Not Just a Potato Salad... It's a Meal... and It's Purple

I've neglected you. And I can't even say I've been so busy cooking up a creative storm that I didn't stop to take photos or blog. I have a new puppy and am training for a half marathon, so I've been eating a lot of peanut butter toast and Larabars and basic meals I don't have to think about. I was busy and food wasn't inspiring me.

And then there were purple potatoes.

Purple potatoes. How can I ever go back to regular potatoes?

Not just purplish skins, but purple all the way through. A deep purple that begged to shown off. So I pondered. Nothing seemed good enough. I browsed a couple of cookbooks that make me think big thoughts.

In Feast by Sarah Copeland I came across  a recipe for "More Greens Than Potato Salad." (Thank you to Stephanie who gifted this book to me and I highly recommend it.) That recipe provided the catalyst I needed; it made me think of potato salad in a new way. Someday I'll make that recipe, but today I made my own with ingredients from my CSA and small backyard garden. (So for goodness sake, don't get hung up if you have different veggies!)

Ingredients - Salad

• 6 purple potatoes, small to medium in size, halved or quartered, skin on. Yes, other potatoes would be fine. Just not as sexy.
• Big handful or so fresh green beans
• 1/4 C diced onion or green onion
• 1/2 C-ish carrot "coins" (I used a mandoline to slice carrots, but chopping is fine)
• Bunch arugula, coarsely chopped
• 12 oz. tofu (I used firm silken organic, but any will do. Firm or extra firm preferred.) If you really dislike tofu, I think you should try it in this. However, you could omit or add about 3 chopped hard boiled eggs.

Ingredients - Dressing

• 1/3 C pesto (I made mine with arugula, walnuts, garlic whistles, olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt. Any kind would work)
• 1/2 C plain Greek yogurt (mine was non-fat, but any will work)
• 2 Tbsp olive-oil mayo (or whatever kind you have, or more yogurt)
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less depending upon your spice preference)
• 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, or to taste

Directions

Drain tofu in paper towel or cheese cloth with heavy pot on top for about 30 min., or while you follow the next few steps.

Put the potatoes in a medium pot and add enough wear to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, about 15-20 min. Drain and let cool. 

Steam or boil green beans about 3 min. and plunge into ice water bath to stop cooking. I have a steamer insert for the pot I had the potatoes boiling in so just added to the top of them. You could also just add to the potatoes in the last 3 min. 

Add onion, carrots, and arugula to a large mixing bowl. Cut green beans into bite sized pieces and add to bowl. Cut potatoes into bite sized chunks and add to bowl. Cut tofu into bite sized cubes and add to bowl.

Mix all dressing ingredients together and then add to large mixing bowl with salad ingredients. Gently fold until coated. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

A real full meal deal and so pretty. Trust me. My phone pics don't do it justice.

 The beauty of this recipe - and really most recipes - is that there are endless options and combinations to try. I can imagine this with summer squash. I can imagine it with bell pepper and cilantro pesto with black beans. Double the pesto without cheese added and leave out the yogurt and mayo and it would be vegan. Don't like pesto, double the yogurt and add some olive oil and maybe fresh herbs. In the photo above, the tofu looks a bit like feta. So right now I'm thinking, "I should totally add some feta!"

Be inspired by the beauty around you. And don't worry if one area goes into maintenance mode for a couple of months while your focus shifts. Just be ready when something incredible comes along. Like purple potatoes.

This is what is on my table for the third meal in a row and I can't wait for another bowl. Wishing you purple potatoes, or something just as inspiring, on yours.