In Simple Green Smoothies with Jen and Jadah, Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner present a fresh path to health and happiness-deprivation not included. They will teach you how to incorporate delicious, nutrient-packed recipes into your everyday routine to create a foundation of health on which to build. The fun, family-friendly lifestyle they present doesn't involve counting calories or eliminating an entire food group. Instead, they encourage you to make one simple change: drink one green smoothie a day.
Hansard and Sellner aren't health fanatics looking to overhaul your life-they're two moms raising their own kids on healthy, whole-food recipes who've seen the amazing health benefits of green smoothies firsthand. The book contains a 10-day green smoothie menu and more than 100 innovative, delicious recipes that address everything from boosting your immunity to getting glowing skin. Simple Green Smoothies offers a sane and tasty approach to health that will inspire and energize you on your journey toward a happier life.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually like most of the recipes. I have a sweet tooth and thought it would take time to adjust to the bland tastes but I was surprised that they have a great flavor from the start.
Great start for the novice green drink/smoothie maker. But that's not all, these girls step it up with a wide variety of fun recipes for healthy delish drinks/bowls/smoothies, desserts, granola, etc that are fun to make. Helpful diy recipes, nutrient info and ingredient conversion guide too. Beautiful pics that make you anxious to grab a blender and a mason jar and get started. Even the recipe names are fun. Enjoy!!!
I got on a quest to learn how to make healthy smoothies and brought this book home from the library along with six others. It took three attempts to read through. I kept putting it down because I could not stomach the hipster, we're-such-rad-millennials, bad-to-the-bone mom tone they drenched each page with to make sure you agree--at all costs--how truly instagram perfect their bitchin' worlds are. They aren't just people who love smoothies--they are fallible humans, just like us! Yeah, they have to admit that though they try to eat healthy, sometimes they come to the door dressed in LAST NIGHT'S SWEATS to collect their Postmates delivery of a triple venti half-sweet non-fat caramel macchiato. OMG!
It's not that the writing is specifically tailored to social media obsessed young women. I get that. It's the LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE Hobby Lobby fake barn wood wall decal approach weighing down any good information provided. There even is a photo included of our so-hip-it-hurts authors at a farmers market, using a bag sloganed with "PEACE LOVE & Leafy Greens." I like to think--at least I HOPE--that being male isn't the only thing making me want to light this book up in flames every time I read things like "you're a leaf-lovin' rawkstar. Rawk on!", "What's the dealio with alkaloid buildup?", "Oh, kale yeah!", "Four rawesome herbs," and a hundred other vomit-inducing attempts to prove they aren't their mothers.
Redemption comes, however, by shoveling through all the '90s slang. No other book I've read has yet to come close to the comprehensive, straight-forward info this book gives for someone completely new to smoothies. The authors have walked the path from complete newbie to being well-versed, and it shows--they teach as they slowly build the reader's abilities, never coming across as condescending. For example, they start with a section on blenders--but rather than just listing suggestions, they also give hints to help avoid disasters and destruction of your appliances. They teach you how to layer ingredients and why to do it that way. They give a well-mapped plan to start with sweeter, milder smoothie varieties and slowly build toward even more nutritious, greens-dense drinks. They list beneficial ingredients but also teach you how to use them in ways novices might not be familiar with (how to destem kale, freeze bananas, preserve herbs, shop to avoid waste). They are honest about recipes that might be a bit too intense for newcomers and suggest substitutes to allow each reader to move along at their own pace. Best of all, they provide a large variety of recipes that run from sweet to savory to kid friendly--and all accomplished without dairy, gluten, and added sugars.
These authors clearly have a built-in audience, amassed through years of social media posting and blogging. As my southern mother-in-law says, bless their hearts. For the rest of us, though, if you can wade through the shallow posturing (in an odd sidebar explaining How to Thrive When Money Is Really Tight, two suggestions are "We embraced the good stuff" and "We made it work"), you'll find a solid introduction to smoothies with most everything you need to succeed quickly on your own terms. Five stars for core content; one star for the craptastic decorating you have to peel through to get to it.
I learned how to make smoothies from this book. One compliant I have about smoothies is that many people use processed ingredients. This book shows the reader how to make a smoothie with fruits and vegetables. Many of the smoothie recipes have only five ingredients. I also like that they use seasonal greens so you can use products that are in season. They provide a lot of background information about how to make smoothies and which equipment they like. The art of making a smoothie will help you avoid all the mistakes they made when they started down the smoothie path. They provide suggestions on how to fit smoothie making into your day so you can get your fruits and veggie allotment everyday. You can tell that all the recipes have been tested and refined.
Thank god I'm not alone in hating the "rawktastic" parts, while reluctantly liking the useful (& usually simple) recipes and info.
I would love a version of this book stripped of all the awful ("rawkstar") slang and peppy language. I don't need a pep talk. I like green smoothies, and I just want the recipes and info sections. Each time I open this book, I find great recipes but I grow so irritated by the upbeat puns and the shitshow of exclamation marks in every single paragraph, I don't open it again for a month.
Easy, interesting smoothie recipes without hard-to-find ingredients. I never would have thought to put basil in a morning smoothie, but it added just the right kick! Several great kid-friendly recipes as well.
Arggghhhh how do I rate this...the actual information and recipes are appreciated and thorough...but the narrative made me cringe and twitch every time (and I mean EVERY time, as repeated ad nauseum throughout) the phrases "rawkstar", "rawk", "oh kale, yeah!" appeared, with generous exclamations to boot!!! Give their editor the boot. Off a cliff.
Side notes:
Is no one questioning the sanity of these women who pack their blenders on airplanes so as not to miss one day of homemade smoothies? Smoothies can be found in most places for purchase; or you know, you could consume your produce in an alternative format. Mind boggling.
Information should have also been checked by a dietician, because there is some misinformation (examples: carrageenan referenced as a sugar, claiming coconut doesn't contain saturated fat, etc.).
I'm currently on week 2 of my daily green smoothie fix and loving it, although some combinations taste (and look!) better than others. A surefire winner is cherries/bananas/spinach and almond milk--just the right amount of sweet. I think I overdid it on spinach with the first few tries so the flavor wasn't the best (especially with certain fruit combinations and maybe the almond milk), but I've never made anything I can't drink, and now it's become a daily habit! My only issue is I've made smoothies by the recipe, and most don't look like the picture...they're a lot uglier (usually brownish, when combining a red fruit [cherries/strawberries] and the spinach. My husband and parents have made MANY comments about the undesirable color of my smoothies, but who cares? They're delicious and nutritious! I can't wait to try new recipes--the book has a ton!
One more small irritation with the kindle version- it doesn't have an index, so i guess you have to just search for an ingredient you're looking for, like peaches. Give me an index, Kindle!
I received this for free through a Goodreads giveaway.
This is such a fun recipe book! I've always loved smoothies, but sometimes they can start tasting all the same. Simple Green Smoothies can help you get out of your smoothie rut. It has enough guidance for those new to smoothies and those wanting to try out different combinations. At the same time, it has flexibility - it provides general ratios for when you don't want to follow one of the recipes provided. It also has the "Rawkstar Substitution Guide" in the back that I found very helpful. Countless times, when I was out of an ingredient or was growing tired of one, I just flipped to this section to change it up.
I never thought I'd use a smoothie recipe book, but this has been fun. And I learned a few new tricks to make my smoothies even better!
I love this book! This has been my go-to book regularly since I bought it in August of 2018. It is sturdy so you can use it in the kitchen without fear of ruining it and it is loaded with beautiful pictures. The tips are amazing and I never grow tired of leafing through it daily. I did the ten day starter and have challenged myself to try every recipe. This book has so many recipes that I still have something new to try, all the time. A smoothie-a-day lifestyle is an amazing gift to give yourself for better health.
I won this amazing book of the Good Reads giveaway. It is awesome. Great illustrations, Super easy detailed recipes, and a blast to read! I am making the recipes as I go through the books. Very educational as well. We have made a family adventure. It includes as sorts of tips and nutritional info on just about anything related to to smoothies. A must have book for everyone. Can't wait to see the changes in my family. They are delicious too.
"The simple green smoothie life is as simple as drinking a daily green smoothie. Yet simple can be powerful." (XV)
I would like to thank Rodale for providing me with an advance copy of this book!
This book was such an easy read and had awesome flow! It was jammed packed with tips and helpful hints to help yourself with your success. The recipes were super simple and easy to follow!
This book was a very fast read; as I read it in under an hour!
Really enjoying this book. Quite a few of the recipes are pretty simple so I can actually make a smoothie in the middle of the day without too much trouble. After trying half a dozen or so of the recipes, I would say they range from drinkable to quite tasty.
I love this book-- It's got great information, colorful photos, and really yummy recipes. The ingredients for the smoothies are things you can get at any grocery store, and don't include a bunch of expensive/exotic things. Overall, it's a very inspiring book!
This is a terrific book! Up until I read this book, I had only had sips of smoothies. Recently, my spouse got into smoothies that I bought him this and another smoothie book for his birthday. Since he seemed to particularly enjoy this book, I thought I would peruse it as well!
These authors are relatively well-known in the smoothie world, but I had not heard of them as I am a smoothie virgin. They are so excited about smoothies and their passion jumps off the page. They want you to love smoothies as much as they do that they really try to make things as fun, simple, and hassle-free as possible. I love how they make the case that any green smoothie is a great smoothie and that you don't have to go buy expensive or hard-to-find ingredients to do so. That attitude was particularly refreshing to me as I'm not sure if I am/was ready to go hard-core with green smoothies.
Anyway, their upbeat nature, fun and empowering comments (rawkstar), and beautiful pictures, really sold me on green smoothies. I have tried a handful at this point and they are admittedly very good! It's surprising how you don't taste the greens (at least the spinach that I've been using). The book is extremely well organized and jam-packed with practical tips and suggestions. It is basically everything you could need or want if you want to venture into the world of green smoothies. The book just works on all cylinders and lives up to its name of simple green smoothies. Rawk on!
After finding out about a library reading challenge to read a book a month on a given theme for a chance to win a free book and attend a celebration at the end of the year, the theme for November was “books about food or cookbooks,” and I chose this book because it was the only one I had on the theme and felt like I could read.
Packed with plenty of practical tips and nutritional encouragement on how to make “simple green smoothies,” I recommend this book for an approachable and economical way to get started on improving your diet. The book makes it simple and inspiring to get started, beginning with ten simple recipes in the first section after the intro. Even if I personally am not exactly feeling the need to change up my diet, I really love how the book does not advocate for restrictive, counting calories type of weight management, and instead explores how nutrients are more important than focusing on a strict adherence to slashing calories.
With gorgeous photographs of fresh fruits and vegetables balanced between personal stories and helpful lists, this book is bound to inspire you to be kind to your body and mind, even if you just choose to eat more solid fruits and vegetables like I do, or to make your very first simple green smoothie. A pleasure to read and browse.
Anyone else a fan of green smoothies? I started making them at the beginning of 2014. I had stumbled upon @simplegreensmoothies and quickly joined their 30 day green smoothie challenge. I’ve been hooked ever since. The moment their book was released a year later, I snatched it up making it a highly used resource on my shelf. The first 50 pages goes over all of the wonderful health benefits and then explains everything you need to know to get started. The first section is a 10-day kick start plan which is perfect if you are new to green smoothies. You are given a shopping list, then each day you get a recipe, inspiring quote and little tips to help increase your knowledge on the healthy new choices you are making. The book goes on to include over 100 recipes! How to use green smoothies: as a meal replacement, to support natural beauty, kid approved ideas, as fuel during or after a workout, how to boost your immunity and even enjoy a sweet treat. There’s also recipes for popsicles, smoothie bowls, plant based milks and granola. I can’t recommend this book enough. It’s includes so much info and the pictures are big and colorful. The recipes are beyond fantastic, easy to follow and offer such a wide variety of options. The hard part is choosing which one to make every day!
There is some really useful knowledge on the various combinations of fruits and vegetables that are readily available on the internet if you know what you’re looking for. That being said, it’s convenient to know the benefits of each smoothie you’re drinking when it readily available before each recipe.
Having tried about half or more of the recipes, I can easily compare it with a few other (green) smoothies-type books. The recipes are for 2 servings, 2 very large servings. The smoothies generally don’t taste great, but the required ingredients are typically minimal (2-4 excluding the base liquid and greens). I find that almost all the recipes I tried are quite bland and heavy (and sweet), even the ones with water as the base liquid. I personally don’t mind it but do occasionally wish for a light and summery combination. Nevertheless, it’s a handy smoothie book that I might reference occasionally, but nothing to write home about.
Love this book and love the website. I discovered the website years ago when I was looking for new recipes to try. The photography is bright and appetizing. The recipes are delicious and give a lot of sugar is and additions for certain needs. I picked up the e-book on sale for $1.99 can as I am pregnant and have been off the green smoothie train. Our whole family is loving our daily green smoothies again and we plan to keep it going. It's giving me plenty of energy, especially from the load of spinach daily. Great for beginners as the 10-day smoothie challenge is full of tasty fruit and you wouldn't even know you were consuming greens. Also great for the advanced smoothie drinker liking for some delicious new recipes. I wish everyone I knew would pick this up and experience the many benefits of drinking a daily green smoothie brings.
This book provides a great foundation for learning how to make healthy smoothies. The author includes information about useful equipment, storing ingredients and freezing them in mason jars. Also includes how to build a smoothie with various ingredients without being limited to recipes, while also including many great recipes for getting started and beyond. In my opinion, they have skipped nothing. It's very detailed and helpful for beginners and those simply looking to expand their options.
Wonderful! I borrowed it from the library so many times, I finally just bought it for my home.
The smoothie recipes offered are a guideline. I have been drinking a Green Smoothie daily since the beginning of 2020 and I have received some compliments about my skin looking smoother and one person even asked why I was looking younger. I have experienced some other TMI benefits as well. I like some of the combinations and others not so much, but Jen and Jadah offer alternatives to help you avoid what you do not like and make it what you do like. Throughout the book they offer bits of information on why to use certain items and each recipe tells you what is good in it and what it will do for you.
The tips offered throughout the book are very helpful--they address tips on preparing ingredients in advance, storing ingredients to reduce waste, even clean up.
I also like the explanations accompanying most recipes that highlight the benefits offered by some of the ingredients such as the vitamin C and antioxidants in the kiwi that help keep skin firm, help prevent wrinkles and used for healthy bones and teeth.
Get healthy the simple way & support your local farm!
Do you look forward to the time of year when fresh produce is available locally? Here is a great way to consistently include fresh veggies & fruit in your day & support those who work hard to bring it to you! Enjoy the journey, enjoy life!
loved the layout of this book! can't believe how many recipes there are for smoothies...and a few others too. We tried and loved Beginner's Luck, Skinny mint and Creamy dream. all were tasty, not too sweet and easy to modify. we also made the fruit fly "trap" suggested at the beginning of the book. would highly consider buying it, but they also have a lot of these recipes available online.
I love this book! The recipes are very good and all the ingredients are easy to obtain. I also really appreciated the layout and found the dietary information not only helpful but very interesting. I have tried a majority of the recipes and found them to be very tasty. I discovered this book while dealing with a medical crisis and honestly can't say enough good things about it!
I stumbled across this at the library the same week I was pondering making green smoothies for the first time. I quickly grabbed it and checked it out. The authors are a lot of fun and have joy in what they are doing. The photos are great and the smoothies are yummy! My kids even like a few of the recipes I’ve tried out.
4.5 stars Love this book. Love the story of how they got started drinking green smoothies. Lots of yummy recipes, however most of them use spinach. I’d love to see more of a variety in the book. Thankfully I can go to their website and find more recipes. I now make popsicles, daily smoothies and extra smoothies and store in mason jars in the fridge. The kids love them too!