High Protein Ceasar Salad
Caesar salad is such an amazing classic, however an ordinary Caesar salad can easily be 1000 kcal in fat and a couple of leaves Romaine lettuce. That's no problem for a splurge, but if we can make it a little less of an explosion of calorie and still be just as delicious I'm in! When I started my calorie deficit journey, I was searching to find a way to still enjoy this yummy creamy salad. But high in protein and lower in carbs and calories. I started subbing mayonnaise out for Greek Yogurt and added just a tiny bit olive oil for flavor. The cheese? Kept that one, did you know that parmesan is the highest % in protein out of all animal and vegan protein sources! That's right, one cup of Parmesan contains 38g of protein. Enjoy staying on track while eating the best creamy high protein Caesar salad.
LUNCH
8/27/20252 min lezen
Give that kale a rub!
Kale is a stubborn little leaf. It will grow winter and summer long and when not treated right it's just bitter and hard. Did you know that a tiny bit of olive oil and a good massage.... (yes I said massage) will soften the leafs immensely. So give that kale a good squeeze before you add the salad dressing. Watch the magic happen in front of your eyes.
Serving: 4
Time: 25 min
Ingredients
4 cups shredded kale (remove hard stems)
2 cups kabocha squash
1/2 thinly red onion
2 cups oyster mushrooms
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (not in oil)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika, turmeric, garlic, onion, smoked chili powder (adjust chili per liking)
1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil (divided)
Dressing
1/2 tbsp EVOO (olive oil)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
150g good quality Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp capers + 1/2 tbsp caper brine
1 garlic clove
1/2 tbsp raw unfiltered honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt, and pepper to taste
Instructions
Pre-heat air-fryer at 375F. Chop the kabocha squash in thumb size chunks and season with olive oil and all the spices. Bake for 15-18 min until golden brown. Make sure to give it a shake every 3-5 min. (No air-fryer? Use a skillet instead, add splash of water to prevent burning)
In a frying pan, add a little olive oil sauté oyster mushrooms on medium heat until crispy on each side. Don't stir the mushrooms too often, they loose their tenderness. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Using the same frying pan, add the pumpkin seeds and roast until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
In a mixing bowl add the shredded kale, add the remaining olive oil and massage the kale well until tender. Then add the remaining salad toppings: pumpkin seeds, thinly sliced onion and sundried tomatoes.
For the high protein Caesar salad dressing; Cut the parmesan into chunks then add to a small blender. Also include: Greek yogurt, EVOO, garlic, honey, mustard, capers + caper brine and salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Dump your delicious dress on the salad and mix well. Then finish it off with your roasted squash. And you're done. Eet smakelijk!
Macros per serving:
Calories: 368 kcal
Protein: 23g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fat: 23g
Pro tip: This salad is amazing for meal prep, the kale does really well dressed and does not get soggy. Leave the squash on the side if you prefer to store it for the next day. The rest of your high protein Caesar salad does perfectly well dressing included.
Customer reviews
Leave thoughts on this recipe!
Please share your creativity and ideas with the rest.