Hansard - Simple Green Smoothies

This book is intended as a reference volume only, not as a medical manual. The information given here is designed to help you make informed decisions about your health. It is not intended as a substitute for any treatment that may have been prescribed by your doctor. If you suspect that you have a medical problem, we urge you to seek competent medical help.

Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement by the author or publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they endorse this book, its author, or the publisher.

Internet addresses and telephone numbers given in this book were accurate at the time it went to press.

2015 by Jen Hansard and Jadah Sellner

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

Food photography by Lindsey Johnson and lifestyle photography by Tara Donne, SheHeWe Photography, and In Her Image Photography
Art direction and book design by Jen Hansard

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.

ISBN 9781623366414 trade paperback
ISBN 9781623366421 ebook

We inspire and enable people to improve their lives and the world around them.
rodalewellness.com

To our lil rawkstars:

CLARE, JACKSON, AND ZOE

And the amazing dads who love themour rawkstar husbands:

RYAN AND GEORGE

Contents

Our Story

W ith every journey, theres always a beginning. Ours was at Woodbridge Park in Studio City, California. We spent most mornings with strollers and sippy cups and usually a coffee or tea, too. We were the Valley Moms Social Club, a group of about 20 first-time moms who banded together for advice, encouragement, friendship, and sanity. While our babies rolled and crawled around on an eclectic mix of blankets, we talked about poop and spit-up... and dreamed of sleep.

Over the years, we said good-bye to Los Angeles and the moms group and hello to new adventures thousands of miles apart. Jen had her second child and then moved to Tampa to start a church with her husband. Jadah moved to Kauai, Hawaii, to be closer to her mom and start a preschool. It was an exciting time for both of us but also a really scary time. We both were struggling financially and had no health insurance. Then our new church and preschool dreams began to unraveland both eventually closed down.

As we embraced the chaos, our meals got quicker and less nutritious. Drive-thru dinners, freezers stocked with frozen pizzas, and cupboards loaded with Goldfish crackers became the norm. As the days grew longer and the years grew shorter, our ability to juggle it all gracefully began to fall apart.

Many days, it felt like the energy had been sucked out of our bodies. We were exhausted and feeling constant stressand still trying to be the best moms we could be. We began to self-medicate with insane amounts of Starbucks coffee (Jen) and giant bowls of ice cream (Jadah). The more we consumed these things, the more we craved them. Yet even these things didnt give us the energy or reassurance we were really craving. So we kept searching for a solution.

In 2011, we made our first green smoothiesand fell in love at first sip. The fresh taste and instant energy buzz kept us blending day after day. Green smoothies became our healthy fast food. We began making them every single day and out went the coffee and endless bowls of ice cream. Our cravings and our bodies began to change. We went from feeling exhausted and defeated to energized and empowered. It blew our minds that one simple change could make such an impact in our lives. And thats just the beginning. Green smoothies have had a huge ripple effect on both of our lives. Together we have ditched the twice-daily runs to Starbucks, easily lost 32 pounds, and look and feel better than weve ever felt before.

Jens Story:

EXHAUSTED MAMA TO HALF-MARATHON RUNNER

When I was 16, I became the vegetarian who didnt eat vegetables. I survived on grilled cheese sandwiches, Lucky Charms, and bean-and-cheese burritos for 12 years. Sometimes Id buy a bag of spinach because it was the healthy thing to do, and then watch it rot away in the fridge because I didnt know what to do with it.

It wasnt until Ryan and I had our second child that I was stopped in my tracks. Having a toddler running around, a newborn who wouldnt stop crying, and a diet extremely low in any real nutrition was a recipe for utter exhaustion. I relied on double shots of espresso to get me out of bed in the morning and another double shot in the afternoon to keep me going until bedtime. Eventually, even that stopped working, and I felt defeated by my own body.

Then one day, Jadah mentioned that she had been drinking green smoothies and felt amazing. Her excitement was supercontagious, so I jotted down her recipe (loaded with spinach!) and made it with my whole family. We all loved the taste, including my young kids.

For me, green smoothies were the gateway drug to a healthier life. Within a few weeks of drinking them, I felt like a different person. I was eager to wake up in the morning (on my own), bike my son to preschool, and then head to the playground with my daughter. I even had energy to go runningand I completed a half-marathon in 2014, the first endurance event I had done in 5 years!

Jadahs Story: