If you are looking for an alternative version of the traditional Caesar salad which is loaded with carbs then this tangy kale Caesar salad is ideal. Kale is a superfood and among those leafy greens that are so good for low carb and keto diets so it’s a no brainer.
Related reading: Health Benefits of Kale and Spinach for Keto
The original Caesar salad is believed to have been invented by Italian-American restaurateur Caesar Cardini in 1924. There are many variations of the recipe but most are loaded with carbs so are not any good if you are counting carbs.
Aside from being low in carbs kale is loaded with nutrients that are good for your health, including fiber which can help prevent low carb constipation. Because it’s full of fiber you may have heard that kale can be a bit chewy when eaten raw but there are two ways to make it tender.
How to tenderize raw kale
1. One way is to make sure you toss the leaves in the dressing really well so each tiny piece is coated then leave the salad sitting in the dressing for 4 – 15 hours before eating it. The acids in the vinegar and lemon juice in the dressing softens the leaves.
2. The other way is to massage the leaves with a little oil and vinegar and lemon juice first. Yes, you read that right. Massage the kale! Believe me it will make all the difference.
One of the most popular ways to include kale in your diet is to make it into a salad.
If you’re looking for a recipe that you can use as a guide, here’s a kale Caesar salad recipe from Dani Spies that’s absolutely easy to prepare. I have added a few options extras that can ring the changes if you have the ingredients to hand.
Kale Caesar Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
• ½ small-sized onion, sliced thinly
• 2 hardboiled organic eggs, chopped into small pieces
• A bunch of baby organic kale or young Tuscan kale. (aka lacinato and dinosaur kale)
Optional:
Bacon, nitrate free, free range or organic, crisply fried and chopped into bite sized pieces
Avocado slices
Dressing:
• 1 tablespoon good quality Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar free Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup of filtered water
• 2 anchovies
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 4 ounce tofu
• Juice of 1 organic lemon
• Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
1. Remove the central stems from the kale. Roll up the leaves and slice into very thin strips. Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl then set aside.
2. Prepare the dressing by blending all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until you achieve a creamy and smooth texture.
3. Either toss the salad with half of the dressing and leave to soften overnight in the fridge or follow directions above for massaging the kale first. Store the rest of the dressing in the fridge for future use.
4. Remove the kale Caesar salad from the fridge an hour before serving to allow to warm up to room temperature so you can enjoy the flavors.
5. Add some crisply fried bacon and avocado slices if you like.
Here’s Dani’s video demo of the recipe:
