Go Green for St. Patrick's Day!

There is no better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than to "be green"!  Get the whole family involved.  Here are some "green" suggestions:

Pick a green fruit or vegetable to try. 

•  Let your family members pick out a green fruit or vegetable for the whole family to try.  Asparagus is often available in the spring and is particularly tender and flavorful this time of year.  When it comes to green fruit, you have many choices.  Will it be a green apple?  A kiwi?   For a list of green fruits and veggies, visit our previous blog post.

Have some fun with green food coloring

• Give your food a St. Patrick's Day look by adding a few drops of green food coloring to mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, or a fruit smoothie.  What else can you color green today?  (Food coloring does not add flavor or calories).

Make a special meal with cabbage, potatoes, or some seriously green ingredients!  Visit our recipe section and try Beef and Cabbage or Easy Cheesy Spinach Pie.   Need more recipes, try a Shamrock Smoothie or Green Pizza.

Take "going green" to another level

Consider setting up a composting station.  Keep coffee grounds, vegetable peelings, and other food scraps in a plastic container.  Encourage your family to be "green" year-round, by recycling as much as possible.  Many places in Maryland recycle glass, cans, aluminum, and cardboard.  Once you find out what you can recycle in your own area, you will be amazed at how much smaller your trash will be!  Learn more about composting from our friends at the Home and Garden Information Center.

Going Green for St. Patrick's Day

With all the festive green clothes, decorations and clovers on St. Patrick's Day, why not add the green color into your food?  Here are some healthy recipes that will keep you eating healthy all day long while enjoying the festivities.

This shake is a great way to start your morning or drink for a mid-morning snack!  It is packed with fresh fruit and yogurt that will give you a burst of energy!

Shamrock Smoothie

Ingredients:
6 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into quarters
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 banana
6 ounces low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 cup orange juice
3 Tablespoons honey
1/4 cup ice

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients to a blender.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. If texture is too smooth add a few more ice cubes.
4. Pour into glasses and garnish with kiwi fruit slices.

Green Pizza

Ingredients:

1 prepared whole-wheat pizza dough

2 cups broccoli, chopped

1/4 cup water

5 ounces arugula, chopped and stems removed

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

Pinch of salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place oven rack in lowest position.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Add water and chopped broccoli to skillet and cover.  Let cook for about 3 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
3. Add arugula and cook by stirring for about 1-2 minutes or until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper.
4. Mix olive oil and garlic together and spread over prepared pizza crust.
5. Top with broccoli and arugula mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese.
6. Bake until crispy and golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Don't forget to try fun activities with the kids too!   With all the delicious festive dishes, remember to include physical activity on St. Patrick's Day!  Below are some fun ways to increase physical activity with the entire family.

St. Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt

This scavenger hunt is a great way to add physical activity with the entire family!  Using outdoor objects is a quick and inexpensive way to create the game!

Look for:

1 long branch

1 leaf from a tree

1 spring flower

1 four-leaf clover

An usual shaped rock

Four-leaf  Clover Squats

These squats only take 5 minutes and can be done just about anywhere!  They are especially great to do during a commercial break.

1. Stand with feet should width apart.
2. Bend until your legs are at a 90-degree angle.
3. Slowly straighten your legs to a standing position.
4. Repeat this motion 12 times.  Do 3 sets!

Add "Green" To Your Plate for St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner!  How about making St. Patrick's Day fun this year by making healthy recipes with green foods for you and your family to enjoy.  St. Patrick's Day can be a great excuse to add green fruits and vegetables to your family meals.

Adding green foods into your diet can help make your body strong inside and out.  The nutrients found in green fruits and vegetables can help the immune system, fight and prevent diseases and also help with managing your weight.

Check out the list below.  How many green foods can your family eat this week?

	Green Fruits	Green Veggies
	·         Avocado ·         Green Grapes ·         Honeydew Melon ·         Kiwi ·         Green Apples	·         Artichoke ·         Asparagus ·         Broccoli ·         Brussels Sprouts ·         Green Beans ·         Leafy Greens ·         Celery	·         Cucumbers ·         Peas ·         Green Peppers ·         Snow Peas ·         Spinach ·         Zucchini

Check out the SNAP-Ed recipe finder for easy, quick recipes.  You can search by food, so enter in any of your favorite green foods for a yummy recipe to try.

Enjoy St. Patrick's Day!