March is National Nutrition Month. It’s also the month we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Both of those events make me think of one thing: Green. Green food, green drinks and green grass (well, spring is just around the corner, isn’t it?). If you need a little more green in your life, consider adding more of the color to your diet. Here are a few ways to do just that — recipes included:
Salads
Eating a salad for one of your meals each day is one of the best strategies I can offer for getting more greens into your diet. Before you think, “I could never eat ‘just’ a salad,” consider that a salad can be topped by your favorite lean protein. Try adding grilled chicken, salmon or canned tuna to one of recipes below, and you have the perfect meal. (Each recipe serves one.)
1. Kale and mango salad
— 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
— 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
— 1 teaspoon honey
— 1 teaspoon minced shallot
— 1/2 cup diced mango
— 3 cups chopped kale
— 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, combine oil, vinegar, honey and shallot. Season it with salt and pepper and whisk well. Add kale and mango. Toss and serve.
2. Arugula salad
— 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
— 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
— 1 teaspoon honey
— 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
— 3 cups arugula
— 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
— 1 ounce crumbled feta cheese
— 1 tablespoon dried cranberries
— 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, combine oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and mustard. Season it with salt and pepper and whisk well. Add arugula, walnuts, feta and cranberries. Toss and serve.
3. Kale salad with Parmesan
— 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
— Juice from 1/2 a lemon
— 1 teaspoon honey
— 1 teaspoon minced shallot
— 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
— 3 cups chopped kale
— 1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, combine oil, lemon juice, honey and shallot. Season it with salt and pepper and whisk well. Add kale and Parmesan; toss and serve.
Smoothies
If you’re like me, most mornings are short on time as you and your family get ready to leave the house. It’s an easy mistake to think that skipping breakfast is your only option. Enter the smoothie. Throw a handful of ingredients into the blender and you have a glass full of “superfood” nutrition you can take on the go. Here are a few combinations to get you started:
1. Kale green apple smoothie
— 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
— 1 scoop vanilla-flavored protein powder
— 1 green apple
— 1 stalk chopped celery
— 1 frozen banana
— 1 handful baby kale
— 1 generous scoop of ice
2. The nutty Irishman
— 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
— 1 frozen banana
— 1 serving chocolate protein powder
— 2 tablespoon of powdered peanut butter with chocolate
— 2 large handfuls of baby spinach
— 1 generous scoop of ice
3. Rainbow goodness
— 1 cup water, milk or almond milk
— 2 large handfuls of rainbow Swiss chard
— 1/2 pear
— 1/2 carrot
— 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
— 1 generous scoop of ice
Snacks
An ideal snack is one that contains protein, fiber and healthy fat. If you can do that without breaking the calorie bank, even better. And, of course, what’s a snack worth if it doesn’t taste good? Here are three of my favorite snacks that hit all the marks when it comes to nutrition and flavor:
1. Wonderful’s pistachios in salt and pepper
As one of the lowest-calorie, lowest-fat and highest-protein nuts, pistachios are a smart, sensible snacking option. They offer about 100 calories for a serving of 30 nuts. Plus, eating in-shell pistachios leaves a trail of evidence of just how much you’ve eaten, which is a great visual for portion control.
2. Chobani’s lime-flavored yogurt with a teaspoon of peanut butter
I know, I know, your first reaction is, “Lime and peanut butter?” Trust me on this one. The combination of sweet and salty is the perfect taste. Plus, the extra protein from the Greek yogurt and the healthy fat in the peanut butter means you’ll be satiated for hours.
3. Rhythm Superfoods’ kale chips
I know everyone thinks kale has had its 15 minutes of fame, but these chips (in all of the different flavors) give the green some serious staying power. High in protein and fiber, these chips are a great on-the-go snack option.
Eating green doesn’t have to be complicated and it doesn’t have to mean noshing on broccoli stalks, either. Give any of these strategies a try to go green this month.
Editor’s note: Kara Mohr has an affiliation with the Wonderful Company.
More from U.S. News
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9 Healthy Ways to Eat Green All Month originally appeared on usnews.com