Potato Salad Duo

It's been a week since I've eaten meat. I'm on a vegetarian kick lately, mostly because it's nearly impossible to get local, organic, grassfed meats in the grocery store in Dubuque, and some of the stuff at the farmer's market is simply too expensive for someone on a budget. It's been a good week and I feel really good without all the animal protein weighing me down. While I'm still not completely dairy free, I've cut down on dairy foods significantly, just for fun (and because I've just finished reading Mark Bittman's Food Matters.) I'll have a bite of cheese now and then, and I'll never stop dusting my pasta with Parmesan. But I'm off milk, cream, and eggs for the time being.

This hernbivorian kick has meant lots of experimentation in the kitchen. Yesterday I made a neat little Thai rice noodle salad, ala Mark Bittman. Today's lunch, leftover Thai noodles and a huge pile of salad greens and tiny green olives, left me feeling energized rather than sleepy by 2:30. For dinner tonight I had no real plans. I got home from spinning and started quartering my little red potatoes alongside some sweet potatoes, and these two warm potato salads were born. These are nice spring salads and would be great alongside your favorite grilled delicacies.

Warm Dijon Red Potato Salad
1 pound red potatoes, quartered and boiled until tender
1 cup radishes, sliced thin
1 cup sliced endive
1/4 cup chopped green onion
3 TBSP dijon
white wine vinegar  and olive oil to taste
1/4  cup chopped mint
1/4 chopped basil
Salt and pepper

 Mix boiled potatoes with radishes, endive, and green onion. Combine mustard, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and herbs until blended into a vinaigrette and mix with potatoes and veggies. Allow flavors to blend while you make the second salad.

Hot Sweet Potato and Chard Salad
2 sweet potatoes, diced
1 bunch red chard, shredded
2 cloves garlic, chopped
olive oil

crushed red pepper
lemon juice

Fry potatoes in oil. Near the end of cooking, add chard and garlic and toss to coat with oil. Add crushed red pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes, until chard is wilted. Season with salt and pepper and lemon. Serve hot.

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