13 Green Recipes For St. Patrick's Day
Comments (18)
Red velvet cupcakes get a St. Patty's twist with green dye (@filletofishh/Twitter).
Not to mention, everything green. The Chicago river gets dyed green, frat boys run around with green paint covering their torsos and normal foods suddenly acquire a green hue (check out this green beer, it actually exists).
If spending a whole day drinking and painting yourself green just isn't your thing though, there are plenty of other appropriate St. Patty's Day activities. The most obvious answer: filling your day with every shade of green, in the form of food. From sweet to savory, as long as it's green, it makes the cut.
Red velvet cake is usually... well... red. To make it St. Patrick's Day-themed however, trade in your red food dye for a green shade. Serve them to your heavily inebriated friends who need something to soak up all that green beer sloshing around in their bellies.
2. Ligurian Pesto with Shamrock and Clover Pasta
Pesto on pasta is one of the simplest and greenest dishes around. Garlic, parmesan cheese, nuts and basil just seem to create a green flavor symphony perfectly appropriate for a green feast. Tossing it over shamrock and clover shaped pasta gives it an even bigger Irish oomph.
The Shamrock Shake, courtesy of McDonald's, is hands-down the non-alcoholic St. Patty’s Day beverage of choice. Sweet and minty and full of artificial goodies, the shake has become synonymous with the Irish holiday. There are other green drinks out there, however, one of which is the matcha tea latte. Full of vitamin C, potassium, iron and fiber, matcha is a great healthy green drink alternative.
If you're looking for something light and fresh for your St. Patrick's day afternoon, this salad could offer the perfect meal. Cucumbers and avocados are both heavy in nutrients. When combined with cilantro, lime, garlic, chiles and other spices and flavors the two health foods create a refreshing salad for this otherwise glutinous holiday.
Pureed peas could be the greenest thing on this menu. It also doesn't sound all that appetizing on its own. Add in some mint, heavy cream and fragrant onion and garlic however and you could just get someone to eat their veggies. Also, let's not forget, March is still a little chilly for most regions. A nice bowl of warm, green soup could make the best St. Patrick's Day company.
Green smoothies are both healthy and green, giving you a St. Patty's Day beverage that won't make you feel like a slug afterwards (@findingvegan/Twitter).
Upgrade boring chocolate chip cookies with some minty fresh chocolate pieces. Dye them green and you have a fitting St. Patty's day dessert.
Green eggs and ham may have seemed like a silly Dr. Seuss creation, but a few brave cooks out there have taken it upon themselves to bring the meal to life. This version forgoes green food dye and gives the eggs their green color with the addition of kale. Dig in, and reminisce about simpler times.
8. Lemon Sandwich Cookies with Basil Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Ice cream sandwiches get a gourmet - and green - twist with lemon butter cookies and chocolate basil ice cream. How could you not try that?
Another green drink, green smoothies combine sweet fruits with hearty green vegetables, usually spinach or kale. The "green flavor" is masked by the fruit's sweetness, but the nutritional value still stands tall. There are countless fruit and vegetable combinations and variations to make the green smoothie work for your individual palette. Some people add yogurt or maca powder or chia seeds, others trade in regular milk for almond or soy alternatives and some recipes even add avocado into the mix. As long as it's green, it's perfect. Check out some other recipes here and here.
Quesadillas are ooey gooey messes of deliciousness. Add some leafy green spinach and you can try to convince yourself it's a healthier version. I won't tell.
Mac and cheese is an ultimate comfort food. There are few people, young or old, who can turn it down. Classic mac gets an upgrade with the addition of broccoli. Not only does it turn the whole tray of cheesey goodness green, you might just sneak some veggies into the mouths of the unwilling green-eaters.
12. Tortellini Minestrone Soup
Minestrone is the epitome of mama's home cooking. Take out the tomato-base and add in some hearty tortellini and you have an upgraded and very green version of a mother's classic.
Ceme brulee may be a bit fancy for St. Patrick's Day, but give this recipe a chance. Not only is it a beautiful green hue, but the unique addition of avocado makes this dish a real wow-er.
Reach Staff Writer Ashley Seruya here or follow her on Twitter here.
