There’s your run-of-the-mill salad. Smooth avocado. Mighty broccoli.

Then there’s what’s in season this time of year: green beer, emerald-sprinkled Shamrock cupcakes and Oreos with mounds of lime-colored filling.

It’s the season for all things green, and Tuesday, St. Patrick’s Day, often fills a year’s quota of Yellow No. 5 mixed with Blue No. 2. So whether you get your shade from food coloring or from something that naturally shares a skin tone with Kermit the Frog, it’s time to eat greens.

California Avocado Pate

2 large avocados

1 tablespoon chopped green onion

4 hard-boiled eggs

Fresh mint

Chopped freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt to taste

1 1?4 cups sour cream or mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons chopped olives

1 1/8 teaspoons sweet parsley

Paprika

Cut avocados in half, remove seed and carefully scoop out flesh and put in a bowl. Save the avocado skins for serving. Mash avocado with all remaining ingredients. Replace mixture into shells, smoothing down so as to keep avocado shape. Garnish with lemon twist and a sprig of parsley and serve with Melba toast or crackers. Note: Slight discoloration can occur if avocados are not freshly ripened.

— Source: www.avocado.org

Potato Leek Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 large leeks, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (about 2 lb.)

4 large russet potatoes, peeled, cubed (about 4 cups)

1 1/4 quarts (5 cups) water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cubed

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Heat oil in large stockpot on medium heat. Add leeks; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes, water, salt and pepper; cover. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Cool 10 min. Add leek mixture, in batches, to blender; blend until pureed. Return to stockpot. Whisk in cream cheese, a few cubes at a time; cook on medium heat until cream cheese is completely melted, stirring constantly. Add milk; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with chives. Serve with saltine crackers.

— Source: www.kraftfoods.com

Coconut Milk-Braised Greens

2 bunches collard greens, kale or mustard greens (about 1 pound total), stemmed and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

3/4 cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add greens and cook for 2 minutes; drain well and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add reserved greens, coconut milk and lemon juice, stir well and simmer until tender, 5 to 7 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

— Source: www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Warm Chocolate Ice Cream Mint Tarts

1 package mini graham cracker pie crusts (6 crusts per package)

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup mint chocolate chip ice cream

1 egg

Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place graham cracker crusts on a cookie sheet and set aside. Place chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside. Bring ice cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat; pour over chocolate. Allow to stand 30 seconds to melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes. Add egg to cooled chocolate; mix well. Pour into graham cracker crusts. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until edges are no longer glossy. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

— Source: Blue Bunny

Watergate Salad

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1 package (4-serving size) pistachio flavor instant pudding

1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, in juice, undrained

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 cups thawed whipped topping

Combine marshmallows, dry pudding mix, pineapple and pecans in large bowl until well blended. Add whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

— Source: www.kraftfoods.com

Layered Broccoli Salad

6 cups chopped broccoli

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated light cheddar cheese

2/3 cup dried, sweetened cranberries or raisins

1/2 cup plain fat free yogurt

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons fat free mayonnaise

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 cup unsalted, dray roasted, hulled sunflower seeds to chopped walnuts

1 ounce (2 tablespoons) low-fat bacon pieces

In a large, glass serving bowl, layer broccoli, onion and cranberries. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, honey, mayonnaise and vinegar. Drizzle the yogurt dressing over the layered salad. Layer cheese on top.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and bacon pieces just before serving.

— Source: Dairy Council of Arizona.

Spilt Pea Soup

1 cup green or yellow split peas, rinsed

1 medium potato, peeled and diced

4 cups ham or chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1/3 cup each diced onion, celery, and carrots

1 cup diced cooked ham

Combine all ingredients in large soup pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and soup has thickened, about 45 minutes to one hour. Add salt and pepper to taste, but only after the cooking time.

— Source: U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Council