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Effortlessly healthy eating
07.08.2014

Linda’s Potato Salad

Linda's Potato Salad 2

David and I have been hanging out in Atlanta the last few weeks. His mother will not be with us much longer. He and I and his sisters have converged to surround her with family, love and comfort while she packs up her suitcase and gets ready to leave us.

So the days have been lazy – we go to bed early and wake up late, mimicking her rhythm. We read and doze. Allison and I cook. The dogs bark. It rains with great force for short bursts, cooling the hot, humid days. Our tears come much as the rains do.

Oddly, these days go by fast. You would think they would drag on but by the time we get up and around to doing our yoga practice (after 2-3 cups of tea) more than half the day is gone. There’s just time to get in the pool, pour a drink, make a little dinner and watch the Giants game. The gentle schedule is comforting – we are happy to save our energy. And there’s a sense of peace that is unexpected – peace in knowing that there is no where else we should be. By some serendipitous gift of fate, we have no other responsibilities that may pull us away or make us feel anxious about being here now. And so we are…here…now, completely present and accepting of this journey, happy to bear it together and comfort one another, but nevertheless heavyhearted about what’s to come.

I made this potato salad a few weeks ago when Linda was still able to muster the appetite to eat a few bites. She enjoyed it so much that she asked for me to make it again a few days later. Everyone was happy that this little salad was able to provide a last bit of nourishment before the messed up tastebuds and waves of nausea took her appetite for good. And so for me this will forever be Linda’s Potato Salad and when I make it I will remember her at the Giants game in her orange leather jacket, smiling.

5 medium red potatoes
5 medium yukon gold potatoes
3-4 spring onions, white and green thinly sliced
1/2 sweet Vidalia onion, minced
2 heaping tablespoons Mayo – I like the soy-free Vegenaise or ‘Just Mayo’ from Hampton Creek
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh curly leaf parsley, chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the potatoes whole and boil for approximately 45 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain into a colander and let cool.

Put the mayo, mustard, olive oil and onions into a large bowl and mix together. Salt and pepper to taste.

Once the potatoes have cooled cut them into bite size pieces and throw them into the mayo mixture. Mix everything together and salt and pepper again to taste. Top with the parsley and mix it in just before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings

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