Potato Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

My son is allergic to dairy, and although there are great replacements out there, he has never taken to them. He doesn't like anything that has a creamy texture, and while I think he is missing out, I do try to make recipes that will appeal to him.

This recipe was made with him in mind, and so I wanted to make a potato salad without mayo. He liked it, and so did everyone else that tried it. It has a subtle, yet complex flavor that is really good, and a nice change from classic potato salad (which I also love). I had it with a garden salad and some leftover scrambled tofu - it was a perfect summer lunch.

Potato Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 pounds potatoes

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp prepared mustard (dijon or regular, they are both good in this)
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp whole peppercorns (or 1/2 tsp ground pepper)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup olive oil

parsley
paprika

2 stalks of celery, washed and diced (include the celery leaves, they have great flavor and add more color)

Directions:

Wash the potatoes and place them whole in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes. You want the potatoes to be tender when pierced with a fork, but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.

Put the dressing ingredients in a blender. Start with the vinegar, mustard, basil leaves, salt, peppercorns, onion powder, and garlic powder. Turn the blender on to low and then increase the speed to medium. Slowly pour in the olive oil while the blender is on and let it run until everything is blended and the oil is incorporated. I find using a blender, and slowly adding the oil in last, gives you the best result with the oil completely mixed in.

Next, peel the potatoes and dice them into bite sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl. Add the diced celery and the dressing and toss to combine. Then sprinkle with parsley and paprika. Enjoy at your next picnic or barbecue.

For 6 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 208 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories  180 Calories from Fat  78

% Daily Value*

Total Fat  8.6g 13%

Saturated Fat  1.2g 6%

Trans Fat  0.0g

Cholesterol  0mg 0%

Sodium  227mg 9%

Potassium  642mg 18%

Total Carbohydrates  24.3g 8%

Dietary Fiber  3.8g 15%

Sugars  1.9g

Protein  2.7g

Vitamin A 2% • Vitamin C 50% Calcium 2% • Iron 5%

Nutrition Grade B+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet