St. Patrick’s Day Patrick may mean reaching for the green beer in the dyed bag. But what if this year, you lean into foods that are green and green and the best for you?
Here’s the thing: green foods have a name problem. People think that “green” automatically means “salad” or “boring.” But some foods are satisfying to make green. And no, we’re not just talking about the vegetables you eat.
Let’s fix that.
Green Foods Beyond Salads
1. Avocado Toast
Yes, there have been over 47 million avocado toast recipes online. And here’s why it works: it works.
Mash the ripe avocado with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes. Bake your favorite cake. Spread the mashed avocado mixture on the toast. Optional but recommended: sprinkle any bagel topping on top, or drizzle with warm honey.
Avocados contain some protein—about 3 grams per whole fruit—but are high in fiber, with up to 10g per fruit. (1) Add eggs for added protein, and suddenly you have a balanced diet.
The healthy fats in avocados work well with whole grain toast and turn breakfast into something that makes you feel full. (1)
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2. Edamame
Edamame nutrition is justifiably impressive: one cup of shelled, cooked edamame contains 18 grams of protein, making it one of the best sources of plant-based protein. (2) It’s also a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids your body needs and is high in fiber at 8g per cup. (2,13)
How to eat edamame beyond restaurant food:
- Mix it with hummus (edamame hummus is a thing, and it’s great)
- Season with sea salt for a milder meal
- Add it to the stir-fries in the last few minutes of cooking
If you buy it frozen—which many people do—don’t cook it. Just thaw, rinse, and eat.
3. Green Smoothies
What is it about green smoothies that people like? Vegetables, bananas, and some combination of mango, pineapple, or berries are usually used.
So, to make it, just throw some greens in a blender with frozen mango, banana, Greek yogurt, and orange juice or almond milk. Blend until smooth.
Or, if you’d rather follow the recipe, give this Cacao Nib Almond Green Smoothie Bowl a try. It’s usually green, nutritious, and satisfying enough to pass as a meal.
Either way, the fruit completely overshadows the flavor of the vegetables, but you still get nutrients like iron, folate, and vitamin C. (3) Yogurt adds protein, the fruit adds flavor, and everything tastes tropical—not like something you’re forcing yourself to eat for health reasons. (4)
This secret uses frozen fruit, which makes it hard and cold without water and ice.
4. Kiwi
A medium kiwi contains only 42-46 calories. (5) But that is not interesting.
One medium kiwi delivers 92mg of vitamin C in 100 grams, plus vitamin K, copper, and fiber. (5) The thin skin is nutritious (yes, really), eating it doubles the fiber content. (5,6)
Slice kiwi into yogurt, mix it into smoothies, or just eat it straight from the peel with a spoon. It’s tart, sweet, and the kind of fruit that wakes up your taste buds in the middle of the day when everything else tastes good.
5. Pesto
If you’ve ever wondered what pesto is made of, the classic version combines basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. However, this season’s variation is often replaced with spinach, arugula, broccoli, or kale, as well as walnuts or almonds.
In the end, they are all green and delicious, the result is a sauce that is rich, garlic, and herbs. It also contains healthy fats from nuts and olive oil. (7,8)
Pesto works on pasta, obviously. But it also works:
- Spread in the folded eggs
- Spread on sandwiches instead of mayonnaise
- Toss it with the roasted vegetables
- Dolloped with chicken or grilled fish
A batch lasts about a week in the fridge, or you can freeze it in ice cube trays for single-serving portions.
6. Zucchini noodles
Forget everything you thought you knew about zucchini noodles. When done right, they’re not sad pasta substitutes—they’re their own thing entirely.
The trick? Don’t finish it. Use a spiralizer (or just a vegetable peeler for larger ribbons), lightly salt them, let them sit for 10 minutes, then drain the water. This can prevent the dreaded soggy zoodle situation.
From a nutritional standpoint, raw zucchini contains vitamin C and potassium (9), which supports the immune system and helps control blood pressure. (14,15)
But most importantly, zucchini noodles put food like a dream. Think creamy garlic, lemon butter, or pesto—anything bold enough to make you forget you’re eating.
If you want a delicious and healthy way to try them, make this Chicken and Avocado Zucchini Noodle Bowl. It combines zucchini noodles with strong protein and healthy fats, turning them into a satisfying and healthy meal. But, when you log into MyFitnessPal, you’ll see how those simple choices add up.
7. Vegetable slices
These soft, flexible wrappers trick your brain into thinking you’re eating a tortilla. Except they’re made with vegetables, which means you’re slowly consuming less folate and vitamin K. (3)
But let’s be honest: you don’t eat vegetable wraps for vitamins. You eat them because they are delicious and hold a filling without falling off.
Fill them with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and cucumber. Or hummus, roasted vegetables, and feta. Or eggs and avocado.
Pro tip: Heat them a little before filling. Cold vegetable wraps can crack. The heaters are foldable as they are designed for this specific purpose.
8. Avocado Chocolate Pudding
This will trick your taste buds. You don’t have to register it as a recipe.
Mix ripe avocado with cocoa powder, a touch of maple syrup or honey and vanilla extract. What you get is a creamy, creamy, almost mousse-like pudding that’s loaded with fat-free, potassium, and vitamin E. (1)
Test: Tell someone who says they “hate avocado” to try it. I bet they will change their minds with this!
9. Brussels sprouts
When roasted, Brussels sprouts caramelize and turn slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, bringing out their flavor. Their beautiful green color keeps well in the oven, especially when tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Nutritionally, Brussels sprouts are low in calories but high in fiber and vitamin C. One cup of cooked Brussels sprouts contains about 6 grams of fiber and the popular vitamin K. (10).
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which green food has the most protein? Edamame gets 18g per cup, followed by pesto (from pine nuts and cheese) which are the top few on this list. (2,7,11)
- Are frozen green vegetables as nutritious as fresh? Most of the time, yes. Vegetables are usually frozen at maturity, which preserves their nutritional content. (12)
- What is the easiest green diet to start? Edamame or kiwi—both require minimal preparation and taste great with no skill required.
Under the ground
Eating green doesn’t have to be boring. When you stop thinking of them as “good vegetables to eat” and start thinking of all the creative ways you can incorporate them, your perspective may change.
And if you’re trying to be more careful, logging meals in MyFitnessPal can help you see how these green foods stack up. You may find that edamame adds more protein than expected, or that avocado contributes to the saturated fat that balances your diet.
St. Patrick’s Day This Patrick, skip the food coloring. Good green foods are already here—and they taste better than you might think.
The post Green Foods That Aren’t Just Salads (St Patrick’s Day Break) appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.
