Delicate leaves of butter lettuce are drizzled with a light and tangy vinaigrette and topped with salty and garlicky morsels of toasted hemp hearts. My Salad of Butter Lettuce and Toasted Hemp Hearts may be simple, but it’s absolutely delicious – bright, light and full of flavor. The toasted hemp hearts are a fantastic addition and will make you forget all about croutons. And, the bonus is that they are really good for you too. Hemp hearts are a great source of vitamins, minerals, easily digestible proteins, nine amino acids and DHA – a key to healthy brain and nerve function. So, load up on the toppings! They’ve never tasted or felt better.
To make this salad, wash and trim the main stem (core) off of one head of butter lettuce. Arrange the lettuce on a large plate in a circular pattern, similar to its shape and pattern prior to removing the stem. Set aside. In a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, add three teaspoons of olive oil, 6 teaspoons of champagne vinegar and a small pinch of salt. Seal the jar and shake vigorously to emulsify the ingredients. Set aside.
In a small frying pan, add ½ teaspoon of cold butter, one clove of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of hemp hearts and a pinch of salt. Once all of the ingredients have been added, turn the stovetop to medium heat and slowly warm the ingredients in the pan. Stir constantly. A few hemp hearts will start to brown first. Once this happens, the rest will brown very quickly, so keep an eye on the pan and keep stirring. When most of the hemp hearts are golden brown and toasted, remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour the hemp hearts out onto a plate to cool.
Once the hemp hearts have cooled to the touch, assemble the salad. Give the salad dressing one final shake, then drizzle the contents over the butter lettuce. Sprinkle the lettuce leaves with the toasted hemp hearts and enjoy!
Salad of Butter Lettuce and Toasted Hemp Hearts
Ingredients
- 1 head of butter lettuce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 6 tbsp champagne vinegar
- small pinch of salt
For the Toasted Hemp Hearts
- ½ tsp butter
- 1 minced garlic clove
- 2 tbsp hemp hearts
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Wash lettuce, remove core and arrange the leaves on a platter in a circular pattern.
- In a glass jar with tight-fitting lid, add the olive oil, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Seal the jar and shake vigorously to emulsify the ingredients. Set aside.
- In a small skillet, add butter, garlic, hemp hearts and a pinch of salt. Cook the contents over medium heat, stirring constantly. The hemp hearts will toast quickly, so keep an eye on the pan the entire time. When hemp hearts are golden brown and the garlic is fragrant, remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour the hemp hearts out onto a plate to cool.
- To assemble the salad, give the dressing one last shake and drizzle it over the butter lettuce. Top the salad with the toasted hemp hearts and enjoy!
