August 25, 2010 (Updated November 16, 2022)

Green Smoothie Success & Another Veggie Dinner

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

49 comments

Continuing my attempts to get back on track after a few weeks of travel and eating out, I made another super simple and healthy vegetarian dinner last night for myself and Matt. Yum!

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Easiest thing ever, and so tasty! Easily customizable, too. I just sautéed together some asparagus (you could use any veggies — zucchini, squash, string beans, etc.!) and kidney beans (use any beans you like) with garlic and a drizzle of olive oil.

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After a few minutes, I added in some pasta sauce. I heart tomato sauce!!

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Then I served it all on top of brown rice. Told you it was the easiest thing ever!

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Top with cracked pepper, hot sauce, etc. 🙂 And enjoy!

In other news, today I went for my first run since moving to NC! I started out in some super hilly neighborhoods (boo), and then was delighted to find this:

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Yay! A trail!

But then… this happened, a mere mile later:

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Fail. Guess I’ll have to continue the search for an awesome trail here in Chapel Hill. Any suggestions? I have to say… I really miss my favorite trail ever in DC 🙁

Anyway, in more awesome news, Matt has been officially introduced to green smoothies! I made him my super basic Banana & Spinach Smoothie (recipe here), with the addition of some blueberries. Yum!

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And… gasp… he liked it!! He had one for breakfast yesterday AND today! Mwa ha ha ha…

Does your significant other eat healthy? Are they open to trying new foods? I’m lucky that Matt will pretty much eat anything (although sometimes he’s skeptical at first)… except seafood (minus tuna, which he likes). Still working on that one 😉

Vegetarian Breakfast + Brunch Smoothies & Drinks
- anne

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49 comments
  • Jessica
    My husband eats SO healthy... so many times I wish he had a sweet tooth like me!
    Reply
  • Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete
    I've fed the hubs a green monster a few times. He drinks them down with zero complaints. He doesn't make them on his own as of yet, but he'll take one if I'm making one for myself already. I'm with Jessica, I eat worse than the hubs. He is super healthy. I eat about ten cookies at a time, and he eats 2. How can you just stop at 2?
    Reply
  • Alison
    Thankfully, my husband has come a long way in his healthy eating journey. Just last week he emailed me (he's deployed) and said he's been eating bell peppers and squash, which, he practically gagged over when I ate them or even suggested he try. Baby steps, baby steps.....
    Reply
  • angie
    my hubby doesn't like to eat anything that I eat! He hates my "hippie" food! :(
    Reply
  • Matt
    Good looking dinner! I eat healthier than most of the girls I date. Lol I think that is why I am single ;)
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Lol you should have come to the healthy living summit to meet yourself a healthy lady!
      Reply
  • Heather C
    In my constant quest to find new uses for Marinara sauce (there is a LOT in those jars!), this is now on the list :) Creative chick! Must admit, I laughed at the trail's "dead end" picture. Who's idea was that?! It's like the park planner saying "Psyche! Turn around. You've been Punk'd". Not very nice...
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    • Anne P
      LOL I know right?! Wtf??
      Reply
  • Rita @ The Giggly Bits
    My hubbie eats like a human garbage disposal. It's disgusting. But I digress, he's thin and active and "looks" healthy to everyone else but he eats terrible. Since I'm the chef in these parts his dinners are healthy and her rarely complains about the vegan ish vegetarian food we eat. He does, however, order double bacon grease soup if given the opportunity.
    Reply
  • sarah (the SHU box)
    i am on call this weekend (= indoor running only, blah), but the weekend after i can take you on my fave CH route. if you are up for a longer run we can make it longer! i think we are similar paces -- ~9:00/mi for a long run (can go faster or slower though too!). the other longer trail is the tobacco trail off of 40. take exit 276 and then make a L (not a R towards southpoint). After the 54 intersection, you will see crooked creek rd and then you turn L on that and you'll be in a little lot at the start of a 6.5 mile path. it DOES get a little sketchy in the middle durham sections but it's fine for the first few miles alone.
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    • Anne P
      I would love that! Buuuut I'm out of town next weekend :( Weekend after?
      Reply
      • sarah (the SHU box)
        actually that's perfect - my parents are coming on labor day wkend. so the one after that - we can do either my 'chapel hill w/ 2 minitrails' run or the tobacco trail. your pick :) just let me know sat vs sunday . . .
        Reply
        • Anne P
          Cool! Either Saturday the 11th or Sunday the 12th works, so totally up to you! Just let me know :)
          Reply
  • Heather (Heather's Dish)
    good luck finding a trail...i've never spent much time on the east coast so i kinda got nothin' :) my hubby SWEARS he can taste the spinach in those smoothies...but i'm pretty sure he's crazy :) i think it would be different if he wore blinders...
    Reply
  • The Healthy Hostess
    Great dinner! My husband eats really healthy which is so nice! He eats his junk too, but on a regular basis he is super healthy. He doesn't go for sweets...which is not good because I LOVE them!
    Reply
  • Marci
    I love simple veg dinners. I frequently have the other one you made with baked beans, sweet potato and veggies. so easy it's barely considered cooking. and way to go for your boyfriend drinking that. i like it, but my husband says absolutely no way!
    Reply
  • Dorry
    That dinner is right up my alley - we eat similarly so it's fun to get ideas from your blog. Sorry about the trail but I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the pic where it just ENDS - I mean, c'mon people! Hope you find some good places to run that feel comfortable and safe.
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  • Lauren
    I love tomato sauce and think if you add anything to it, it makes for one fantastic meal! Yay for Matt being on the green smoothie kick! :)
    Reply
  • Mary
    I just fed my husband his first Green Monster yesterday! The verdict "not bad". I know how you felt with the trail ending-that's happened to me with trails that start in parks and then just stop! boo!
    Reply
  • Bess
    I live in Durham and if you'd want to drive down to Duke, probably a 10-15 minute drive down 15-501, there are lots of trails in the Duke forest you could run, one specifically that is popular is the 3.1 - 6 mile (depending on which way you go, I always go the 5k loop and just do it a few times...or once, whatever!) trail that loops around the Washington-Duke Inn and Golf Course. There is parking for the public right next to the trail.
    Reply
  • Tina
    My husband is always open to trying new things. He doesn't always love them, but he'll try it and eat it. Even with all the more veg meals I'm cooking because I simply don't care for meat as much as I used to. That's so odd how that trail just ends. Hope you find a good one soon!
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  • Sana
    Yesss! He presses the tofu, which I seriously dislike doing!
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  • Liz
    You are lucky - Neil would NEVER try a green smoothie. He will try some stuff (tofu, various veggie creations) but that's too much for him.
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    • Anne P
      That's funny - I think Matt would be less likely to want to try tofu! Perhaps that will be my next attempt...
      Reply
  • Michelle
    we're in the same boat right now! i am desperately trying to find a long, non-loop trail and so far i've only found short ones :( neighborhood jogs are so boring...
    Reply
  • Caitlin @ Right Foot Forward
    Aw, that photo of the end of the trail made me so sad! What a bummer. My husband eats as healthy as I do most of the time. The one difference we have is that he never seems to feel full enough after a vegetarian meal - he's gotta have some meat to be satisfied.
    Reply
  • Jessie (Bites and Pieces)
    It's not much of a trail, but last time I was visiting my family in Chapel Hill, I ran along this gorgeous golf course (part of the CH country club if you want to google it). The surrounding area is very scenic and nice for a shorter run. It's a very safe area too!
    Reply
  • Renie
    Anne, that trail is hilarious. I noticed the woods all around you, please carry pepper spray with you and hold while you run. I have one that is issued to the police department here in Atlanta and it has velcro that fits around your hand and is very comfortable to use. I know, I sound like a mama and that's because I am. Can't help it.Do they have an LA Boxing around Chapel Hill? I really enjoyed that segment of your blog. Love
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Don't worry I'll be careful :) Sadly there's not an LA Boxing in Chapel Hill, but I think there's one over in Durham, which is nearby (maybe a 20 min or so drive). I'm thinking of heading over there to check it out! Wish it were closer, though...
      Reply
  • Jess
    My live-in bf eats about as healthy as I do...we both have our weaknesses though (chips-him; sweets-me). He's also very willing to try new foods. And this might make me a bad person, but I've been known to hide foods he says he doesn't like in a meal and only tell him after he's said it was good!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Lol I've totally done that before too!
      Reply
  • Katy
    I feel *really* lucky because when I met Lucas, he was a big-time carnivore...his family hunts and dinners for him always involved meat, potatoes and a vegetable. Now that I'm a health nut, he's transitioned beautifully -- he still eats some meat, but it's not processed, and it's much less than before. Plus, he has learned to love whole grains, eats a lot of veggies and from time to time even asks for a green monster. :)
    Reply
  • Adriane
    I really like the Bolin Creek Trail, which is north of campus, http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/index.aspx?page=828, and there are tons of trails near Chapel Hill High. I also cannot recommend Fleet Feet Carrboro enough as a resource (they got me to run AND not quit). If you head in there and ask anyone, they usually have good ideas of trails, and they have set up weekly community runs in almost all of the CH-Carrboro neighborhoods. http://www.fleetfeetcarrboro.com/
    Reply
  • Kristen
    The hubby made fun of my green monsters...until I made him try one! I started him out easy with a spinach, banana, almond butter one, and now he'll try just about anything!
    Reply
  • Kris S
    My situation is opposite- it's my boytoy who eats healthy and wildly, always eating strange awesome foods and trying to drag me along for the ride. i still have not conquered octopus.. eeek!
    Reply
    • Anne P
      Yay for sandwich :) He makes me proud! Heh
      Reply
  • Amy
    Aww, that trail is so sad! I live in DC and have not been using your favorite trail nearly enough. I'm gonna head there for this week's long run! And I have no significant other to worry about, but my girl housemates often envy my healthy meals -- haha!
    Reply
  • Stephanie Taylor
    My husband love green smoothies. He make them every single morning (fruit smoothies too). I prefer a fruit smoothies rather than green one, but he is so good at making me drink those too. He eat healthier then I do. I wish he had a sweet tooth like I have some time.
    Reply
  • Jess
    I live in a house with my boyfriend and 2 other guys. Their idea of a good meal involves, beer, meat, wings, Jack Daniels, and more beer so it can be challenging to stay healthy with all of the unhealthy distractions. I try to sneak in some whole wheat pasta, and ground turkey instead of beef every now and then but I'm still working on the veggies.
    Reply
    • Anne P
      That would be really hard! Good for you sneaking in some healthier options - usually they won't even notice! :)
      Reply
  • Emily
    my fiance wouldn't pick most of my healthy meals if he was by himself, but I'm happy he's glad to try my random recipes and atleast be nice about them, even if secretly he's wishing I would cave and let him eat pizza every night ;)
    Reply
  • amanda @ Hungry Vegan Traveler
    I'm vegan and my boyfriend is an omnivore. I do all of the cooking at home, so he eats vegan by default pretty often. He really likes it, though. The best thing he's ever said to me is, "I never liked vegetables until I met you." Now he LOVES veggies, even craves them. :)
    Reply
  • stampylisa
    mine eats healthier than me most of the time. cause of his food intolerances & allergies mostly. since i've been vegetarian I'm pretty much eating healthier too.....he still eats meat once in a great while or chicken or cans of salmon. I have more of a sweeth tooth. He can also polish off a family size bag of Lays in one or two days though if I have them in the house. otherwise it's massive amts of kale, cukes, his own super green smoothies (spirulina, kale, apples, almond milk, dates) Great post!
    Reply
  • Katie @ Her Inner Shine
    That veggie/bean dinner looks so healthy, yummy and easy. I'm definitely going to have to give it a try. Thanks for the idea :)
    Reply
  • Julie
    If you feel like driving.. there's a trail in RTP: http://www.rtp.org/files/Fact%20Sheets/08_129_rtp_pedestrian_trails_2.pdf Some is wooded and a some isn't. Check it outttttt. (disclaimer: I never actually ran on it, though I saw people on it!) I was in RTP for work. My bf will eat pretty much anything.. but if he's by himself, he usually just orders pizza, haha. ugh :)
    Reply