Vegan Caesar Salad With Carrot Bits

This recipe was created by Joni Condos of Opti Cook. Note: OPTIFAST licenses a selection of Opti Cook recipes and does not endorse or hold any further association with Opti Cook or its website content.
 

Ingredients (serves 4)

Dressing

• 0.5 cup cauliflower, chopped
• 1 small garlic cloves, minced
• ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp Stevia
• 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp salt 

Salad

• ½ carrot, peeled lengthways into thick strips
• 1 tsp BBQ sauce
• Olive oil spray
• ½ cup cauliflower cut into florets, including the core into cubes
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• 1 Mini Cos lettuce, washed and torn into 3cm pieces (approx)

Method

Dressing

1. In a saucepan, add cauliflower, cover with water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, let cook for approx. 15 mins until very soft. Drain well.
2. In a mini blender or using a stick blender, blitz until creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients. Blitz again. Add the oil, a little at a time, blending after each addition until all is used. Blitz for a further 2 minutes until silky smooth.
3. Let cool completely in the fridge, season and enjoy. Add more lemon if needed.

Salad

4. For the carrot "bacon": Preheat oven to 200°C. Peel the carrot lengthwise into thick strips using a regular peeler. Place on an oven tray with baking paper. Coat with the BBQ sauce, then spray with olive oil. Cook in the oven for 15 mins, turning once at 7 minutes. Lay on a paper towel to ensure they stay crunchy.
5. For the cauli "croutons": Toss the cauliflower in the onion powder, lay on a tray (can be on the same one as carrot bacon), spray with oil and cook for 15 mins, until browned and crispy. Lay on a paper towel to ensure they stay crispy.
6. Place the torn cos lettuce in a big bowl. Toss with enough of the dressing to coat to your liking, tip into a bowl or plate, add the "bacon" and "croutons", and devour.

Notes

• You can add anything you like to this salad.
• Dressing keeps for up to 7 days in the fridge.
• Roasted veggies are great with it too.