Eating healthy while traveling can be difficult. There is a lot of temptation to try new foods while discovering new cultures, but it can also present an opportunity to inspire new dishes.

On a recent trip to Montenegro I discovered a local popular side dish, the Dalmatian Stew. It’s simply boiled potatoes with spinach. Here is my spin to turn it into a main dish.

My local farmers’ market has been full of rainbow chard, so I decided to substitute it for the spinach because that’s what I had in my refrigerator. Add some mushrooms, and onions….viola!

Ingredients:

5-6 potatoes,

1 onion, chopped in long strips

1 handful of cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 tbsp dried basil

1 inch of fresh ginger, grated

pinch of turmeric

1 bunch of rainbow chard, finely chop both the leaves and stems

1 cup of salsa

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Boil potatoes, with the skin on

2. While potatoes are boiling, broth sauté onions until they are translucent in a pan or wok. Add mushrooms and spices. When mushrooms are almost cooked, add chard. Cook until chard is almost wilted.

3. When potatoes are done boiling, cut them into about 1 inch sections. You can keep the skin or remove it depending on your preference. Add the potatoes and salsa to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until all the ingredients are well blended.