Quick & Easy Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie ~ Meatless Monday

Our PBS station is having a marathon 'all things Irish' session, probably due to the upcoming St. Patrick's Day celebration.  Since I now have a craving for one of my favorite Irish dishes, Shepherd's Pie, I decided to give it a vegetarian spin...and a version that would be on the table pretty quick, too.  An easy lunch or dinner, perfect for two, is now served!  ~ Enjoy ~

Quick & Easy Vegetarian Shepard's Pie

serves 2

double recipe for 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup ready-to-eat crumbled 'beef' substitute (TVP)
• 1 cup frozen peas & carrots, cooked according to directions
• 1/4 cup condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp crushed dried basil
• salt/pepper, to taste
• 2 servings of instant mashed potatoes, cooked according to box directions
• 2 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese
• paprika/basil for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine the 'beef', peas/carrots, mushroom soup, onion powder, basil & salt/pepper until well mixed.  Divide the mixture into two individual casserole dishes that have been sprayed with Pam.  Divide the prepared mashed potatoes & spread evenly over the filled casseroles.  Finally, top them with the shredded cheese & garnish with a little paprika/basil.  Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.  (if you don't want to heat up the oven, just nuke it until the food is hot all the way through) (if you don't want individual servings, just layer it in a bigger casserole dish and bake just a bit longer, or until bubbly & hot)

    

Baileys Irish Cream ~ Homemade Copycat Version

Baileys Irish Cream, Homemade Copycat Version ~ This stuff is the BOMB!  Now I can have this delicious creamy drink anytime I want, for mere pennies.  That blog is right, I'll never have to buy a bottle again,  I'll just make it up fresh!  Check out the fantastic recipe  ~ HERE!

Today is St. Patrick's Day ~ the day when everyone is Irish!  For our little family's get together, I'll be cooking our traditional March 17th Irish meal of ~ slow cooked corned beef and cabbage with potatoes, carrots, onions and celery (just like Grandma Bunni used to make), Homemade Irish Soda Bread (my long standing recipe that I shared last year, baked last night since it tastes better the next day), a green/orange/white side salad (the colors of the Irish flag) and this year I'm making my son's favorite festive green lime jello mousse for dessert. (he's 8, what ya gonna do? :)

The grown-ups usually start out our celebration with a little nip of Baileys Irish Cream, just to get our 'Kiss me I'm Irish' happy on...but I forgot to buy some yesterday.   DRATS!!  BIG problem when you live in a 'dry on Sunday', 'you can't buy/sell booze on Sunday' state!!  So...

I searched the web and found this blog that has a homemade copycat version of Baileys.  COOL!!   I had most of the items she calls for, so I was able to make this quick and easy batch on the fly.  I substituted ingredients for what I had on hand ~ I used whiskey that we had in the liquor cabinet, milk instead of the cream, a 1/2 cup of Cool Whip and just mixed up half a batch, since there are just a few of us.  Luckily for me, I've got a couple of hours before our guests arrive, so my Irish concoction has a chance to chill.  I love having the food blogging world at my fingertips, I can always count on finding just what I need in a pinch.  :)

Check out the super easy and SUPER tasty homemade copycat version of Baileys Irish Cream recipe ~ HERE.

Hope everyone has a wonderful St. Patrick's Day.   I'll be back later tonight to post the pictures of our St. Paddy's dinner, after all the dishes are done...and a last shot of copycat Baileys Irish Cream has been consumed.  :)

Irish Colcannon Soup

I made this Irish Colcannon Soup on the fly, using the classic Irish potato and cabbage/kale side dish ~ colcannon ~ as my inspiration.  I started out with the traditional Irish recipe ingredients, but, then I spun the potato, kale, leek and ham into a soup version.  I simmered it all for about 45 minutes, long enough for the kale and leeks to became so soft that they melted into the broth.  The resulting soup turned out rich and thick, chunky yet creamy and all without adding any butter or cream, so it's low fat to-boot.  Yippee!

I always like to tinker with familiar Irish dishes around St. Patrick's Day, it's like having a little bit of Ireland in my kitchen.  Enjoy!  :)

Irish Colcannon Soup
serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups large diced potatoes, peeled
• 1 cup thin sliced leeks
• 1 cup diced cooked ham
• 1/2 bunch steamed kale, with stems removed, finely chopped ((steam for 5-10 minutes before adding to the recipe to help pre-soften kale ~ optional ~ OR just toss in chopped raw kale))
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• dash liquid smoke (optional)
• dash hot pepper sauce (optional)
• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Place first 7 ingredients (chicken broth - onion powder) in a large pot. (if you're using raw kale, it might not dissolve as much as my precooked kale did)  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes/kale are super tender, about 30 minutes.  Add the nutmeg, liquid smoke, hot sauce and simmer for another 10 - 15 minutes.  ***((If you want it thicker, simmer a bit longer.  If you want it thinner, add a little more broth.  If you want the kale firmer, cook it a bit less.  If you want the kale melting into the soup, cook it a bit more.  It's easy to adjust the soup to get the texture just the way you want it. ))  Before serving, add salt/pepper to taste.  Enjoy! 

Vegetarian Irish Pub 'Beef' Stew with Guinness Stout ~ Meatless Monday

Leprechaun Mint Smoothie

St. Patrick's Day is almost here, time to share my vegetarian version of the pub classic ~ Irish Pub Beef Stew.  I've mentioned before how much I like using dehydrated TVP 'beef flavored' chunks as a stand in for real beef stew meat, so it'll be no surprise that I've used them again in this dish.  If something works well, I'll stick with it.  :)

I've recently become a convert of the old-fashioned kitchen staple ~ Kitchen Bouquet.  I remembered always seeing it in Grandma Bunni's spice cabinet, so when I ran across it in the store a few weeks ago, I bought it.  I had no need for it at the time, I was just feeling a little bit nostalgic.  Her Irish spirit must have been guiding me, because this is the recipe it was meant for.  I am thoroughly impressed with how much color it gave back to the stew after I added the cornstarch slurry to thicken the broth into gravy.  I see many more uses for this little baby in the future.   



Vegetarian Irish Pub 'Beef' Stew with Guinness Stout
makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups broth (veggie or vegetarian mock beef)
• 1 1/2 cups Guinness Stout beer ~~~  or my Mock Stout Recipe  ~~~ or for a non-alcoholic  version, mix 2 tsp decaf instant coffee with 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 4 cups large diced potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 3 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried parsley (or 1/2 tsp chopped fresh)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups TVP beef chunks (re-hydrated according to directions or prepackaged ready-to-eat)
• 1 1/2 tsps Kitchen Bouquet (adds additional rich brown color & flavor to the broth/gravy ~ optional)
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 Tbsp cold water
• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions
In a large pot, bring first 12 ingredients (broth - bay leaf) to a boil, stirring well to incorporate all seasonings.  Once broth boils, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

Combine cornstarch and cold water until it forms a smooth slurry, pour into the stew and stir well.  Add the TVP 'beef' chunks and Kitchen Bouquet.  Bring back up to a boil, stirring constantly so broth will thicken into a smooth gravy.  Boil for one minute, then remove from heat.  Taste, then add salt and pepper, as desired.  Enjoy!

Here are some other vegetarian ideas for your St. Patrick's Day...

Vegan Corned Beef and Cabbage ~ If you're looking for another vegetarian meal for St. Pat's Day, try this recipe of mine.  I'm pretty proud of this one.  :) 

Vicki's Homemade Irish Soda Bread ~ I created this recipe over 15 years ago and we just love it.  It's pretty easy to make and tastes even better the day after you bake it.

Creative Leftovers ~ Irish Soda Bread & Corned Beef Seitan

Strawberry Shortcake ~ made with leftover Irish Soda Bread ~ This was amazing!  The soda bread was perfect as a stand-in for traditional shortcake. I just cubed up the leftover soda bread & spooned sugared strawberries over the top.  We like to pour a little half & half (or milk) over our strawberry shortcake, as well as a bit of whipped cream.  It was a perfect dessert to go with the warm temps we have been enjoying this past week.

Remember the Irish Soda Bread and the Vegan Corned Beef & Cabbage I posted about last week?  Well, I had some leftovers from that St. Patrick's Day meal & I always get creative with my 'leftovers'.  When I get through tinkering, you'd never know you were eating the same thing for the second (or third) time.  You could easily use regular Corned Beef, if that is what you have hanging around ~ it would taste amazing no matter which type of Corned Beef  (vegan or regular) you use.

Grilled Open-Faced Vegetarian Corned Beef & Swiss Sandwich with Roasted Red Peppers ~ made with leftover Vegan Corned Beef Seitan ~ I basically started making a grilled Swiss cheese sandwich, but didn't put the two slices of bread together.  Instead I topped each slice of  melted Swiss cheese/bread with some hot, sliced corned beef seitan & then added diced roasted red peppers with a bit of yellow mustard & parsley.  It was sooo good!

Grilled Vegetarian Reuben ~ made with the leftover Vegan Corned Beef Seitan ~ This is addicting!  I thin sliced the corned beef seitan with my mandolin slicer & then cooked the thin slices in a single layer, in a medium hot pan, with a bit of oil - just until it started to get a bit golden.  I heated some sauerkraut & grilled some bread with Swiss cheese & layered it all together with some Thousand Island dressing & mustard.  I served it with some pickled green tomatoes that I made at the end of last summer.  Man, this was crazy good!!!

All ready to assemble...

Slicing it thin...

Vegetarian Reuben with homemade Pickled Green Tomatoes ~ Awesome!!

Vegetarian Pâté ~ made with leftover Vegan Corned Beef Seitan ~ This was so easy to make.  Just take some slices of the corned beef seitan, mash it up with a fork, until you get it fairly smooth.  Then add some of your favorite mayo, a little at a time, until you get a thick, creamy blend.  Since the corned beef seitan is already spiced, you don't have to add any more spices - but get creative if you feel like it.  If you are using regular corned beef, I would use a food processor to blend it, otherwise you would be there all day trying to get it smooth.  :)  I was inspired to make this vegetarian pâté after I made a regular chicken liver pâté, for my Mad Men Cocktail Party post.

I hope these photos give you some ideas on what to do with some of your St. Patrick's Day leftovers.  Now, I'm guessing there are no leftovers of this, hanging around in your fridge... and if there are, I'm sure you know exactly what to do with them.  :)

 

Leprechaun Mint Smoothie ~ Shamrock Shakes Healthier Cousin

Leprechaun Mint Smoothie ~ Shamrock Shakes healthier cousin

Today is Leprechaun Day at J's school. Since St. Patrick's Day is on a Saturday this year, that is how they are celebrating the Wearing of the Green.  So, this morning J decided he wanted something green for breakfast, just to get himself in the mood.  Fair enough.  I made him his smoothie while he was getting dressed.  I slipped in some frozen spinach, (wink wink) when he wasn't looking.  He didn't say how I could make it green.  heehee  I also decided to add a little mint extract, just to give it a hint of mint.  I'm calling it the healthier cousin to the Shamrock Shake.  It certainly made my little Leprechaun very happy. 

Enjoy!


Leprechaun Mint Smoothie
serves one

1 cup               milk
1 scoop           vanilla whey protein powder
1/3 cup            frozen spinach (or handful of fresh)
1/2                   frozen banana, sliced
6                      ice cubes
2                      packets Equal
1/4 tsp             mint extract (or a bit more if you like it really minty)
2 drops            green food coloring (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth & creamy

Irish Soda Bread ~ Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Irish Soda Bread

Let me share with you how I learned to make Irish Soda Bread.   True story ~ 15 years ago I fell in love with an Irishman, who lived in Boston.  So, I moved from my home in the Rocky Mountains & headed east.  The dating/engagement lasted almost a year.  During that time I came up with a wonderful Irish Soda Bread recipe & I often made it for us.  He gave it an enthusiastic two thumbs up, as did just about everyone else who ate it.  We eventually broke up & I headed back out west ~ a whole lot wiser & much better at Irish cooking. 

I can honestly say, creating my own Irish Soda Bread recipe was the best thing that I got out of that relationship.  :)   So, here is my recipe that I continue to make every year around
March 17th, for my family's St. Patrick's Day meal.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Vicki's Irish Soda Bread

makes 1 round loaf ~ recipe can be doubled

2 cups           flour
1/4 cup         sugar
1 tbsp            baking powder
1/2 tsp           salt
1/4 tsp           baking soda

1 cup             raisins
                      (all one kind or a mix or dark/gold raisins & currants)

2 tbsp            unsalted butter, melted 

1 cup             buttermilk
1                    egg
1 tsp              vanilla extract

 ~                   Pam cooking spray or shortening, for greasing pie plate

~                    glass pie plate, well greased/sprayed with Pam

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

1)    mix first 5 dry ingredients together, in a large bowl

2)    use small amount of flour mixture to coat the raisins thoroughly

3)    add flour coated raisins to the bowl of dry ingredients & toss all together

4)    in separate bowl mix the buttermilk, vanilla extract & egg,~ beat
       together lightly

5)    make a well in the center of the dry flour mixture & add the melted
        butter in the center of the flour/raisin mixture

6)    blend in the buttermilk mixture, a 1/2 cup at a time, to the flour/butter
        mixture until all is blended together nicely ~  do not over mix

7)    let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then turn into the pie plate
   
8)    push any raisins are poking up out of the dough, back down, so they
       are inside the dough (otherwise they might burn while cooking)

9)    cut a shallow 'X' into the top of the loaves with a sharp knife
       (you might have to pull back the dough a bit to get the 'X' to get
         it to keep it's shape)

10)  bake for 40 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean & the top
        starts to turn golden

11)  turn out onto a cooling rack & cover with a tea towel for one hour

12)  remove the tea towel & let cool for another hour, uncovered

13)  store overnight in a air tight container ~ serve at room temperature,
        with butter


This bread is best after the first day, so make it the day before you want to serve it.  Irish Soda Bread is not meant to be served warm, (like cornbread) it is meant to be served at room temperature.  Enjoy with your St. Patrick's Day dinner & any leftovers the next morning, with tea or coffee. 

~ Happy St. Patrick's Day! ~

   

Irish Cream Pudding ~ Easy & Elegant Dessert

Easy & Elegant Irish Cream Pudding

Looking for something that is easy & elegant for the ending to your St. Patrick's Day meal?  Or, maybe for a weekend dinner party?  Or, just because you feel like having a sweet, sinfully good treat...   Well, have I got something for you!

I just made this rich & decadent Irish Cream laced pudding, topped with whipped cream & shaved chocolate & it turned out AWESOME!!!  It was just too simple to make & it tastes like it is much fancier than it is.  I could easily see ordering this in a restaurant, but since we mostly eat at home, I say let's have the good stuff right at our own kitchen table.   I know 1/2 cup of Irish Cream sounds like a lot, but it is only 2 shots. I know, I measured it & it's true, that surprised me too!  So, you are only getting about a 1/2 shot per dessert.  It really gives the pudding the full flavor of the Irish Cream, without going overboard.

This would be so easy to convert to low cal by using sugar-free pudding & nonfat milk.  You could also use an Irish Cream flavored coffee creamer (regular or sugar-free) instead of the liquor, if you wanted to make it non-alcoholic.  I think this would also be good if you used chocolate pudding instead of the vanilla, if you were so inclined.  This is something I will definitely be playing around with in the future.  Don't know why it took me so long to combine these two taste treats.  Better late, than never.

I've already had a little bit, I had to make sure it was worth posting about.  It sooo is.  It'll be hard to stay out of the rest of it until after dinner... Maybe I'll just have a little bit more right now.   Shh, don't tell Roy....   :)

Super Simple Irish Cream Pudding

serves 4

1 small box                 French vanilla instant pudding
1 1/2 cups                   milk
1/2 cup                        Irish Cream liquor

~  whipped cream (I use canned & always keep some around for times like this)

~ shaved chocolate curls (use a veg peeler, on a square of chocolate, shave off to make curls)

1)  combine milk & Irish Cream
      liquor in a bowl& add instant
      pudding

2)  beat with whisk or hand
      mixer,on low, for 2 minutes
      to combine

3)  pour into pretty glasses & set
      in fridge for at least 10
      minutes to firm up

4)  top with whipped cream &
      shaved chocolate curls

So simple to make & it presents itself like a fancy dessert

                                                          Enjoy!

Vegan Corned Beef & Cabbage ~ a Vegetarian St. Patrick's Day Feast

As I've mentioned before, I am a Flirt ~ according to Alicia Silverstone, that is.  I enjoy eating my veggies, I enjoy cooking with veggies & I enjoy sometimes playing around with vegetarian / vegan recipes in the kitchen.  Why? ~ just because.  I guess I find it interesting how some vegetarian / vegan recipes try to recreate a dish that is based on meat.  They are trying to recapture a culinary memory, by using only veggies.  Maybe, I just like a challenge in the kitchen...

So, I decided to see if I could make my own vegetarian version of the St. Patrick's Day classic ~ Corned Beef & Cabbage.  I suppose I should have made a tried & true CB&C vegetarian recipe first, so I could have a baseline for comparison...but, nope.  I decided to plunge in with both hands & tackle it on my own.   After doing a bit of research on the web, I finally got some inspiration from a 2004 post that talks about a recipe by Bryanna Clark Grogan.   I then ran with some of her ideas, came up with other twists of my own & created a recipe unlike any others I have seen.   I must say, I was impressed with how good it turned out.  The 'vegan corned beef' does have a similar taste to traditional meaty corned beef, because of the corned beef pickling spice mix I used.  It doesn't have the same texture as the real deal, but how could it?  It's not made of meat, it's made of homemade seitan, but it does have a nice, meaty firmness when you take a bite.  When I served it with the veggies, traditional horseradish sauce & spicy mustard, I felt like I had hit the vegetarian/vegan Corned Beef & Cabbage jackpot!

Now, all that being said, I will tell you that the flavor/aroma of the cooking broth is exactly like it is when I make regular Corned Beef & Cabbage, using real beef broth & spices.  Amazing since I didn't use any 'mock broth' ~ at all.  And let me tell you, when you cook your potatoes, carrots, onion & cabbage in the broth, it REALLY gives you the full taste experience of eating the real thing.  As a full dinner, with all the sides, I give it an A+.  I think that was the best surprise of all!

I hope you give this Meatless Monday dish a try ~ maybe for your vegetarian / vegan St. Patrick's Day celebration, or maybe just for a regular dinner.  It really is not too much trouble to make & I think it would be a versatile addition to your vegetarian recipe box.  Tomorrow, I think I'll make a Reuben Sandwich, out of the leftovers.  Can't wait to give that sandwich a vegetarian makeover, too!  

Vegan Corned Beef & Cabbage

serves 4-6

DRY MIXTURE
1 cup       vital wheat gluten
1/4 c         nutritional yeast
1 tbsp       onion powder
1 tbsp       Penzeys Whole Corned Beef Spice ~ ground fine, in spice grinder
1/8 tsp      dry English mustard powder
1/4 tsp      garlic powder
1/4 tsp      cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp      salt
1/4 cup     oatmeal ~ ground fine, after measuring
1 tbsp       corn starch
1/4 cup     Italian bread crumbs

WET MIXTURE
1/2 cup     pickled beet juice, from canned
3               slices canned pickled beet
1 tbsp       olive oil
1 tbsp       ketchup
1 tbsp       Braggs Amino Acids
1/2 tbsp    liquid smoke
1/4 cup     red kidney beans, drained
1/4 cup     water (optional, when kneading)

BROTH
12 cups     water
1               medium onion, sliced into rings
1/2 cup     pickled beet juice, from canned
2 tbsp       Penzeys Whole Corned Beef Spice, left whole
1 tbsp       kosher salt
1 tbsp       cider vinegar
2              cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp      pepper
1/4 tsp      smoked paprika
1/8 tsp      liquid smoke
2               bay leaves

1/4 cup     wine (optional)

1)   bring all broth ingredients to a boil & then reduce to a simmer  

2)   blend all dry ingredients, in large bowl, until fully mixed

3)   blend wet mixture in food processor, until smooth, strain & add water to get to 1 cup add to dry mixture, stir to combine

4)   add the leftover strained wet mixture solids to the broth

5)   knead strained wet & dry mixture together for approx 5-10 minutes, until the gluten strands start to form ~ add additional water if needed when kneading

6)   shape into a loaf & place in disposable 8x4 aluminum loaf pan

7)   carefully place loaf pan, filled with the 'corned beef' mixture, in the pot of simmering broth make sure loaf pan is completely covered with broth (add water if needed to cover fully)

8)   cover pot & simmer for 90 minutes ~ do not let boil ~ flip the  'corned beef' over, keeping it inside the aluminum pan, every 30 minutes

9)   when done, let 'corned beef' cool in broth & then put in fridge ~ allow to sit in broth overnight

WHEN READY TO EAT ~

1)   cook the cabbage, carrots, potatoes & onions in most of the saved broth, until tender

2)    just before the veggies are done, slice the 'corned beef' & simmer in a separate pan, in the remaining broth ~ until heated through ~ serve with  horseradish sauce & spicy mustard ~ add salt & pepper to taste *

     * if you want an even stronger 'corned beef spice' flavor, finely grind up some extra Whole Corned Beef Spice & sprinkle over the Corned Beef  just before eating.    Yummy!

Enjoy!

St. Patrick's Day ~ Green Food & Beverage Fun

Looking for some fun 'green food' for your St. Patrick's Day celebration?  Then look no further. 

Whether you are celebrating the love of all things Irish for the entire week, or just for the day, on March 17th ~ here are some vibrant green drinks & foods, both savory & sweet, that are sure to please!

It's time for breaking out all the 'Kiss Me I'm Irish' t-shirts, hand knitted Irish sweaters, Clancy Brothers & Chieftains  CD's, pints of Guinness, Soda Bread, Corned Beef & Cabbage, &...  the list just goes on & on.  

Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter
Lullabies, dreams, and love ever after.
Poems and songs with pipes and drums
A thousand welcomes when anyone comes.
~Author Unknown
 

I will say to you, now, as so many will say to those they meet on the 17th ~ Cead Mile Failte!

Colors of Ireland Jello Parfait

Old Irish Saying ~ “An old broom knows the dirtiest corners best.”

(The elders in the family know the family secrets)

Colors of Ireland Jello Parfait ~ Grandma Bunni was a true green eyed, red haired, Irish lass.  She might not have been born in Ireland, but she certainly had the fiery temperament  & fierce loyalty that the Irish women are known for.  She was an amazing cook & loved making Corned Beef & Cabbage every March 17th, as well as all the foods & drinks that celebrate that day.  She was also fond of jello salads/desserts, as so many of her generation were.   This is a dessert that she liked to make for special occasions.  It's a pretty & versatile treat ~ you just change up the colors of the jello & fruit to suit the holiday you're planning for.                      
                                                                                                                                        

TO MAKE GRANDMA BUNNI'S JELLO PARFAIT 

Take prepared green jello, cottage cheese (or vanilla pudding if you want a more modern spin) & diced peaches or mandarin oranges ~  Find a pretty glass & layer the ingredients as follows: your favorite green jello, diced,  as the bottom layer, cottage cheese or vanilla pudding for the middle layer & diced peaches or mandarin oranges as the top layer.  Finish it with a dollop of whipped cream & little bits of green jello sprinkled around the edges of the glass.  Enjoy as either a starter or as a dessert.


Baked Kale Chips

St. Patrick -- one of the few saints whose feast day presents the opportunity to get determinedly whacked and make a fool of oneself all under the guise of acting Irish. ~  Charles M. Madigan

You can't get any fresher or greener than this.  These Baked Kale Chips are an amazing treat.  I was skeptical when I first read about these on the Internet, but since I am trying to eat more kale, I decided to give the recipe a try.  I'm so glad I did, these are absolutely addicting!  So crispy, crunchy, healthy, easy to make & so darn tasty, too.                        Lucky me ~ Lucky you!  

Broccoli Soup

Irish Saying ~   What is Irish diplomacy?  It's the ability to tell a man to go to hell, so that he will look forward to making the trip.

If you want a quick & healthy green meal for St. Paddy's Day, try this incredibly easy, tasty & low-cal Broccoli  Soup ~ from Gordon Ramsay's cookbook ~ Healthy Appetite

  
Baby Bok Choy with Vinaigrette
                               
Irish Saying ~
There are only two kinds of people in the world, The Irish and those who wish they were.

If you want a little different spin on cabbage for the big ~Luck 'o' the Irish ~ day, try this simply prepared & low-cal Bok Choy recipe from Alicia Silverstone's  ~  The Kind Diet

Key Lime Pie Martini

Traditional Irish Toast

 "May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping."

If March 17th inspires you to find unusual cocktails to try & if you love the fresh taste of Key Lime Pie ~ then try this low-cal, fun & festive martini from ~ Hungry Girl

Green Tea Swappuccino  

 Irish Saying  ~  Life is like a cup of tea,  it's all in how you make it!

Looking for something smooth & creamy to kick-start your mornings?  Then try beginning your day drinking this mock Starbuck's  Green Tea Smoothie.  I think it would be a fun way to start your St. Patty's Day reveries.  Another low-cal treat from   ~ Hungry Girl

Shamrock Green Cake Batter Smoothie

What color should be seen, Where our fathers' homes have been, But their own immortal Green?  ~~Author Unknown

If drinking something green is right up your alley for the upcoming St. Paddy's Day parties & you want something that is good for the you, the kids, is alcohol-free & really does taste just like cake batter ~ than this bright green smoothie is for you!

Bangers & Mash ~ Cauliflower Mock Mashed Potatoes

Bangers & Mash ~ A meal both the English  & the Irish call their own.  This would be a perfect meal for a St. Patrick's Day celebration, or for any time.

Bangers & Mash ~ We often eat this meal in our home, it's a dish that satisfies our need for a bit of English 'pub grub'.  The only thing better would be to be eating it in a real English pub, in England, with a pint of Newcastle Brown Ale.  One can wish.  :)   This meal is also a favorite in any Irish Pub you go to, either here or abroad.  Good pub grub, is good pub grub ~ wherever you are.

OK, I must confess.  This time when I made my Bangers & Mash, I tried something just a little bit different.  This 'mash' isn't my usual traditional mashed potatoes ~ I actually made these out of CAULIFLOWER!  I've read about how versatile cauliflower is & all the info was true.  It comes out sooo much like spuds, without the high carb guilt.  You've got to taste them to see why I'm so excited about this new way to make 'mash'.   You may never go back to regular mashed potatoes again.  Or, if you just want to cut down on the carbs in your regular mashed potatoes, make it with a 50/50 split of potatoes & cauliflower. 

Since I try to watch how much fat we eat, I have found a sausage that I love, it's from Trader Joe's ~ Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Chicken Sausage.  It is so good!  I use it in all sorts of dishes, it lends itself to many ethnic recipes.  It has only 6g fat per link & it's REALLY tasty.  Perfect for a quick meal since they are already cooked. Just heat & serve.

If you are looking for something easy for St. Patrick's Day celebrating, are longing for a bit of English pub grub, or just want an easy & quick weeknight meal ~ give Bangers & Mash a try.  I think you might just love it as much as we do.  Enjoy!

Cauliflower Mock 'Mashed Potatoes'

 serves 3-4

1              large head of cauliflower, broken into florets
2 tbsp      butter or margarine, or to taste ~ the less you use,
                the lower in calories/fat it is
1/2 tsp     onion powder, or to taste
2  tbsp     lowfat or fatfree cream cheese, or to taste 

~              salt & pepper, to taste
~              milk, if needed to thin the mash


1)   steam cauliflower ~ until it is very tender

2)   drain the cooked cauliflower, make sure it is as dry
      as you can get it

3)   put cooked cauliflower in a food processor (in batches if necessary)
         ~ add butter, cream cheese  & onion powder
         ~ blend until smooth, like whipped potatoes
         ~ add a bit of milk, but only if needed to thin out the mash
         ~ salt & pepper to taste
             
4)    serve just like regular mashed potatoes, topped with butter or gravy

Dublin Coddle with Seitan Irish Sausages ~ Meatless Monday ~ Perfect for your St. Patrick's Day Meal

Dublin Coddle with Seitan Irish Sausages

It's your lucky day!  Here is a perfect Meatless Monday Meal & St. Patrick's Day Meal ~ all rolled into one.  This Dublin Coddle with Seitan Irish Sausages is fantastic.  I tweaked the recipe from FatFree Vegan a bit, to work with what I had on hand. I did use Guinness beer & decided to add carrots, for additional flavor & color. I think it really gave the whole dish an amazing authentic Irish flavor. 

Depending on how you want to make the dish, it can be meatless/vegetarian or vegan.  Just tweak the ingredients a little to suit your needs. I decided to make the meal with the Vegan Dad's homemade seitan sausage recipe  since I had some of those sausages already made up.  The Dublin Coddle recipe from FatFree Vegan also includes her own seitan Irish sausage recipe.  I'll try her recipe for the Irish sausages next time I make this dish.

If making your own seitan sausages is just more than you want to do, don't let that stop you from making this dish.  Just purchase some vegetarian sausages at the market & continue with the rest of the recipe.  The beer, veggies & broth make such a flavorful combo, even without the sausages, they should not be missed!

Whether you call it ~ St. Patrick's Day, St. Paddy's Day or St. Patty's Day ~ if you are looking for something a bit different for your St. Paddy's Day meal, if you are tired of the traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage, if you have decided to try a meatless/vegetarian St. Patrick's Day meal for the upcoming celebration ~ I hope you try this remarkable meatless Irish recipe, it's a winner!