When planning last weeks dinner party, I decided a hearts of palm salad would be a fun spin on the same old salad. And then…I assigned the task to my Russian friend, Masha, who had never heard of a heart of palm. What a friend I am! A challenging one, yes.

Masha did an excellent job coming up with a recipe. This salad is full of bite – crispy onions and celery mixed with bitter greens and a citrus dressing. Plus the unique star, the heart of palm.

This salad would be perfect for a summer picnic. It holds up extremely well over time. I had the leftovers the next day for a lunch.

From the photo, it looks like even Winston thought the salad looked delicious!

Lemony Hearts of Palm Salad

• 1/4 cup sliced red onion
• 2 cups sliced heart of palm
• 1 cup sliced celery
• chopped parsley
• arugula
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

Mixed together all the vegetables. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Dress the salad. Toss and enjoy!