Real food. Real solutions.

Get Ya Green On

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!

Oh wait, wrong holiday.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME GREEN BEER?!

Whoops probably shouldn’t be encouraging that on a nutrition blog! Here ya go, re-read this post to refresh yourself before you proceed with your weekend activities. Done? Okay, proceed.

Holidays are fun. Especially holidays which center around beer and potatoes, gosh I love the Irish. This is a perfect time to impress all your friends with your delicious cooking skills. Lucky for you I’ve decided to provide you with some St. Patrick’s Day recipes that are delicious and Pearl-approved. Now I’m all about enjoying yourself and having fun but don’t be a jackass. Too much alcohol, sugar, vegetable oil, and staying out too late for one day is not worth a week of feeling like garbage. Don’t be foolish. 

Speaking of being foolish- walk away from green-dyed foods this week. Are we five? Attracted to bright colors and shiny things? Well yes- if it’s not neon it shouldn’t be on. I digress. Green 3 food dye has been shown to increase rates of bladder and testicular cancer. You like having balls, right? Was that inappropriate? Oh well. Fun non-nutrition fact! Green is what you get when you combine blue and yellow together. Yep that’s right, you’re screwing yourself with not one but TWO artificial colors when you use that green food dye. Yummy. Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3 are all associated with hyperactivity in children. Yeah, I’m talking to you pregos, don’t give that underdeveloped fetus brain something that causes hyperactivity before they even pop out into the world. Thanks for giving me an excuse to use fetus yet again. Food dyes also cause allergic reactions, ones you may not even notice but are still doing harm to your body. Let’s not injure ourselves, shall we?

So what delicious foods can you make? Oh so many, my friends. Let’s start with your traditional St. Patty’s Day foods remember to use pastured meats!

DIY Corned Beef 
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Irish Stew (use olive oil)

Not meat and potatoes kinda homo sapiens? You want green? Chlorophyll it up amigos. I know you’ll start your day with the breakfast bake with lots of greens. I made these bad boys yesterday. They aren’t Irish but they’re green as shit. I made tuna salad (using mayo that does NOT have vegetable oil) and added some blackberries. Blackberries? WTF. Yes I know. Typically I would add red grapes to tuna salad but I didn’t have any. I did happen to have blackberries though so I thought eh, why not? I’m easy going. Worked in my benefit.

Lettuce wraps are a great way to add green snacks to your table. Cabbage actually stays together better than lettuce does and you can always use toothpicks! Stuff it with whatever meat, real meat that is, and veggies you want. Or check out these other green ideas…

Cabbage Reuben Wraps
Green Sliders
Grilled Pork Chops with Chimichurri Sauce
Green Berry Smoothie
Sauteed Greens
Avocado Deviled Eggs (use full fat yogurt)
Spinach and Avocado Hummus 
And yes, even……… a Shamrock Shake (I wont be mad if you add a little alcohol 😉

See! Even St. Patricks Day can be a healthy event! What are you guys making this weekend?!