I’ve been seeing a ton about artificial food dyes lately and it’s really got me thinking about what they mean for my family and me. As my guy and I gravitate more and more toward eating whole foods, our perspective about processed foods has really changed. In fact, it’s hard for me to call most processed foods out there “food.”
Don’t get me wrong – though it’s happening less and less, we do still indulge in food made with dyes. Heck, my last recipe, boozy shamrock shakes, is made with artificially-colored creme de menthe liqueur. Not much natural going on there.
But honestly? There really is no reason to break out the green food coloring this Saint Patrick’s Day. Mother nature – and these bloggers and magazines - have you well-covered with these bright, beautiful, and naturally green recipes.
Appetizers & Bites
- Cheesy Green Hummus - Weelicious
- Grilled Cheese Guacamole & Bacon Bruschetta - Recipe Girl
- Inside-Out Jalapeno Popper Rings - Wheatless Rochelle
- Tomatillo Salsa Verde - She Wears Many Hats
- Hot Stove Top Artichoke Spinach Dip - White on Rice Couple
- Zucchini Fritters - Smitten Kitchen
- Kale Dip with Snap Peas - Whole Living
- Edamame with Citrus Salt
Edamame with citrus salt
- Spinach Queso – Bake Your Day
- Basil Hummus - Simply Recipes
- Broccoli Pesto Sauce & Dip - Family Fresh Cooking
- White Bean & Kale Pesto Dip (and a variation from Annie’s Eats)
White bean & walnut-kale pesto dip
- Pea Pesto Crostini - Food Network
- Braided Pesto Bread - Confections of a Foodie Bride
- Cucumber Avocado Salsa - Weelicious
Soups
- Green Beer Cheese (Broccoli Cheddar) Soup with Pesto Croutons - The Beeroness
- Chicken and Green Chili Posole – Now Stir It Up
- Creamy Vegan Broccoli Avocado Soup - Domestic Fits
- Cheesy Spinach Soup (Witches Brew) - Annie’s Eats
- Chilled Green Curry Asparagus Soup - The Soup Chick
- Creamy Asparagus Soup
Creamy asparagus soup
- Roasted Asparagus & White Bean Soup - A Farmer in the Dell
- Cauldron Curry – Martha Stewart Living
- Creamy Vegan Broccoli Avocado Soup - Domestic Fits
- Cheesy Spinach Soup (Witches Brew) - Annie’s Eats
- Chilled Green Curry Asparagus Soup - The Soup Chick
Mains
- Shamrock Pizza Squares - The Girl Who Ate Everything for Tablespoon.com
- Gnocchi with Pesto, Green Beans, and Ricotta - Real Simple magazine
- Crispy Gnocchi with Basil Pesto - Two Peas and Their Pod
- Spinach and Ricotta Frittata - Amuse Your Bouche
- Zucchini Parmesan Frittata - All Day I Dream About Food
- Tagliatelle with Winter Greens Pesto, Sauteed Olives, and Creminis - Allyson Kramer
- Vegetarian Barley Toss - Bev Cooks
- Lucky Spinach Quiche - Diamonds for Dessert
- Vegetarian Cobb Salad with Pesto Ranch Dressing - The Fig Tree
- Kale & Toasted Walnut Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
Kale & toasted walnut pesto pasta
- Orecchiette with Kale and Breadcrumbs - Gourmet Veggie Mama
- Pesto Lasagna - Mama’s Menu
- Green Goddess Grilled Cheese - Panini Happy
- Broccoli Pesto Pasta - Annie’s Eats
- Creamy Spinach Fettucine
- Portabella & Kale Pizza with Roasted Garlic Sauce - Oh My Veggies
- Green Mac & Cheese - Weelicious
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Soba Noodles with Ginger-Honey Sauce – Naturally Ella
- Kale and Feta Galette – Naturally Ella
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Garlic Confit and Baby Arugula - Food & Style
- Pea and Herbed Goat Cheese Tart - Gormande in the Kitchen
- Baked Eggs in Avocado with Bacon on Toast - White on Rice Couple
Sides
- Baked Green Bean Fries with Roasted Garlic Dipping Sauce - My Kitchen Addiction
- Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic and Herbs - MJ’s Kitchen
- Pesto Mashed Potatoes – Cooking Light magazine
- Citrus Sesame Kale - Oh My Veggies
- Quinoa Salad with Avocado and Peas – What’s Gaby Cooking
- Quinoa Pesto with Vegetables – My Whole Food Life
- Green Beans and Tricolor Quinoa – With Style and Grace
- Green Bean and Mozzarella Salad – Simple Awesome Cooking
- Mirin Caramelized Brussels Sprouts – Domestic Fits
Sips
- Green Orange Dreamsicle Smoothie – Oh My Veggies
- Vegan Mango-Coconut Green Smoothie
Vegan mango-coconut green smoothie
- Tropical Fruit and Kale Green Smoothie – A Spicy Perspective
- Strawberry-Banana Green Smoothie – My Whole Food Life
- Sparkling Vietnamese Limeade - Katie’s Cucina
- Iced Green Tea Limeade
Iced green tea limeade
Sweets
- Green Fruit Salad - Real Mom Kitchen
- Green Ice Pops – Weelicious
- Honeydew Popsicles – Pass the Sushi
- Strawberry Kiwi Tartlets – Love and Olive Oil
- Homemade Lemon-Basil Ice Cream – Good Life Eats
- Irish Cream & Pistachio Fudge – Eat Good 4 Life
WOW! What a line up of great recipes for St. Patrick’s day! I’m going to be here a while checking these out. Thanks for putting this together and thanks so much for the shout out of my potatoes. Happy St. Patty’s Day!
Glad my orecchiette made your list! I love that everything on here is naturally green — no need to go crazy with dye for St. Patrick’s Day. Pinning!
Thanks for including my cobb salad in this awesome round-up of recipes :) So many new recipes to try!
I am also trying to cut out all the processed and artifically flavored/colored foods in my diet. I found that it is much easier and tastes better. This is a great line up of recipes (and thanks for including my posole recipe!!)
What an awesome list–I love it! Like you, I haven’t ruled out food dye altogether, but I try not to intentionally add it to my own cooking. Thank you for linking to me too. :)
I could have included so many more of your recipes but I had to stop myself lest I look like a stalker. ;)