I really wanted to hate this book.
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.