Palm hearts are the star of this salad. So many people haven’t tried palm hearts and boy are they missing out! This white, tender vegetable originates from the core of palm trees and is sold tinned in supermarkets. This is a great source of vitamins and minerals. Preparation time: 10 minutes, and no cooking time required at all.

Ingredients (serves 2 people)

• 1 tin of palm hearts (washed and chopped)
• 1 cucumber chopped
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 3 or 4 celery sticks chopped
• Half a red or green pepper chopped
• Half a red onion finely sliced
• Olive oil for dressing
• Juice of half a lemon
• A few drops of red wine vinegar
• A few drops of soya sauce
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. To make the dressing, combine a generous portion of olive oil and lemon juice with a few drops of red wine vinegar and soya sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well to ensure all ingredients infuse together.
2. Place the vegetables in a large bowl, pour the dressing over the salad and mix gently (being careful not to split the palm hearts).
3. Taste and add more or less olive oil or lemon juice to taste.