This clean green snack platter is perfect for your St. Patrick’s Day spread and a fun, healthy afternoon snack for your little leprechauns! Bite-sized green veggies, fruit and snacks served up all fun and fake fancy will tempt even the pickiest of eaters.
When I was a kid my mom used to tell us every night at dinner… “if it’s green… it’s clean”. Which made little sense to a school age child. But, I get it now. Green vegetables contain oodles of vitamins and minerals which help the body absorb protein and amino acids. … eating a diet rich in greens provides you with an abundance of antioxidants and phytochemical which can support the immune and reduce the risk of certain illness and disease.
Pass the greens, please!!
One of the most successful ways of getting green vegetables into my kids bellies is through tasty nutrient rich dips. Hummus is a family favorite and one we can all agree on. I served this basil pesto hummus to keep the green theme going on our clean green snack platter recently. It’s not only delicious but also packed full of fiber, plant based protein and nutrients. Mom win!
How to make basil pesto hummus
Hummus is one of those dishes that doesn’t require much instruction. Basically dump and blend. But there are a few tricks I’ve picked up over the years to ensure to hummus perfection.
- Quality ingredients count, and you’ll taste the difference. I always reach for Simple Truth brand at my local Kroger store.
- Fresh is always best, when available.
- Boil your garlic first, just trust me.
- Peel your chickpeas. Yes, you read that right. Pinch the skins off each individual bean. Worth it.
- Apple Cider Vinegar takes it up a notch. Major.
You can easily prep your hummus in a high-powered blender, but I prefer a food processor if you have one. This recipe calls for 1/3-1/2 cup of olive oil, start with the lesser and add more until you have reached desired consistency. The creamier the better!
What to serve on your clean green snack platter
- green peppers
- cucumbers
- broccoli
- green cauliflower
- celery sticks
- rainbow kabobs
- snap peas
- kale chips
- pickles
- green olives
- green grapes
- veggie crisps
- crispy jalapeños
- kale crackers
- pea crisps
I picked everything up at my local Kroger Grocery store. They have an impressive healthy snack section and bulk bins right next to the beautiful produce section.
PRO TIP: I always hit up the produce section in the morning, the store is empty and its always fully stocked from the night before.
St. Patrick’s day is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate! After all, green is my favorite color. We celebrate simply and with good food when I was a kid. Corn beef and cabbage with Irish bread and real butter. I looked forward to it every single year.
Nowadays, Pinterest has put a lot of pressure on moms to make every single holiday special and St. Patrick’s Day is no exception! With leprechaun footprints all over the toilet to boxes of Lucky Charms cereal and green milk. I literally watched two moms fight over the last box of Lucky Charms last year at midnight in Walmart. I say we keep it simple and easy this year, yes?
Let’s call a truce and throw a bunch of green fruits and vegetables on a platter with pesto hummus and other green crunchy things. Make a rainbow out of fruit for breakfast with pots of golden eggs at the end. Grab a bag of skittles from the gas station. Simple wins every time.
Pesto Hummus
Ingredients
- 2 cans Simple Truth Organic Chickpeas
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup parmasan cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp tahini or unsweetened almond butter
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1-2 cloves garlic, boiled
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
-
Boil your garlic cloves until tender. About 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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Drain, peel and rinse your chickpeas.
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Add chickpeas to a food processor or high powered blender along with the basil leaves, parmasan, tahini, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and 1/3 cup of olive oil.
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Blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. If the hummus is too thick, add the remaining olive oil and a bit of water to thin it out.
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Enjpoy with fresh vegetabkes, craqckers or tortilla chips!
Recipe Notes
Hummus is an incredible nutrient dense food that can easily be prepared with shelf stable ingredients. Heres’ how:
- Use jarred pesto if fresh basil is not available in substitution. About 1/4-1/3 cup.
- Use bottled lemon juice if fresh lemons are not available in substitution.
- Use jarred garlic or garlic paste if fresh garlic is not available in substitution.
- Adding 1/2 an avocado powers up the nutrients and adds creaminess to the texture.
This St. Patricks Day we are focusing on being healthy and home together as a family. It looks deferent than years past, but the one constant never changes, we are together.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day friends! Stay healthy.
I had many requests to save the social distancing post I shared earlier on my IG stories today somewhere, so here it is.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kroger. All opinions expressed are my own.
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