Kathryn Budig's Kale Caesar Salad With Roasted Cauliflower

(Photo: Cynthia Groseclose)

Yoga star Kathryn Budig is known for her ability to make yoga accessible and playful through her teaching and writings, but her skills extend beyond the yoga mat — all the way to the kitchen. Below, she shares her recipe for kale salad.

It’s a small victory for me every time I get my Midwestern parents smitten with kale. I made this salad for a lunch date with my mother, and she was bursting at the seams to sneak this into her dinner menu for my iceberg-loving father. Obviously, we don’t use the word kale around him, but rather refer to it simply as a Caesar salad (much safer that way). It’s an easy way to get dark leafy goodness into a non-believer, or just another notch on the kale-o-holic belt for the already religious.

Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Cauliflower
Serves two lunch portions or one kale-loving hungry person

Salad:

1 bunch dino kale, de-ribbed

1 head cauliflower

5 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T fish sauce

1 lemon, juiced

1 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup romano cheese, shaved

Maldon or sea salt to taste

Caesar dressing:

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 T Veganiase (or regular mayo)

1 T fish sauce

1 T dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic

1 T worcestshire

pinch Maldon or sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Clean and de-rib your kale. Cut into 2-inch pieces and place into a large bowl. Add roughly 1 T of olive oil to your kale. Give it a good massage so all the leaves are covered and well-loved. This will soften the kale and make it easier to eat in its raw form. Let sit as you prepare the rest of the salad.

Cut the florets from the head of cauliflower and break into small pieces. Toss with 2 T olive oil, fish sauce, and lemon juice. Spread evenly over a baking tray and sprinkle with Maldon or sea salt. Roast for 30-40 minutes, tossing them around about halfway through. The florets should be golden brown and slightly crisped.

Place all of your dressing ingredients into a high speed blender and combine until smooth.

Place 2 T olive oil on a frying pan over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and mix well. Keep an eye on your crumbs and stir often until golden brown or about 4-5 minutes.

Dress your kale according to you liking. Add cauliflower, bread crumbs and top with shaved cheese. Go fool your dad.

Kathryn Budig is a yoga teacher, author, and the founder of AIM TRUE. Find more healthy recipes on her blog.

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