Growing up St Paddy’s Day was 3rd in line behind Christmas and Easter in our house.  Corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, Irish soda bread and ….mint chocolate chip ice cream pie. Don’t judge, it was green and delicious!

Now that I’m a parent, St. Paddy’s menu was a bit different.  No corned beef as only hubby would eat it, added our favorite Dr. Axe glazed carrot recipe, sauteed carraway cabbage, mashed potatoes and what we’ve dubbed the Thin Mint shake!  We had our festive dinner this evening since Tuesdays are crazy here. But I will be making the green muffins for the kids for breakfast.

The Glazed Carrot Recipe:

http://draxe.com/recipe/maple-glazed-rosemary-carrots/

Thin Mint Shake:

• 1c milk of choice
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 large handful of fresh, baby spinach
• 1/4 t peppermint extract
• 5-6 medjool dates (remove seed and soak in HOT water 5 minutes to soften, remove from water)
• handful of ice
• top with chocolate chips or grated 70% dark chocolate bar 

Put all ingredients in a blender and add optional topping – well, not really optional if you’re going for the Thin Mint cookie taste!  😉  Makes two servings.

Green Muffins

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or gluten free baking flour of choice)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 large egg
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup 
• ¾ cup milk of choice
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 5- or 6-ounce bag of fresh baby spinach leaves
• 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a blender add egg, maple syrup, milk, oil, vanilla and spinach.  Process until pureed.
4. Add spinach mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.  Fold in the mashed banana.
5. Scoop batter into prepared muffin pan, filling cups about ¾ full.  Bake about 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze.

If you’re just looking for a way to add a bit of leprechaun to your eggs, yogurt, or beer – rather than turning to conventional (chemical laden) food coloring – try making your own from the left over spinach.

Homemade Natural Green Food Coloring

http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/how-to-make-natural-green-food-coloring-for-st-patricks-day/

Ingredients:

• 2 handfuls spinach leaves
• water

Directions:
Place spinach into a small saucepan. Add water so that the level of the water comes almost to the height of the spinach. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, until water has reduced to about half. Carefully pour spinach and water into a blender and blend until completely smooth. Make sure your blender has a small hole to allow for the steam to escape if your blender does not have this, let spinach and water cool before blending. Store in refrigerator.

Do you have a favorite – health-i-fied St. Paddy’s day recipe or want to try these above?  Let me know how it goes!

Slainte! (Cheers!)