Warm Spinach Potato Salad with Pine Nut Dressing

1 lb (680 g) new potatoes or fingerling potatoes (see note)

VINAIGRETTE:
2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp agave nectar
½ tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup toasted pine nuts

SALAD MIXTURE:
2 ½ cups (loosely packed) fresh baby spinach leaves, whole or chopped
¼ cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, julienned
¾–1 cup artichokes, chopped (may use marinated in a jar or canned, rinsed and patted dry)
¼–1/3 cup pitted Kalamata or green olives, halved or chopped
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

In a large pot of salted water, add potatoes and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to simmer for 12–15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Meanwhile, in a blender or mini-food processor, or with a hand blender, combine all vinaigrette ingredients
and purée until fairly smooth. Once potatoes are tender, drain, let cool just enough to handle, and cut in half or in quarters (see note). In a large bowl, toss hot potatoes with vinaigrette, then add salad ingredients, except oil, and toss again. (If you don’t want spinach to wilt, toss in once entire
salad has cooled considerably). Taste test, and season with additional salt and pepper and ½–1 tbsp oil if desired. Serve warm, or refrigerate in a covered container and serve chilled (if salad seems dry after refrigeration, add an additional 1 tsp vinegar and ½–1 tbsp olive oil).

Cooking Notes:

1) You can use the larger, whole red potatoes for this recipe, but the cooking time will be longer. Russet potatoes are not suitable because they do not hold their shape once cooked.
2) The potatoes will absorb the flavors of vinegar and olive oil best when they are still warm or hot.
Recipe copyright Dreena Burton; eat, drink & be vegan.

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user ERIKA00177.