Shamrocks and Leprechauns! Happy St Patrick’s Day!

I’ve never met an Irish person I didn’t like. Jovial and kind, they have a knack for making you feel like a longtime friend within minutes of meeting. Hand them a Guinness and a cause and you have provided these witty storytellers with the makings of live theatre. It is no wonder that St. Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of St Patrick is a craic to be reckoned with.

I’ve long wanted to visit the Emerald Isle with its verdant hills and ocean bluffs, and come May, I will. In addition to seeing abandoned castles and taking long walks in the hills, I plan to sharpen my skill for eloquence and flattery by kissing the Blarney Stone. And while not a fan of beer, I can’t imagine not trying Stout while I’m there… when in Rome… or in Ireland.

While I typically wait until I am actually in a new country before I experiment with their cuisine, in honor of St Patrick’s Day, I decided to make Irish Soda Bread, and with it, kale and potato soup, reminiscent of another Irish staple, Colcannon soup. These healthy versions of two of Ireland’s hallmark recipes blew me away! I hope you enjoy them too.

Have a great St. Patty’s day! Stay safe and drink responsibly 🙂

xo
B

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand

Irish Soda Bread

soda bread

This soda bread also tastes great with a sprinkling of caraway seeds on top

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons Himalayan salt
  • 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ¾ cup coconut flour
  • ½ cup jumbo rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp barley malt or molasses
  • 2 cups plain, unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 egg

Directions

  • Mix dry ingredients together and bend well.
  • In a larger bowl, mix together all wet ingredients and blend well.
  • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well until well blended.
  • With your hands work the dough until you form a ball.
  • Place on a cookie sheet that is either well oiled or on parchment paper.
  • Allow dough to relax on the pan and then using a knife, cut an “X” on the top of the dough
  • Bake at 350’ in middle of oven for 45 minutes or until baked through.
  • Allow to cool and serve.

Kale and Potato Soup

leakpotatosoup

Ingredients

  • 1 head of kale, stems removed and coarsely chopped
  • 3 medium potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut into ½ inch chunks (I leave the skin on because of the nutrients, but you can peel them if you prefer)
  • 4 to 6 cloves garlic (depending on taste preference), minced
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 quarts vegetable broth
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Olive oil

Directions

  • Place about 1 tbsp olive oil in a soup pot along with a pinch of red pepper flakes and ½ teaspoon salt and heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant then add the onions and continue sautéing until soft.
  • Add the potatoes and stir for about a minute.Add the broth and simmer for about 5 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
  • Add the kale, and cook for a few minutes until kale softens.
  • Add almond milk and allow to simmer another minute or so. Adjust salt and pepper to taste preference.
  • Serve with soda bread.