Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Hearts of Palm and Avocado Salad

summer salad with hearts of palm

Do you like hearts of palm?
This is one of my favorite salads. It can serve as an entree or a side.
The flavors are amazing and the presentation is beautiful.



The blend of hearts of palm with diced tomato and avocado tastes amazing.



Hearts of palm is an unusual, yet very healthy, vegetable that is readily available in jars in most supermarkets. It comes from the core of the palm tree and usually imported from Costa Rica.



According to Dr. Axe on his webstie, hearts of palm are high in fiber, protein, and nutrients. In fact he called it a good meat substitute for Vegans. I just know that it tastes wonderful and is low calorie, low glycemic index, and low carb- love it!!

I bought a double pack of jars at Costco; BJ's also carries hearts of palm 



Healthy, gluten free, vegan, nut free- who could ask for more? This is one of those recipes that is great to remember for when you are having company and want to accommodate  a variety of eating needs.
Elegance without sacrificing taste or health!



In addition, it's a great substitute for a tossed salad when you just don't feel like washing, drying, and cutting up lettuce.

Lemon keeps the avocado from turning brown
With a simple lemon and olive oil dressing, the avocado didn't turn brown, and I was able to make the salad a few hours in advance and keep in the refrigerator until I was ready to serve it.




I remember the first time I tasted this salad . It was a warm Miami evening and I was invited to a friend's house for a family outdoor dinner . The sun had already set and our ambitious host had tables in her yard to accommodate twenty guests composed of adults of all ages, children, and their pets.


A variety of entrees and salads took their places at the table, conversation and remarks ensued ,and then the food was passed around. Everything on the dinner menu was delicious, but I thought this salad was exceptional-
Of course I asked for the recipe and knew I would be duplicating it at home.
Since my friend's recipe wasn't precise, I have estimated the amounts.



Prep Time: 10  minutes
Cook Time: None
Serves: 4 sides

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, diced large
6 hearts of palm stalks, cut into bite size pieces
2 avocados, peeled, seed removed and diced
2 cups of cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
optional: 1/4 cup of diced cilantro
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup of olive oil
optional: add some chopped scallions

Directions:

Combine all ingredients . Add olive oil and lemon juice and mix well.

Linking to Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking where anyone can share a food related post. 
 Iat 


This post is also linked to Souper Sunday where anyone can share a soup, salad, or sammie recipe. Check out this week's recipes.





    






8 comments:

  1. I have never had hearts of palm...didn't know they were so good for us. The salad looks very inviting, Judee.

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  2. Judee this looks amazing and can't wait to try it. I'll use less oil, as the recipe does get plant-based fat from the avocado. I pinned this to my salad board on Pinterest and wish you a wonderful day.

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  3. I love hearts of palm! I bet they would be great in this combination of ingredients. I love that there are chickpeas. They're one of my favorites and a great protein source as well. Interestingly enough, hearts of palms is used a lot as a vegan seafood "poser" in recipes. They're versatile and delicious!

    Shirley

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  4. I love the combination of awesome veggies in your salad! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday for the party this week. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen

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  5. The palm is called Peach Palm, and I have one in my garden. Haven't harvested any yet, as it requires cutting down the palm for the heart. They're usually fresh in our market, but a bit pricey.

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  6. I've never tried hearts of palm. On my to try list now. Have a great week. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

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  7. It's salad weather! I love hearts of palm and avocado ... so I know I'd love this.

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  8. I am a fan of hearts of palm although I usually buy it fresh here. I love the idea of this salad--what a great combination. Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays this week. ;-)

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