St. Patrick’s Day can mean reaching for green beer and colored bagels. But what if this year you leaned into foods that are naturally green and truly better for you?
Here’s the thing: green foods have a reputation problem. People assume that “green” automatically means “lettuce” or “boring”. But some of the most satisfying foods happen to be green. And no, we’re not just talking about vegetables you can tolerate.
Let’s fix it.
Green foods in addition to salad
1. Avocado Toast
Yes, how to make avocado toast has been explained approximately 47 million times online. But here’s why it continues: it works.
Mash ripe avocado with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes. Toast your favorite whole grain bread. Spread the mashed avocado mixture on the toast. Optional, but recommended: sprinkle all the bagel seasoning on top, or drizzle some warm honey.
Avocado contains some protein – about 3 grams per ounce. whole fruit – but plenty of fibre, as much as 10 g per fruit. (1) Add an egg for extra protein and suddenly you’ve got a balanced meal.
The healthy fats in avocado work well with whole grain toast and make breakfast something that actually keeps you full. (1)
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2. Edamame
Edamame nutrition is legitimately impressive: One cup of shelled, cooked edamame contains 18 grams of protein, making it one of the best plant-based protein sources around. (2) It’s also a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids your body needs, and contains an abundance of fiber at 8g per serving. cup. (2.13)
How to eat edamame in addition to the restaurant’s starters:
- Blend it into hummus (edamame hummus is a thing and it’s excellent)
- Toast it with sea salt for a crunchy snack
- Add it to the batter in the last few minutes of cooking
If you buy it frozen – which most people do – it is already cooked. Just thaw, season and eat.
3. Green Smoothie
What is in the green smoothie that people are raving about? Usually spinach, banana and some combination of mango, pineapple or berries.
So to make it, just throw a big handful of spinach into a blender with frozen mango, banana, Greek yogurt and a splash of orange juice or almond milk. Blend until smooth.
Or, if you’d rather follow a pre-made formula, try this Cacao Nib Almond Green Smoothie Bowl. It’s naturally green, festive and satisfying enough to pass as a meal.
Either way, the fruit completely masks the spinach taste, but you still get nutrients like iron, folate, and vitamin C. (3) The yogurt adds protein, the fruit adds natural sweetness, and it all tastes tropical—not like something you force yourself to eat for health reasons. (4)
The secret is to use frozen fruit, which makes it thick and cold without diluting it with ice.
4. Kiwifruit
A medium kiwi has only 42-46 calories. (5) But that’s not what makes it interesting.
A medium kiwi provides 92 mg of vitamin C in 100 grams, plus vitamin K, copper and fiber. (5) The fuzzy skin is edible (yes, really), and eating it doubles the fiber content. (5,6)
Cut kiwi into yogurt, blend it into smoothies, or eat it with a spoon straight from the peel. It’s tart, sweet and the kind of fruit that wakes up your taste buds in the middle of the afternoon when everything else tastes dull.
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. But modern versions often swap in spinach, arugula, broccoli or kale along with walnuts or almonds.
In the end, they’re all green and delicious, and the result is a sauce that’s rich, garlicky, and herbaceous. It also happens to pack in healthy fats from nuts and olive oil. (7,8)
Pesto works on pasta, of course. But it also works:
- Stir in scrambled eggs
- Spread on sandwiches instead of mayo
- Tossed with roasted vegetables
- Pour over grilled chicken or fish
A batch will last about a week in the fridge, or you can freeze it in ice cube trays for single servings.
6. Zucchini noodles
Forget everything you think you know about zucchini noodles. When done right, they’re not sad pasta substitutes—they’re their own thing.
The trick? Don’t overdo it. Using a spiralizer (or just a vegetable peeler for wide ribbons), lightly salt them, let them sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water. This can prevent the dreaded soggy zodle situation.
From a nutritional standpoint, raw zucchini contains vitamin C and potassium (9), which support the immune system and help regulate blood pressure. (14,15)
But more importantly, zucchini noodles soak up sauces like a dream. Think creamy garlic, lemon butter, or pesto—anything that’s delicious enough to make you forget you’re eating a vegetable.
If you want a flavorful, balanced way to try them, make this Chicken and Avocado Zucchini Noodle Bowl. It pairs zucchini noodles with lean protein and healthy fats, making them a satisfying, well-rounded meal. And when you log into MyFitnessPal, you can see how these simple ingredient choices fit together.
7. Spinach Wraps
These soft, pliable wrappers trick your brain into thinking you’re eating a tortilla. Except they’re made with spinach, which means you’re quietly consuming a little more folate and vitamin K. (3)
But let’s be honest: you don’t eat spinach wraps for the vitamins. You eat them because they taste good and hold filling without falling apart.
Fill them with cream cheese, smoked salmon and cucumber. Or hummus, roasted vegetables and feta. Or scrambled eggs and avocado.
Pro tip: Warm them up a bit before filling. Cold spinach wraps can crack. Warm folds, as if they were designed for this very purpose.
8. Avocado Chocolate Pudding
This one will trick your taste buds. You won’t even register it as a vegetable.
Blend ripe avocado with cocoa powder, a touch of maple syrup or honey and vanilla extract. What you get is thick, creamy, almost mousse-like pudding that happens to contain monounsaturated fats, potassium and vitamin E. (1)
The test: Ask someone who claims to “hate avocado” to try it. I bet they will change their minds with this one!
9. Brussels sprouts
When the Brussels sprouts are roasted, they caramelize and become slightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, bringing out their natural sweetness. Their vibrant green color holds up beautifully 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 along with notable amounts of vitamin K. (10)
Frequently asked questions
- Which green foods are highest in protein? Edamame wins with 18 g per cup, followed by pesto (from pine nuts and cheese) are some of the highest on this list. (2,7,11)
- Are frozen green vegetables as nutritious as fresh? Often, yes. Frozen vegetables are typically frozen at peak ripeness, which preserves their nutritional content. (12)
- What is the easiest green food to start with? Edamame or kiwi – both require minimal preparation and taste great without making cooking skills.
Bottom line
Green food doesn’t have to be boring. When you stop thinking of them as “healthy vegetables you should eat” and start thinking about all the creative ways you can incorporate them, your perspective might change.
And if you’re trying to be more mindful, logging meals in MyFitnessPal can help you see how these green foods actually add up. You might notice that the edamame adds more protein than expected, or that the avocado contributes satiating fats that round out your meal.
This St. Patrick’s Day, skip the food coloring. The real green foods are already here – and they taste better than you might think.
The post Green food that’s not just salad (St. Patrick’s Day Edition) appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.