Vegan Colcannon non-traditional

Vegan Colcannon
Vegan Colcannon

Happy soon to be St. Patrick’s Day! Let’s celebrate with some yumminess. In the past I’ve done green food like these pancakes, and these muffins, and vegan Irish cream. This year we’re focusing on the potato. Oh how I love a potato. I’m going to play up the awesomeness of the Yukon Gold potato in this variation of  Colcannon, or mashed potatoes with green stuff if you aren’t Irish.

Traditionally Colcannon is as Irish dish made from mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage folded in. It is often perked up with scallions or leeks. For this vegan variation I am sautéing leeks and folding them in, and garnishing with kale chips. It’s pretty, yummy, and my girls love to pick the kale chips off the top. Honestly, that’s the only part they eat. I think I have the only kids in the world who won’t eat mashed potatoes.

Kale chips are a huge hit in our house, but they shatter and always leave tiny little pieces at the bottom of the container. This is a perfect way to use them up. And a perfect excuse to try making kale chips if you haven’t yet.

The twist in this recipe is adding the salt and vinegar to the cooking water for the potatoes. When you do this the potatoes are flavored from the inside out and each and every bite becomes a perfectly seasoned flavor bomb.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes cut into 1/4 cubes
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 large leek cut lengthwise, and then into 1/4 half moons
  • olive oil for sautéing
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter
  • 1/4 cup nondairy milk (plain unsweetened)
  • 1 TBL nutritional yeast
  • kale chips for garnish

Instructions

  1. Place potatoes in a 3qt pot and cover with cold water to 1″ above the potatoes.
  2. Add salt and vinegar to the pot and bring to a boil.
  3. Continue boiling until potatoes are tender, 10-12 min.
  4. While potatoes are cooking heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add leeks and sauté until leeks are tender, about 7 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat if potatoes are not yet cooked.
  6. Once potatoes are cooked drain them and return to the cooking pot. Add butter, milk, and nutritional yeast and mash to your desired consistency.
  7. Fold in cooked leeks, taste and adjust seasoning.
  8. Garnish with kale chips and serve immediately.
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2017!

Vegan Irish Cream Ice Cream
Vegan Irish Cream Ice Cream

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. I was thinking I would just share a few of my past St. Patrick’s Day recipes with you, and other’s that could be useful on this lovely day. A day dedicated to greed food and whiskey.

Vegan Irish Cream Ice Cream
Vegan Irish Cream Ice Cream

 

Vegan Irish Cream Ice Cream

Vegan Irish Cream

Cold Brew Coffee Whiskey 

Affogato 

Green Pancakes

Green Muffins

 

 

St. Patrick’s Day Green Muffins (Zucchini-Spinach, sugar free, vegan, toddler approved)

Spinach Zucchini Muffins -date sweetened
Spinach Zucchini Muffins -date sweetened

Who doesn’t love green food? Oh, yeah, toddlers. Well, except mine who things it needs to be green to be edible! These yummy muffins are packed with vegetables, take their sweetness from the dates, and are good enough I was sneaking them when my daughter wasn’t looking. These are quite green from all the vegetables and would be perfect to introduce on St. Patrick’s Day if you have a picky eater. Also perfect to bring to work to nourish you throughout the day to prepare you for your evening activities. Spread a little almond butter on these and you have yourself a meal.

Makes 12 regular muffins

 Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped dates (about 5-7 dates)
  • hot water to cover dates
  • 1 1/2 cups spelt flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 packed cup fresh baby spinach
  • 1 TBL chia seeds
  • 2 cups grated zucchini
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 and prepare a muffin pan with paper liners or by lightly oiling the pan.
    2. Place chopped dates in a glass measuring cup, pour boiling water over the top just to cover the dates, and set aside to soften, about 5 minutes.
    3. In a mixing bowl combine all of the dry ingredients, flour through cinnamon.
    4. When dates are soft place them, the soaking water, coconut oil, and the baby spinach in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
    5. Pour date mixture into bowl with dry ingredients, add chia seeds, zucchini, and vanilla stirring to combine.
    6. Divide the batter evenly into prepared muffin tine and bake 18-20 minutes until tops turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean.
    7. Remove from the pan and allow to cool a bit before eating.

St. Patrick’s Day Vegan Irish Cream Ice Cream

Vegan Irish Cream Ice Cream
Vegan Irish Cream Ice Cream

St.Patrick’s Day is coming up. Usually my husband and I celebrate with a silly tradition of watching “The Boondock Saints” and drinking Guinness and my vegan version of Baileys Irish Cream. It is possible that we mix these and drink them quite fast, but I’ll never confess to such debauchery. That won’t be happening this year because I’m pregnant, again. Since I hate to miss out on tradition I just had to come up with another way to celebrate, and, of course, I had to practice and share my idea with you. Simply, it is a perfectly delicious, creamy, cool, and decedent Irish Cream Ice cream. I might have tried mine over a brownie and topped with hot fudge. Don’t blame me, blame the baby.

 Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup +1 TBL Irish whiskey
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • dash of salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp brewed espresso or coffee
  • 1 TBL chocolate chips (vegan)
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk

Instructions

  1. In a small saucepan heat 1/2 cup whiskey and the brown sugar over medium/low heat until simmering, stirring frequently.
  2. Continue to simmer and stir frequently until the mixture has reduced to approximately 1/4 cup of liquid, about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla, almond, salt, coffee, and chocolate chips stirring until the chocolate is completely melted.
  4. Pour in the coconut milk. If it has separated in the can heat gently until just heated through, then stir until everything is uniformly combined with no chunks of floating coconut cream.
  5. Pour the mixture into a blender and blend until light and foamy, about 45 seconds.
  6. Freeze according to your ice cream makers instructions.