Friday is Getting More Delicous and Red Potato Salad with Green Beans

I am delighted to be joining the contributors of this blog. My name is Sandra Jergensen and most recently from Baltimore by way of all over. Food has always been important to me, but how I've interpreted that hasn't always been correct.In high school and college I scrutinized fat grams and only let the smallest amount possible past my lips. But when I was ready to give up my eating disorder I knew that there had to be a better way. I just didn't feel the spirit when I was giving into the temptation to feed my body in a way that was inconsistent with the way the Lord would have us do.

It has taken time to move past those feelings but now feel as though I am getting closer to where I want to be. I started making my own bread and stopped buying food with lots of preservatives. I started trusting myself more than the processed food conglomerates and really learned how to cook. It was funny but I was pregnant at the time and what I craved the most is what was best for me: fresh, whole foods. I literally couldn't stomach processed foods anymore.

When my husband and I moved to San Francisco I was drawn to the incredible farmer's markets there and started adding a lot more fresh fruit, vegtables and grains. I started reading about the slow food and local food movement. I began to cook and eat what was in season. I felt better and happier when I ate well.I've never been one to cook a lot of meat, but with my second pregnancy I just couldn't handle the stuff most of the time. Once again pregnancy had me cooking/eating in a way much more consistent with the Word of Wisdom. We were eating meat much more sparingly and my baby is almost a year now and we haven't gone back because I just haven't missed it.

I read Michael Pollan's books on food and kept up through articles in various journals and websites that have only continued to confirm the testimony I have for the Word of Wisdom as given in D&C 89. God has given us so many good things and so much variety, who better to take advice on how to use it all then from the giver Himself.Well enough about me, more will inevitably slip out later.. You all must be hungry by now. I will be providing a recipe every Friday to connect with verses 11 of D&C 89:

Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the
season thereof to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.

We'll also get into recipes for grains and using meat more sparingly, but right now when the farmer's market and my garden are lush with fresh produce I can't think of much else.
So here is this week's recipe, Red Potato Salad with Green Beans and Basil. I made this and adored it, and then naturally hesitated when we had the missionaries over for dinner last week if I could serve this as the center of the plate without anyone giving me any inqusitive looks and a "where's the beef" joke. Well no one laughed or questioned it- they were all too busy getting seconds and asking for the recipe.

Let me know how you like it so I know what kind of recipes to offer in the future. Thanks.

Red Potato Salad with Green Beans and Basil
I prefer my potatoes roasted- they don't get mushy and the flavor and presentation is even better. Although, I have a confession. Not only do I use meat sparingly, I stretch it. I have good southern ties, so I save bacon fat and there is nothing better than red potatoes roasted in bacon drippings. So you can, but olive oil also works great.
3 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch dice
1 lb. green beans, cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
2 handfuls of basil (about a half a bunch), cut in a chifonade
1 bunch of green onions, sliced (use the greens and the whites)
1/2 cup olive oil
4 T. white or red wine vinegar
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper or grains of paradise
3/4 t. dijon mustard
For the salad:
Boil the potatoes until tender 5-7 minutes. Add green beans in the last minute of cooking so the are crisp tender. Alternatively you can roast the potatoes in the oven a 450* for about 20 minutes and add the green beans the last 4 minutes or steam them separately.
While those are cooking whisk together the dressing. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Toss this with the vegetables while they are still hot to absorb as much of the dressing as possible. Add the onions and basil and adjust the seasonings if needed.

This salad can be served immediately or chilled for later.