Friday! Woop! The parents will be here this afternoon and I’m pretty excited! Mom’s birthday cake is made (holy yum!) and my house…well, it’s cleaner than it was. For those of you who like to clean…I don’t understand your breed. You are an enigma to me. I would rather do ANYTHING than clean. Literally.
As much as I don’t understand people actually enjoying cleaning, I also don’t understand people who don’t enjoy mayonnaise. And as for potato salad…potatoes + mayonnaise — is there anything better? Not in my book.
Or maybe.
It’s called avocado!
I’ve thought to make just about anything and everything with avocado — grilled cheese, brownies, smoothies, bread…but potato salad hadn’t come to mind. See, Mr. Prevention happens to bat for team “No Mayo” and this presents some meal time challenges.
Challenges for me because I spend far too much time convincing him that he will, in fact, like the dish despite the presence of mayonnaise. Obviously, I’m right 99.9% of the time. Exhibit A. Exhibit B. Exhibit C. Exhibit D. Exhibit E.
Should I go on?
Surprisingly, however, I have never made potato salad.
Despite loving the stuff, perhaps I subconsciously know that it’s a dangerous to have around a household of two where only one will partake? Perhaps I was waiting it out for a healthier version to come my way?
Whatever the case, this potato salad rendition packs a lot of nutrition — fiber, potassium, heart-healthy fats, and even omega-3’s! And, it packs a lot of potato salad goodness.
Mr. Prevention wouldn’t try this because he “doesn’t like potato salad”, but I had no guilt over finishing the leftovers in the days following. The citrus kept the avocado bright and green so that it never lost its aesthetic appeal. Bonus!
Let this serve as a request for warm weekend weather. There’s no food more perfectly suited to enjoy with company and the outdoors. Potato salad is a staple at any warm weather get-together — why not try this healthier, more colorful version next time? 😉
Step outside the box!
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Creamy Avocado Potato Salad adapted from Vegan Brunch and The Shelled Pea
2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1-2 Tbsp cilantro
1 clove of garlic, peeled
1 ripe avocado
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)
1 small Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 small red onion, finely diced
1/4 English cucumber, finely diced
Directions:
Put the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat to a rolling boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, but still firm. Drain and rinse with cool water; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, place the garlic clove and cilantro in the food processor and process for about 10 seconds. Add the avocados flesh, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and cayenne into the food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed.
Put the potatoes, tomato, onion, cucumbers in a large mixing bowl. Add the avocado mixture and mix well, being sure not to mash the potatoes. Taste and add more salt and lime juice, if desired.
Yield: About 5 cups (~6 servings, 3/4 cup each)
Nutrition Information (per cup): 183 calories; 7.2 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 196 mg. sodium; 31.8 g. carbohydrate; 5.5 g. fiber; 4.8 g. protein
Result: Creamy and delicious! This potato salad truly encompasses all that is to love about potato salad while offering up a more favorable nutrition profile. I love all the fiber and healthy fat…plus that spring green color is inviting and fresh! Enjoy!
[/print_this]Clinic, meetings, then parents! Happy weekend!
Be well,
I AM SO EXCITED! I can’t wait to try this recipe. My two favorite foods, potato and avocado!
I have been reading your posts for quite a while. Don’t know if I have actually introduced myself. I am a 40-something, at goal, Lifetime Weight Watcher, having lost 75 pounds and have been at goal for almost 3 years.
I am ALWAYS excited to find new recipes that are delicious and fit into my new healthier and happier way of living. Since regular potato salad comes in at 8 points for a half cup, it’s something I usually just have a little of at family picnics. The recipe you just posted comes in at 5 POINTS PER CUP!
Sounds like grilled chicken and avocado potato salad are in my future this weekend!
Author
Reen: Congrats on your success! What similar stories we have. I am sooo glad the nutrition information is helpful to you and what an impressive stat on potato salad, huh!? The original recipe did call for 2 avocados, but as I was making it…1 went really far! Just be sure to taste test – mine did need a touch of salt! 🙂 Happy weekend and thanks for your sweet comment!
Oh, I agree with you 100% about cleaning – I hate it and do it as little as possible! Of course, sometimes I have to clean because something just gets out-of-hand, but I definitely do not enjoy it! 😛
Have fun with your Mom’s visit! This potato salad looks delicious and I bet that cake is fabulous! 😀
I’m picky about mayo. It can be incorporated into recipes and I don’t notice it, but if I do allow it on my sandwich, it has to be a very very thin layer. I feel it can get overpowering really quickly?
Enjoy the weekend, my friend!
Potato + avocado = genious! This will be perfect for summer BBQs (no worries about it sitting outside for a bit). I can’t wait to make it.
Enjoy your weekend!
I hate mayo. Unless it’s in a dip and it doesn’t taste mayo-y (like spinach and artichoke or onion dip). This looks delicious. Have a fun weekend!
Holy yum , Nicole! Question…does it turn brown if it sits too long? I know the lime is in there..but just wondering.
I don’t mind most cleaning tasks…but bathrooms….HATE cleaning them. and mayo…I’m right there with ya, Love mayo. Love it! 🙂
enjoy your visit with your parents!!
This looks incredible!
And I am with you on the cleaning! I despise it!!
If I have any free time (between school and work) I hate to say that it hardly goes to cleaning.
Have a great time with your family!
I used to enjoy cleaning more than I do – but it wasn’t so much the cleaning, it was the result. There’s something peaceful about having everything tidy and put away.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I have several people in my family who won’t eat mayo – this would be great for them! YAY!
This looks great! So nice to see a healthy potato salad- I usually avoid the stuff because of too much mayo and oil. Avocado makes everything soo creamy!
Oooh yum! I’m not a huge mayo fan, but I’m not too picky when it’s mixed into things, and I still love potato salad as long as it’s not too heavy on the mayo. I’ll always opt for avocado over mayo though!! I love this variation on potato salad, although I think I’d have to make it just for me – My hubby probably wont try it because it’s different than regular potato salad, LOL.
I have the Vegan Brunch cookbook and this has been on my list for recipes to try. Potato salad has always been one of my favorite foods!
Nicole, I don’t have the cleaning gene either and I cannot understand anyone who irons socks/sheets. Stunning salad. I have some lovely avocados that need to find a dish for this evening. This salad is it!
If I were able to eat avocados without any consideration, I would eat this potato salad EVERY day!! I mean, avocado and potato has to be one of the best combinations.
Right now my favorite way to eat potato salad is with plain Greek yogurt (and perhaps a BIT of avocado). Either way, I’ll have to share this with my classes I teach, it’s a great recipe for those who love avocado and want healthier fats (and who doesn’t like avocado?!).
1. Your photos look incredible!
2. This sounds AH-MAZING.
Thanks for a really wonderful recipe! I made this and took it to our Mother’s Day picnic. It was a huge hit!
does avocado in potato salad taste like mayo or totally different taste
Author
Hi Carol: the texture of the avocado is the same as mayo, but the taste is not the same. Still creamy, but not as creamy or salty.
Have to let you know this recipe was a disaster for me. I followed the directions rather closely, allowing the salad to chill in the refrigerator for just at an hour. During that time, though, the fat and water from the avocado separated, turning the entire salad into a watery mess. Perhaps if you served this recipe immediately after preparation it might work, but I won’t be trying this mess again. There are far too many other excellent vegan potato salad recipes out there to use instead.
Author
Wade: I am so sorry to hear that. Is it possible your avocado was under-ripe? I really can’t imagine how the salad would turn watery otherwise. It’s a shame – this is a favorite of mine and I’ve never had issues as you describe.