Eat "Green" for the Luck of the Irish

by Misa

Greens galore; pancakes you have to try; and a leprechaun's magic snack.

Not to be mistaken with “go green,” or “eat organic,” or “have some lettuce” (not that I do/do not promote these things), but I am thinking of good 'ole St Patrick’s Day.  Can you tell I love holidays?

Three little boys, myself, a grocery store, and my iPhone.  What green foods did we find?  I hope what we found will inspire you to eat something fun and green on St Patrick’s Day!

There were a few more I chose not to snapshot, like Salsa Verde or bottled green goddess dressing (I only like the homemade kindfollowing the Barefoot Contessa’s amazing recipe). 

It can be easy to eat Green this St Patty’s Day!  Eat a green breakfast.  Pack a green lunch for the kids (sometimes grocery stores will let you order colored bread).  Eat a green after-school snack.  Make a green dinner.  Have a green dessert.  Fill a little leprechaun pot with fun green candy and treats. 

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Here is what we have planned for our green breakfast over at my bungalow.  We are keeping it super simple, cause you know how cRaZy the mornings can be!!!!  If you want to accept the fact that life gets crazy just use a pancake mix and add a few drops of green!

Buttermilk Pancakes

This is my favorite pancake recipe.  My mom and dad made them for my brother and me growing up.  I remember coming down on Sunday mornings seeing my dad, with an apron on, flipping the pancakes hot to serve.

Ingredients

• 1 Egg
• 1 Cup Buttermilk (I use 1 ½ cups more or less depending on the kind of flour.  Add more if you like thin cakes and less if you like them hefty and thick.)
• 2 Tbsp Melted Shortening (Crisco, butter or original flavor will do.)
• 1 Cup Flour
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Salt

Instructions

Add the wet ingredients to a bowl and mix, add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth.  Add as much or as little green food coloring as you would like.  You may end up adding a lot of food coloring to get it really green, and this may thin the batter just a bit.  Just in case the food coloring thins the batter, add the food coloring first and then work on thinning the batter with buttermilk or milk if you like. 

I used a buttermilk syrup recipe and added a few drops of green to that too.  One more thing, the leprechauns that come to our house always turn our milk green.  Green cold milk is the perfect companion to some hot green pancakes!

I tried to get a picture before my husband ate all the pancakes, but it all happened too fast and before I knew it the pancakes were gone.  

After School Snack:  Leprechaun Surprise

My Kindergarten teacher did this, and I still remember thinking it was about the coolest thing that I had ever eaten.  She poured a little bit of instant pistachio pudding mix into cup and it waiting on all of our desks when we got to school. Of course it appeared to be some magic powder (because it was white).  She told us to add milk and it turned green!!!  WHAT?????  It blew my young mind.  We put them outside in the cold Utah weather to set and then we got to eat it for a snack.   Oh my!  It was d-lish-amazing.  I think I still like pistachio pudding and B&J’s Pistachio Ice Cream for that very reason.  Give it a try if you don’t have a nut allergy!

Ingredients

• 2 ½  Tbsp pistachio pudding mix (doesn't have to be measured perfectly, just do a little less than 3 Tbsp or it is a little thick)
• ½ cup milk

Instructions

Put the mix in a small cute mason jar or some other white, glass, or clear cup.  Have the kids add ½ cup milk and stir, shake, or mix it up.  Put it in the fridge and wait 15 minutes.  Ta-da!  Magic leprechaun treat.

Best ‘o luck to you this month!  Let me know how you ate green this month.