Vegan caesar salad with polenta croutons

Indulge in a tantalizing vegan caesar salad topped with crispy polenta croutons for a burst of flavor and texture. Perfect for a light and satisfying meal.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained
• 3 tablespoons to 4 freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kelp or dulse granules (find these at a health food store)
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon mellow white miso
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast, divided
• 1 bunch dinosaur kale, stems removed, washed, dried, and cut into ribbons
• 1 head romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and cut into ribbons (alternately, you can use two heads of romaine and omit the kale)
• 1 recipe polenta croutons (see below)
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal (polenta)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 dash Coarse salt, to taste
• 1 dash Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. For the salad:
2. To start off with the salad, combine cashews, lemon juice, water, kelp or dulse granules, garlic, miso, salt, mustard, and two tablespoons of nutritional yeast in a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Begin with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and adjust to your taste preference—I like a tangy dressing, but feel free to adjust as needed.
3. To assemble the salad, mix the greens with the prepared dressing until they are evenly coated. Add the rest of the nutritional yeast and toss well. Distribute the salad among four plates. Sprinkle a handful of polenta croutons on top of each plate and serve.
4. For the polenta croutons:
5. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Gradually add the polenta while whisking constantly. Stir in the salt. Cook the polenta while stirring continuously (be careful, as it may bubble vigorously). The polenta should be done when the cornmeal is soft and the mixture is thick, which takes about 15 minutes.
6. Spread the cooked polenta onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use an offset spatula to flatten it out. Let the polenta cool slightly, then refrigerate it for 2 hours to firm up.
7. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Take the chilled polenta out and cut it into 3/4-inch squares. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with fresh parchment paper. Brush the squares with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown, remembering to toss them once halfway through. Once the polenta croutons have cooled down a bit, you can use them to garnish the salad, add them to a bowl of soup, mix them with roasted cherry tomatoes for a delicious summer appetizer, or get creative and incorporate them into a non-traditional panzanella recipe.

Summary:

• Calories: 1502 kcal
• Fat: 55 g
• Protein: 72 g
• Carbs: 205 g
• Potassium: 3043 mg
• Magnesium: 531 mg