The 17th March is St Patrick’s Day, where we have the chance to celebrate all things Irish! Whilst this is typically a chance to indulge in a Guinness or two, it’s also a great opportunity to experiment and get some new foods into your diet! We usually recognise this holiday with all things green, so what better way to do so by including different green fruits and vegetables into your meals and snacks today.
As a dietitian, I love making smoothies for breakfast or as a snack to keep me full and hydrated. They are a good way to get more variety into your diet and increase your consumption of plant-based foods; there are several options that meet both criteria. Adding spinach or kale to a smoothie will turn the whole drink a deep green colour, but make sure you balance this out with something naturally sweeter such as a banana so that it tastes delicious too!
Green vegetables such as peas, rocket, green beans, spinach and broccoli can be bought fresh or frozen (freezing does not impact the nutrient quality at all!), and can be added to a variety of meals as part of a sauce, or steamed, roasted or stir-fried on the side of your meal. They are packed full of vitamins and minerals such vitamin C, vitamin B6 and iron. Green fruits like kiwi contain more than your daily requirement of vitamin C and foods like avocado are an excellent source of healthy fats and the antioxidant vitamin E too.
In celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day, we’ve got some great green themed savoury meals, snacks, and sides for you to try. The aim is to encourage you to try something new.
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St Patrick’s Day is a great excuse to break out this green goddess salad recipe . This is a super nutrient packed option and can be served as a side dish or as your lunch with some wholemeal bread on the side.
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βοΈ1/2 white cabbage, shredded
βοΈ3 x big handfuls of spinach, shredded
βοΈ1/2 cucumber, diced
βοΈ2 x spring onions, diced
βοΈ100g edamame beans
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βοΈ2 x big handfuls of spinach
βοΈ1 x handful of fresh basil
βοΈ50g cashew nuts
βοΈ3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
βοΈ3 tbsp nutritional yeast
βοΈ1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
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1οΈβ£ Add the cabbage, spinach, cucumber, spring onions and edamame beans to a large bowl and stir to combine
2οΈβ£ Add the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor, add a little water if you need to help it loosen.
3οΈβ£ Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through to coat the vegetables.
4οΈβ£ Serve with a wholemeal pitta or any other side of your choice
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Why not go all out for St Patrick’s day with the ultimate GREEN breakfast! Spinach is so versatile and is packed with a variety of nutrients including Vitamin K, A, C, folic acid, iron and calcium.β£ This spinach soda bread couldn’t be easier to make as it requires zero proving time and can be made and baked in under an hour - why not make a simple green smoothie whilst it bakes!
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SODA BREAD
βοΈ275g wholemeal flour
βοΈ275g plain flour
βοΈ550ml buttermilk
βοΈ100g spinach
βοΈ2 tsp bicarbonate soda
βοΈ2 tsp mixed herbs
βοΈ1/2 tsp salt
SMOOTHIE
βοΈ300ml coconut milk (from a carton)
βοΈ1 large handful of spinach
βοΈ80g frozen pineapple
βοΈ 1/2 an avacado
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1οΈβ£ Preheat the oven to 200°c and line a flat baking tray with baking parchment
2οΈβ£ In a large bowl, add both the flours, mixed herbs, bicarb and salt (add these in separate sections) and then mix through to combine
3οΈβ£ In a food processor or blender, add the spinach and buttermilk and blend for a minute until (most) of the spinach is blended through
4οΈβ£ Make a well in the flour mixture, and then slowly add the buttermilk/ spinach, mixing with a wooden spoon so the wet & dry mix are fully combined. The mixture should look/feel wetter than normal bread so don’t panic
5οΈβ£ Flour a work surface and tip out the mix, flour your hands and shape into a rough dome like shape (it will rise!). With a sharp knife, create an X on the top of your loaf
6οΈβ£ Place on the baking parchment and bake in the oven for 20 minutes and then turn the heat down to 160°C and bake for another 20 minutes
7οΈβ£ Remove from the oven and carefully lift up the loaf and tap the bottom - if it’s done, it should sound hollow. Leave to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack
8οΈβ£ To make the smoothie, simply blend the ingredients together
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What better way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day than with a twist on a tasty green shakshuka with spring greens, which goes beautifully with the green soda bread too! The base of this recipe is completely plant-based so if you wanted to make the base but omit the eggs, it’s still delicious on it’s own!β£
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βοΈ 2 handfuls of spinach
βοΈ 1 yellow pepper
βοΈ 30g cashew nuts
βοΈ 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
βοΈ 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
βοΈ 1 garlic clove
βοΈ 80g frozen peas
βοΈ 80g frozen beans
βοΈ 100g asparagus
βοΈ 2 eggs
βοΈ 1 lemon
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1οΈβ£ Break off the woody ends of your asparagus, and then cut in half vertically and horizontally so you have slightly smaller chunks. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the asparagus for 2 minutes, drain and then set aside
2οΈβ£ dd the spinach, cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon to a food processor and whizz on a high speed until all the leaves and cashews are broken down, so it looks like a pesto consistency. Add a ¼ cup of water and then stir through, leave to one side
3οΈβ£ Add a little olive oil to a medium sized frying pan and then heat the diced pepper on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the peas & broad beans and stir through for a couple of minutes
4οΈβ£ Tip the asparagus and the spinach pesto mixture into the pan and mix so all the vegetables are covered, and the liquid starts to bubble and reduce
5οΈβ£ Make two wells in the mixture and carefully crack the two eggs into each well. Turn down the heat to low-medium, and cover with an (ideally) see through lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until all the whites are cooked but the yolks are still looking soft
6οΈβ£ Remove the lid & serve from the pan with some toasted bread, an extra squeeze of lemon and a pinch of pepper to season, and enjoy
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Risotto is one of my favourite dishes to have when I go out, however - I’m not such a fan of cooking it at home having to stay by the stove most of the time! β£However, you’ll be pleased to know this recipe is MUCH lower maintenance. Similar to oats, pearl barley is rich in beta glucan, a soluble fibre that can help to optimise cholesterol (when eaten regularly & as part of a balanced diet), so it can be a great, nutritious alternative to risotto rice.β£
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βοΈ 150g pearl barley, rinsed
βοΈ 500ml veg stock
βοΈ 100ml white wine
βοΈ 100g frozen broad beans
βοΈ 100g frozen peas
βοΈ Juice of 1/2 a lemon
βοΈ 30g grated parmesan cheese OR 2 tsp nutritional yeast if vegan
βοΈ 2 large handfuls of spinach
βοΈ 2 tbsp olive oil
βοΈ 1 onion, diced
βοΈ1 clove of garlic, grated
OPTIONAL: 1 handful of rocket/purple salad leaves, chopped to garnish & 1 tsp lemon zes
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1οΈβ£ Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a medium sized pan and gently heat. Add the onion & garlic, and gently heat for 4-5 minutes
2οΈβ£ Add the pearl barley to the pan & stir for a couple of minutes
3οΈβ£ Add the wine and stir again for 2-3 minutes to cook out the alcohol. Add the veg stock, bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 - 35 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed
4οΈβ£ Meanwhile, place the peas & broad beans in a microwaveable bowl with a little water, and heat for approx 2 minutes until cooked. Remove the broad beans from their outer pods
5οΈβ£ Add the handfuls of spinach with 1 tbsp of water & 1 tbsp of olive oil and add to a blender or food processor until all the leaves are broken down and it turns a little liquid
6οΈβ£ Add the spinach, lemon juice, peas & broad beans to the pan and mix through on a low heat until it turns green and almost all of the liquid is absorbed. Add the grated cheese, stir and season with a little pepper
Serve straight away, and top with the additional garnish and enjoy!β£
