4 Healthy Green Recipes to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are famously filled with sweet treats, alcohol, and other unhealthy dishes. While there is nothing wrong with indulging once in a while, some people may want health-conscious options instead.
We have compiled a list of delicious, healthy green recipes for your St. Patrick’s Day festivities. These recipes incorporate many fresh fruits, vegetables, and leafy greens. Naturally green foods tend to be low in calories and high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. You and your guests will love these delectable, healthy recipes.
- Green Smoothie Bowls
This recipe is highly customizable. It’s easy to add your favorite fruits and vegetables to your smoothie for your preferred taste. You could even set out a spread of smoothie bowl ingredients for your guests to assemble their own.
For the base of this smoothie, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 avocado
- 2 cups leafy greens (kale, spinach, etc.)
- ½ large apple
- 4 frozen figs
- 12–15 ounces milk or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup coconut water
- Ice cubes for desired thickness
Blend these ingredients together to create the smoothie bowl base. Your smoothie will be delightfully green and festive for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
You can drink your smoothie as it is, but we recommend punching it up a notch by making a smoothie bowl. Pour a generous helping into a cereal bowl, and add any toppings you want. Chia seeds are a popular healthy addition, or you might add more green accents like chopped green apples or kiwi slices.
Smoothies pack in the nutrients without being too heavy on your stomach. And smoothie bowls give you the freedom to add whatever ingredients you choose while enjoying a nutritious snack.
- Creamy Broccoli and Spinach Dip
Broccoli and spinach are both high in beneficial nutrients and low in calories. When these veggies are combined in a creamy, delectable dip, you and your guests are sure to love it. Eating broccoli plain is not for everyone’s tastebuds, but this delicious dip incorporates the green vegetable in all of the right ways.
For this dip, you will need:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cups small broccoli florets
- Salt
- Pepper
- Lemon juice
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons shredded basil
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- Rye crispbread
To cook the dip, start by sauteeing the garlic in the oil over medium heat in a pan until just fragrant. Add the broccoli, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of water for consistency. Mix these ingredients thoroughly and cover the pan until the broccoli is tender. This should take between 6 and 8 minutes.
Add the spinach to the pan and cover it again until the spinach looks wilted. Set this mixture aside and let it cool.
After cooling, add the mixture, ricotta cheese, basil, and parmesan to a bowl. Stir to combine until creamy. Then, stir in lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
This dip can be served with rye crispbread at room temperature or chilled. You and your guests can spread the creamy dip over the crispy bread for a lovely green flavor combination.
- Matcha Coconut Pancakes
These matcha coconut pancakes will hit the spot for those with a sweet tooth. This recipe blends the natural sweetness of coconut with the unique savory notes of matcha tea powder. The pancakes are a good middle ground between extreme sweetness and bitter green tea flavors.
For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon matcha green tea powder
- ¼ tablespoon baking powder
- 6 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar
- 2 tablespoons non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
Start by combining all of these ingredients in a food processor. You can use a mixing bowl to combine them by hand as well. When your pancake mix is smooth, you can begin to cook them.
We recommend using about ¼ of a cup of batter per pancake, but you can make the pancakes larger if you prefer. Heat a pan over medium heat and cover the pan with non-stick spray. Cook each pancake until both sides are light golden brown.
You can garnish these pancakes with chopped pistachios, a dash of Greek yogurt, and a drizzle of honey. The matcha powder colors each pancake with a grassy green hue, making them perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. If you are serving guests, they will appreciate the festiveness of these beautiful green tea pancakes.
- Cucumber Feta Rolls
Every party guest loves a delicious finger food to snack on. These cucumber feta rolls are savory and delicious, and they also save you and your guests the calories that some fried, fatty appetizers can bring to the table.
For the cucumber feta rolls, you will need the following:
- 2 cucumbers
- 6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 2 ½ tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, diced
- 8–12 pitted kalamata olives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dill
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Pepper to taste
Slice each cucumber into thin strips lengthwise. A vegetable peeler works wonders for this step. Set the sliced cucumbers aside.
Add the feta cheese and Greek yogurt to a bowl. Combine with a fork, leaving the mixture at a mashed consistency, not smooth. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, chopped olives, dill, oregano, lemon juice, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Place 1–2 teaspoons of this mixture into each thin slice of cucumber and roll it up. Secure the rolls with toothpicks to keep them tightly rolled. You can serve these immediately or chill them in the refrigerator.
Save Calories on St. Patrick’s Day
Healthy green recipes will keep you in the spirit of this festive green holiday without sabotaging your diet. You feel your best when you follow a healthy diet, and you don’t have to give up St. Patrick’s Day celebrations to do that.
Are you hosting a gathering or bringing a dish to a party this St. Patrick’s day? Follow these recipes to ensure you have a shamrockin’ time.
