A recipe for a green smoothie made with spinach, strawberries and mango, an interview with Jen Hansard, one of the authors behind the new book – Simple Green Smoothies and a chance to win a copy of the book!
You all know I love a good smoothie, and making green smoothies a daily habit is at the heart of Simple Green Smoothies, the new cookbook by Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner (the lovely ladies behind the widely popular Instagram account and website).
Whether you’re just starting or have been sipping on smoothies for years there’s something here for you. Jen and Jadah talk about what made them start drinking a green smoothie a day, the benefits of greens and why they don’t count calories. They offer useful tips on the art of blending, like what order you should add ingredients to the blender jar for the smoothest smoothies and how best to store your green smoothie, along with advice on what equipment you need from blenders to jars to lids and how to save time on prep.
Their basic green smoothie rawkstar formula gives you the measurements for making your own custom creations and their 10 day kick start program comes with shopping lists and easy swaps. Flip to the back and they’ve got a DIY guide on making your own nutmilks and butters and a handy ingredient vitamin guide so you can see what fruit and vegetables you want to mix and match to get a full spectrum of vitamins in your diet.
I’m sharing today one of my favorite smoothies from their 10-day kick start plan – the Pink Flamango, that’s chock-full of in season strawberries; mango and spinach (scroll to the bottom to see the recipe and enter to win a copy of the book). But first Jen was kind enough to take the time to stop by to answer some questions about the book.
1.) Can you tell us a little bit about what led you both to start making green smoothies a daily habit and the benefits you’ve seen since doing so?
We both started drinking green smoothies in 2012 in search of more energy and weight loss. We were young moms who struggled to find the time and desire to eat healthy foods. But that all changed when we made our first green smoothie. It was seriously love at first sip. We couldn’t believe that it was so quick to make and tasted so great (especially when it looked so green and had a giant handful of spinach in it).
It was super easy, affordable and delicious, that we just kept on blending every single day. Within a week, our energy levels soared. And shortly after that our cravings began to change. We wanted more fresh veggies and clean, unprocessed foods, so we listened to our bodies and ate more vegetarian meals. Within 3 months, Jadah lost 27 pounds because of this! I was able to replace my crazy, crazy Starbucks addiction with a daily green smoothie and felt more energized than before. It blew our minds how such a simple habit could transform our bodies.
2.) What can readers expect to find in the book besides smoothie recipes?
In Simple Green Smoothies, we take you on a journey… and never leave your side. From learning about blenders, to understanding which leafy greens to buy, to tips to make your green smoothies creamy and delicious— we cover it all. And we do so with personal stories and from a place of love and excitement.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake Smoothie Recipe from Simple Green Smoothies.
3.) Name three personal favorite recipes from the book you think everyone should try first.
Just three?! Haha! I would say to start with Days 1-3 of the 10-Day Kickstart. So that would be Beginner’s Luck, Pink Flamingo and Pineapple Dream Cake. The trick when just getting started is to make sure you blend your leafy greens with you liquid base first. Then add in the fruits and blend again. #gamechanger
4.) List your top must-have ingredients or equipment for successful green smoothie making.
One of the greatest things about green smoothies is how simple they are to make. All you need is a blender to get started. We always tell people to use whatever blender they have on hand— it will work. You don’t need to upgrade to a fancy one to make a green smoothie. Start with that you have first. Eventually though, you’ll probably want to get a high-powered blender because it cuts down on blending time and makes your green smoothies extra creamy. They really are magical.
5.) Tell us a little about your 10 day kick start.
I LOVE the 10-Day Kickstart! We’ve included the top 10 green smoothies recipes we’ve ever made…which will make it as easy as possible to commit to 10 days of this. We also created a shopping list and daily game plan to make it super easy and fun for you to drink one green smoothie a day. By the end of the 10 days, you’ll have tried a great variety of green smoothie recipes and learned what ingredients are you favorite. Seriously, every recipe in the 10-Day Kickstart is delicious!
Beginner’s Luck Smoothie from Simple Green Smoothies.
6.) Do you have any quick advice or tips for people wanting to transition their reluctant families to drinking a green smoothie a day?
I think it’s really important to start people with Beginner’s Luck because it overcomes every doubt they have. It’s bright green, looks scary, but it tastes insanely delicious. It’s an instant game-changer for most people. We make this in elementary schools and some kids are hesitant at first, but once they taste it, they almost always end up asking for seconds.
Once they get how good they can taste, the next step is being consistent with when you make a smoothie so they can expect it. My husband and I like to drink them in the morning. So we blend a batch for us and share it. My kids like to have them once they get home from school. So we blend a second batch in the afternoon for them. Consistency is key— and also having them taste really good.
Also, if you’re using a standard blender, make sure you blend the leafy greens and liquid base together first. This will help with leafy chunks dramatically! And who likes leafy chunks? No one!
Serves serves 2
“This creamy strawberry-packed smoothie was the talk of the town for our January 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge. The sweet mango pairs nicely with the strawberries to balance the insoluble fiber and adds the amazing cream factor.”
5 minPrep Time
5 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 cups strawberries
- 1 cup chopped mango
Instructions
- Blend the spinach and almond milk until smooth.
- Add the strawberries and mango and blend again.
Notes
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
GIVEAWAY
Jen has generously offered to send one lucky reader a copy of Simple Green Smoothies! Enter below for a chance to win a copy.
(Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Find out what that means for you here.)
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