Vegan Salad Recipes: White Bean Caesar Salad

Isn't it funny how certain foods color memories or different times in our lives? One particular meal that stands out for me is caesar salad. When I was in middle school, my family vacationed in Mexico. Since I was not a particularly adventurous eater in my youth, I stuck to reliable foods when traveling, ordering salad and hamburgers on rotation. One day at lunch I decided to order a caesar salad, since this had always been a favorite at home. What I didn't know--and soon discovered, much to my horror--was that traditional caesar dressings are laced with anchovies (while I certainly wasn't vegan or vegetarian at that age, I've always had a strong aversion to seafood)! Since that vacation, I've been understandably wary of any salads that boast this dressing--but really, I needn't be. What makes caesar dressing so good--and what I loved prior to the Mexico incident--is the saltiness and richness it imparts on a salad. This is my version of caesar, which approximates the original dressing (minus the fish, obvi) and uses white beans for a little protein kick. For the salad, I used what I had on hand, but if you make this, feel free to adhere to more traditional ingredients like croutons, olives, etc.