Pesto Potato Salad

Isn't it amazing how pesto seems to make everything taste fantastic?

Today, on the first day of March, Mother Nature blessed us with a gorgeous spring day. Sunny, 55 degrees, with just a slight breeze... way too nice to spend the afternoon cooped up in the apartment doing homework (like I should have been). So, after being trapped indoors all winter, I laced up my tennies and went for a long-overdue walk on the greenbelt.  I've never been much of a runner but I do love going for walks. I can hardly handle a five-minute jog, but a brisk, hour-long walk? That I can do. Aside from being decent exercise, a long walk on a nice day is one of my favorite ways to de-stress... I put in my headphones and let my worries melt away in the good beat of a Sheryl Crow song and the warmth of the sun on my face. Just what I needed with only nine weeks left in the semester and midterms on the horizon.

This dish is the perfect complement to a warmer, hopeful day like today. Soft, comforting potatoes, crunchy peppers, and bright, sweet pesto - three simple ingredients, combined to create one super-flavorful dish. I've never met a pesto dish I didn't like, but this one definitely is a contender for the favorites list. The recipe calls for this to be served cold, like a traditional potato salad, but it's just as good warmed slightly, as Dane chose to eat it... perfect for a warm day in March or a scorcher in July. :)

Pesto Potato Salad
from The Food You Crave, by Ellie Krieger
yields 4 servings, 230 calories each

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
1 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Thoroughly wash potatoes and cut into relatively even, bite-sized cubes. Steam or boil the potatoes until fork-tender, about 20 minutes either way. Cool in the refrigerator about 10 minutes.
2. Add the peppers and pesto and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve cool or warm, as desired.