up on a plate, sprinkle with a bit of salt, and pour over the dressing. Top with shaved parmesan.
SUPERFOOD BROCCOLI CAESAR SALAD
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Broccoli florets
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Fresh spinach leaves
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Mixed lettuce leaves (I had a bag of mix green and purple leaves)
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Red onion
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Toasted pumpkin seeds
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Alfalfa sprouts
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Grated parmesan cheese
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Oven-roasted chickpeas
Mix the above ingredients together with the Caesar dressing for a super tasty, healthy, filling meal - have it for lunch or dinner!
SUPERFOOD CAESAR SALAD BOWL with LENTILS
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Kale leaves
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Avocado
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Shredded parmesan cheese
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Red onion
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Toasted pumpkin seeds
Mix the above ingredients together with the Caesar dressing for a super tasty, healthy, filling meal - have it for lunch or dinner!
Recipe & Photo Credit: Cathy Menees
COOKS NOTES
GARLIC:
I LOVE garlic, and thus I usually use 3 cloves (4 if they're small) in this recipes. But if you prefer a lighter, more delicate garlic hint, then stick with 2 cloves.
THAI FISH SAUCE:
Classic Caesar dressing calls for anchovy paste, which I don’t always have…and quite frankly, don’t buy because Caesar salad is the only thing I would use it for. However, Thai fish sauce is something I always have in my refrigerator as it’s a key ingredient in many Thai recipes as well as Asian salad dressings or marinades. I found this works just fine in place of anchovies to give the dressing that extra punch and depth of flavor. A little goes a long way...
AMOUNTS:
I always make a double batch as I love to keep this on hand in my fridge. By skipping the egg-based version, it lasts a longer than it normally would. Mine is usually used up after 2 weeks (it's that yummy), but I'm guessing it would have gone longer...
