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| Eat Green on St. Patrick’s Day! |
By Melissa Rowe, Bon'App Ambassador at Simmons College
Coming around the corner is the infamous green holiday we all know as St. Patrick’s Day. Some may know what this day actually stands for while others display the color green in many ways, eating, drinking, and wearing. While this is not considered a legal holiday in the US, it is widely recognized and celebrated.
St. Patrick’s Day gives us another reason to overload on our green foods, such as kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc. Here are a few healthy snack/meal ideas for parties or just throughout your festive green day!
Green Smoothie
Starting off your day with this green smoothie will give you that extra boost to celebrate longer with this smoothie packed full of antioxidants and vitamins! Adding the banana and mango gives it a hint of sweetness and the ginger gives it that irresistible taste.
Ingredients
1 - 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk, depending on how thick you like your smoothie
1 cup kale leaves, center rib removed
1 cup baby spinach
1 frozen banana, cut into pieces
1 mango, peeled and cut into pieces
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
2. Divide between glasses and serve immediately.
St. Patrick’s Hummus Dip
This green hummus is a great healthy protein packed dip that will be a loved item at your St. Patrick’s themed party! This dip can be served with celery sticks, carrots, pita chips, rice crackers, you name it! This is a vegan friendly dish also!
Ingredients:
1 can white cannellini beans (1 1/2 cups) - drain/rinse in hot water
1 cup kale (fresh or frozen works)
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice + generous pinch of lemon zest
1/2 tsp fine black pepper
3 dashes of cayenne
1/4 cup raw cashews (no need to soak if using a high speed blender or food processor)
1 1/2 Tbsp tahini, roasted
1/4+ cup warm water
1/4 cup chopped parsley, flat-leaf
optional: garlic powder, fresh, or roasted garlic
1 cup kale (fresh or frozen works)
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice + generous pinch of lemon zest
1/2 tsp fine black pepper
3 dashes of cayenne
1/4 cup raw cashews (no need to soak if using a high speed blender or food processor)
1 1/2 Tbsp tahini, roasted
1/4+ cup warm water
1/4 cup chopped parsley, flat-leaf
optional: garlic powder, fresh, or roasted garlic
Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to high speed blender. Blend from low to high until silky and smooth. Add a few extra splashes of water or drizzles of oil if needed to blend smooth. (It will firm up quite a bit in the fridge)
2. Pour in serving dish and chill in fridge for 1 hour or overnight. You could serve right away or warm if desired as well.
3. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top and fresh parsley to garnish.
2. Pour in serving dish and chill in fridge for 1 hour or overnight. You could serve right away or warm if desired as well.
3. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top and fresh parsley to garnish.
Kale Chips
If you haven’t heard yet, these are a delicious rendition to your regular high fat potato chips! These chips are perfect for a party because it provides the crunch that people are looking for at a low cost with great health benefits. Nothing better than that!
Ingredients:
1 large bunch kale, tough stems removed, leaves torn into pieces (about 16 cups; see Note)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:
- Position racks in upper third and center of oven; preheat to 400°F.
- If kale is wet, very thoroughly pat dry with a clean kitchen towel; transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle the kale with oil and sprinkle with salt. Using your hands, massage the oil and salt onto the kale leaves to evenly coat. Fill 2 large rimmed baking sheets with a layer of kale, making sure the leaves don’t overlap. (If the kale won’t all fit, make the chips in batches.)
- Bake until most leaves are crisp, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through, 8 to 12 minutes total. (If baking a batch on just one sheet, start checking after 8 minutes to prevent burning.)
Cucumber Roll Ups
These cucumber rolls are a great finger food, in exchange for pigs in a blanket. They are an easy and quick make for all you busy on the go people! You don’t need to slave in the kitchen for hours for these decadent snacks.
Ingredients:
2 cucumbers
6 ounces crumbled feta
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 tablespoons finely diced sundried tomatoes or red bell pepper
8 - 12 pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon roughly chopped dill or oregano
2 teaspoons lemon juice
pinch of pepper, or to taste
6 ounces crumbled feta
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 tablespoons finely diced sundried tomatoes or red bell pepper
8 - 12 pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon roughly chopped dill or oregano
2 teaspoons lemon juice
pinch of pepper, or to taste
Directions:
1. Thinly slice the cucumbers long ways on a mandoline at a 2mm thick setting. Alternatively, you can use a vegetable peeler if you do not have a mandoline. Lay the cucumbers on top of a paper towel lined cutting board while you prepare the filling.
2. Add the feta and yogurt to a medium bowl. Mash to combine using a fork. Add the bell pepper or sun dried tomatoes, olives, dill, lemon, and pepper to the bowl. Stir well to combine. In a bowl, mash the feta using a fork.
3. Place 1 - 2 teaspoons of mixture at one end of a cucumber strip and roll up. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining strips. If not serving immediately, chill until ready to serve.
Avocado Ice Cream
You can’t have a party without some sweets! This is a rich and oh so creamy healthy ice cream. Now who would ever think healthy and ice cream would be in the same sentence but this recipe proves it!
Ingredients:
3 regular-sized, ripe Hass avocados
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lime
Big pinch of sea salt
Directions:
1. Scoop out avocados and roughly chop
2. Transfer all ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth
3. Freeze immediately in ice cream maker according to your machine's directions or place into freezer container/bag for those who don’t have an ice cream maker
Cucumber cooler
Last but not least we have a great green idea that can be done either as a cocktail or mocktail for all ages! This is a great green inspired beverage that doesn’t include adding food coloring (YUCK!) This beverage can be enjoyed plain by all ages or can be made with your preference of vodka or gin.
Ingredients:
3 cucumbers (peeled seeded and coarsely chopped 6 cups)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup fresh mint (leaves)
1 lime (thinly sliced)
24 ozs club soda
2 tbsps agave nectar (honey)
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup fresh mint (leaves)
1 lime (thinly sliced)
24 ozs club soda
2 tbsps agave nectar (honey)
Directions:
1. In a blender, puree cucumbers and water.
2. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl, pressing on solids (you should have about 2 cups juice; refrigerate overnight, if desired).
3. In a pitcher, mash fresh mint leaves with back of a wooden spoon until bruised.
4. Add cucumber juice, lime, club soda, and agave nectar or honey; stir to combine (add gin or vodka if wanted).
5. Fill four glasses with ice, top with drink, and serve with thinly sliced cucumber.
We hope you enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day this year with some of our healthy GREEN snacks and don’t forget to wear green!!
Recipe references:
http://thecornerkitchenblog.com/green-smoothies/
http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2013/03/lucky-leprechaun-dip-creamy-green.html
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/kale_chips.html
http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2011/12/cucumber-feta-rolls-holiday-recipe-exchange.html
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Cucumber-Cooler-Martha-Stewart-197331
