St. Patricks Day!

So I am already beginning on planning for St. Paddy's day as it is my second favorite holiday.. only after Christmas. I want to go all out this year and try different traditional dishes that are healthy and low calorie which is hard since Irish food seems to be mostly huge servings of bacon and sasuage and bread.

Does anyone have great recipes for St. Patricks Day? Maybe some that involve cabbage or maybe just anything green?

Also does anyone have traditions they always do for this holiday? I'd love to hear about anything you do or anything you eat!

How about a nice, bright green fresh pea soup?  I know it's maybe not traditional Irish fare, but it's so pretty.

Use frozen peas, thawed and cooked for just a minute.  Puree the peas with enough milk to make a soup.  Taste and season with salt and pepper, heat and serve,  and garnish with a swirl of low fat sour cream and a fresh mint leaf or sprig of parsley in each bowl as the finishing touch. 

i'm making cabbage, carrots and corned beef.  i just won't eat a ton of the corned beef:)

I loved these zucchini muffins!

My mom used to always make Cabbage and Beef. It was cabbage cooked with hamburger meat and apple cider vinegar.

Just so you know, the traditional Irish meal is Bacon (not corned beef!) & cabbage (and the cabbage has to be cooked in the bacon water) served with nice floury potatoes and veg (eg carrots & parsnips, turnip, etc)

Why not try Irish stew:

Serves 4 (divides in half or doubles easily)

Ingredients

1/2 kilo (250g) lamb, cut into 1 inch cubes
4 carrots, peeled and left whole
2 onions, sliced finely
Pearl barley - two handfuls
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube, made up in a pint of hot water
4 large potatoes, cut into 2 inch chunks
Salt and pepper

1. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil, and fry the lamb until it is browned.
3. Take the lamb out onto a plate, and add the onions to the pan and fry until they are soft and translucent (add more oil if you need to, scraping up the bits off the bottom of the pan).
4. Put the lamb back in, with the rest of the ingredients except the potatoes.
5. Cook for half an hour, then add the potatoes. Top up with water if it needs it.
6. Cook until the potatoes and pearl barley are cooked and the meat is soft.
7. Serve in bowls with brown bread, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.