How to Lighten Up Your St. Patrick’s Day Menu
March 2, 2012
•Le Cordon Bleu
•Miami
• 0 Comments
How to Lighten Up Your St. Patrick’s Day Menu
St. Patrick’s Day and health are rarely heard in the same sentence, unless, of course, it’s a toast to your health. While we would like to toast to your health this St. Patrick’s Day, we’d rather give you some tips on how to eat a little healthier while you celebrate the wearing of the green.
Typically, Irish foods are heavy and aren’t at all concerned with healthy or light ingredients. Most recipes are heavy on fats, creams, and starchy root vegetables. If you want to cut some of those calories but not the flavor, then try some of our tips on how to lighten up your St. Patrick’s Day menu.
Don’t worry. These tips are easy enough for anyone to try. You don’t have to go to cooking school in Miami to try these tips to lighten your St. Patrick’s Day feast this year.
Trim the Fat
Many cooking classes these days will help you avoid excess fat in your dishes. Whether it’s the fat cap on your corned beef or the extra fat on a leg of lamb, be sure to trim as much of the visible fat from your cuts of beef. If that doesn’t make it into the stew, it won’t make it into you.
Replace the Potatoes
Potatoes are an excellent source of many nutrients, especially vitamin C. They are also heavy in simple carbs that are quickly converted to sugar in the blood stream. Unless you plan a long march in a St. Paddy’s Day parade, try replacing the potatoes in your potato leek soup with parsnips. Cauliflower puree makes an excellent substitute for mashed potatoes in shepherd’s pie.
Oven-Fried Fish and Chips
Beer-battered fish and chips are a true Irish culinary treat. It’s also a huge fat and calorie bomb. To save those extra calories try breading the fish with panko breadcrumbs and serving it along side oven-roasted potato wedges. And don’t forget about the malt vinegar.
Wear – And Eat – the Green
Green isn’t just for your clothes on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s also a great way to supersize your nutrient intake. Green vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals that good for what ails you. Look for cooking classes that can help you learn how to cook with these excellent sources of nutrition. For breakfast you could try a green lemonade juice smoothie made of apples, lemon, cucumber, and kale or spinach. Lunch could be a ploughman’s lunch heavy on the greens and pickles. And, of course, dinner should include large amounts of green cabbage.
Replace Red Meat with Red Fish
Instead of fat-laden corned beef or lamb, try serving some smoked salmon. Smoked salmon is a traditional Irish delicacy that goes great at any meal. Be sure to purchase wild caught salmon. It’s better for you and the environment.
Whatever your menu plans this St. Patrick’s Day, these tips well enable you to choose healthy alternatives when celebrating the luck o’ the Irish. Erin go Bragh!
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs in the Miami, Florida area. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu/Miami for more information.
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