St. Patrick’s Day is on the way, and the color green seems to be EVERYWHERE, including in your glass – and I’m not talking about Shamrock Shakes or Midori Sours! The green drink trend has arrived and is here to stay, and for good reason – these beverages are tasty and good for you. 
A friend recently asked me for some recipes because even her nutritionist suggested that she start drinking green drinks. I have been a long time aficionado of the green smoothie. Admittedly, I didn’t know anything about green drinks until I saw a photo collage in Us Weekly of beautiful and youthful celebrities all holding them and I thought – hmm, maybe I should try that! (And who can forget when Sheree tried to get Kim Zolciak to drink a kale shake on the Real Housewives of Atlanta?) 
I like to think my skin is going to glow like Reese Witherspoon’s or my hair is going to shine like Kim Kardashian’s when I am drinking my kale concoctions. Plus, green drinks are a wonderful way to incorporate vegetables into your diet. How else can you possible eat five servings a day? Or is it six now? I can’t keep up …
The first green drink recipe is from Daphne Oz, who I had the pleasure of interviewing last year. See Fairytale Feasts from Daphne Oz. She actually tweeted this recipe to me and I’ve been enjoying it ever since. 
I’ve also included a recipe from Jackie Warner, fitness trainer and Bravo reality television star. I love Jackie’s wholesome, non-judgmental approach to health and fitness. Reading her books doesn’t make me feel like someone is scolding me for being overweight or degrading me for not having the willpower to make the right decisions. The other green drink recipes are my own inventions that I made with things I had around the house. I promise, they’re all tasty.

Daphne Oz’s Fairytale Green Juice
(Serves 1-2)

Ingredients:
1 handful of spinach
1 handful of kale
1 stalk celery
1 apple, cored and peeled
Juice of a half lemon
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Directions:
Add all of the ingredients to a blender. Pulse until chopped and well blended. Serve.

Jackie Warner’s Pre-Workout Protein Shake
(Serves 1)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup frozen spinach
1 tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter
1 scoop vanilla whey protein isolate powder
1/4 cup dry oats
Water to taste

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Add water until you reach your desired consistency.

Fairytale Frozen Spinach Protein Smoothie
(Serves 1-2)

Ingredients:
2 handfuls of spinach
3/4 cup of almond milk
1 scoop of vanilla whey protein isolate powder (I like Precision from Vitamin World),
1 cup of ice (optional – but makes it cold and thicker)

Directions:
Place the spinach, almond milk and protein powder in a blender and pulse until blended. Add the ice and pulse until smooth and blended. Serve.

Fairytale Spinach and Banana Smoothie
(Serves 1-2)

Ingredients:
2 handfuls of spinach

3/4 cup of almond milk
1 medium banana
3/4 cup of non-fat Greek Yogurt (like Fage Total 0%)

Directions:
Place the spinach, almond milk and banana pieces in a blender and pulse until well blended. Add the yogurt and blend. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!
After a few weeks of being MIA, I am back with one of my favorite recipes for St. Patrick’s Day! There are so many recipes out there for beef stew but this recipe from Cooking Light is AMAZING and so flavorful. This stew is made with everyone’s favorite Irish stout, Guinness Draught.  A stout is a strong, dark beer that originated in the British isles in the 18th century. Irish stouts, like Guinness, have a hoppier flavor and are less malty.  Guinness descended from the British isles in 1759 when Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease on an unused brewery in Dublin, Ireland.  Guinness is still the best selling alcoholic beverage in Ireland today. Contrary to popular belief, Guinness is not as heavy or bad for your health as people assume. A 12 oz bottle only has 126 calories. See this article in the LA Times for more information about the health benefits of Guinness.  Other research shows that Guinness may also be good for your heart. See this article in the BBC news.

This recipe for Beef and Guinness Stew appeared in the March issue of Cooking Light last year.  It tastes even better than it looks. The caraway seeds, raisins and Guinness really give it a sweet but bold flavor. This dish is a perfect festive alternative to corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day or any day of the year. Just don’t forget the crusty bread for the stew or some Irish Soda Bread as an extra treat! 🙂 
Beef and Guinness Stew
From Cooking Light Magazine
(Serves 8)

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup of all purpose flour
  • 2  pounds  boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
  • 5  cups  chopped onion (about 3 onions)
  • 1  tablespoon  tomato paste
  • 4  cups  fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
  • 1  (11.2-ounce) bottle Guinness Stout
  • 1  tablespoon  raisins
  • 1  teaspoon  caraway seeds
  • 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
  • 1 1/2  cups  (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices carrot (about 8 ounces)
  • 1 1/2  cups  (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices parsnip (about 8 ounces)
  • 1  cup  (1/2-inch) cubed peeled turnip (about 8 ounces)
  • 2  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt; dredge beef in flour. Add half of beef to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove beef from pan with a slotted spoon. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and beef.
2. Add onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and beer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Return meat to pan. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, raisins, caraway seeds, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil. Cook 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot, parsnip, and turnip. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Enjoy! 🙂