39 Green Foods for St. Patrick’s Day

The color green goes hand in hand with the holiday—almost as much as the classic Irish-American meal of corned beef and cabbage. But you can get into the spirit with green eats that are both festive and healthy. Whether you want to cook a full-on emerald-themed meal or just throw a verdant ingredient or two into the mix, check out our roundup of green foods and recipes before you celebrate.

10 healthy green foods

Matcha

Green tea leaves are finely ground to produce matcha powder, a more intense, earthy tea. Each serving delivers antioxidants, a little fiber, and about one-third of the caffeine you’d find in coffee. Whisk matcha into hot water for a classic preparation, or experiment with adding it to smoothies and other recipes.

Try it here: Organic Ceremonial Matcha Tea

Spirulina

This nutrient-dense, spiral-shaped algae is nearly 60 percent protein—wow! In handy powder form, it works wonderfully in green smoothies, but can be used in almost any dish. A few of the recipes below even call for spirulina as a main ingredient.

Try it here: Thrive Market Spirulina Powder

Chlorella

Like spirulina, chlorella is an algae that contains good-for-you compounds including chlorophyll, protein, and essential fatty acids. Mix a spoonful into water for an instant nutritional boost, or, to mask the grassy flavor, add it to a smoothie or detox drink.

Try it here: Chlorella Powder

Wheatgrass powder

With more than 70 vitamins and minerals, wheatgrass is a highly concentrated source of nutrients. If you don’t have a juicer on hand, freeze-dried wheatgrass powder is the next best thing.

Try it here: Freeze-Dried Wheatgrass Powder

Seaweed

While we’re on the subject of water-dwelling plants, we couldn’t skip over seaweed. Nori, dulse, kelp, and other seaweed snacks have become popular for their umami flavor and vitamin content. Try a piece of nori wrapped around sushi, snack on dried seaweed, or crumble dulse into a miso soup.

Try it here: Organic Nori, Dulse

Jalapeños

Spicy peppers like jalapeños get their kick from capsaicin, a compound that may also support weight management. Add a few slices to fish tacos, salads, or sandwiches. (If you’re sensitive to heat, just remove all the seeds, and you’ll get the flavor without the intense burn.)

Try it here: Woodstock Organic Jalapeno Relish

Wasabi

To add some heat to Japanese dishes, look no further than wasabi. The lime-green paste in sushi restaurants is actually just wasabi powder—made from the root of the plant of the same name—blended with water. As long as you have the powder, it’s easy to recreate the paste at home.

Green olives

There’s a reason why olive oil has a reputation as a healthy fat and it’s made from green olives, so why not go straight to the source? Pop a few as a mid-afternoon snack, garnish a salad with them, or even add a few sliced olives into pasta sauce.

Try them here: Organic Green Olives

Spinach noodles

Pasta with only 15 calories per serving? It doesn’t seem possible, but it is with spinach shirataki noodles. (Shirataki is made from fiber-packed glucomannan starch, and also happens to be gluten-free.) This great-tasting “miracle noodle” transforms your favorite pasta dish from beige and basic into a green dream.

Try them here: Spinach Shirataki Noodles

Green goddess dressing

This classic tahini-lemon salad dressing packs in tons of flavor without any of the artificial ingredients and unhealthy additives you’ll find in conventional options. The pale green hue only adds to its appeal.

Try it here: Organic Goddess Dressing

25 good-for-you green recipes

Smoothies and drinks

Vegan Shamrock Shake

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day (or any day, really) with a green shake that’s loaded with creamy avocado and refreshing mint. It’s sure to make your day extra lucky.

Get the recipe: Vegan Shamrock Shake

Aloe Vera Detox Drink

Wake yourself up naturally with an aloe vera, basil, cucumber concoction. Hydrating, vitamin-rich, and detoxifying, it’s a worthy swap for coffee or tea.

Get the recipe: Aloe Vera Detox Drink

Green Smoothie Bowl

Made from green fruits and veggies only—kale, spinach, pear, and cucumber—this vibrant bowl will help start off your day on the right note.

Get the recipe: Green Smoothie Bowl

Avocado Smoothie Bowl

The unbelievably thick and creamy consistency might be enough to convince you that you’re eating ice cream for breakfast. Don’t be fooled—it’s just nutrient-packed avocado!

Get the recipe: Avocado Smoothie Bowl

Supercharged Green Smoothie

This kale-pineapple smoothie blend is amped up with a spoonful of coconut oil for extra energy.

Get the recipe: Supercharged Green Smoothie

Tropical Green Popsicles

Though just as colorful as the kind you’ll find in the supermarket, these DIY green popsicles blow store-bought options out of the water. Blend a dreamy base of ripe mango, thick avocado, sweet banana, and nutrient-packed spinach, then pour it into popsicle molds to freeze.

Get the recipe: Tropical Green Popsicles

Savory dishes

Detoxifying Green Soup

Juice cleanses are so 2015—soup cleanses are the detoxifying trend du jour. The concept is simple: combine a bunch of nutritious vegetables in a soup, blend it until velvety and smooth, and enjoy. Here, key ingredients broccoli, kale, watercress, and parsley come together in a gorgeous verdant hue.

Get the recipe: Detoxifying Green Soup

Almond–Green Bean Soup

While we’re on the subject of soups, why not try one made from green beans? Though a little non-traditional as soups go, the beans work beautifully when paired with another leafy green, like kale, plus almonds.

Get the recipe: Almond–Green Bean Soup

Kale Caesar Salad

Upgrade to kale instead of iceberg, fresh dressing instead of bottled, and bacon and avocado instead of croutons for a Paleo-friendly version of the classic Caesar. Free of dairy and gluten, it’s a perfect lunch or dinner for primal eaters and gluten-free foodies.

Get the recipe: Kale Caesar Salad

Crunchy Brussels Sprouts Slaw

Ready for a new way to eat your Brussels? Try them shaved and raw, as in this fresh slaw with Granny Smith apples, radicchio, dried cherries, and a tangy mustard vinaigrette.

Get the recipe: Crunchy Brussels Sprouts Slaw

Broccolini Salad

In just 15 minutes, you’ll be done whipping up this easy side. Sauté tender broccolini, whisk together a quick dressing, and slice some cherry tomatoes—that’s it!

Get the recipe: Broccolini Salad

Cucumber-Seaweed Salad

This light and refreshing combination of cucumber, red radishes, and various seaweeds is one of the most popular appetizers in Japan. Serve it alongside grilled seafood for a fresh weeknight meal.

Get the recipe: Cucumber-Seaweed Salad

Coconut-Creamed Spinach

The traditional recipe for creamed spinach calls for heavy cream and lots of butter. Here, we’ve swapped in coconut oil, coconut milk, and nutritional yeast for a dairy-free alternative.

Get the recipe: Coconut-Creamed Spinach

Brussels Sprouts With Sour Cherries, Prosciutto, and Hazelnuts

Compound ghee—clarified butter mixed with garlic, sour cherries, apple cider vinegar, and honey—really makes Brussels sprouts shine. Salty prosciutto and crunchy hazelnuts add an extra depth of flavor.

Get the recipe: Brussels Sprouts With Sour Cherries, Prosciutto, and Hazelnuts

Marinated Green Olives

For a crowd-pleasing hors d’oeuvre, marinate jarred green olives in warm olive oil, and add herbs for a little extra flavor.

Get the recipe: Marinated Green Olives

Hawaiian Edamame

A sweet-and-spicy sauce—made from coconut aminos, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and coconut sugar—takes the classic finger food to new heights.

Get the recipe: Hawaiian Edamame

Spirulina Tapenade

With loads of garlic, olive oil, a hint of tamari, and ginger, spirulina masquerades as a sort of tapenade. Slather it on sandwiches, or serve it alongside fresh bread and crudités for a sophisticated aperitif.

Get the recipe: Spirulina Tapenade

Salt and Vinegar Brussels Sprouts Chips

The outer leaves of Brussels sprouts make perfect little chips when oven-roasted. Adding olive oil, Himalayan pink salt, and apple cider vinegar gives this gluten-free snack a lovely tang.

Get the recipe: Brussels Sprouts Chips Recipe

Spirulina Risotto

Spirulina instantly turns most dishes green. This traditional risotto is no exception—with some zucchini and other veggies added for even more nutrients.

Get the recipe: Spirulina Risotto

Sautéed Green Beans and Snow Peas

Our friend the green bean pops up again, this time paired with snap peas, snow peas, purple potatoes, and red onion for a tasty and colorful side dish.

Get the recipe: Sautéed Green Beans and Snow Peas

Green Wellness Bowl

What do broccoli, kale, pea shoots, avocado, and cucumber have in common? They’re all green and they taste lovely together when dressed in a simple spirulina vinaigrette.

Get the recipe: Green Wellness Bowl With Spirulina Vinaigrette

Pine Nut Chimichurri Sauce

The classic Argentine steak sauce harnesses the bold flavors of garlic, parsley, pine nuts, and vinegar. Use it as a marinade for grilled meats, or add a dollop to a medium-rare steak.

Get the recipe: Pine Nut Chimichurri

Desserts

Raw Matcha Ice Cream Cake

All it takes is two tablespoons of matcha green tea powder to give raw coconut milk “ice cream” a delightful seafoam tint. Rich coconut milk forms the base, while almonds, honey, and coconut oil come together as a crust.

Get the recipe: Raw Matcha Ice Cream Cake

Matcha-Chocolate Coated Snack Sticks

Here’s our take on a classic Japanese biscuit treat that typically comes dipped in milk chocolate, but ours uses a matcha white chocolate coating.

Get the recipe: Matcha-Chocolate Snack Sticks

Matcha Chia Pudding

Omega-rich chia seeds already pack a powerful, energy-boosting punch, but green tea powder amps it up with a little caffeine kick, making chia pudding equal parts sweet treat and healthy snack.

Get the recipe: Matcha Chia Pudding Recipe

Maca Matcha Milkshake

Skip the sugar-filled green milkshake that’s so popular this time of year in favor of an almond milkshake flavored with matcha, vanilla, and honey—all jazzed up with mood-boosting maca.

Get the recipe: Maca Matcha Milkshake

An easy way to turn any dish green

There’s one other kitchen shortcut to turn any food you like into a St. Paddy’s Day treat: green food coloring.

Don’t run out to buy the conventional kind, though. Instead, try ColorKitchen’s line of plant-derived food colorings. The blue comes from spirulina, and the yellow from turmeric—it doesn’t get more natural than that! To get green, mix the two together. Then add to any of the following recipes.

Paleo Pancakes

Coconut flour and lots of eggs are the key to fluffy, grain-free pancakes. Dye them green and top the finished flapjacks with sliced kiwi or Granny Smith apples for even more color!

Get the recipe: Paleo Pancakes Recipe

Sugar Cookies

Break out that shamrock cookie cutter—these sweet sugar cookies are just begging to be frosted in emerald icing. P.S. We bet they go pretty nicely with an Irish coffee.

Get the recipe: Sugar Cookies

Homemade Marshmallows

Bet you didn’t realize you could make your own marshmallows at home—but you can, and it’s not as difficult as you might think. Plus, the recipe can be easily customized for endless variations. Might we suggest adding lime zest?

Get the recipe: Vanilla Marshmallows 

Gluten-Free Coconut Cake

This four-layer cake is stunning in white—but it would be equally striking if slicing into the ivory icing revealed a pop of green. (Just add the blue and yellow packets right into the batter.)

Get the recipe: Gluten-Free Coconut Cake

Bonus tip: Make Instagram-worthy green beer at home by mixing the blue and yellow powders in a teaspoon of water, adding the liquid to a pint glass, and pouring beer over. The carbonation will naturally mix in the dye, creating an emerald drink any leprechaun would envy!

Photo credit: Paul Delmont