St. Patrick’s Day Patrick may mean access to green beer and dyed badges. But what if this year, you lean towards eating green foods that are naturally better for you?
Here’s the thing: raw food has a reputation problem. People think that “green” automatically means “salad” or “boring.” But one of the most satisfying foods is raw. And no, we’re not just talking about the vegetables you tolerate.
Let’s fix that.
Green Foods Without Salad
1. Avocado Toast
Yes, how to make avocado toast has been explained about 47 million times on the internet. But here’s why it persists: it works.
Season the ripe avocado with a little salt and red pepper flakes. Spread on your favorite whole grain bread. Spread the mashed avocado mixture on the stock. Optional but recommended: sprinkle everything bagel seasoning on top, or drizzle with hot honey.
Avocados have some protein—about 3 grams per fruit—but plenty of protein, a whopping 10g per fruit. (1) Add an egg for extra protein, and suddenly you have a nutritious meal.
The healthy fats in avocados work well with whole grain toast and turn breakfast into something that 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 sources of plant-based protein available. (2) It’s also a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids your body needs and contains plenty of fiber at 8g per cup. (2,13)
How to eat edamame beyond a restaurant appetizer:
- Mix in hummus (edamame hummus is a thing, and it’s great)
- Season it with sea salt for a delicious dish
- Add it to fold in the last few minutes of cooking
If you buy it frozen—which most people do—it’s already cooked. Just melt, season, and eat.
3. Green Smoothie
What is in the green smoothie that people eat? Usually spinach, banana, and some combination of mango, pineapple, or berries.
So, to make it, simply throw a large handful of spinach into a blender with a frozen mango, a banana, Greek yogurt, and a splash of orange juice or almond milk. Blend until smooth.
Or, if you’d like to follow a ready-made formula, try this Cacao Nib Almond Green Smoothie Bowl. It’s green in nature, festive, and satisfying enough to pass as a meal.
Either way, the fruit completely masks the taste of spinach, but you still get nutrients like iron, folate, and vitamin C. (3) Yogurt adds protein, fruit adds natural sweetness, and the whole thing tastes tropical—not something you force yourself to eat for health reasons. (4)
The secret is to use frozen fruit, which makes it thick and cold without adding ice.
4. Kiwi
A medium kiwi has just 42-46 calories. (5) But that’s not what makes it interesting.
One medium kiwi delivers 92mg of vitamin C per 100 grams, as well as vitamin K, copper, and fiber. (5) The faded skin is edible (yes, really), and eating it doubles the fiber content. (5,6)
Cut 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 afternoon when everything else is sweet.
5. Pesto
If you’ve ever wondered what pesto is made of, the classic version includes basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil. However, today’s variations often include spinach, arugula, broccoli, or kale, as well as walnuts or almonds.
In the end, they are all green and sweet, and the result is a rich, garlicky, and herbaceous sauce. It is also possible to pack healthy fats from nuts and olive oil. (7,8)
Pesto works on pasta, obviously. But it also works:
- Topped with scrambled eggs
- Spread on sandwiches instead of mayo
- Topped with stir-fried vegetables
- Added to grilled chicken or fish
One batch lasts about a week in the refrigerator, or you can freeze them in ice cube trays for single-serving portions.
6. Zucchini noodles
Forget everything you think you know about zucchini noodles. When done right, they’re not sad pasta replacements—they’re completely their own thing.
The trick? Don’t overdo it. Use a spiralizer (or just a vegetable peeler for wide ribbons), lightly salt, let them sit for 10 minutes, and squeeze out most of the water. This can prevent the dreaded soggy zoodle condition.
From a nutritional angle, green zucchini contains vitamin C and potassium (9), which support immune function 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 bold enough to make you forget you’re vegetarian.
If you’re looking for a flavorful, balanced way to try them, make this Chicken and Avocado Zucchini Noodle Bowl. It combines zucchini noodles with lean protein and healthy fats, making them a satisfying, filling meal. And, if you add it to MyFitnessPal, you can see how those simple ingredient choices add up.
7. Spinach Wraps
These soft and fluffy wraps trick your mind into thinking you’re eating a tortilla. Except it’s made with spinach, which means you’re quietly eating more folate and vitamin K. (3)
But let’s be honest: you don’t eat spinach vitamins. You eat them because they taste good and you can hold them full without cracking.
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 may crack. The warm ones are folding as they are made for this very purpose.
8. Avocado Chocolate Pudding
This will trick your taste buds. You won’t even register it as a vegetable.
Mix ripe avocado with cocoa powder, a touch of maple syrup or honey, and vanilla extract. What you get is a thick, creamy, mousse-like pudding that happens to contain monounsaturated fats, potassium, and vitamin E. (1)
Examination: Ask someone who says they “hate avocado” to try it. I’ll bet they’ll change their minds with this one!
9. Brussels Sprouts
When roasted, Brussels sprouts caramelize and become slightly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, releasing their natural sweetness. Their bright green color holds up well in the oven, especially when drizzled 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 significant amounts of vitamin K. (10)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which raw food has the most protein? Edamame wins at 18g per cup, followed by pesto (from pine nuts and cheese) the top few on the list. (2,7,11)
- Are frozen green vegetables as nutritious as fresh? Usually, yes. Frozen vegetables are usually frozen when they are most ripe, preserving their nutrients. (12)
- What are the easiest green foods to start with? Edamame or kiwi—both require little preparation and taste great with no cooking skills required.
The Bottom Line
Eating raw doesn’t have to be boring. If you stop thinking of them as “healthy vegetables to eat” and start thinking about all the creative ways you can put them together, your perspective may change.
And if you’re trying to be more intentional, logging food in MyFitnessPal can help you see how these raw foods really stack up. You may notice that the edamame adds more protein than expected, or that the avocado provides a satisfying fat to round out your diet.
On this day of St. Patrick, skip the food dye. Real raw food already exists—and it tastes better than you might think.
The post Green Food That’s Not Just Salad (St. Patrick’s Day Edition) appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.
