Good evening!
I’ve had a rather stressful day…..I would much rather have been here!
As in on the beach in Nice soaking up the rays. Sigh. Enter real world!!!
All became well though when I met Anne for a lovely glass of wine this evening!
Sometimes relaxing with a great glass of wine and a friend is all you really need! 🙂 We went to Wine Exchange (where I lunch yesterday) and we each ordered the same thing, the Boutari from Greece:
I’ll admit, we ordered it because the description said it was like “lava flowing in our glass and it would make us want to start belly dancing”. I actually loved it though–it was crisp with sort of a honey undertone but not too sweet at all. Note to self to look for this at the store!
Since we didn’t go until 7 and I wanted to save money by eating at home, I whipped up a killer Southwestern salad before I left.
When I say killer, I mean killer. This salad was freakin’ awesome!
I used:
- a about 5 cups spinach
- sweet corn
- 1/2 cup black beans
- grated carrot
- sprinkle Mexican cheese
- 1/3 cup salsa
- 1/3 cup Sabra’s hummus
- hot sauce over everything
- raw cheddar quackers on the side 🙂
The combo of salsa, hummus and hot sauce totally made this salad complete. I highly recommend trying it!
With dinner, I had a cup of tea….and new reading material!! 🙂
And then when I got home I of course was craving a little something sweet so I indulged in a raw macaroon and a bit of organic dark chocolate (not pictured..oops!)—
Ryan just got home from work and is exercising upstairs. Guess what his dinner request was?! ANOTHER Green Monster! I bought more spinach today at the store and he is all excited for Green Monster number two this evening. He says he has so much more energy during his workday now that he has started drinking these daily. I really excited him even more tonight when I finally lugged over my entire shipment of Amazing Grass products from my parent’s house. He is pretty excited about the wheatgrass powder. Imagine that! hah! I’m going to add a scoop of Amazing Meal to his smoothie tonight for some extra protein instead of his usual strawberry soy protein powder to see if he notices a difference. Muhahaha
I’m trying to get all my work done tonight and tomorrow so I have a total free day on my birthday, which is Thursday! Woohoo!
**Edited to add**
Ryan’s SUPER Green Monster was a total success!!
Oh my gosh, he LOVED it. Seriously, he went crazy. Said this Green Monster was the very best one he has ever had. He double fisted it and then wanted more. Girls, I think I’ve created a monster! He honestly cannot stop raving about it….I think he might want to go to work for Amazing Grass after this because clearly, if Ryan likes it ANYONE will like it. This is a former pizza/nacho/taco bell boy speaking. When we first started dating he would not even TOUCH a green vegetable.
I used:
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup almond breeze
- 1 scoop Amazing Meal
- big handful blueberries
- 1 big scoop peanut butter
- 4 cups spinach
The only downside to all of this is now he is saying he has so much energy and is not tired at all, whereas I am climbing into bed and ready to fall asleep. Looks like he will be watching baseball and working in the living room! 😉
Recipes for Creativity
June 9, 2009 at 9:15 pmI need to get my boyfriend to start drinking GMs! If Ryan loves them, I bet my guy would, too; I know I absolutely love them!
I hope you finish everything and have an awesome birthday!
Kati
June 9, 2009 at 9:24 pmYour salad looks killer and I want to get that cookbook! Can’t wait to see what you pull out of it ;>
april
June 9, 2009 at 9:25 pmThat’s my kind of salad! That’s great that ryan loves the green smoothies!
Shannon (The Daily Balance)
June 9, 2009 at 9:34 pmsalad looks awesome! so cute how much Ryan loves those monsties!
Anne P
June 9, 2009 at 9:37 pmyay for girls night 🙂 so fun!
you are totally going to make ryan all healthy, i love it! i do the same thing to matt 🙂
Emily L.
June 9, 2009 at 9:38 pmwhen you can’t be in france… eat chocolate?
Or was that not an invitation to finish the sentence?
Maria
June 9, 2009 at 9:42 pmThat salad looks awesome! Just the way I like it, lots of textures and flavors–especially spicy ;).
Now I’m for sure drinking a green smoothie tomorrow…thanks to Ryan!
ballerinaeats
June 9, 2009 at 9:46 pmThat is so cool that he like GM’s so much! Good for him!
Katherine
June 9, 2009 at 9:46 pmOh that glass of wine looks so refreshing and delicious!
I love the idea of having a nice light dinner (Green Monster) once in a while. I have to find a protein powder I like first though!
Michelle (PinQue)
June 9, 2009 at 9:46 pmI went to the same beach in Nice 🙂 It is gorgeous, except for all the rocks on the beach!
Matt
June 9, 2009 at 9:49 pmHappy early birthday!
Bec
June 9, 2009 at 10:02 pmbah I love that Ryan is double fisting green monsters!
Tammy (Defining Wellness)
June 9, 2009 at 10:08 pmAren’t us girls such a great influence on our guys?! That salad looks great — I made a yummy salad concotion for lunch today, too! But now I want to learn to make some of my own dressings, preferably fruity! Any suggestions?
Lauren
June 9, 2009 at 10:09 pmJenna, one more question on the Green Monsters and I am done. What device do you use to make the GM? Do you think I could do it in a magic bullet?
Melissa @ For the Love of Health
June 9, 2009 at 10:09 pmyour salad certainly looks amazing!!!!
i also love white wine yum
i need some green monsters in my life too! I love that you got your man to drink them! AWESOME!
Have a great night!
christine
June 9, 2009 at 10:09 pmI am intrigued by the spinach smoothies but I was wondering if you thought there was anything that could substitute the banana? I am on medication that makes me retain potassium so I’m supposed to stay away from bananas…hmm now I wonder if spinach would even be ok haha…any suggestions?
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini)
June 9, 2009 at 10:10 pmGlad you had a great time with Anne. Wish I could have joined! Next time for sure.
Your salad looks FABULOUS. My kind of meal.
A guy requesting GREEN SMOOTHIES! You must be some kind of miracle worker =)
Have a great night, girl!
Heather @ Health, Happiness, and Hope
June 9, 2009 at 10:12 pmHaha! That is so cute about Ryan loving the Green Smoothies! You are such a good wife to pick him up some more spinach. 😉
Hooray for the upcoming b-day! Enjoy the next few special days!
Danielle
June 9, 2009 at 10:14 pmHaha, I love how much Ryan loves those! That’s so great, hysterical, and dangerous 😉 you’re going to need to re-stock spinach all the time!
Oh to be in France again…I bet that white wine you had was a lot more expensive tonight than it would have been in the wine-loving Paris 🙂
Emily (Healthy Fit Mama)
June 9, 2009 at 10:16 pmThat description would have sold me on that wine too! 😉
Shannon
June 9, 2009 at 10:25 pmHappy Birthday soon! Is there a big age gap between you and your boy?
jenna
June 9, 2009 at 10:31 pmShannon,
Ryan is eight years older than me.
Saima
June 9, 2009 at 10:26 pmwell, atleast he’ll be a healthy monster!! 😉
megan
June 9, 2009 at 10:35 pmJenna – i just saw that your birthday is June 11. Mine is June 12! Happy birthday a few days early! 🙂
Joelle (Chasing Pavements)
June 9, 2009 at 10:38 pmOooh, that salad DOES look killer- yum! And a nice glass of wine does have a habit of turning a rough day around! 🙂 Happy almost birthday!
krista
June 9, 2009 at 10:39 pmOh I am so excited, I’m going to be in Nice three weeks from now. Thanks for the pic!
Still Life in South America
June 9, 2009 at 10:40 pmI’ve started making green monsters now. I wish I had some protein powder to give them a little more oomph.
Your salad looks goooooood. I love the idea of hummus on a salad. My mouth is watering.
Katrina (Gluten Free Gidget)
June 9, 2009 at 10:42 pmIt’s true! Green Monsters give you so much energy! You should try the BBQ hummus I made the other day. It’s on my blog. It’s killer on a salad!
Julia at Jogging My Memory
June 9, 2009 at 10:58 pmSo after telling my fiance how much Ryan enjoys Green Monsters I think I’ve convinced him that he should try one, so next time we go grocery shopping we’re picking up some baby spinach! Hopefully it goes well, I’ll definitely comment and let you know!
Nicole
June 9, 2009 at 11:14 pmIt seems like everyone is receiving samples from Amazing Grass. I guess you can only be super cool to get some!!:)
That salad look so good.
Jen
June 9, 2009 at 11:44 pmspinach and blueberry is my fav combo too! I try others but nothing compares. And I use the mango flavor amazing meal yum!
Caroline
June 10, 2009 at 12:30 amWith a description like that, I totally would have ordered that wine too!
Rachel
June 10, 2009 at 1:01 amGlad you got some wine at the end of your stressful day! I hope you had a good sleep and woke up refreshed for Wednesday.
Sarah (LovIN My Tummy)
June 10, 2009 at 2:47 amI’m super stoked you tried the salsa/hummus combo. I eat it. EVERY. DAY.
Goldie
June 10, 2009 at 3:52 amThat is an awesome picture… chugging green monsters!!! I wonder if it’ll catch on in the frat houses!
Jocelyn
June 10, 2009 at 6:48 amthat salad looks perfect!!!
and bahahaha..looove that he loves the gms!
Nicole
June 10, 2009 at 6:50 amI can’t wait to hear what you make/think of Ani’s dessert book!!!
Adi (oatonomy.com - repaired!)
June 10, 2009 at 7:26 amHaha Love Ryan’s love for the GM!
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down)
June 10, 2009 at 7:47 amHaha…love Ryan’s newfound addiction to the green monster! 😀
Jenna
June 10, 2009 at 8:22 amyour wine looks so crips and delish!
I still can’t stop laughing about you converting Ryan!
Casey
June 10, 2009 at 8:42 amHi Jenna,
I am loving your blog! Great reading and your beautiful honest spirit shines through 🙂
Do you make Ryan his GM’s in the morning or does he make them?
Thanks for sharing your world!
Casey
jenna
June 10, 2009 at 10:57 amCasey,
He makes them himself 🙂
Christine
June 10, 2009 at 8:59 amHey Jenna — Im an old high school friend of Ryan’s! You met a friend of ours recently, Marisa, and she turned me onto your site. I am guilty of sharing many a taco bell adventures with Ryan back in the day so I must say Im highly intrigued by the Green Monster since he had such a positive response to it!!!! Ive always had a strong admiration for those who have the will power to eat clean! Its just never been me. Since turning 30 (Im going to be 32 this Oct), I have found the challenge of attempting to have a healthier diet discouraging and fun all at once. I went from being a 2 – 3 soda a day gal, to never having soda at all. I went from hating hot tea, to drinking it once a day. I can’t forgo pasta but found a whole wheat pasta I finally love, thank God. Your blog and photos at first overwhelmed me! And although your version of healthy eating is way intense for me, it has offered some awesome ideas. So thank you! Im going to go on Amazing Grass and check a few things out and hope by this weekend Im whiping up my 1st monster!! Wish me luck & congrats on such a fabulous site.
PS: Im Greek and know of the Boutari you drank at lunch. Im glad to hear W.Exchange has it!! Its really a refreshing white wine isn’t it?? They sell it at Total Wine with a small selection of other AMAZING Greek wines!
Danielle
June 10, 2009 at 9:05 amA beach day sounds like just what I need right now too.
That salad looks so good!
brandi
June 10, 2009 at 9:16 amthat salad sounds so good and spicy.
that’s so funny that he loves them so much! Maybe I should make Nick try one 🙂 Then I’d have to buy more spinach?!? Maybe not 🙂
Becci L.
June 10, 2009 at 9:20 amYay for getting boys to eat healthy! I wish I could get my hubby to eat ANY kind of fruits or veggies! He will pick around them in things like casseroles! It sure makes cooking tough on me!
Angelea (Cabin Fever Feast)
June 10, 2009 at 9:53 amI’m going to try this on my husband. He thinks I’m crazy adding spinach to my smoothies but I really want him to try one!
Fitzalan
June 10, 2009 at 9:54 amHow did you get him to start trying them? My husband had a sip but I don’t think he went into it with an open mind and said he hated it. Maybe this is just one of those things I need to give up on. My hubbie too used to be a pizza/nacho/taco bell boy and I have definitely cleaned him up a bit. Maybe the GM is just too much to ask. 🙂
Happiness Awaits
The Experimentarian
June 10, 2009 at 10:55 amOh, that salad looks amazing! It’s only 9:00 here, but that already has me craving lunch. Super yum!
Sarah
June 10, 2009 at 11:30 amYou should make him a shirt that says “Real Men Drink Green Monsters” hahaha. That’s so great!
Emily Eats
June 11, 2009 at 1:09 amAh, to be in France… I’d like to be back in Nice too!
Looking forward to reading how you go with Ani’s new book! Anything standing out yet as a must try? 🙂
Ashley
June 12, 2009 at 2:52 pmThat salad looks amazing! And seeing Ryan’s reaction to the green monster is further making me want to try one! I just need a working blender..
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run]
June 29, 2010 at 9:50 pmThat swim suit is so stinkin’ cute!!
Sheila
December 11, 2013 at 11:38 amWhat flavor of amazing meal did you use for the green monster? I definitely want to give it a try.