Lamb stew is Irish penicillin: a rich stew full of potatoes, leeks and carrots that'll cure whatever ails you. In traditional fashion, nothing here is browned first, just all stewed together. To keep it healthy make sure to trim the lamb of any visible fat before you cook it.
Lovers of fried fish get the taste without all the calories in this recipe. Seasoned whole-wheat flour improves the usual fish-and-chips batter. A good pilsner or lager makes this dish taste best—and since you only need 1/2 cup, there's some left over for the cook to enjoy.
Our cheese- and beer-lover's potato soup has only a fraction of the fat and sodium of a traditional recipe. We use low-fat milk and only a little oil and keep the flavor strong with zesty, sharp Cheddar cheese. Precooked diced potatoes, which you can get at many supermarkets, keep this recipe super speedy. Regular diced red potatoes also work—you'll just need to increase the cooking time.
Soda breads are hearty Irish staples - wholemeal flour with large flakes of bran and wheat germ, or white flour or a mixture leavened with baking soda and moistened with buttermilk. The acid in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda, which is an alkali, creating bubbles of carbon dioxide which rise the bread. Soda breads have the heft of a yeast bread but are made in minutes and the dough can be shaped into scones or a round loaf, depending on the occasion. Originally it would have been baked in a bastible (pot oven) over the open fire.
There are countless variations on this classic Irish potato-and-cabbage combination—ours is made with steamed red potatoes, sauteed cabbage and just a touch of butter.
In EatingWell's take on Shepherd's Pie, we replace the potato topping with convenient, delicious frozen squash puree. And they're baked in individual ramekins to guarantee perfectly sized servings and help you get it on the table fast.
Fish and chips are traditionally sold wrapped in paper to soak up all the grease—not a good sign. To cut the calories in half and reduce the fat, we coat the delicate fish in a crispy cornflake crust and then bake it along with sliced potatoes. Serve with: Coleslaw and malt vinegar or lemon wedges.
Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day! Whether you want to serve traditional Irish fare, cook with beer or go with a green theme, we have a variety of healthy St. Patrick's Day recipes for you to choose from. We hope a few of these St. Patty's dishes make it onto your table for a delightful—and healthful—celebration this March 17.