• Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper for the chickpeas.

  Next, add your cashews and enough water to cover them to a pot. Cover and turn heat to high and bring to a boil.
• Once the cashews are boiling, reduce heat to medium, tilt the lid, and boil for 20 minutes. When they are done, drain the water and set aside to cool.
• While the cashews are boiling, open your can of chickpeas, drain and rinse well, and then transfer the chickpeas to a thick kitchen towel. Wrap the chickpeas in the towel and gently pat and rub the chickpeas dry. This process should lead to most of the chickpeas skins coming off. Remove as many skins as you can and then continue to dry the chickpeas in the kitchen towel. You definitely want to make sure these are dry or they wont get crispy. If the first towel gets too wet, you may want transfer the chickpeas to a new dry towel.
• Once the chickpeas are dry, add them to a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Stir well and then place them on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer, leaving a little space in between them, and bake on the middle rack for about 25 minutes. All ovens vary so watch these closely! It's OK if they aren't entirely crispy once they are done-they will firm up more once they cool.
• While your chickpeas are in the oven, make your Caesar dressing (your cashews should be boiled, drained and cooled at this point).

  Combine all of the Caesar dressing ingredients into a high speed blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy. That's it!
• When everything is ready, add romaine lettuce to a bowl, add the dressing and chickpeas and enjoy! Top with nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan cheese! Store the leftover dressing covered in the refrigerator.

For the Kale Caesar Pasta Salad

• First, start by boiling your pasta. 
• While you are waiting for the water to boil and pasta to be done, put the chickpea croutons and/or tofu in the oven.

  NOTE: I have a double oven so I cook them at the same time, but if you are working with one oven, I recommend starting with the chickpea croutons so they have time to cool and get crispy once out of the oven. Then bake your tofu.
• Once your pasta is done, set aside to cool and wash, dry and chop your kale. 
• How to Bake Tofu:

  Preheat them oven to 425 F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Cut up one block on super firm/high protein tofu. I love this kind of tofu because you don’t have to press it! Cut the tofu into medium sized cubes and add to a bowl with the oil and seasonings in the recipe below. Toss and add to a lined cookie sheet and bake for about 10-15 minutes on each side. Once done and slightly browned, set aside to cool.
• Once the pasta is done, and the chickpea croutons and the baked tofu are out of the oven and cooled, add everything to a bowl with the chopped kale. Add your caesar dressing (you can use the vegan dressing below or for non-vegan, my favorite is Primal Kitchen Caesar Dressing). Add a handful of Parmesan cheese if desired. Mix well and enjoy immediately or store in the fridge for later.