National Salad Month may not get the same fanfare as other, more decadent food holidays, but it’s about time that all changed. After all, salad isn’t limited to the sad, pale iceberg mixtures most of the country associates with the word. Salad can truly be a mixture of anything, nebulously defined only as a mixture containing a specified ingredient served with a dressing. Restrictive? Bland? If you think salads are boring, then you’re just not tossing them right.

Truth be told, I would have had no idea that salads got a whole calendar month of celebration if not for the friendly reminder sent out by Driscoll’s and California Endive Farms. Salads of some variety make an appearance on my table every single day, so their offer of free greenery and berries was one I couldn’t resist.

Hemming and hawing over the best way to feature these ingredients without going with the typical endive boat presentation, it seemed an impossible task to pin down the perfect salad composition, considering the endless options. Ultimately, it was a combination of Mother’s Day approaching and the realization that I had a whole lot of heart[s] that inspired this dainty combination. Hearts are a surprisingly common ingredient in my kitchen once I began to riffle through the pantry, found in the form of artichokes, hearts of palm, hemp, and the endive itself. A bright, punchy, yet delicate dressing of grapefruit and cayenne gives the salad some kick, without smothering the vegetables’ subtle nuances. Of course, the “cherry on top” is actually a strawberry in this case, cut into sweet heart shapes.

It’s the extra little touches that go a long way, so although it would taste just as good with plain old strawberry slices, take an extra two minutes to show mom that you care.

Yield: Makes 2 - 4 Servings

Heart-Felt Endive Salad

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Hearts are a surprisingly common ingredient in my kitchen, found here in the form of artichokes, hearts of palm, hemp, and endive. A bright, punchy, yet delicate dressing of grapefruit and cayenne gives the salad some kick, without smothering the vegetables’ subtle nuances.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Heart-Felt Endive Salad

• 4 Red and/or Green Endive Hearts
• 1 14-Ounce Can Quartered Artichoke Hearts, Drained
• 1 14-Ounce Can Hearts of Palm, Drained, Halved or Quartered if Large
• 4 Red and/or Green Endive Hearts
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Strawberries, Cut into Heart Shapes
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons Hemp Hearts
• Fresh Chives, Thinly Sliced
• Fresh Basil

Dressing:

• 2 Tablespoons Grapefruit Juice
• 2 Teaspoons Maple Syrup
• 1/2 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• Pinch Cayenne Pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the dressing first so that it’s ready to go when you are. Simply whisk the grapefruit juice, maple syrup, and mustard together in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking vigorously to emulsify. Season with salt and add cayenne pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Cut off and discard the woody bottoms, separating the leaves of the endive. Toss them into a large bowl along with the artichokes and hearts of palm.
3. To cut your strawberries into heart shapes, begin by slicing them in half, and then cut a triangular notch out of the top. You can further shave down the sides to round them out if desired, but that starts to get a bit fussy, if you ask me.
4. Add the berries in as well, along with the hemp hearts. Drizzle in the dressing, toss thoroughly to combine and coat all of the vegetables. Finish with the fresh herbs, roughly tearing the basil leaves if large. Serve immediately.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Hearts Raw Shelled Hemp Seeds
• 
  Reese Quartered Artichoke Hearts, 14-Ounces (Pack of 12)
• 
  Galil Whole Hearts of Palm, All Natural/Non-GMO 14-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 251Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 633mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 10gSugar: 4gProtein: 7g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.