Some St. Patricks Day Foods for Corned Beef Haters (and I know there are some)

No leprechans in my post- here is the real thing a castle in County Galway

The main thing people seem to care about having as St. Patrick's Day approaches is green beer or stout, but if you or guests are going to be drinking you definitely should serve some food. So you are a vegetarian or really hate corned beef and cabbage, but you want something festive, or just don't have time to make the full Monty Irish dinner. So what can you do?  Here are some quick, easy, and in some cases green ideas that may appeal to the Irish in you.

Dubliner Cheese Biscuits -  While you can make these from scratch, you can use a prepared biscuit mix using the rolled biscuit option and add a couple of tablespoons of chopped chives and 3/4 cup shredded Dubliner or other Irish Cheddar before rolling. Really yummy!!!

Avocado and Spinach Pasta Sauce -  I found this recipe on Pinterest and made some small changes of my own and it has become a real family favorite. Take a ripe avocado, peeled and cut in large chunks in the food processor, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, 2-4 crushed garlic cloves, 2 handfuls of baby spinach 1/4 cup oliv oil and blend.  Once it gets smooth add salt and pepper and 1/2 - 1 cup of fat free half and half or cream and blend again.  Toss with any cooked pasta, and you will have a green dish that is healthy and delicious!

Make a baked potato an Irish Dinner!

Irish Flag Salad -  Toss baby spinach with drained mandarin oranges and some crumbled goat cheese for a salad that shows the Irish colors!

Irish All in One Stuffed Baked Potatoes - Capture the best of the Irish in a quick and easy dish by baking potatoes and then cutting in half lengthwise.  Mash the insides with cooked kale, crumbled  bacon, and shredded Dubliner Irish Cheddar.  Top with Irish cheddar, and bake until cheese is bubbly.

So pull out your green beer if you must, but try one of these dishes  to celebrate the Irish in us all!