BY JADAH SELLNER + JEN HANSARD • SIMPLEGREENSMOOTHIES.COM C H A L L E N G E GREEN SMOOTHIE GREEN SMOOTHIE GREEN SMOOTHIE THE 30-DAY SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIES, LLC Copyright ©2013 Jadah Sellner & Jen Hansard All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the authors, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published. Modification of this design does not void the copyright. The authors are not certified nutritionists or medical practitioners, and do not intend anything in this book to be construed as medical advice or treatment. Neither the authors nor publisher of this book assume any liability for undesired outcomes that may occur as a result of following the suggestions and procedures described herein. Readers who have an underlying health condition which requires medical attention are urged to consult with their medical practitioner before utilizing the information in this publication. THIS IS NOT A DIET. IT’S A LIFESTYLE. 5. CHALLENGE #3: ADD GOOD FATS... 27 • The Benefits of Good Fats • How to Choose the Best Fats • Our Favorite Green Smoothie Fats • Challenge #3 Shopping List • Inspiration! Good Fat Recipes 1. THE 30-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE 101... 4 • The Rules • Your 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge Basics • Join our Facebook + Instagram Communities • Inspiration! Testimonials & Success Stories 2. BEGINNER’S LUCK... 9 • Getting Started: Equipment We Recommend • Green Smoothie Tips & Tricks • Beginner’s Luck Green Smoothie Recipe • Inspiration! Three Must-Watch Films TABLE OF CONTENTS 6. CHALLENGE #4: SUPERFOOD SMOOTHIES... 33 • What are Superfoods? • Our Favorite Superfood Smoothie Boosters • Challenge #4 Shopping List • Inspiration! Superfood Recipes 7. FAQ’S: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE... 38 8. PRINTER-FRIENDLY GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE CARDS... 43 MEET THE AUTHORS... 50 FINAL WORDS... 51 4. CHALLENGE #2: ROTATE YOUR LEAFY GREENS... 20 • Kale today, Spinach Tomorrow • Great Leafy Green Options • Tips for Using Leafy Greens in Smoothies • Challenge #2 Shopping List • Inspiration! Drink Your Greens Recipes 3. CHALLENGE #1: ADD A PROTEIN BOOST... 14 • What’s So Important about Protein? • Jadah & Jen’s Favorite Plant-based Protein • Challenge #1 Shopping List • Inspiration! Yummy Protein-Rich Recipes “Nature itself is the best physician.” — Hippocrates 4 THE 30-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE | SIMPLEGREENSMOOTHIES.COM This 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge is all about making green smoothies a part of your lifestyle. This is not a diet— It’s time to nourish your body with raw fruits and vegetables daily and reap the rawsome benefits. We are here to take you on a 30-day journey that we hope turns into a lifetime commitment. Here are some of the results you can expect during this challenge: 1. More energy 2. Shed some pounds 3. Boost your immune system 4. Clearer skin 5. Less time in the kitchen — green smoothies are the best fast food! And if you’d like to kick the challenge up a notch, try two green smoothies a day for the entire month. Have them as snacks or meal replacements— it’s totally up to you. GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE 101 1 CHAPTER “I don’t even see it as a 30-Day challenge... more like an everyday lifestyle.” - RAYNA JUDE AGUON 5 THE 30-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE | SIMPLEGREENSMOOTHIES.COM THE RULES If you’ve never embarked on a challenge like this before, you might be wondering what’s involved. What are the rules? Well . . . there are no rules! The Green Smoothie Challenge is not a diet plan. You won’t be required to radically change your normal eating pattern, eat strange things, or go hungry. Please eat nutritious meals and foods you’re accustomed to and enjoy (all within moderation, right?). All we ask is that you commit to consuming one green smoothie each day of the 30-Day challenge. By the end of the challenge, you should crave less processed foods and be drinking green smoothies daily as part of your new healthy lifestyle. Are you excited?! YOUR 30-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE BASICS Throughout the month, we’ll be giving you pointers, tips, and recipes to help keep you motivated and on track. We realize that no matter how motivated and strong your de- sire is to eat healthy, changing habits acquired over time can be difficult. So for the first few days we’ll be easing you into the challenge by introducing you to our easiest and least time-consuming—but totally delicious—basic green smoothie recipes, such as the “Beginner’s Luck” smoothie (you can find the delicious recipe on page 12.) I just made this and it is great!!! I’m so glad I ran into your site. You’re the reason why I am taking steps to living a healthier lifestyle. — SHANTOYA THE 30-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE | SIMPLEGREENSMOOTHIES.COM 6 In keeping with our “no rules” rule, we’ve kept the challenge as flexible as possible. As long as you drink 1-2 servings (2 to 4 cups) of green smoothie a day, you’re free to adapt other aspects of the challenge to suit yourself, your time constraints, and your lifestyle. Many participants find that drinking their daily smoothie leaves them so full and satisfied that they don’t feel like eating a full meal afterwards. And that’s fine! In fact, we recommend replacing one (or even two) meals a day with a green smoothie. If that’s what you choose to do, rest assured that our smoothie recipes pack at least as much of a nutritional punch as you’d get from a typical meal—and usually, more. Green smoothies can be your breakfast of champions, your healthy fast-food lunch or even your lean and mean dinner. Feel free to substitute your green smoothie for any meal of the day. Do whatever works best for you. And while we recommend that you start the 30-Day challenge with the Beginner’s Luck smoothie, if you’d prefer to try out some of the other recipes instead, go ahead. Or get creative and invent your own! Just make sure you take into account the perfect ratio of vegetables to fruits that we talk about in chapter 2. And don’t worry, we’ll be with you every step of the way to ensure that you and your blender become BFF’s. Join our rawkin’ Facebook community for answers to your questions, recipe inspiration, and support! We encourage you to share your commitment to the 30-Day Challenge on Instagram and your Facebook wall. Letting your friends know what you’re doing means they can support you as well. [Please tag @simplegreensmoothies so we can see your posts and encourage you.] We invite you to post photos on our wall as well as share which ingredients you used in your green smoothie each day. We can’t wait to hear how the challenge goes for you, so we can do the happy dance for you when you’ve made it 30 days! JOIN OUR FACEBOOK + INSTAGRAM COMMUNITIES THE 30-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE | SIMPLEGREENSMOOTHIES.COM 7 If the 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge sounds interesting to you, but you haven’t quite made up your mind to join us yet, read on. We held our first live challenge in January 2013 and received rave comments from our participants. We aren’t bragging— well, maybe a little—but we hope their success will inspire you, too! “Well, let me say I have been sooo happy to join this challenge! It not only has helped with energy but has also helped with my stomach problems. Since I have joined this challenged I have got many of my family members to join and many of my co-workers at Bottala Orthodontics to join! Thank you for all the support and easy way to improve my friends, family and my health! Can’t wait to continue this every day for the rest of my life!” - Kylene Donnert “I’M SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR PROGRAM, THIS REALLY HELPED KICK START MY CLEAN EATING, HEALTHY, FITNESS ADVENTURE AND I FEEL AMAZING. YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION!” - Casey Marie “My wife convinced me to try the 30-Day Challenge and while I wasn’t crazy about the idea, I am so glad I did it. The spinach and kale are easily disguised, and most of the recipes were surprisingly good! I am almost done with my 30 days and I’ve lost 10 pounds!” -Josh Norland “I’ve been on the green smoothie way of life for the past several weeks and I’m hooked! Since I’ve started the green smoothie chal- lenge my desire for soda and sugary drinks has gone to zero. I feel rejuvenated and full of life, I thank my wife for introducing me to them!” -Steven Grimes “I just started. I feel that green smoothies are a great way for me to get a variety of vegetables since I am not a fan of salads. Making smoothies gives the taste of fruits, the nutrients of vegetables, and I don’t even have to chew! They’ve been a great improvement to my diet.” -Christopher Williams II “Thanks so much for creating this page!! I have lost 10 pounds in 11 days and I’m always looking forward to my daily smoothie! I stay full for so much longer and it is getting me prepared for my 90-day beach body challenge!! This will be a regular challenge/ regular occurrence for me from here on out! I feel wonderful!” - Christina Miller INSPIRATION! TESTIMONIALS & SUCCESS STORIES THE 30-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE | SIMPLEGREENSMOOTHIES.COM 8 “Been drinking green smoothies for 3 months now, love a lot of the new ideas for the smoothies! Glad we did the challenge. Trying things we never thought we would enjoy, even my 1 year old grandson loves ‘em. Thanks!” - Kent Butler “I think I’m actually going to make this a life time challenge. I noticed I have more energy and my face has cleared out! Also it’s a great way for my 8 year old to have her daily veggies. She looks forward to making the smoothies with me and loves to try out different combinations. Thanks for sharing. This is just what I needed. Cheers to a healthier life!” - Maricela Gonzalez-Martinez “I love this challenge! I’m addicted to these smoothies and can’t wait to drink them each morning and afternoon.” - Kaitlyn Leigh McDonald “My 17 year-old daughter, 14 year-old daughter, 8 year-old son and 4 year -old daughter all LOVE them. My 4 year-old always asks if she can have some more of the ‘green drink.’” -Cynthia Salinas Montana “WHAT STARTED OUT AS A 30-DAY CHALLENGE HAS BECOME AN EVERYDAY LIFESTYLE CHOICE; I NEVER KNEW BEING HEALTHY COULD BE SOOOOO SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS!” - Samantha Raymond “I’m a convert. This challenge has been amazing, the recipes are delicious—even my toddler loves them. I plan on sticking to two smoothies a day Monday through Friday. Thank you for making this fun and yummy!” - Rashida Alake B “I’m loving the challenge! I plan on continuing after my 30 days are up. I have more energy, my face has cleared up and I’ve lost 5 lbs. in 2 weeks! It’s so easy and all the smoothies have been super tasty!!!!” - Jenni Walsh “I have always found it a struggle to eat fruits and veggies like my momma tried to teach me. The 30-Day Challenge has made it easy for me to get the nutrients I need, the green smoothies taste great, and momma is proud!” - Daniel Mottayaw “Just hopping on the green smoothie band wagon and I believe I’m here to stay. I purchased a 1000 watt ninja professional and made your Vitamin C Immunity Booster...it tastes fantastic and I have never been this full from drinking a glass and a half of anything!!!!” - Robert Carson THE 30-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE | SIMPLEGREENSMOOTHIES.COM 17 CHALLENGE #1: SHOPPING LIST This shopping list is designed to make each recipe once (which is two servings). Feel free to half the recipes or save the leftovers for the next day. You can buy hemp protein and other plant-based protein powders at a natural health food store (like Trader Joes and Whole Foods), or visit our Amazon Store. 4 pears 3 bananas 2 mangos (fresh or 24 oz. frozen) 1 pound of red grapes blueberries (fresh or 16 oz. frozen) strawberries (fresh or 16 oz. frozen) spinach, fresh (2 bags, 20-32 oz) 1 sweet potato almond milk (unsweetened) almond butter raw, whole almonds cinnamon nutmeg vanilla flavored protein powder (we like hemp protein powder) SHOPPING LIST CHALLENGE #1 SIMPLEGREENSMOOTHIES.COM FRUITS VEGGIES OTHER THE 30-DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE | SIMPLEGREENSMOOTHIES.COM 18 INSPIRATION! YUMMY PROTEIN-RICH RECIPES! These protein-packed green smoothie recipes are here to get you started for the week. Feel free to use other recipes and maybe even make some up yourself. ALMOND BUTTER & “JELLY” 2 cups spinach, fresh 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened 2 cups red grapes 2 bananas 4 tablespoons almond butter Blend spinach and almond milk until smooth. Next add the remaining fruits and blend again. Makes 2 Servings A SWEET PEAR 2 cups spinach, fresh 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened 4 pears 1 banana 1 teaspoon cinnamon Blend spinach and almond milk until smooth. Next add the remaining fruits and blend again. Top with cinnamon. Makes 2 Servings * USE AT LEAST ONE FROZEN FRUIT TO MAKE THE GREEN SMOOTHIES COLD.