Lean Potato Salad

What is better than potato salad? Its lighter cousin! Instead of heavy old-school mayonnaise, we are using yogurt for this one, in all its fermented goodness.

Let’s start with potatoes here though. They must be humanity’s favourite tuber.

Go anywhere in the world and you will find a myriad of potato dishes – from Indian Chaat, Belgian Fries, Ugandan Curry Potatoes, and the UK’s beloved mash, to good old roast potatoes in the US.

And then of course there is German potato salad. Hell yes.

Looking at that long list of crispy and creamy goodness, there is probably nothing you cannot do with a potato.

If you are watching that waist line, however, they may be a few things you do not want to do – we are still thinking healthy dishes here, right?

As much as we like a good fried potato, we went for a more health-conscious option here.

It’s a lighter spin on a potato salad, so you get all the benefits without the guilt.

What are those exactly, you may ask? No worries, we’ve got that too.

Vitamin C – who would have thought? Potatoes are high in Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, which supports immune health and helps your body absorb iron.

Iron – Good thing that Vitamin C is here, cause there’s iron to be gotten from our favourite vegetable. Iron helps maintain a number of bodily functions, and a lack can cause fatigue and lack of energy. Not something we want. 

Potassium – vital in regulating our body’s fluid balance, a high-potassium diet can help reduce water retention. Note for all the body builders out there. 

Fibre – repeat after us: fibre is good! We want fibre. All the fibre. It makes you feel full, it feeds your gut bacteria, it keeps things moving. Keep the peel on your potatoes for an extra dose!

Vitamin B6 – from your central nervous system to your metabolism and converting what you eat into usable energy; you need that B6. Eat your potatoes. 

As far as macronutrients go, potatoes are starchy – and thus fall under Carbohydrates. Don’t freak out now, there is some protein there, but they are mainly carbs.

The good news? Carbs keep you going. Carbs are your fuel. Carbs are what your body can convert into energy most efficiently, so if you are planning an intense cardio workout, dig in!

You wouldn’t be alone – apparently the average American eats about 25kg of potatoes a year. (The number shrinks in comparison to the average consumption in Belarus. Brace yourself: It is 178kg. That’s a lot of potatoes.) 

Besides potatoes there is of course plenty of other fun stuff making this a salad.

There is egg for the protein. Yogurt for a little more protein, probiotics, and, well… to make it less dry.

The yogurt mixture we used as a dressing is low-fat yogurt, a bit of pickle juice (flavour!), whole-grain mustard (more flavour!), and a tiny pinch of your favourite curry powder.

You can also put in more – curry and potatoes go well together as we all know, so a curried potato salad is not out of question!

In this case, we did not stray too far from tradition and got a little more flavour from fresh parsley.

Experimenting with different herbs here is a must. Try dill or coriander, for example – or a sprig of fresh thyme for a whole different spin!

If you like a little punch, also add some onion.

We skipped this here, but finely chopping half a small white onion and tossing it into the mix adds another layer of flavour.

Not a fan of raw onion? Try slicing it finely and caramelising it instead. Use it as a topping or mix it in and let your creativity roam free!

One last note: A traditional potato salad is best enjoyed cold. Make sure you let the potatoes cool sufficiently before trying to cut them, but mix everything together while still warm so they soak up the flavours nicely.

And then leave it in the fridge. Seriously. 

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