Vegan Caesar Grain Bowl

Grain bowls are the ultimate savior of all those delicious leftovers that pile up in the fridge throughout the week. And this Vegan Caesar Grain Bowl is a serious winner.

I hate throwing out food, so I'll save even the teeniest little bits of stuff left in the pan. Sauteed veggies, roasted potatoes, greens, small pieces of meat, doesn't matter! Save 'em and all together, I promise, they can make a killer lunch later in the week.

Many times, I'll cook up a big batch of brown rice or quinoa early in the week and toss it in the back of the fridge in anticipation of the yummy leftover bits to come!

A handful of grains, some raw or lightly steamed greens, a few colorful veggies, a little protein and a dollop sauce or salsa to pull it all together. Done and done.

While all grain bowls are good, most aren't worthy of full-on, written-out recipes. But this baby's different cause it's really all about the dressing.

The dressing is what dreams are made of: A ridiculously good Vegan Caesar dressing that I'm 95% positive is better than any other caesar dressing that I've ever had...it's that serious. Garlicky, briny, salty and just a little spicy. Mmmmm.

Drizzled on a bed of quinoa, arugula, smashed chickpeas and a few pumpkin seeds, it's the grain bowl of my dreams. You deserve this.

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Vegan Caesar Grain Bowl

Prep Time 10 minutes

Soaking Cashews 4 hours

Ingredients

Makes 1 serving

• 1 cup arugula
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Vegan Caesar recipe below

Caesar Dressing, adapted from Oh She Glows

• 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 small garlic cloves
• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons capers
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

For the Dressing:

• Soak cashews in a bowl of water for a few hours or over night. Drain and rinse.
• Add the cashews and all other dressing ingredients into a high-speed blender, and blend on high until the dressing is super smooth. Add salt to taste, if desired (I always think it's plenty salty with the capers).

For the bowl:

• Add chickpeas to a small bowl and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mash them slightly with a fork.
• Grab a bowl, toss the arugula in the bottom and top with quinoa. Add the smashed chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and the dressing. Grab a fork and dig in!