Hearts of Palm Salad

After the heaviness of the holiday season, I’m grateful for quieter days and lighter eating. Self-care feels important for refueling and reconnecting with myself, my dreams, and my commitments. Though self-care certainly varies and at times involves hot cocoa and comfort foods, right now it’s manifesting in a desire for more fruits and vegetables. So, I’m making more salads.

One of my favorites is inspired by Urban Beets, a vegan café in Milwaukee that serves especially creative, flavorful food. In the past, they’ve used hearts of palm salad to approximate a lobster roll, serving the salad with fresh dill on a gluten-free hoagie with lemon and kettle chips on the side.

The inspiration for this recipe: Urban Beets Cafe’s vegan + gluten-free “lobster roll.”

What follows is my recipe for a similar salad that I typically eat with rice crackers.

Ingredients:

• Hearts of palm —14 oz. jar or can
• Celery — 1-2 stalks or approx. ½ cup (roughly, ¼ of the amount of hearts of palm)
• Fresh dill — 3+ tablespoons (approx. ½ of the amount of celery)
• Capers — ½ to 1 tablespoon
• Vegan mayo — 1 tablespoon
• Dill pickle juice — ¼ teaspoon
• Lemon — ¼ teaspoon
• Salt — approx. ¼ teaspoon, to taste
• Pepper — optional add-in, to taste

Preparation Time:

• 10 minutes, including time to cut, combine, and serve.

Instructions:

1. Dice the hearts of palm and celery, and chop the fresh dill.
2. Add these cut ingredients into a mixing bowl.
3. Then add the remaining ingredients (capers, mayo, pickle juice, lemon, salt, and pepper), and stir until well-combined. I like to taste while mixing and add more of these ingredients, as needed. The capers, pickle juice, lemon, and/or pepper can be left out for a smoother, milder flavor.
4. Serve with a few sprigs of fresh dill on top for additional color and flavor.
5. Enjoy with crackers or chips. Or add to a salad or sandwich with lettuce and tomato.

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This post is written by Beth Godbee for Heart-Head-Hands.com. For more posts like this one, you might try “When Times Get Tough: Simple Sautéed Spinach and Tempeh,” other vegan + gluten-free recipes, or the series of posts answering why I’m vegan. Please also consider following the blog via email. Thanks!