Mar 14

Mar 14 Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Go Green for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick's Day is a holiday known for parades, shamrocks and all things Irish. From leprechauns to the color green, thousands of Irish Americans gather with their loved ones on St. Patrick's Day to share a "traditional" meal of corned beef and cabbage. Some even celebrate with Shepherd’s pie.

Some of us are just all about celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with some green grub. It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, and of course you’ve got one very vibrant color on your mind. Channel the luck of the Irish by whipping up some emerald-hued dishes to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland.

But before you go mixing up Blue No. 2 and Yellow No. 6 food dyes, you’re in luck: Some of the healthiest veggies and herbs around are naturally green. Give some of these a try!

Healthy Shamrock Shake

1 overripe large frozen banana

Chocolate chips, as desired

1/8 tsp. to 1/4 tsp. pure peppermint extract (I like 1/4 tsp.)

1 cup milk of choice

1/4 cup frozen spinach

Use your favorite milk of choice. Canned coconut milk will give it a rich milkshake-like taste, but you can choose the lighter results of using cashew milk or almond milk.

To make the shake: Blend all ingredients in a blender until completely smooth. Make sure the banana you use is at least somewhat brown. You can add the chocolate chips either before or after blending. Be sure to use pure peppermint extract, not imitation.

Serves 1, serving contains: Calories 130, Fat 2 g., Cholesterol 0 mg., Sodium 161 mg., Carbohydrates 28 g., Fiber 3.5 g., Protein 3 g.

Hot Reuben Dip

(You have seen this one from me before, but it is still a “go to” for St. Patrick’s Day)

1/2 pound diced corned beef (I purchased this at a Deli counter but asked for thick sliced for more flavor)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup sauerkraut, drained well.
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon ketchup

*If you prefer you may substitute sour cream and ketchup with your

Favorite Thousand Island dressing
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
Cocktail Rye Bread

In a medium bowl, combine corned beef, cream cheese, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, sour cream, ketchup and mustard. Spoon into a greased, 1-quart baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve warm with rye

bread. (I slow toasted the Rye Bread so it was crunchy like a cracker).

(Un)Stuffed Cabbage Soup

Get the flavor of stuffed cabbage with a “little” less effort!

Meatballs:
2 pounds lean ground meat (or your favorite blend of pork and beef)
1 cup uncooked rice
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 medium onion, minced

Soup:
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup coarsely minced onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium cabbage
1 bay leaf
Sour cream for topping

For the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, rice, salt, pepper, cumin and onions. Form into 1-inch balls and set aside while you make the soup.

For the soup: In a 6-quart pot, sweat the garlic in the olive oil until white in color. Add the onions and sweat until translucent. Then add 1 1/2 cups water, the carrots, tomato paste, brown sugar, ketchup and whole tomatoes with juice. Season with salt and pepper and simmer at a lively bubble for 10 minutes. Crush the whole tomatoes with a potato masher or fork. Continue to simmer until the carrots are tender, about 10 more minutes.

Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth but not pureed. Return the soup to the pot. Remove the cabbage ribs and cut the leaves crosswise into 1/4-inch ribbons. Add the cabbage to the soup and stir to incorporate. Add the bay leaf and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes more (the cabbage should be reduced in size). Add water to thin the soup to the desired consistency. Add the meatballs and simmer for 25 minutes.
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with sour cream.