Mexican Food is very flavorful and Avocado is very rich. I felt I could come up with a healthy oil and mayonnaise free potato salad and use heart healthy avocado as the fat that potato salad needs.  I also used my pickled jalapeños and some of the brine for seasoning the potatoes while they were hot to infuse more flavors into the potatoes. If you don’t want to prepare pickled jalapeños skip over this recipe because the pickled jalapeños from most grocery stores don’t taste good. You might be able to find good pickled jalapeños at farmer’s markets or perhaps a Mexican Grocery Store. PLEASE READ****I DO NOTE!!!!!! There is a price to pay for not adding oil or mayonnaise! The salad is great and delicious and keeps it’s flavor and stays delicious for about a week but over night the salad gets drippy and everyday the salad needs a drain. If I was doing this salad again I think I’d put it in a colander over a bowl to catch the liquid that comes out.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

2 lbs brown skinned potatoes peeled and cut in halves

1/2 small onion – to boil with potatoes to infuse flavor and toss out afterwards

1 garlic clove – to boil with potatoes to infuse flavor and toss out afterwards

1 hot pepper – to boil with potatoes to infuse flavor and toss out afterwards

1 Tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt to boil potatoes

1 med/small mango – diced

3 small avocados – sliced in very large pieces – they will break down (my avocados were the really tiny ones)

4 Tablespoons fresh lime juice – to squeeze over avocados

1/2 small sweet onion – chopped

2 large garlic cloves – ground to paste

1 celery rib – finely chopped

3/4 cup sweet grape tomatoes – cut in halves

1/2 cup low sodium black beans – rinsed three times and drained

1 cup – heaping – pickled jalapeños – my recipe preferred – chopped including onion and leave carrot slices whole

4 Tablespoons brine from pickled jalapeños – to pour over potatoes as soon as they are done

1 Tablespoon course sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon mild chili powder

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup scallions – chopped

Directions

Put a pot of water on to a medium boil with the potatoes, 1 Tablespoon salt, a hot pepper, 1/2 onion and a garlic clove. The potatoes need to boil till they are fork tender. That should take 10-15 minutes.

When the potatoes are done you might or might not want to break some of them down just slightly more while they are still hot…but keep in mind you need them larger than you want them because they will break down when you stir. When potatoes are the size you want them you need to pour the jalapeño brine on them to infuse flavor. Let the potatoes sit to the side. Let this bowl sit out at least 15 minutes.

In a large bowl combine all the remaining ingredients. Fold in the potatoes. Serve now preferably. I note tomorrow the salad will need draining.

The salad is rich, flavorful and creamy with avocado. It has some heat and some sweet but mostly flavor with lots of texture.

If you are a fan of Mexican Food you should love this salad.