Light and Healthy Mediterranean Style Potato Salad

 A lighter and healthier potato salad filled with red onion and fresh herbs doused in a mustard vinaigrette.  Delish!!!

Who doesn't love a good potato salad?  We all do, but sometime we need that wonderful side dish to be a little healthier.  Am I right?

Growing up, Mom use to make the typical Mustard Potato Salad that loaded with mayo, eggs and all the good stuff.  But let me tell you it's also loaded with calories.  Plus, if you want to take it to a potluck or a picnic then you had better eat it quick.  I don't want to see what happens to mayo when it's been in the hot sun for hours on end!

So Suzy over at the Mediterranean Dish has solved that problem for us.  A lighter and healthier potato salad filled with red onion and fresh herbs all doused with a mustard vinaigrette.  Totally delish!!!

Perfect with any main dish and also a great travel companion to those potlucks, picnics, and at any BBQ.  It withstands the heat, not to mention that is tastes fabulous as well.  

Here's some tips on making the perfect potato salad:

• The potato - small baby gold potatoes, red potatoes, or small white potatoes are best.  You want something with a thin skin that you don't have to peel.  Russet potatoes are too starchy and don't hold their shape very well so I would not suggest this type.
• Cut before you cook - It's easier to cut the potatoes first and then cook them.  If you cut them after you run the risk of them falling apart.  Another plus is that cut potatoes will cook faster that whole ones.  Makes sure to salt your water as well to give the potatoes some flavor.
• Dress the potatoes while they are hot - This will help the potatoes absorb all the flavors from the dressing.
• Serve the salad at room temperature - After you bring this dish all together all the salad to sit for a bit while  you finish up your other dishes to allow the flavors to blend.  Serve it a room temperature for the best flavors. 

Make sure to make this one soon.  It's comes together in under 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Light and Healthy Mediterranean Style Potato Salad

serves 4-6

1 1/2 lb small potatoes such as new potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, or red potatoes
Water
salt
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped dill

Dijon Vinaigrette
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp ground sumac
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground coriander

Wash and dry the potatoes. Slice potatoes thinly with a knife or mandoline. 

Place potatoes in a pot and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Add salt. Turn the heat down to low and allow the potatoes to simmer for about 6 minutes or so until they're tender when poked with a fork.

Add vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until well-combined. 

Drain the potatoes in a colander and then place them in a bowl.  Add the mustard vinaigrette and gently toss to coat.

Add onions and fresh herbs. Toss gently to combine.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter. Allow the salad to rest for 20 minutes.  Serve at room temperature.

adapted from:  Mediterranean Dish

Pineapple Lemonade Spritzer

A light and crisp lemonade that's refreshingly tart and sweet, topped with a bit of fizz and a kick of rum!

It's been quite a week.  We have Covid 19 and Quarantine, storms, high heat warnings, fires, a debate from Hell.  Needless to say I think everyone could use a refreshing drink.  One that you can make with or without alcohol.

We've been making this spiked lemonade most of the summer, and it's so tasty and thirst quenching that we're not even done with this drink yet.  

This is the perfect drink when you need a pick me up, are hot and bothered, or just want to chill.  It's all covered here in one drink, and I think we all deserve one right about now!

It's super easy to make using pre-made lemonade, a little pineapple, some sparkling water or a splash of 7-up and some nice white rum (or not, for a non-alcoholic version).

A light and crisp lemonade that refreshingly tart and sweet, topped with a bit of fizz and a kick of rum!

So, if you find yourself in need of something to ease all that's going on turn to this drink.  Guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Enjoy and stay safe!

Pineapple Lemonade Spritzer

1 serving

2/3 glass of lemonade
1/3 glass of pineapple juice
splash of sparkling water or 7 up
1 shot of white rum (optional)

Fill a glass with ice.  Add your ingredients, stir and serve.  This is a ratio based recipe so you can fit it to any size glass.  Add more rum the taller the glass.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins

Hot from the oven and bursting with chocolate and warm spices these Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins will have you easing in to Fall!

Sometime I feel like the world is going crazy.  We have fires all around us here.  You can smell the smoke in the air and the sky looks pink/orange.  We had a heat wave a week ago where we reached a new record of 121 degrees.  All in the middle of a pandemic.  What more could happen?  Oh I know....we had an earthquake too!

Regardless of all that is going on I'm still baking on the weekends, and the weather is definitely changing as the nights are much cooler and the leaves are starting to fall.  Looks like our Indian summer may not last this year as Fall is on it's way.  To get in the mood I made you some muffins!

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

Not just any plain old muffins, ones that remind me of cozy nights and something warm to drink.  One of my favorite drinks is Mexican Hot Chocolate.  I just love the feeling you get when you drink it.  all the warmth from the spices and the wonderful chocolate. Yum!  So I decided to put those flavors in a muffin.  These will not disappoint!  

Pull these bad boys straight out of the oven and dig in!  They are filled with chocolaty goodness, vanilla, cinnamon and a hint of heat from some cayenne pepper.  You will need 100% unsweetened cocoa, good cinnamon, and pure vanilla extract or Mexican vanilla extract for more depth of flavor.  I chose cayenne pepper instead of the usual chili powder as I wanted to add a touch of heat, just so you feel it on your lips after you take a big bite.  It's not too much, very little in fact, but you can leave this out if you would like.  The recipe can be easily doubled which you may consider doing because these babies will go fast!

Enjoy a touch of Fall!

Items I used to make these muffins:

6 Well Muffin Pan

Cocoa Powder

Vanilla Extract

Mexican Vanilla Extract

Cinnamon

Mixing Bowl

Rubber Spatula

Cookie Scoop

Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins

Yield: 6 muffins

1 egg
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla extract (or Mexican vanilla extract)
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl add the egg, milk and canola oil and whisk until light. Add in all the dry ingredients. Mix batter just until incorporated. Do not over mix. Batter should be thick.  

Using a large ice cream scoop, divide batter among the wells of a muffin pan sprayed with cooking spray. 

Bake for 18-20 minutes until tops are puffed and you don't see any wet areas. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm.