HEALTHY FOOD so TASTY you'll
want to eat it EVERYDAY.
HEALTHY CAESAR SALAD IDEAS WITH A
"TWO-WEEK" CAESAR DRESSING
👉 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!
👉 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.
I jazz up a standard caesar salad by adding chopped spinach (for obvious health reasons), whole-grain croutons (not white) for fiber, and toasted pine nuts for a little flavor boost...and they look pretty.
Kale, avocado, lentils, red onion and pumpkin seeds.
Small heads of romaine lettuce lightly grilled and topped with caesar dressing and parmesan shavings.
Mix romaine lettuce with chopped spinach with for an added ‘green’ health boost. Top with sliced chicken breast and your meal is sorted.
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.
(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.
Chopped romain and spinach with grilled chicken breast slices
GRILLED BABY ROMAINES
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.
Small heads of romaine lettuce lightly grilled and topped with caesar dressing and parmesan shavings
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!
Broccoli florets, Fresh spinach leaves, Mixed lettuce leaves, Red onion, Toasted pumpkin seeds Alfalfa sprouts, Grated parmesan cheese, Oven-roasted chickpeas
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!
With avocado, lentils, red onion, and pumpkin seeds
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...
