If you're struggling to fill half your plate with vegetables on a daily basis, Mairlyn Smith's new cookbook might be just what you need. In Peace, Love and Fibre, Smith shows you just how easy it is to include more vegetables and fibre in your diet. Take this recipe, for example. It's full of vegetables and potatoes, but it's not your typical potato salad. Give it a try.
Salad
Place a steamer basket inside a medium-sized saucepan and add enough water so that the water is barely touching the bottom of the steamer. Place the potatoes inside the basket. Heat on medium-high and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender. Depending on the size, this can take 10 to 15 minutes. Check the water level to make sure they don’t boil dry. When the potatoes are just tender, remove the pot from the heat, remove the lid, and tip into a colander to cool.
Once the potatoes are cooked, rinse the asparagus and, using the same saucepan and steamer, place the asparagus into the steamer basket and back into the saucepan. Add enough water so that the water is barely touching the bottom of the steamer. Heat on medium-high and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and steam for 3 to 5 minutes, until the asparagus is bright green and slightly tender. Drain the asparagus and immediately run it under very cold water. When the asparagus is no longer too hot to handle, 2 to 3 minutes, place it on a clean tea towel and gently pat dry.
Place the cooked potatoes and asparagus in covered containers and refrigerate until cold. It’s best to do this overnight.
Pesto
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment, pulse the oil, garlic, arugula, basil, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour into a small container and store in the fridge.
To serve, cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces, leaving the tops intact. Cut the cold potatoes into quarters. In a large bowl, toss together the asparagus, potatoes, red onion, and olives. Add the pesto and toss well to coat. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Yield:
- 8 servings as a side
