Vegan Caeser Salad with Brazil Nut Parmesan

Source: Dreux Ellis, Cafe Gratitude

Ingredients

1
head romaine lettuce (large, leaves washed, dried and torn into pieces)
2 cups
cashews (soaked 4 to 5 hours and drained)
1 cup
filtered water
1 tablespoon
garlic (peeled and chopped)
1⁄3 cup
lemon juice
2 tablespoons
pumpkin seeds (ground)
2 teaspoons
salt
1 teaspoon
black pepper
 
capers (optional, to taste)
2
Haas avocados (optional, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks)
 
Brazil Nut Parmesan
2 cups
Brazil nuts
2 cloves
garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon
salt
Yields:
Servings

Instructions

Put the romaine lettuce in a salad bowl and set aside. Put the cashews, filtered water, chopped garlic, lemon juice, pumpkin seeds, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until creamy. Stir in capers to taste, if using, and blend again. Pour the dressing over the lettuce and mix. Add additional capers and the avocado pieces if using.

For the Brazil Nut Parmesan:

Place the Brazil nuts, 2 cloves minced garlic and salt in a food processor and pulse until fluffy. Do not over-process into a paste or leave big chunks by under-processing. Serve the dressed Caeser salad garnished with the Brazil Nut Parmesan.  (Recipe #857)