I go through cycles in the Betty Kitchen, where I get hooked on something for a couple weeks, can’t get enough of it, then before you know it, I am onto another oh, so satisfying meal. This past week, it has been all about the Raw Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing! I have mixed it up a few different ways, but I find this simple recipe to be my favorite. Please feel free to play around with it, and let me know how you like it best!! I have also included some optional ingredients to help get you going….

Caesar Dressing Recipe:

• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds (or cashews)
• 2 Tablespoons tahini (or ground sesame seeds)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup + water, add more as needed
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon capers
• other yummy variations can include: 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast, or 1 teaspoon chickpea miso paste, or 1/2 teaspoon kelp powder (or other seaweed granules), or add in 1/2 teaspoon mustard.

Mix ingredients together in a blender on high. Add more water if needed, though I like this dressing thick. Massage over lettuce leaves, garnish with fresh basil, mint, hemp seeds.

Salad Ingredients:

• Fresh romaine or baby lettuces
• red onion slices (I like it quick pickled, recipe here)
• fresh basil
• fresh mint
• thin slices of carrot
• slices of avocado
• shiitake mushrooms slices (reconstituted in coconut aminos)
• 1 Tablespoon hemp seeds
• Sprinkle with Brazil Nut Parmesan (recipe below)

Serve with your favorite raw crackers. Here is one of my favorite raw cracker recipes.

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Brazil Nut Parmesan Recipe:

• 1/3 cup Brazil Nuts (or use hemp seeds)
• 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
• 1 teaspoon dried garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

~ Adjust ingredients to your own liking, extra garlic, extra salt, etc

Pulse ingredients together in a food processor until you have a powdery consistency. Sprinkle on raw pasta dishes, salads. This also makes a great “cheese” to massage onto kale chips before putting them into the food dehydrator.

Store in the fridge.