Potato Salad Lettuce Wraps

With the 85 degree weather we've been having lately, I decided a cold meal would hit the spot today.

I could make potato salad from what I have on hand, but how do I turn it into a healthy meal?

Make lettuce wraps!

Ingredients:

About 2 lbs. Boiled Potatoes

3-4 Hard Boiled Eggs

1/4 cup each Chopped Celery & Sweet Onion

1/4 cup Sliced Black Olives

3 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley

Mayonnaise

Mustard

Lettuce Leaves

Chop the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.

I got these assorted small potatoes at Costco. The purple ones have such a nice color, don't they!

Dice the celery.

And the onion.

Mash the eggs with a fork. It goes faster if you use a serving fork.

Add the eggs to the bowl after they're mashed.

Then slice the olives.

And chop the parsley.

Sure helps to have it growing in your yard. You can just run outside and get some!

Add about 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon mustard.

Have you tried Vegenaise? Don't be scared. It's really good! I was always a Best Foods gal, but in my quest to be healthier, tried Vegenaise.

Try it. You'll like it!

After adding all your ingredients, stir to combine.

If it's dry, add a little more mayo.

Season with salt & pepper.

You don't need much, a couple of turns of the grinder will do. You will taste a little blast of saltiness when you bite into an olive slice, and you will find yourself savoring that flavor. But, if you put too much salt on everything, you won't be able to taste the individual flavors and give them their due appreciation.

Serve with lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes and sliced apple. I used the artisan lettuce from Costco.

The apple compliments the potato salad wraps well, it gives you a different texture and added juiciness.

The grape tomatoes have a sweet acidic flavor that also gives balance to the meal.

Wrapping the potato salad in lettuce gives it such a fresh taste, it combines well--the lightness of the lettuce with the heartiness of the potato salad. You end up only eating about a half-cup of the potato salad overall, I think that's healthy, isn't it!

If you want to make it spicy, add some diced jalapeno, or serve it on the side. It adds a nice, spicy crunch.

***


Today's Bonus


Creature Feature!



You know how I'm always saying, "If you have parsley growing out in your yard, you can run out and grab a bunch!"?

Well...

Good thing I'm always sure to wash it well...

EEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!

A MOUSE!!!!!!!!

Seriously!

That's how I felt!

It was pretty tiny, too, as snails go.

I hate snails like Indiana Jones hates snakes.

**Shudder**

If you grow food in your yard, you will have some pests, since you will not use any pesticides.

Just be sure you pick through it well, and wash it thoroughly!

And I'm a farmer's daughter, too.

I grew up with an occasional gnat or aphid floating around in my soup.

Bon Appetite!