Some Green(s) Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day

While these recipes might not be your traditional St. Patrick’s Day fare, they are easy, tasty, and streaked with lots of beautiful green.

Start your own traditions!

Start Your Day Off Green Shake

• 1 scoop of Raw protein powder (UMP or SFH also works great)
• 1 cup kale leaves, center rib removed
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 over ripe banana, frozen & cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• 6-8 ounces of water

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Divide between glasses and serve immediately.

Green Egg Casserole

• 8 large eggs – beaten
• 1 cup chopped frozen spinach – thawed and drained well
• 2 Tablespoons Jalapeno pepper, chopped
• ½ green pepper, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare one large casserole dish or two eight-inch dishes with a light coating of oil. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients. Pour mixture into casserole dish and cook for 35 minutes or until eggs are fully set.

Crispy Green Beans With Pesto

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups fresh green beans, ends trimmed and chopped into 1″ pieces
• 1/4 cup homemade pesto (store-bought is fine but just not as good and healthy as homemade!)
• 1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts

Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Cook garlic on medium-high heat for about 30 seconds, remove from skillet and set aside. Add beans to the same skillet and sauté for about 6 minutes or until beans are cooked but still crispy. Return garlic to the skillet and cook an additional 30 seconds (just enough to quickly reheat garlic). Remove from skillet and cool down a bit. Toss with pesto, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve. This dish is also very good on a salad, in case you have leftovers!

Pesto

• 3 rounded cups fresh basil leaves (about 2 bunches)
• 1/2 medium garlic clove
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts
• salt, to taste

In food processor (I use a blender, but be careful not to overdo or you’ll end up with green slime instead of pesto), combine basil leaves and pine nuts. Pulse a few seconds. Add garlic and pulse again. Slowly add olive oil while the food processor is on. Stop food processor and scrap down the sides with a rubber spatula. Add a pinch of salt if needed and serve.

Salsa Verda Chicken

A bright, refreshing and spicy green salsa recipe served over grilled chicken.

• 1 cup basil leaves, packed
• 1 cup cilantro, packed
• ½ cup parsley, packed
• ½ jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small shallot ,chopped
• zest of 1 lime
• juice of ½ lime
• 3 Tablespoons orange juice (fresh is best)
• salt & pepper
• 1 pound chicken breasts
• extra virgin olive oil for grilling

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a blender. Blend until puréed. Combine chicken breasts with half the salsa mixture in a large bowl, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, up to overnight. Heat a stove top grill pan (or outdoor grill if it’s not 8 degrees where you are) to medium heat. Grill chicken breasts for about 5-7 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. This will depend on how thick your chicken is. Once cooked through, remove from grill, spoon remaining salsa over the top of each chicken breast. Serve with a lime wedge and garnish with cilantro.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!