South Beach - Hearts of Palm Salad

I have never been on the South Beach Diet, but have read through a few of their cookbooks. The quality of recipes that they churn out has been impressive over the years. Some time ago I had this salad and it has become a favorite. We do consider this however, a special occasion salad. The ingredients tend to be a bit pricey—for a salad, anyway. It is a great salad for a stand alone, take-to-work lunch. It would be a great addition to a brunch menu. It would also make a wonderful complement to many dinner entrees.

Before tasting this salad, I had never even heard of Hearts of Palm. Years back, I could never seem to even find it at my local grocery store (Walmart). They do carry it now, and how convenient that you can find them right next to the cans of Artichoke Hearts, which are also included in this salad. Since cherry tomatoes are not in season now, I omitted them. They didn't look to great at the store.

The salad comes together quickly, by mixing the "wet" ingredients" including the dressing and letting the flavors meld for about an hour. It will also keep well for several days. We had it with our dinner tonight, but have "leftovers" for lunch tomorrow. Looking forward to a tasty, healthy lunch that's already prepared!

This post has been linked to Eat at Home.

South Beach Salad

Vinaigrette Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

• 1 (14 ounce) can hearts of palm, drained and sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 10 pimiento-stuffed olives, halved
• 1 head Boston lettuce or Red Leaf lettuce
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, quartered
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved (opt)

To make the vinaigrette dressing: Combine the olive oil, vegetable oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a screw-top jar. Cover tightly and shake vigorously to mix.

To make the salad: Combine the hearts of palm, peppers, artichoke hearts, and olives in a bowl. Add the vinaigrette dressing and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

To serve, place the salad on a bed of lettuce leaves and garnish with the egg and cherry tomatoes.

This post has been linked to Eat at Home

Yield: 6 servings, Calories 227

Note: This recipe is optimal for Phase 1 or Phase 2 of the South Beach Diet.