Vegan Tahini Caesar Salad with Dukkah and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

New favorite salad alert! A spin on the traditional caesar salad with tahini in the dressing. This salad feels decadent and is supremely satisfying. The dukkah goes well on just about anything. The recipe makes way more than you will need for this salad, so store leftovers in a mason jar in the refrigerator and sprinkle on salads, grain bowls, toasts, etc. as desired.

Vegan Caesar Salad with Dukkah and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
[Serves 2-4]

For the dukkah:
1 cup hazelnuts
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 Tablespoons coriander seeds
2 Tablespoons cumin seeds
Salt + pepper to taste

For the spicy roasted chickpeas:
1 15oz cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 teaspoon hot chili powder
2 tablespoons avocado oil
Salt + pepper to taste

For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons tahini or cashew butter
2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons capers
1 clove garlic
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 Tablespoons water
Salt + pepper to taste

For the salad:
3 romaine hearts, chopped small
Lemon wedges, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet in preheat oven for about 5 minutes or until toasted. Remove from heat. Rub between a clean towel to remove as much of the brown skins as possible. Pulse nuts in food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
2. Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat and add to bowl with hazelnuts.
3. Toast coriander and cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat and add to bowl with hazelnuts and sesame.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss mixture together. This will be more dukkah than you need for salad recipe, so store in mason jar and use to top salads, veggie bowls and any other favorite dishes.
5. To make the spicy roasted chickpeas, preheat oven to 400°. Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Toss with avocado oil, chili powder, salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes, tossing a few times during roasting.
6. In a high speed blender, blend all dressing ingredients until very smooth. Dressing will be thick.
7. Using your hands, mix the romaine with the dressing. Top with dukkah and the chickpeas. Serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!