Guilt-Free Caesar Salad (finally!)

Caesar Salad is one of the most popular salads to eat and there are many different ways to serve it up:  with chicken, turkey, shrimp – I recently saw one with kale. But, alas, like most fantastic meals – the very thing that makes the dish taste so good –  is the very thing that is bad for us: the dressing. Caesar Salad dressing is full of fat, salt, mayo and/or oil in various combinations, and can add upwards of 500 calories to your meal (not to mention preservatives). Remove the dressing from the salad and you have a healthy bowl of goodness.

I started searching for a good salad dressing recipe a few years ago, one that I could make and use at home.  I scoured my favorite food blogs and found a few great recipes for very healthy salad dressings, but none were for a Caesar Salad.  Until now.

Guilt-Free Caesar Salad

{adapted from here}

Ingredients

 2 ounces Parmesan, cubed (shredded works too!)

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar (you can also use white wine vinegar)

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcester sauce

Pinch of salt (optional)

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 cup silken soft tofu

Directions:

Starting on the lowest speed, chop the cheese cubes in the blender until it settles into the bottom, gradually increasing the speed.  Add the garlic and blend until minced.

Next, add the mustard, rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar), Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and tofu to the blender and blend until smooth.  If it is too thick, add water until it reaches a salad dressing consistency.  Serve with your favorite greens – croutons and shredded Parmesan optional.

Enjoy!