Cleveland, OH,
15
March
2018
|
15:59 PM
America/New_York

A fun, healthy St. Patrick's Day menu with Angela Majerle

St. Patrick's Day celebrations aren't usually the healthiest parties. 

We asked clinical dietitian Angela Majerle to help us change that. She came up with a full day's worth of meal ideas that have all the festive green, but also pack a healthy punch. 

Breakfast: Mint Chocolate Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

½ avocado

¼ C fat free vanilla Greek yogurt

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

½ Tbsp light agave

½ Tsp peppermint extract

¾ C unsweetened vanilla almond milk

A fistful of baby kale

½ C ice

2 Tbsp mini chocolate chips

Instructions:

  1. Place all ingredients except for the chocolate chips in your blender and blend for 45 seconds.
  2. Add mini chocolate chips (reserve a few for garnish) and blend for 15 seconds.
  3. Pour into your glass, top with a few mini chocolate chips and enjoy!

Lunch: Green Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 slices whole grain bread

½ avocado sliced

6 slices Havarti or Mozzarella cheese

½ handful of greens (baby kale or baby spinach)

Optional: ½ green tomato sliced, ½ handful alfalfa sprouts

1 Tbsp butter

Instructions:

  1. Arrange sliced avocado on one slice of bread. Top with 2 slices of cheese. Top with a few baby spinach leaves and 2 more slices of cheese. Add a few baby kale leaves and remaining 2 slices of cheese. Top with other slice of bread. Can alternate green tomato and or alfalfa sprouts with cheese also.
  2. In frying pan, melt butter over low medium heat.
  3. When butter is melted, place sandwich in the pan and cover.

Cook approximately 5 minutes per side and continue cooking and flipping until cheese is fully melted.

Dinner: Green Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

½ C chopped onion

3 cloves garlic chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp basil pesto

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

1 16 oz package pasta

Instructions:

  1. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until done (8-10 minutes). Drain and return to pot.
  2. Heat oil in frying pan over medium low heat & sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and pesto, salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes.

In large bowl combine pasta and pesto mixture. Top with grated cheese.

Looking for even more green for your celebrations? Angela has a list of green foods that are good any time of the year, not just on March 17. 

Naturally green foods:

Avocado

Kale, spinach, collard greens

Cabbage

Broccoli

Snow peas, sugar snap peas

Pesto

Cucumbers

Zucchini

Green apples & green grapes

Kiwi