Raw Kale Taco Salad W/ Cilantro Cashew Cheese

I love love love baby kale salads.  This past week at the farmer's market I picked up a big bag of baby kale, knowing I was going to eat this salad for the next few days.  With all of the coconut milk ice cream and smart dogs I tend to indulge in during the summer, I try to balance things out with smoothies, fresh fruit, raw nuts, and raw meals.  Did I mention my proximity to a vegan bakery specializing in donuts?  Luckily my town also has a pretty amazing farmer's market to help keep me on track.  If you don't have baby kale, just pick up one bunch of kale.  To make raw kale easier to chew, I chop up the kale into bite-sized pieces, and when rinsing in the sink I scrunch and massage the kale for about a minute until it gets noticeably tenderer.  Baby kale is tender enough for my taste, so I skip this step when using it.

Like all salads, this is pretty customizable.  If you don't have sunflower seeds, you can use pumpkin seeds or any nuts you may have on hand.  Feel free to add additional veggies, like a chopped red or yellow pepper.  The dressing is very tangy (a drizzle of agave can be added if you prefer it sweeter), but it will mild out after covering the entire salad.  The dressing is only enough for one salad, but the cashew cheese and sunflower seeds are enough for multiple salads.  Make sure you pick up a few limes if you plan on making multiple salads.


The Recipe

For the cashew cheese:
1/2 cup raw cashews
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp water
Pinch of salt
Small handful of fresh cilantro

For the dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
Drizzle of olive oil
Drizzle of agave (optional)
1 Tbsp of cashew cheese

For the sunflower seeds:
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp olive oil
Salt to taste
Pinch of red chili flakes

For the rest of the salad:
A few big handfuls of baby kale
Chopped tomato
Raw corn, cut from the cob
Chopped avocado


Method:

In a food processor, pulse the sunflower seed ingredients until the the seeds are coarsely chopped and the seasonings are evenly distributed.  Taste test for salt and set mixture aside in a small bowl.

Next, make the cashew cheese.  I prefer to make the cheese in advance and let it chill/firm up in the refrigerator, but this is totally up to you.  Pulse garlic cloves in food processor until finely chopped.  Add the cashews to the food processor and let it run while you add the lemon juice.  Blend cashews, adding 1 Tbsp of water at a time, until you reach a thick and creamy texture.  Throw in cilantro and finish blending.

I make my salad dressing in a small jar, but you can also just whisk the ingredients together.  Squeeze the juice of a lime in a jar and drizzle in some olive oil.  Put the lid on the jar and shake it until emulsified.  Add a spoonful of the cashew cheese, and shake again until blended.

Now it's time for assembly!  Prep the rest of your salad by rinsing your kale, chopping a tomato and an avocado, and cutting the kernels off of a raw corn cob.  Place in a bowl, topping with sunflower seed mixture, crumbled cashew cheese, and dressing.

Enjoy!