I’d have to say Caesar is my favorite kind of salad without a doubt! Since I eat it all the time I wanted to change things up a bit…and I can tell you this Salmon Kale Caesar hits the spot! It’s got a creamy, tangy dressing, salty parmesan and crunchy yet soft homemade croutons…yum! Romaine is great, but kale is so good for you! These crunchy green leaves pack a ton of vitamins and nutrients.
Let’s talk Dressing
Recently I’ve been looking for some new pre-made dressings….I want clean ingredients that taste good. Trader Joe’s has some amazing options in the refrigerated section. I stumbled upon their Vegan Caesar and it is sooooo good! Caesar dressing has a reputation for being high in calories and fat. The TJ Caesar is the perfect solution…it tastes like the real deal and is only 70 cals and 7 grams of fat per serving. That’s a Caesar salad game changer!
I love croutons on my salad and for a Caesar they’re a must! You can totally use store bought, but these homemade Ezekiel croutons are so easy to make and are quite delish! I eat Food for Life Ezekiel toast every morning and I found out it makes a great crouton. It’s usually stored in the freezer, just thaw the bread to room temp, slice it into chunks, drizzle with olive oil and seasoning and pop it in the oven!
Gotta have some protein:
I chose lightly blackened wild caught Salmon as my protein. It’s a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which is crucial during pregnancy. I throw my salmon on the smoker but you can also bake, air fry or grill it! Grilled shrimp or chicken also go great with this salad. Why stop there? Raw chickpeas are one of my favorite salad toppers. Another source of protein and nutrients with lots of iron, zinc and B vitamins!
Tips:
Make it Vegan: You can totally make this salad vegan. Just go without the cheese and animal protein and up the chickpea amount!
Toss it: This salad is best with the kale completely coated in yummy dressing. Throw everything except the salmon into a large bowl and toss with tongs to get the perfect coating!
Kale Caesar Salad with Blackened Salmon is quick and easy. It's high in protein and nutrient rich! Filled with clean ingredients like creamy vegan dressing and homemade Ezekiel croutons, its great for a healthy lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
Salad:
- About 8 ounces raw, chopped kale
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 4 tablespoons grated, Parmesan or Pecorino Romano Cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Vegan Caesar dressing
Croutons:
- 2 slices Ezekiel bread
- 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Blackened salmon:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or chili powder (use chili powder if you want less spice)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 filets wild caught salmon, about 4 ounces each (skin on)
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 450°F, mix blackened seasoning in a bowl. Coat the salmon in the seasonings, place salmon on the smoker, skin side down. Cook until temperature reaches 145°F about 8 minutes depending on thickness.
- In a large bowl toss kale, chickpeas, croutons, cheese, dressing and the salt and pepper to taste. Divide salad into 4 servings and top each with a filet of salmon.
Nutrition: Yield: 4 servings Amount Per Serving: Calories: 427 Total Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 568mg, Total Carbohydrate: 26g, Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 2g, Protein: 37g
