Shake up your St. Patrick’s Day Menu with These Fresh Ideas
It’s our third week of March into Health and this week we get to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. Being Irish is one of my favorite holidays; however, eating healthy on St. Paddy’s Day can be hard. The Irish are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, yet their cuisine isn’t necessarily the healthiest! So this St. Patrick’s Day, we are shaking up your menu with some fresh ideas for healthier options.
Next week we will discuss “Spring Cleaning” and why it’s healthy to de-clutter.
BREAKFAST
Beginner’s Luck Green Smoothie
A healthy breakfast is a staple to any day. How you begin your day sets the tone for the rest of it. We found a “Beginner’s Luck Green Smoothie” that is delicious and easy to make. So, let’s start this St. Patrick’s Day by drinking a healthier version of a “Shamrock Shake.”
Ingredients:
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 cup frozen mango pieces
- 1 cup frozen pineapple pieces
- 1 frozen banana
Instructions:
- Add the spinach with the water to a blender and mix until all spinach leaves are gone.
- Add the fruit and blend until smooth
- Pour into a mason jar or glass
APPETIZER
Shamrock Skewers
Whether you are attending a small St. Patrick’s Day party or are hanging at home with the family, these Shamrock Skewers are a fun and easy-to-make snack for everyone! Not only do they put a smile on your face, but they’re healthy too. The ingredients to these skewers are simple and to add a St. Patrick’s day theme, go out and buy a shamrock cookie cutter. This simple purchase will make all the difference in the plate’s appearance!
Ingredients:
- An assortment of green vegetables such as broccoli, zucchini, cucumber, or snap peas
- Green bell peppers
- A dip of your choice
- Skewers
- Shamrock cookie cutter
Instructions:
- Take your veggies (except the green peppers) and cut them into bite-sized pieces/slices
- Use the shamrock cutter to press the green peppers into the shamrock shape
- Assemble the green veggies on the skewer adding the cut-out shamrock green pepper last
SIDE DISH
Healthy Crunchy Coleslaw
If you’re like me and don’t like boiled cabbage on St. Patrick’s day, then try this crunchy coleslaw instead! This is an easy to make recipe that is versatile for any occasion not just on St. Patrick’s Day. And with no mayo or heavy cream, it is a healthy substitute for traditional coleslaw. Use it as a simple starter, a side for any meal, or as a topping for tacos, sandwiches, and burgers.
Ingredients:
- 10 cups or 1 package of shredded coleslaw mix
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup thinly sliced onions
- 1/3 cup Bragg’s olive oil
- 1/4 cup Bragg’s apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon celery Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
- In a large bowl stir all the veggies with the coleslaw mix
- In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients
- Pour over the cabbage and veggie mixture
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to let the flavors blend and the veggies soften
DINNER
Corned Beef Potato Gratin with Brussel Sprouts
Instead of a large side of mashed potatoes with boiled corned beef and cabbage, try this hearty filled recipe that will leave the family feeling full and nourished.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lb of corned beef (cooked)
- 1 large russet potato
- 2 cups of milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 4 shallots sliced thin
- 3 cups of brussel sprouts
- 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425ºF
- Grease a 9×9” casserole dish
- Cut the potatoes and corned beef into thin slices
- Slice the shallots and brussel sprouts
- In a large saucepan, add the sliced potatoes and cover them with milk and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow to cool setting aside the milk and butter.
- Next, use the potatoes as the bottom layer in the casserole dish, followed by the corned beef, shallots, and brussel sprouts. Repeat this process until all the ingredients are used ending with the potatoes on top
- Whisk the flour into the milk and pour the mixture all over the top layer of potatoes and sprinkle with parmesan cheese
- Bake for 50 minutes. The top should become brown and crispy
- Let sit and cool for 15 minutes before serving
DESSERT
Rainbow Fruit Platter
For dessert, we are bringing tons of healthy colors to the plate. We like eating foods colorful like the rainbow so this dish is perfect for us and St. Patrick’s Day! It’s called a Rainbow Fruit Platter and even has a lucky “pot of gold” at the end of it. It is very easy to make, adorable to look at, and even more delicious to eat!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of red fruit: watermelon, strawberries, raspberries,
- 1 cup of orange fruit: oranges, clementines, tangerines, mango
- 1 cup of yellow fruit: bananas, pineapple
- 1 cup of green fruit: green grapes, kiwi, honeydew
- 1 cup of blue fruit: blueberries
- 1 purple fruit: purple grapes
- 1 bag of chocolate candy: Reeses, Rolls, Kisses
- 2 cups of mini marshmallows
This is a very customizable dish, so feel free to incorporate different fruits and candy alternatives. It is easy to make this dish uniquely yours.
Instructions:
- Wash all of your fruit
- Cut your fruit into bite-sized pieces and pluck your grapes from their vine
- Arrange your fruit in a rainbow format, starting with your red fruits, then orange, then yellow, green, blue, and purple fruits. (Red being the outermost ring and purple being the innermost ring)
- Place your mini marshmallows at one end of the rainbow, mimicking a cloud.
- Then place your chocolate candy choice at the other end, representing a pot of gold.
Get your green on this week, not just in what you wear but on your plate as well! We hope you enjoy these recipes and that you have a happy and healthy St. Patrick’s Day!
