Caesar salad is a classic and one of our favorite salads, but we like to give it a little makeover and fancy it up a bit and make it a little better for you. Instead of iceberg lettuce opt for a combination of spinach and kale. Instead of some boxed croutons, slice a baguette and toast some up yourself! Then a secret ingredient: AVOCADO! The entire Just a Darling Life team here is obsessed with avocado, we will add it to just about anything. Here is our take on the caesar salad, the fancy caesar salad! Or dare we call it, a DARLING Caesar Salad!
[What you need]
2 cups spinach
2 cups kale
1 avocado (or 2 if you're addicted to avocado like we are)
1/4 shredded parmesan cheese
baguette (try the ciabatta baguette from Ralph's but any french or sourdough baguette would work)
olive oil (for toasting the bread)
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
your favorite caesar dressing (we're a sucker for the one from Trader Joe's because just about anything from Trader Joe's is yummy)
[What to do]
This salad is pretty easy and quick to throw together. First things first, start with toasting the bread, slice your baguette into 1/4-1/2 inch thick slices. Lay them on a baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Throw them under the broiler to toast them up, but watch them closely! Once they are a beautiful golden brown take them out, flip them over, brush a little more olive oil on and toast them again.
Next, wash and dry your spinach and kale. Take the stems off the spinach and tear the kale into pieces. Throw your spinach and kale into a large mixing bowl with the parmesan cheese and your favorite caesar dressing. Toss it all up so everything is coated.
Top it with avocado, your toasted bread, and sprinkle with some fresh ground pepper.
Now all you have to do is enjoy! Did we not say it was a quick and easy salad? It's also healthy too!