[1] This Shamrock Shake uses a topping of Lucky Charms. Cute as they are, we’d rather have green sprinkles or edible glitter (both photos © Ray’s Boathouse).

[2] If you don’t have any green garnishes, you can default to the ubiquitous maraschino cherry. Here’s the best brand from Tillen Farms, all natural and available on Amazon.

Ray’s Boathouse in Seattle is a wonderful waterfront seafood destination, serving local, seasonal fish and shellfish.

Located dockside restaurant on Shilshole Bay, a part of Puget Sound, diners can enjoy a majestic view of the Sound and the Olympic Mountains.

Ray’s Cafe, located upstairs from Ray’s Boathouse, is now serving their seasonal St. Patrick’s Day-inspired Shamrock Shake, through March 17th.

Let some people drink green beer and green Martinis: We want the green milkshake with Irish whiskey and two liqueurs.

This boozy milkshake is made with:

 
Here’s our copycat version, with many thanks to Ray’s for the inspiration. Enjoy it for dessert or as a snack.

Note that you may want to taste the shake after you’ve blended it halfway. If you want a stronger whiskey flavor, add more crème de cacao, crème de cacao or Irish whiskey to taste.
 
 
RECIPE: BOOZY ST. PATRICK’S DAY SHAKE

Ingredients For 2 Shakes

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

2. GARNISH as desired and serve immediately.

One of the latest ingredients embraced by chefs nationwide is nutritional yeast, a seasoning that adds cheesy, nutty, umami flavor—not unlike like the Parmesan cheese in a shaker can, but a little richer and rounder.

It’s naturally low in calories and sodium, and is fat-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan.

It’s growing in popularity to the point where Datassential, which monitors trends at restaurants nationwide, notes a 40% growth in menu mentions of nutritional yeast over the past year [source].

Nutritional yeast, casually known by its street name, “nooch,” is a way for cooks to deliver a nutritious punch of flavor.

It has long been used in vegan cooking: combined with a purée of cashews and seasonings to create a vegan cheese, or as a topping for pastas, salads and soups.

But its use is not limited to vegan or any other diet. Its umami quality makes nutritional yeast a flavor and nutrition boon for vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters alike (here’s the difference between vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians and and other restrictive diets).

Nutritional yeast is sold as flakes, granules or powder and can be found in natural and health food stores.

It not only delivers a big boost of flavor; it also supplies the nutrition its name promises: all nine essential amino acids, B vitamins and multiple trace minerals.

The only problem with nutritional yeast is its name. To us, “nutritional yeast” sounds like something for people with anemia. Now you know better.
 
 
WHAT IS NUTRITIONAL YEAST?

There are three types of yeast that are technically made from the same yeast species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. But are used for very different purposes.

 
Now to add on another layer of information:

There are two types of nutritional yeast, fortified and unfortified.

 
 
HOW TO USE NUTRITIONAL YEAST

You can use nutritional yeast as a seasoning for foods that can use the cheesy, nutty, umami flavor it delivers.

Vegans use it as a primary ingredient to create plant-based cheese alternatives. If you’re lactose-intolerant, kosher, or otherwise avoiding dairy products, you can use it here.

Anyone can:

 
So go ahead: Kick it up a nooch.

________________

*Coconut aminos is a salty, savory seasoning sauce made from the fermented sap of coconut palm and sea salt. You can buy it at health food stores and online.

[1] Nutritional yeast (photo © Bhofack2 | iStock Photo).

[2] Avocado toast and eggs sprinkled with nutritional yeast (photo © Vincent Rivaud |Pexels

[3] Penne rigate with mushrooms in olive oil sauce, sprinkled with nutritional yeast (photo © Engin Akyurt | Pexels).

[4] Buddha bowl (photo © Kween).

[1] Fusilli (corkscrew) pasta with white beans and kale. The recipe is below (both photos © DeLallo).

[2] Delallo”s biodynamic whole wheat fusilli. You can get it online.

[3] Lacinto kale, also known as Tuscan kale, Italian kale and dinosaur kale, among other names (photo © Good Eggs).

[4] Dried cannellini beans from Fortuna Sausage (photo © Fortuna Sausage).

In our continuing series of green main courses for St. Patrick’s Day, we present a simple dish that’s chock full of protein from beans, plus and vitamins and bright green color from kale.

The fragrant, garlicky greens and white beans team up with fusilli pasta, the familiar corkscrew shape.

You can use whole wheat fusilli for even more nutrition.

The name fusilli comes from fuso, spindle. The shape was traditionally “spun” by skilled pasta makers who rapidly twirled spaghetti around a rod, resulting in a long corkscrew shape called fusilli lunghi bucati.

It is still made in that long shape, along with shorter corkscrews.

This popular shape was born in Sicily and spread throughout southern Italy and the rest of the peninsula.

One reason why: The corkscrew curves are great sauce catchers and easily hold thick meat sauces, like Bolognese sauce.
 
 
RECIPE: FUSILLI WITH CANNELLINI BEANS & KALE

Want more green? Add broccoli, broccolini or broccoli rabe.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COOL the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Meanwhile…

2. HEAT the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat and add the garlic and anchovies. Simmer on low for 20 minutes. While the mixture is still warm, add the butter.

3. RETURN the heat level to medium and add the tomatoes. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stir in the red pepper flakes, and then add the kale.

4. COVER and cook for 10 more minutes, until the kale is tender and wilted.

5. ADD the beans, pasta (and some of the pasta water if needed for thinning), salt and pepper. Toss, plate, and serve with grated parmesan cheese.
 
 
MORE GREEN RECIPES

 
>>> CHECK OUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PASTA
IN OUR PASTA GLOSSARY >>>