Summer is the time for picnics. Many folks have turned potlucks into parties for one this year. People are also doing virtual picnics wherein folks make their own summer foods and enjoy them online with friends and family. We’re sad about missing our summer traditions. There is only one (tiny) upside to needing to stay away from picnics: we aren’t tempted by unhealthy foods.
Potato salads are one of our weaknesses. Be they mayonnaise-coated, drenched in vinaigrette, herby or covered in mustard, we love it. However, regardless of the dressing, potatoes are very high in carbs and something most people with blood sugar concerns avoid. At normal potlucks, you can attempt to limit yourself to one small spoonful. But, it’s incredibly easy to ignore portion size.
This year, while gatherings are either limited or banned, it’s easier to avoid the dish. Instead, you can easily make your own “potato” salad to enjoy on a hot day. Be it with your family over the internet or by yourself for a summery meal, they are enjoyable and much lower in carbs than other options!
This salad is creamy and hits the spot when you want a traditional potato salad. It’s made with turnips, which have half the carbs of potatoes! The big difference between potatoes and turnips in this dish is that turnips retain a lot more water. It’s important to drain them well and blot them after they have been cooked. We love that this recipe uses a little pickle water to add sharpness and salt, but you can play with that ingredient and use lemon juice or vinegar. A serving has 107 calories and five grams of carbs. Get the recipe.
At first blush, radishes may seem like a poor substitute for potatoes. But, after cooking, their strong flavor mellows out and allows them to absorb the flavors of the dressing. The recipe calls for avocado mayo. We don’t see that in our regular supermarkets — and we live in Southern California! We think any low-carb mayo you usually like is perfectly fine for the recipe. It also calls for pink Himalayan salt, we say use the regular stuff. A cup of the salad has 250 calories and five grams of carbs. Get the recipe.
We love the turnip salad because it’s almost identical to regular potato salad. This one has a very similar taste, but the texture is a little different. We do like how easy cauliflower is to get your hands on and cook. It doesn’t fool you into thinking you’re eating potatoes, but it is delicious. We love the cashew dressing the recipe calls for (but you can use mayo instead.) This is an excellent recipe for people who don’t like pickles in their potato salad. This recipe is tasty and packs a flavor punch without weighing you down. A serving has 214 calories as 12 grams of carbs. Get the recipe.
This salad isn’t quite like a potato salad, but it is creamy and delicious and perfect for summer weather. Plus, you don’t have to cook anything! It has variety in its ingredients, making you step out of the traditional creamy salad realm. We love how much healthy dairy is in the dressing. The additional dressing can be saved for a week to use on other salads or as a healthy dip! And, it is really low in calories. We see no downsides to this dish! A cup is 81 calories and 12.1 grams of carbs. Get the recipe.
While this summer is a bit of a bust with health worries and safety restrictions. We hope that these recipes allow you to enjoy picnic foods even if you don’t get to go to any gatherings. COVID-19 put a damper on the summer fun but not of the delicious summer foods!
