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.
𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐃
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.
𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 (serves 4)
✔️1/2 white cabbage, shredded
✔️3 x big handfuls of spinach, shredded
✔️1/2 cucumber, diced
✔️2 x spring onions, diced
✔️100g edamame beans
𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆
✔️2 x big handfuls of spinach
✔️1 x handful of fresh basil
✔️50g cashew nuts
✔️3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
✔️3 tbsp nutritional yeast✔️1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐃
1️⃣ Add the cabbage, spinach, cucumber, spring onions and edamame beans to a large bowl and stir to combine
2️⃣ Add the dressing ingredients to a blender or food processor, add a little water if you need to help it loosen.
3️⃣ Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through to coat the vegetables.
4️⃣ Serve with a wholemeal pitta or any other side of your choice
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐋𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊’𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓!
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. 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!
𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒
SODA BREAD
✔️275g wholemeal flour
✔️275g plain flour
✔️550ml buttermilk✔️100g spinach✔️2 tsp bicarbonate soda✔️2 tsp mixed herbs✔️1/2 tsp salt
SMOOTHIE
✔️300ml coconut milk (from a carton)
✔️1 large handful of spinach
✔️80g frozen pineapple✔️ 1/2 an avacado
𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐃
1️⃣ Preheat the oven to 200°c and line a flat baking tray with baking parchment
2️⃣ In a large bowl, add both the flours, mixed herbs, bicarb and salt (add these in separate sections) and then mix through to combine
3️⃣ In a food processor or blender, add the spinach and buttermilk and blend for a minute until (most) of the spinach is blended through
4️⃣ 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
5️⃣ 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 loaf6️⃣ 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 minutes7️⃣ 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 rack8️⃣ To make the smoothie, simply blend the ingredients together
𝐒𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐊𝐒𝐇𝐔𝐊𝐀
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!
𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒
✔️ 2 handfuls of spinach
✔️ 1 yellow pepper
✔️ 30g cashew nuts
✔️ 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
✔️ 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
✔️ 1 garlic clove✔️ 80g frozen peas
✔️ 80g frozen beans✔️ 100g asparagus✔️ 2 eggs✔️ 1 lemon
𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐃
1️⃣ 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
2️⃣ 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
3️⃣ 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
4️⃣ 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
5️⃣ 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 soft6️⃣ 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
𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐎
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! 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.
𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒 (serves 2)
✔️ 150g pearl barley, rinsed
✔️ 500ml veg stock
✔️ 100ml white wine
✔️ 100g frozen broad beans✔️ 100g frozen peas
✔️ Juice of 1/2 a lemon✔️ 30g grated parmesan cheese OR 2 tsp nutritional yeast if vegan✔️ 2 large handfuls of spinach✔️ 2 tbsp olive oil✔️ 1 onion, diced✔️1 clove of garlic, gratedOPTIONAL: 1 handful of rocket/purple salad leaves, chopped to garnish & 1 tsp lemon zes
𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐃
1️⃣ Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a medium sized pan and gently heat. Add the onion & garlic, and gently heat for 4-5 minutes
2️⃣ Add the pearl barley to the pan & stir for a couple of minutes
3️⃣ 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
4️⃣ 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
5️⃣ 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
6️⃣ 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 pepperServe straight away, and top with the additional garnish and enjoy!
