When we consider the environment, there are a few topics that always come up. We encourage one another to recycle, fight for the preservation of endangered animals and speak out against polluting the air around us. There’s one crucial part of our environment, however, that never seems to be part of the conversation: us.  We as a human race need to preserve our own bodies in order to successfully maintain our environment as a whole. So, here’s a list of green foods that are not only beneficial to human health, but also taste like other foods that aren’t as wholesome. Now, I’m not saying everyone in the world should become a vegan and never eat pasta or pizza again.  However it will certainly pay off if, before we all run to the donut stand, we consider other snacks that could fill those finicky cravings. Enjoy!

Try spreading avocado on your sandwich instead of mayonnaise! This savory, nutritious super-fruit has vitamins C, B6, and E as well as Zinc, Magnesium, Riboflavin and other nutrients, making it the perfect ingredient to a healthy lifestyle.

Instead of eating a bag of potato chips and practically feeling your skin break out from the greasiness, buy a box of nori Porphyra seaweed. For a leafy green, it has a lot of protein—almost 50% of its weight—and it’s also full of fiber, fatty acids, vitamins C and B12, and a cholesterol-controlling compound called taurine. You can even arrange nori yourself by simply taking strips of the raw seaweed and sticking them in the oven or toaster oven on low heat.

We have all felt that unbearable bloated grogginess that comes from a full stomach after a big Italian dinner. Luckily, that pain is now completely avoidable with pasta substitutes like spaghetti squash and zucchini pasta. I personally prefer zucchini pasta with Thai sauces, because the consistency is similar to that of rice noodles. However, it works well with alfredo sauce made with avocado or classic, wholesome tomato marinara sauce too.

Zucchini “Pasta” (Serves 4)

Recipe and Photo courtesy of www.foodrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Green Zucchini

2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1 cup Tomato Sauce (or any pasta sauce)

Directions:

Peel the zucchinis with a veggie peeler & discard the peels. Then, continue to peel the naked zucchinis in even strips. This will be your pasta.  It helps if you peel off the “ribbons” in one corner and then turn the zucchini and peel some more. Keep peeling & turning like this until you reach the core, and then throw away the core.

Heat 1 tbsp. of the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add half of your zucchini slices and some salt. Toss it around and watch closely for two to three minutes until the zucchini is soft and translucent. Put it in a dish off to the side and repeat with the rest of the zucchini. Add salt and pepper and serve with 1 cup of whatever sauce you please!

One of the first bits of advice dietitians give their patients when faced with weight loss concerns is to avoid sugary, processed juice. Too much of it can elevate blood glucose levels and destroy your teeth, and caffeinated sodas can cause dehydration and weight gain. Of course drinking only water, honestly, is boring. So, why not shake things up and try a homemade juice full of healthy veggies and tasty fruits? It’s a win-win.

Green Juice

Ingredients:

3 leaves of kale

5 celery stalks

1 cucumber

1 handful of spinach

2 green apples

1 lemon

1 handful of parsley

3 romaine lettuce leaves

1 piece of ginger (optional)

Directions: Put it all in a juicer and blend

Every time I go through a day of healthiness and clear my dinner plate feeling accomplished, I am faced with a difficult choice: dessert or no dessert? I constantly find myself watching my brother stuff his face with brownies and ice cream while I stick with my tiny piece of dark chocolate. I’m stuck between feeling claen and having fun, and that doesn’t seem fair. Now, I don’t have to choose, because I can make my own ice cream without all the fatty cream and sugar.

Pistachio “Ice Cream”

Ingredients:

1 cup kale leaves

2 ripe bananas (frozen)

2 cups ice

½ cup pistachios

3 Tbsp. raw agave nectar

1 Tsp. pure vanilla extract

½ Tsp. minced ginger

Pinch of sea salt

Directions: Put all the ingredients into a blender and puree them until you have smooth, creamy ice cream.