Garden wonders never cease. Consider this: Potatoes, America’s favorite vegetable, come in red, white and blue — call it serendipity or, perhaps, patriotic planters.

The “blue” may come from a variety called Purple Peruvian, but no matter. Put these tubers together into a vibrantly colored potato salad and you’re guaranteed to add festivity to this summer of political and other flag-waving gatherings.

To cheer on the American spirit of this summer, the U.S. Potato Board asked Jill Melton, former senior food editor of Cooking Light, and director of communications for Food Insight, to create a lightened version of a perennially favored picnic dish, potato salad. Keeping the credo “flavor first” in mind, she came up with the following colorful recipe.

“Hearts can beat true with this red, white and blue salad because it’s full of heart-healthy ingredients like potassium-rich potatoes and walnuts which contain omega-3 fatty acids,” Melton says. “But the fun part is its patriotic color and bold, garlicky flavor.”

She suggests using the smallest potatoes you can find and cooking by steaming to allow them to hold their shape and color after being tossed with the dressing.

Red, White and Blue Potato Salad

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1 pound small white potatoes (Creamer Fingerling or Yukon Gold)

1 pound small red potatoes

12 ounces Purple Peruvian potatoes

3 tablespoons walnut oil, or olive oil

2 ounces chopped ham

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

8 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons sherry or white balsamic vinegar

1 cup finely chopped red or orange bell pepper

4 green onions, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2-inch pieces (do not peel). Steam for 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Heat 1 tablespoon walnut oil in a medium skillet. Add ham, walnuts, and garlic. Saute 10 minutes. Add vinegar, stir well.

In a large bowl, toss ham mixture with potatoes, 2 additional tablespoons walnut oil, red pepper, green onions, salt and pepper.

Serve warm or cold, with grilled steak, burgers, chicken or fish. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 250 calories, 6 grams protein, 33 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams fat, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 260 milligrams sodium and 4 grams fiber.