If you cringe at the idea of green bagels, green eggs and ham or corned beef and hash, the following six recipes will save your appetite this St. Patrick’s Day. Just because you’re not into the unnatural green food dyes and traditional dishes that the holiday typically brings, it doesn’t mean you can’t partake in the fun foodie festivities! Celebrate by making these healthier, leprechaun-approved dishes that your friends and family will drool over.
1. Spicy Surprise Green Smoothie
Nothing says “top o’ the mornin’ to ya” quite like spice. So for this St. Patrick’s Day, prep a mighty and spicy green smoothie with creamy coconut milk, spinach, pistachios, cilantro, hemp protein powder and a dash of cayenne. And if you’ve got any, toss in a few four-leaf clovers for good luck!
2. Green Tea Shooters with Spirulina & Matcha
We’ve found your missing teapot of gold!
If you’re following a better-for-you path this year, consider this recipe your teapot of gold at the end of the healthy rainbow. While your friends are slinging pickleback shots, swig one of these green tea shooters for a comparable alternative (sans the alcohol). This nutritious blend of green tea, spirulina and matcha will give you the energy boost no matter the time of the day. Enjoy them hot, over ice or chilled.
3. Spring Green Soup
This bright green soup looks as if it once flowed down the waterfalls of the Emerald Isle. Perfect for spring, this vibrant veggie soup is made with zucchini, celery, avocado and tangy citrus. Serve it to your hungry clan chilled or warmed for a light celebratory lunch!
4. Whipped Pumpkin Seed & Spinach Hummus
This jade-tinted spread is far from artificial. It gets its festive shade of green from sprouted pumpkin seed butter and baby spinach! Just slice up your favorite green veggies for dipping such has cucumber, green bell pepper and celery. We promise you’ll find this luxuriously smooth dip so irresistible that you’ll want to serve it all year long.
5. Spinach-Cauliflower “Wings” with Zesty Citrus Glaze
While chicken wings aren’t typical Irish fare, St. Patty’s Day is just as much a finger-food-friendly celebration as any other. Your vegetarian friends will love you for choosing this meatless “wing” alternative made from cauliflower. These wings are coated and roasted in a nutritious combination of spinach, which gives them a green hue, and gluten-free flour, with added flavor from garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and red pepper flakes. Topped with a citrus glaze, these baked florets are guaranteed to impress even the most ardent meat-lovers.
6. Colcannon Irish Potatoes with Cabbage
Enough with the corned beef and cabbage, amiright? Let us not forget another Irish staple: the potato. This time around, introduce your crowd to colcannon—a traditional Irish dish made from mashed potatoes and roasted cabbage. Turn this classic into the ultimate comforting, vegan-friendly side dish by using healthier ingredients in place of milk or cream.
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