Corned Beef and Cabbage Bonanza

With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, our mind is on the simple but hearty meat and potato dish: corned beef and cabbage. The holiday wouldn’t be complete without a bite or two of this holiday staple.

When you think about Irish fare you probably think of filling potatoes and other heavy meals that aren’t particularly good for your waistline. So it may be surprising to know that the common corned beef and cabbage dish is actually highly nutritious. It is packed with vitamins and minerals that have us cheering to the green-filled holiday.

Corned beef is high in protein, zinc and B-vitamins. The downside is that like any beef it is high in fat so just be aware of your portion sizes. A 3-ounce serving is 210 calories. Potatoes get a bad rap for being high in carbohydrates but potatoes are also full of calcium, iron, potassium and vitamin C. Cabbage, not surprisingly, is the healthiest star of the show. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and folic acid and it is also high in fiber which will fill you up!

Create a spin on the classic dish with these variations of corned beef and cabbage:

• Corned beef meatballs. No joke.
• Throw the ingredients of the Irish favorite onto a pizza with this corned beef, cabbage and potato pizza recipe.
• Make corned beef and cabbage slaw sliders as a quick recipe for your St. Patrick’s Day Party.
• There is still a chill in the air so noshing on corned beef and cabbage soup doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
• Have leftovers? Whip up this corned beef, cabbage and kimchi burrito.

Do you have a twist on corned beef and cabbage? What is your favorite part of St. Patrick’s Day?

photo credit: darktek13 via photopin cc