As I said last week, Ireland has a special place in my heart. During my time in Ireland, I fell in love with the Irish flag, which is called the Irish Tricolor, according to Wikipedia. How original. ???
I was at Kilmainham Gaol (aka “jail”) in the back exterior area, where rebellion leaders of the Easter Rising had been executed by firing squad. Our tour guide pointed to the Irish Tricolor flying above the stone walls and asked if we knew what it stood for. According to Wikipedia (yet again), “The Irish government has described the symbolism behind each colour as being that of green representing the Gaelic tradition of Ireland, orange representing the followers of William of Orange in Ireland, and white representing the aspiration for peace between them.”
Charming. From that point on, I took a picture of the Irish flag whenever I came across one. Along with every cute pub. And every meal I ate. And every pint of cider I consumed. And every cemetery we visited. And basically everything. (I filled like ten Facebook albums. ?)
Anyway, this recipe is the perfect solution if you’re looking for something Irish-themed for St. Patrick’s Day but are over the “mint” recipes. I’m not entirely sure how mint became the classic St. Patrick’s Day flavor (I guess because it makes sense for something that’s green), but I know many people who dislike minty foods.
Technically, this recipe is more about the presentation than the ingredients. You could use anything orange (like persimmon) to replace the orange slices, and anything white (like sliced almonds or a dollop of yogurt) instead of coconut, and anything green (or nothing, and just let the smoothie show through) instead of kiwi. And honestly, you could use ANY green smoothie recipe for the base and then top it with the Irish Tricolor, but I have included a simple recipe that pairs nicely with the orange and kiwi.
Psst . . . pineapple is a great ingredient to use in green smoothies. It really overpowers the spinach so you can’t taste it!
Random Recommendations:
- [reads] The book Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap by Peggy Orenstein was an eye-opening look at girls’ experiences in (American) schools and the struggles they face. I found it uncomfortably relatable.
- [things] If you use Google Chrome, install the Drumpfinator extension. It changes every “Donald Drumpf” into “Donald Drumpf,” and that’s great.
What you'll need:
- 1 frozen banana (I like to peel and slice before freezing)
- 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 3/4 cup water, milk, or orange juice
- 1/2 cup packed spinach, stems removed
- 2-4 tbsp avocado, optional
- 1/4 cup oats (quick or rolled) (I used BetterOats organic quick oats)
- pinch of salt
- half an orange (I used Cara Cara, but navel would work, too)(you could also use the other half of the orange in the smoothie)
- shredded coconut
- 1 kiwifruit
How to make it:
- Prep your toppings. Use a sharp knife to cut down the contour of the orange, taking off both the peel and the outer membrane. Then, slice the orange horizontally into crosswise slices.
- Similarly, slice your kiwifruit into crosswise slices (peeling is optional).
- Blend all ingredients for Green Smoothie Bowl together until creamy.
- Layer fruit toppings like the Irish Tricolor (the national flag) on top of the smoothie and enjoy!
Just an FYI:
All ingredients for the smoothie can easily be adjusted to meet your preferences. As written, this recipe makes a somewhat thin smoothie; use less liquid for a thicker smoothie.
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