3 BEST Healthy St. Patrick's Day Recipes and Menus



Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day! Whether you want to serve traditional Irish fare, cook with beer or go with a green theme, we have a variety of healthy St. Patrick's Day recipes for you to choose from. We hope a few of these St. Patty's dishes make it onto your table for a delightful—and healthful—celebration this March 17.




1. Corned Beef Hash


INGREDIENTS


  • 2 teaspoons canola oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cups diced cooked potatoes, or frozen hash-brown potatoes
  • 1 cup chopped lean corned beef brisket, (4 ounces, see Tip)
  • 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 large eggs
  • PREPARATION

    1. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute; until it starts to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes and cook, stirring, until they brown in spots and become crusty, about 8 minutes more. Stir in corned beef and broth and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until liquid is absorbed, 5 to 8 minutes. Add parsley and season with salt and pepper.
    2. Meanwhile, fill a large skillet with 2 inches salted water and bring to a gentle simmer. Break eggs, one at a time, onto a saucer and slide into the simmering water. Poach eggs until set to desired firmness, 4 to 5 minutes.
    3. Divide hash among 4 plates. Place eggs on top of hash.

TIPS & NOTES


  • Tip: Corned beef can be purchased at your supermarket deli. Be sure to specify lean: it has 1 gram fat per ounce and an ounce of regular corned beef has 5 grams fat.

NUTRITION


Per serving: 320 calories; 13 g fat ( 4 g sat , 6 g mono ); 240 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrates; 15 gprotein; 3 g fiber; 493 mg sodium; 695 mg potassium.



Cheddar-Ale Soup



Our cheese- and beer-lover's potato soup has only a fraction of the fat and sodium of a traditional recipe. We use low-fat milk and only a little oil and keep the flavor strong with zesty, sharp Cheddar cheese. Precooked diced potatoes, which you can get at many supermarkets, keep this recipe super speedy. Regular diced red potatoes also work—you'll just need to increase the cooking time.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 12-ounce bottle beer, preferably ale
  • 2 18-ounce bags precooked diced peeled potatoes, (see Ingredient Note)
  • 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 1/2 cups nonfat or low-fat milk
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced or finely chopped
  • PREPARATION

    1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add beer; bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, broth and water; cover and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash the potatoes with a potato masher to the desired consistency.
    2. Whisk milk and flour and add to the soup. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in 1 1/4 cups Cheddar and stir until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and bell pepper.

    TIPS & NOTES

    • Ingredient note: Look for precooked diced potatoes in the refrigerated section of most supermarket produce departments—near other fresh, prepared vegetables. To make your own, peel 2 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and boil until tender (about 15 minutes).

    NUTRITION

    Per serving: 389 calories; 12 g fat ( 5 g sat , 2 g mono ); 32 mg cholesterol; 50 g carbohydrates; 16 gprotein; 5 g fiber; 408 mg sodium; 238 mg potassium.
    3. Mini Shepherd's Pies


    In EatingWell's take on Shepherd's Pie, we replace the potato topping with convenient, delicious frozen squash puree. And they're baked in individual ramekins to guarantee perfectly sized servings and help you get it on the table fast. 


    INGREDIENTS


    • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1/2 cup chopped onion
    • 12 ounces 93%-lean ground beef
    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
    • 6 ounces baby spinach, chopped
    • 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
    • 2 12-ounce packages frozen winter squash puree, thawed
    • 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

      PREPARATION

      1. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.
      2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in beef, flour and tomato paste, and cook, stirring, until the beef is mostly browned, about 3 minutes. Add broth, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broth is the consistency of thick gravy, about 4 minutes. Stir in spinach, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
      3. Place squash in a fine-mesh sieve and gently press on it to extract excess liquid. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Divide the meat mixture among four 10-ounce broiler-safe ramekins. Top each with about 1/2 cup of the squash. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
      4. Broil until heated through and bubbling around the edges, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and broil until it is just melted, about 3 minutes more.

      TIPS & NOTES

      • Make Ahead Tip: Equipment: Four 10-ounce broiler-safe ramekins

      NUTRITION

      Per serving: 310 calories; 13 g fat ( 5 g sat , 3 g mono ); 70 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrates; 29 gprotein; 5 g fiber; 708 mg sodium; 421 mg potassium.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Chocolate


If you're like most women, you're totally smitten with chocolate. People have been obsessing over this comfort food for thousands of years (the Mayans considered cocao a cure-all and the Aztecs used it as money). And all that obsessing has yielded some pretty surprising studies—and findings. Here, five things you need to know about your favorite indulgence. 



1. It Can Boost Your Workout


Skip the expensive sports drinks and protein shakes. Research shows chocolate milk is just as effective a recovery aid.
A study published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism compared the effects of a recovery drink and chocolate milk on endurance athletes' ability to recover after a series of bike sprints followed by an endurance ride the next day. They found that chocolate milk was just as effective at relieving muscle soreness after the sprints, and preparing the athletes to perform in the endurance test the next day. Better yet, everyone preferred the taste of chocolate milk.

2. It Contains Flavonoids


Flavowhats? Flavonoids are a type of phytochemical, or plant chemical, that are found naturally in chocolate. Due to their unique chemical structures, flavonoids can exert antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cell-protective effects, says Giana Angelo, Ph.D., a research associate who specializes in micronutrient research at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Consuming foods rich in flavonoids has also been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
To reap the benefits, stick to dark chocolate. The average commercial dark chocolate contains about 60 percent cocao and has been found to contain 536 milligrams of flavonoids per 1.4-ounce serving. Research has shown that as few as 80 milligrams of flavonoids a day can lower blood pressure.

3. Your Period Doesn't Make You Crave It


Half of American women experience chocolate cravings. Of those of who do, about half crave it right around "that" time of the month.
And while it's nice to have your menstrual cycle to blame when you find yourself noshing on half a package of chocolate chip cookies, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that menstrual hormones aren't the culprit. They compared the cravings of pre- and post-menopausal women and didn't find any change. They did, however, find a higher prevalence of cravings among women who suffer from PMS.
Why? Annmarie Kostyk, a chocolate expert who studied at the Professional School of Chocolate Arts, Ecole Chocolat, in Canada, says this has a lot to do with the psychology behind comfort foods. "Chocolate is sociologically considered a comfort food, and people crave comfort foods when they feel terrible," she says.

4. It Won't Wake You Up




It's a common misconception that chocolate is packed with caffeine, says Kostyk. In reality, the amount of caffeine in chocolate is miniscule compared to what's in your other daily pick-me-ups.
An ounce of dark chocolate contains about 20 milligrams of caffeine, while an ounce of milk chocolate contains about 5 milligrams—the same as an 8-ounce cup of decaf coffee. In comparison, a cup of coffee contains about 100 milligrams and a cup of tea contains about 50 milligrams of caffeine.

5. It's Not All Bad for Your Teeth


How could a food that's long been touted as a cavity-causer actually have teeth-protecting properties? It turns out that theobromine, an organic molecule that occurs naturally in cocoa, can help strengthen tooth enamel, according to research from Tulane University.
In fact, it takes 142 times less cocao extract to have about twice the protective benefits of fluoride, according to the American Dental Association. Unfortunately, theobromine isn't too beneficial in chocolate bars, where the sugar and milk counteract the dental benefits.



 
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