BBQ Chickpea Kale Salad

Summer is here and that means it is officially salad and barbecue season. So here I combined both. A healthy kale salad with summer flavors of corn and tomatoes along with roasted chickpeas coated in a BBQ style sauce. To add more flavor and a creaminess, I paired this salad with a vegan cashew ranch dressing. 

The flavors in this salad go really well together. The bbq sauce is a little smoky, a little sweet and a little spicy.  If you are short on time, you can always toss the chickpeas in your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce, but this option removes any funky additives by using only real ingredients. Massaging the kale helps to break it down and soften the leaves a bit and makes it so much more enjoyable to eat. Since it is summer I like to use fresh corn but you can always use canned or frozen to get those sweet bites. Cherry tomatoes also add a little sweetness and drives home those summertime flavors. No salad is complete without some onion (in my opinion) and I love the flavor and texture avocado adds. All that being said, one of the best things about salads is they are so easy to adjust to your taste. Not a tomato fan, then skip it…. Don’t have fresh corn, use frozen… or swap the kale for romaine and give the salad more crunch. The concept of a bbq salad is delicious (I promise) but it is also easy to make your own. 

Now for the cashew dressing. Another element that you can totally ignore and just use store bought (if that’s your thing or you're tight on time) but if you are looking for a fresh vegan option, please give this a try! It is so good! I have been making this to dip chips in and spread on sandwiches as well as dressing for salads. Cashews create the perfect creamy base with a bit of tang from fresh lime juice and lots of flavor from fresh herbs. In this dish, it really helps to pull the whole salad together.

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BBQ Chickpea Kale Salad

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Ingredients

BBQ Chickpeas

• 2 - 15oz cans of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and dried
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch of cayenne (adjust for your spice preference)

Kale Salad

• 4 cups of Kale, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ears of corn (a little more than 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• handful of cherry tomatoes, halved 
• Avocado
• salt and pepper

Vegan Cashew Ranch

• 3/4 cup cashew, soaked for at least and hour and drained
• juice of 1 lime (about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water (plus a few extra tablespoons if needed)

Instructions

1. CHICKPEAS: Start by preheating the oven to 425. In a large bowl combine all the bbq ingredients and mix until well combined. Add the chickpeas and mix until they are completely coated in the bbq style sauce. Dump the chickpeas onto a baking sheet and spread out to create a single layer. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. 
2. CASHEW RANCH: To make the ranch, add the lime juice, garlic and salt to a high powered blender. Allow to hang out for about 10 minutes. Add the cashews and 1/4 cup of water and blend. Add more water a tablespoon at a time, if needed, to reach a super creamy consistency. Pour the creamy cashew sauce into a small bowl, add the onion powder and fresh herbs and mix well. Taste and adjust any seasoning to your preference. 
3. KALE: Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and a small pinch of salt. Massage the kale with your hands until the kale starts to break down. You will notice the color change to a darker green. 
4. CORN: If you are using fresh corn, I like to drizzle the ears with a little oil, salt and pepper then add to the oven for about 10 minutes while the chickpeas finish cooking. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and slice the kernels off the cob. 
5. ASSEMBLE: To the large bowl of massaged kale, add the chopped red onion, halved tomatoes, avocado slices, corn and bbq chickpeas. Drizzle with the cashew ranch and enjoy!

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