"The Office" Kale Caesar Salad with Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

Before it changed ownership and menus in 2020, "The Office" Tap & Grill in Downtown St Catharines was our family's go to if we went out to eat. And that original kale caesar salad was our go to shared app. Luckily, one day before the change we asked our server if she could score us the recipe for the incredible dressing. We felt so blessed when she came back to our table with it written on a napkin; we were sure it would be protected like the secret sauce it was. That said, only the ingredients were there, not their amounts. The chefs used their senses to create it rather than measuring spoons. We took the ingredient list home and our oldest son went to work playing with amounts. This is the version we use at home, but feel free to change the measurements up to suit your tastes.

Dressing

• olive oil - 1/3 cup

• tamari/soy sauce - 2 tbsp

• dijon mustard - 1/4 tsp

• nutritional yeast - 1 tbsp

• green onions - 2

• garlic cloves - 2

*Place all ingredients in a jar and blend with an immersion blender, or emulsify in a blender.

Salad

• 1 bunch kale; washed, torn from ribs, and chopped

• seeds such as sunflower, hemp, or sesame

• optional garnish: shaved parmesan

*Place in a bowl, and top with Crispy Chickpeas.

Crispy Chickpeas

• 15 ounces chickpeas; cooked from dry in the instapot, slow cooker, or stovetop

• 1 tbsp avocado oil

• 1 tsp Himalayan salt

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain and rinse chickpeas, and pour out on a clean towel. Roll chickpeas dry and peel any remaining skins off. (Thankyou for this tip, Maddie! It makes for crispier chickpeas). Combine with oil and salt and spread onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes and shake the chickpeas around on the pan. Turn the pan and roast for another 20 minutes, or until golden brown and dry/crispy to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before topping salad.

Enjoy!