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Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Towards Natural Health
A raw food pioneer takes the chore out of eating your greens with this surprisingly simple and powerful solution to getting proper nutrition, every day Thanks to the advent of processed food, people who live in industrial countries, especially those whose families have done so for several generations, often have symptoms of multiple nutrient deficiencies on a very high level. We may not be obviously sick, but may suffer from lack of focus, insomnia, sluggishness, or any host of symptoms caused by nutritional deficiency. Green smoothies provide a way for us to correct these persistent imbalances and begin to discover what health actually feels like. Green Smoothie Revolution offers a wide variety of smoothie recipes as well as the nutrition and know-how behind the drinks. Featuring 200 recipes that pack a powerhouse punch, Boutenko reintroduces long neglected fruits, vegetables, and greens in the most persuasive style for our busy with fast prep and delicious results. Green Smoothie Revolution offers both simplicity and enough variety to keep taste buds happy and the vital nutrients you need.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2009
About the author
Victoria Boutenko
43 books43 followersVictoria Boutenko is an author, teacher, inventor, researcher, artist and mother of three. She teaches classes on healthy living and raw food all over the world. As a result of her research and teachings, thousands of people are drinking and sharing green smoothies.
Source: http://greensmoothiesblog.com/who-is-...
Source: http://greensmoothiesblog.com/who-is-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
September 4, 2011
I *love* my green smoothies. I drink one every morning. I have become convinced through my own experience that they are a great and tasty method for adding dark leafy greens to my diet. (And dark leafy greens are definitely nutritionally hardcore)
...But this book is full of really weird pseudo-science. There's this giant leap from the health benefits of adding greens to the diet, which I think is pretty much universally good advice, to eating a 100% raw diet which has a *lot* less evidence to support it. Also a lot of slamming of the "Standard American Diet" as if the only two options are a raw diet, or a processed-food-heavy fast-food-reliant diet. I am always suspicious of any argument that presents things in such binary terms.
For me, a raw food diet is completely uninteresting. I am in excellent health eating cooked food. I even eat meat! But I love green smoothies as a way to increase my vegetable intake, and incorporate 3-5 cups of dark greens a day. I really didn't find much in this book that was useful: The introductory parts were either common sense, or scientifically questionable - and the recipes were nothing I hadn't figured out experimenting with my own blender.
...But this book is full of really weird pseudo-science. There's this giant leap from the health benefits of adding greens to the diet, which I think is pretty much universally good advice, to eating a 100% raw diet which has a *lot* less evidence to support it. Also a lot of slamming of the "Standard American Diet" as if the only two options are a raw diet, or a processed-food-heavy fast-food-reliant diet. I am always suspicious of any argument that presents things in such binary terms.
For me, a raw food diet is completely uninteresting. I am in excellent health eating cooked food. I even eat meat! But I love green smoothies as a way to increase my vegetable intake, and incorporate 3-5 cups of dark greens a day. I really didn't find much in this book that was useful: The introductory parts were either common sense, or scientifically questionable - and the recipes were nothing I hadn't figured out experimenting with my own blender.
April 11, 2012
Gruesome-looking green smoothies are one of the highlights of spring, summer and fall, for me. They are an invigorating breakfast or lunch. Step one: stock up on frozen fruit, juice or juice concentrate, fresh ginger, sesame seeds, almonds, walnuts, dates. Step two: swing by the farmer's market or co-op and grab a few bundles of leafy greens. Step three: pulverize.
This book has a few dozen good recipes, and those chapters are worth a skim. I don't have faith the rest of the text, which is pseudoscientific praise of raw foods, followed by an anecdote about a grizzly bear slurping on the author's kale-apple puree as an example of our biological predestiny for a raw diet. Greens deserve better than this!
A few tips from my salad days, when I was green in judgment, cold in drink:
- spinach is the most neutral smoothie green. You won't taste it at all once it is blended with a fruit (banana, orange juice, frozen berries, etc.), and it even makes a great DIY Orange Julius. More assertive leaves are kale, collard greens, arugula, parsley.
- add supplements if you'd like: ground flax seed, bee pollen, wheatgrass, spirulina.
- experiment with other colors. See Martha Rose Schulman's carrot date sesame smoothie, and berry beet smoothie, from her column "Recipes for Health" in the New York Times.
This book has a few dozen good recipes, and those chapters are worth a skim. I don't have faith the rest of the text, which is pseudoscientific praise of raw foods, followed by an anecdote about a grizzly bear slurping on the author's kale-apple puree as an example of our biological predestiny for a raw diet. Greens deserve better than this!
A few tips from my salad days, when I was green in judgment, cold in drink:
- spinach is the most neutral smoothie green. You won't taste it at all once it is blended with a fruit (banana, orange juice, frozen berries, etc.), and it even makes a great DIY Orange Julius. More assertive leaves are kale, collard greens, arugula, parsley.
- add supplements if you'd like: ground flax seed, bee pollen, wheatgrass, spirulina.
- experiment with other colors. See Martha Rose Schulman's carrot date sesame smoothie, and berry beet smoothie, from her column "Recipes for Health" in the New York Times.
July 2, 2012
Not bad... but not great. The sentiment is good - drink your greens! Otherwise, this book was a little too anecdotal for my taste without enough science behind it. There may have been science behind the author's reasoning, but in most cases it isn't cited or explicitly referred to. There's only so far I can swallow the "we should eat like monkeys!" argument without any research behind it. I also disagree with the author about not including vegetables (aside from greens) in smoothies. If that's the only way I'm going to eat a carrot, doggone it, I'm putting it in my smoothie! (The author advises against putting vegetables in smoothies, for reasons that didn't seem scientifically sound). That said, there's a good variety of recipes to try out (though one might have just as good of luck tossing stuff into the Vitamix and seeing what comes out... many recipes seemed like recipes for that).
October 12, 2009
This was great as an intro to green smoothies. I wasn't looking to be convinced of the nutritional value of them... I already read Joel Fuhrman's books and feel pretty strongly that this is the way to go. But it's hard to get my family interested. I happened upon Boutenko's book while browsing reviews of the Blendtec blender. I ordered them both together (Amazon) and have been making green smoothies ever since! So far we have made about 40... usually at least 2 quarts a day.
The book is a good source for different green smoothie recipes. From fruity ones to intensely green ones, green puddings, etc... even some green smoothies for your pets (haven't tried those yet). So far we are having fun trying out the different recipes.
The book is a good source for different green smoothie recipes. From fruity ones to intensely green ones, green puddings, etc... even some green smoothies for your pets (haven't tried those yet). So far we are having fun trying out the different recipes.
September 16, 2018
The research in this little book is eye-opening! My teen daughter used it (among other resources) to research her 4-H presentation last year and won gold and $100 at state competition in the fruits and vegetable use category.
Nutritional science has always fascinated me, and I love hearing stories/seeing documentaries of how people have used diet to reverse disease. The entire Boutenko family has accomplished just that: all four members of her household went off of medications for asthma, arrhythmia, hypothyroidism, and juvenile diabetes— after only ONE MONTH on a raw food diet! Interesting how chimps consume greens in abundance and have strong immunity to disease fatal among humans. High cellulose in greens interferes with digestion, and low stomach acid levels (from mineral deficiencies caused by the standard American diet), compound this. Drinking green smoothies provides better absorption and digestion than chewing greens. Boutenko’s son’s pediatrician was puzzled how the child could consume banana-laden green smoothies without spikes in blood sugar. While 100% natural juices are stripped of fiber, smoothies retain fiber, and the fiber actually slows the absorption of sugars. It’s much easier to consume 3 cups of blended greens daily, rather than the 6 cup salad equivalent, and it’s amazing how a five-minute smoothie recipe can yield ALL the RDA of fruits and veggies in one blender full! We learned SO much from this book!
Boutenko explains what a nutritious smoothie should contain, what it should NOT contain, and why certain items should be eliminated because they interfere with absorption of vitamins and minerals. (We were telling someone we know about green smoothies, and they thought it was a great thing that they sweetened theirs with canned peaches. Completely counterintuitive! Smoothies should be as natural as possible: devoid of protein powders, powdered greens, and nut milks. Water, greens, fruit, and soaked chia seed is the ideal mixture). One of my favorite quotes in this book was, “Greens are the ONLY living thing in the world that can transform sunshine into food that ALL creatures can consume.”
Boutenko reveals that greens contain all essential vitamins, amino acids, and minerals needed by humans-except for B-12. She reminds readers that birth defects, cancer, and osteoporosis are linked to vitamin-K and iron deficiencies, and the U.S. has some of highest rates of iron deficiency and osteoporosis worldwide. Greens are the best source of vitamin K available and provide the best source of iron assimilated by the body. Kale has more iron per calorie than beef and more calcium per calorie than milk!
Incorporating greens can slow and reverse the degeneration of our health. Dr. Daphne A. Roe, former nutritional sciences professor at Cornell University, said, “By adding spinach and other greens rich in iron in our diets, we could eliminate the most common nutritional deficiency, and possibly improve our immunity to such a degree that we wouldn’t have need of medications.”
While our family is not strictly vegan, and while we do not eat “perfectly,” we do incorporate more greens, raw veggies/fruits, nuts, and seeds into our diet because of the evidence in this book and Forks Over Knives. I’ve often thought how man was originally prescribed a plant-based diet by the Creator (Gen. 1:29), and early man experienced greater longevity. After the Flood, it was permissible to consume meat (Gen. 9:2-3), but lifespans shortened significantly. While “...every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving”
(I Timothy 4:4), I do think the once healthy, completely natural foods of times past have been dramatically adulterated by modern farming and processing methods. We can grow things faster and cheaper, but we compromise our health in the process. Greed of the industry supersedes the well-being of individuals, and when we choose to eat cheaper, processed foods, any amount saved is a medical debt deferred.
I believe many people today are suffering from a myriad of conditions that are ultimately vitamin deficiencies, as this book attests, and these conditions could easily be ameliorated by consuming green smoothies and severely limiting consumption of processed foods. Processed People and Food, Inc. are excellent documentaries. Our family prefers the naturally sweet, fruit smoothies made with spinach and kale to the savory “blended salads” mentioned in the book.
Still not convinced that raw foods promote good health? Find books and videos by Mimi Kirk. The lady is turning eighty this month and has better health than people half her age! Annette Larkins, who is seventy-six, is another amazing example of staying young on raw foods. I suppose you could say the proof is in the [chia] pudding (wink, wink). I also recommend resources by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. T. Collin Campbell, and Rip Esselstyn.
A clerk at a local organic specialty store (now operating as The Budding Artichoke) once told me how she attended a lecture at the University of Wisconsin, and the speaker there was a breast cancer survivor, who beat her cancer by changing her diet. Raw carrot juice was the bulk of her diet for awhile. She was in her nineties at the time of the lecture and basically explained how she was convinced cancers abound because we mainly consume processed “dead” foods, whereas if we eat something raw (and thus “living,”) at EVERY meal, our cells can properly regenerate and ward off disease, particularly if we eat foods indigenous to our communities: we can better withstand the elements of our environment if we eat local plants that have withstood those same environmental elements. So, in light of that and Boutenko’s research, our family has sometimes put broad leaf plantain from our yard into our green smoothies. Boutenko’s son, Sergei, has some interesting videos on wild edibles, their uses, benefits, and medicinal properties at https://youtu.be/3patCDVUooc
Nutritional science has always fascinated me, and I love hearing stories/seeing documentaries of how people have used diet to reverse disease. The entire Boutenko family has accomplished just that: all four members of her household went off of medications for asthma, arrhythmia, hypothyroidism, and juvenile diabetes— after only ONE MONTH on a raw food diet! Interesting how chimps consume greens in abundance and have strong immunity to disease fatal among humans. High cellulose in greens interferes with digestion, and low stomach acid levels (from mineral deficiencies caused by the standard American diet), compound this. Drinking green smoothies provides better absorption and digestion than chewing greens. Boutenko’s son’s pediatrician was puzzled how the child could consume banana-laden green smoothies without spikes in blood sugar. While 100% natural juices are stripped of fiber, smoothies retain fiber, and the fiber actually slows the absorption of sugars. It’s much easier to consume 3 cups of blended greens daily, rather than the 6 cup salad equivalent, and it’s amazing how a five-minute smoothie recipe can yield ALL the RDA of fruits and veggies in one blender full! We learned SO much from this book!
Boutenko explains what a nutritious smoothie should contain, what it should NOT contain, and why certain items should be eliminated because they interfere with absorption of vitamins and minerals. (We were telling someone we know about green smoothies, and they thought it was a great thing that they sweetened theirs with canned peaches. Completely counterintuitive! Smoothies should be as natural as possible: devoid of protein powders, powdered greens, and nut milks. Water, greens, fruit, and soaked chia seed is the ideal mixture). One of my favorite quotes in this book was, “Greens are the ONLY living thing in the world that can transform sunshine into food that ALL creatures can consume.”
Boutenko reveals that greens contain all essential vitamins, amino acids, and minerals needed by humans-except for B-12. She reminds readers that birth defects, cancer, and osteoporosis are linked to vitamin-K and iron deficiencies, and the U.S. has some of highest rates of iron deficiency and osteoporosis worldwide. Greens are the best source of vitamin K available and provide the best source of iron assimilated by the body. Kale has more iron per calorie than beef and more calcium per calorie than milk!
Incorporating greens can slow and reverse the degeneration of our health. Dr. Daphne A. Roe, former nutritional sciences professor at Cornell University, said, “By adding spinach and other greens rich in iron in our diets, we could eliminate the most common nutritional deficiency, and possibly improve our immunity to such a degree that we wouldn’t have need of medications.”
While our family is not strictly vegan, and while we do not eat “perfectly,” we do incorporate more greens, raw veggies/fruits, nuts, and seeds into our diet because of the evidence in this book and Forks Over Knives. I’ve often thought how man was originally prescribed a plant-based diet by the Creator (Gen. 1:29), and early man experienced greater longevity. After the Flood, it was permissible to consume meat (Gen. 9:2-3), but lifespans shortened significantly. While “...every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving”
(I Timothy 4:4), I do think the once healthy, completely natural foods of times past have been dramatically adulterated by modern farming and processing methods. We can grow things faster and cheaper, but we compromise our health in the process. Greed of the industry supersedes the well-being of individuals, and when we choose to eat cheaper, processed foods, any amount saved is a medical debt deferred.
I believe many people today are suffering from a myriad of conditions that are ultimately vitamin deficiencies, as this book attests, and these conditions could easily be ameliorated by consuming green smoothies and severely limiting consumption of processed foods. Processed People and Food, Inc. are excellent documentaries. Our family prefers the naturally sweet, fruit smoothies made with spinach and kale to the savory “blended salads” mentioned in the book.
Still not convinced that raw foods promote good health? Find books and videos by Mimi Kirk. The lady is turning eighty this month and has better health than people half her age! Annette Larkins, who is seventy-six, is another amazing example of staying young on raw foods. I suppose you could say the proof is in the [chia] pudding (wink, wink). I also recommend resources by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. T. Collin Campbell, and Rip Esselstyn.
A clerk at a local organic specialty store (now operating as The Budding Artichoke) once told me how she attended a lecture at the University of Wisconsin, and the speaker there was a breast cancer survivor, who beat her cancer by changing her diet. Raw carrot juice was the bulk of her diet for awhile. She was in her nineties at the time of the lecture and basically explained how she was convinced cancers abound because we mainly consume processed “dead” foods, whereas if we eat something raw (and thus “living,”) at EVERY meal, our cells can properly regenerate and ward off disease, particularly if we eat foods indigenous to our communities: we can better withstand the elements of our environment if we eat local plants that have withstood those same environmental elements. So, in light of that and Boutenko’s research, our family has sometimes put broad leaf plantain from our yard into our green smoothies. Boutenko’s son, Sergei, has some interesting videos on wild edibles, their uses, benefits, and medicinal properties at https://youtu.be/3patCDVUooc
July 1, 2010
Interesting, and a good start for someone interested in going the green smoothie route. The bulk of the book is recipes.
September 22, 2010
I am so glad this life-changing book came my way!!!!
October 20, 2011
Write down all the fruits and vegetables you can think of on scraps of paper, throw them in a hat and draw out five. Call it a smoothie and write a book.
September 23, 2020
Cách mạng sinh tố xanh hay còn là cuốn dinh dưỡng xanh cho chúng ta cách nhìn khác lạ về cách chế biến rau ăn lá. Bình thương mọi người sẽ nấu chín để ăn, nhưng để lấy được toàn bộ chất dinh dưỡng từ rau thì chúng ta có thể xay rau sống kết hợp một số loại hoa quả tươi để có thể uống nguyên chất và cải thiện sức khỏe.
Cuốn sách khuyên mọi người tăng độ pH để ngăn chặn bệnh tật dặc biệt là ung thư.
Cho nên để sức khỏe tốt hãy xay rau sốn kết hợp hoa quả tươi để đạt hiệu quả tốt nhất.
Cuốn sách khuyên mọi người tăng độ pH để ngăn chặn bệnh tật dặc biệt là ung thư.
Cho nên để sức khỏe tốt hãy xay rau sốn kết hợp hoa quả tươi để đạt hiệu quả tốt nhất.
May 20, 2018
Easy to read, had information I didn't know. Recipes are great in more ways than one! A huge payoff for me! Highly recommend it for those who want to be healthier. I made Good Stuff, no modifications, & was HOOKED! She doesn't use starchy vegetables in the smoothies and they are designed so they don't produce gas or bloating. She explains the difference between juicing & smoothies in simple terms. She recommends switching out your greens and why. A keeper!
кой-знае
August 19, 2023Не обичам кремообразни храни - нито супи, нито смутита. Предпочитам сокове или да си ги гризкам.
August 19, 2011
I REALLY enjoyed reading this book! I have been wanting to start incorporating green smoothies into my family's diet, which is why I purchased this book. After reading everything the author had to say about adding more GREENS to our diets with green smoothies, it has made me SUPER excited and energized to try more greens in my own diet!! I have been wanting to buy a Vitamix blender (which are QUITE expensive!! $400-$600!!), but after considering the cost I decided to buy a Ninja blender for now. (Only $80 with a coupon from Bed Bath & Beyond.) I have been using it to create fun smoothies the past week. Now that I have read this book, I have MANY fun new recipes to try!!
"When the solution is simple, God is answering." -Albert Einstein
This is what I felt like when I read this book. I have wanted to do more things in my life that will help me and my family become more healthy. This seemed like the best answer for me right now. I plan on using green smoothies in my diet to help with my depression, low energy, and better nutrition by adding MANY more greens in my diet!! I think the green smoothie will be a perfect solution!!
"To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." -Winston Churchill I am excited to CHANGE my life as I CHANGE my diet by consuming MORE fresh, raw fruits, greens, and vegetables!! I find it amazing that the author came up with the idea of green smoothies partly by looking at the animal that is most genetically like a human (a chimpanzee shares an estimated 99.4% of the same genes) and then seeing what they eat. Chimps eat 50% fruit, 40% greens and the remaining 10% is seeds, bark and insects. These animals possess an extremely strong natural immunity to AIDS, hepatitis C, cancer, and other fatal human illnesses. I found this truly amazing!! I learned SO MUCH from this book! Another thing I thought was interesting is that GREENS are the only food that can be combined with every other food group without any negative results. Green smoothies here we come!!
"When the solution is simple, God is answering." -Albert Einstein
This is what I felt like when I read this book. I have wanted to do more things in my life that will help me and my family become more healthy. This seemed like the best answer for me right now. I plan on using green smoothies in my diet to help with my depression, low energy, and better nutrition by adding MANY more greens in my diet!! I think the green smoothie will be a perfect solution!!
"To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." -Winston Churchill I am excited to CHANGE my life as I CHANGE my diet by consuming MORE fresh, raw fruits, greens, and vegetables!! I find it amazing that the author came up with the idea of green smoothies partly by looking at the animal that is most genetically like a human (a chimpanzee shares an estimated 99.4% of the same genes) and then seeing what they eat. Chimps eat 50% fruit, 40% greens and the remaining 10% is seeds, bark and insects. These animals possess an extremely strong natural immunity to AIDS, hepatitis C, cancer, and other fatal human illnesses. I found this truly amazing!! I learned SO MUCH from this book! Another thing I thought was interesting is that GREENS are the only food that can be combined with every other food group without any negative results. Green smoothies here we come!!
July 17, 2010
I highly recommend both her earlier book Green for Life and this. Read them in order. The information she presents in the first book about the importance of greens in the human diet is fascinating, and numerous tasty and creative recipes and refinements in this one are a great help. A super speed blender, such as a VitaMix, is important for making these green smoothies successfully and easily. I have been drinking green smoothies for breakfast for close to 2 months, and absolutely love them! It's like drinking liquid sunshine-- literally, of course, since the chlorophyll captures the suns rays. I find my energy is excellent all morning, and I'm not hungry until lunchtime. One caveat: do vary your greens rather than eat the same kind daily, as manys have chemical substances in them that, if consumed in too great a concentration, can begin to be unhealthy. So, rotate-- which also keeps the whole experience delicious and fun. Endless combinations are possible and delectable!
September 12, 2012
Good information on green smoothies and food combining. Good smoothie recipes.
I don't go for Boutenko's style, but I'm sure she's contributing something important for a lot of people.
I think the idea that we should base our diet on chimpanzees is pretty silly. However, basing our diet on that of early man, and hunter gatherers, makes a lot more sense--and while it's not a chimpanzee diet, it was probably closer to a chimp diet than a couch potato diet--or even what passes for a -relatively- healthy diet amongst many of us. Blending is a great compromise to make greens more appetizing, whereas our ancestors would probably have just been inclined to eat greens in between infrequent high-calorie scores, since they were more easily and frequently available. But if you're taking nearly all your meals in blended form, and then you have to start using a jaw exerciser, that's taking it too far. At least, as far as the principle is concerned. I'm sure it's a far healthier 'mistake' than most of us are making in our diets.
I don't go for Boutenko's style, but I'm sure she's contributing something important for a lot of people.
I think the idea that we should base our diet on chimpanzees is pretty silly. However, basing our diet on that of early man, and hunter gatherers, makes a lot more sense--and while it's not a chimpanzee diet, it was probably closer to a chimp diet than a couch potato diet--or even what passes for a -relatively- healthy diet amongst many of us. Blending is a great compromise to make greens more appetizing, whereas our ancestors would probably have just been inclined to eat greens in between infrequent high-calorie scores, since they were more easily and frequently available. But if you're taking nearly all your meals in blended form, and then you have to start using a jaw exerciser, that's taking it too far. At least, as far as the principle is concerned. I'm sure it's a far healthier 'mistake' than most of us are making in our diets.
April 27, 2015
I was so excited to read a whole book with recipes for green smoothies. This was incredibly disappointing. The author credits a raw diet full of green smoothies with curing everything from asthma to diabetes to acne to nearsightedness to baldness and gray hairs. And her support for these claims are almost entirely anecdotal. For example, the author says, and I'm paraphrasing, "when I was in school [in Russia, 40 years ago, mind you], there was only one kid with glasses, no one had braces and the only overweight girl was teased by everyone else. When I recently spoke at a middle school, nearly one-third had glasses, half were overweight and many had braces and acne" and says this shows that kids today are malnourished.
It's great if people find diets that help them get healthy. Claiming that they're cure-alls for everyone, however, is spurious and offensive.
The recipes weren't great, either. Many rely on wild-gathered or hard-to-find greens, which isn't practical for an urban-dweller like myself. I found maybe two or three that I can actually try.
It's great if people find diets that help them get healthy. Claiming that they're cure-alls for everyone, however, is spurious and offensive.
The recipes weren't great, either. Many rely on wild-gathered or hard-to-find greens, which isn't practical for an urban-dweller like myself. I found maybe two or three that I can actually try.
September 1, 2012
I mainly picked up this book for the recipes towards the back and I am very glad that is what drew me to this book as I will continue to use those but felt the writing of the book to leave much desired. I felt that at every other sentence of the book the author was promoting herself with endless self references, references to her family, and things she claimed to have "discovered" on her own. I found this to be EXTREMELY annoying and ended up skimming the rest of the information because of it. Additionally it is filled with so much pseudo-science I wanted to vomit or go educate the author myself on the topic.
Again good recipes so if you are looking for that not a bad book but I would NOT recommend this book for the written information. There are so many other books out there on this topic that have REAL information and are not filled with the author's endless self promotion.
Again good recipes so if you are looking for that not a bad book but I would NOT recommend this book for the written information. There are so many other books out there on this topic that have REAL information and are not filled with the author's endless self promotion.
September 26, 2011
The smoothies vs. juicing question is what got me picking up this book. I have neither a blender nor a juicer and was attempting to figure out which machine I was to add to my kitchen. I've always been inclined to the blender for its diversity which is probably why I liked this book. I love being "right".
I'm also searching for a quick easy mornning-on-the-go breakfast that will keep me full until morning snack time. I'm open to losing a few pounds and this book looks like it'll help in that area. The recipes look wonderful and I can't wait to try them.
Turn off: raw food diet bent of the book. Not interested in a religion. I just want to be healthy.
Now: blender shopping!
I'm also searching for a quick easy mornning-on-the-go breakfast that will keep me full until morning snack time. I'm open to losing a few pounds and this book looks like it'll help in that area. The recipes look wonderful and I can't wait to try them.
Turn off: raw food diet bent of the book. Not interested in a religion. I just want to be healthy.
Now: blender shopping!
March 19, 2012
I understand finally!!! I haven't been able to stick to a raw food diet, or even a high raw diet. I found myself bored, or sick feeling when I looked at my options (nuts, oils, fruit)... I have been eating the wrong things and in the wrong quantity! This book and "raw and beyond" have both answered many questions I had and I recommend them both! I need more greens & less nuts, fats & oil... And its "ok" to eat some beans & some grains! Bingo!!! Next up on my to-read: the revised edition of "green for life" (read the original years ago, it was the book that started my path to true health, I've never looked back!)
September 5, 2011
This book is more about the recipes and options than why to incorporate green smoothies. I learned about recipe mixtures and keys to success in the first 1/4 of the book. The meat of the book includes many recipes for beginners and smoothie veterans. The ending appendices included two life stories and how smoothies impacted one man. There is also a summary of Victoria's journey to smoothies.
The book also pushes a raw diet, which I'm not as inclined to incorporate, but the value of green smoothies as an addition to one's diet? Completely sold!
The book also pushes a raw diet, which I'm not as inclined to incorporate, but the value of green smoothies as an addition to one's diet? Completely sold!
Read
May 4, 2015Mmmm, spinach smoothies ...
I forgot I even had this, but I'm flicking through it now and enjoying all the inspirational quotes the author added to each chapter, like
'We know the truth, not only by reason, but also by the heart' - Blaise Pascal
and
'When the solution is simple, God is answering' - Albert Einstein.
I'm not sure I want my nutritional info guided by the heart, but she did quote Einstein, so that's instant credibility!
What can I say, it was a phase. A delicious, delicious phase.
I forgot I even had this, but I'm flicking through it now and enjoying all the inspirational quotes the author added to each chapter, like
'We know the truth, not only by reason, but also by the heart' - Blaise Pascal
and
'When the solution is simple, God is answering' - Albert Einstein.
I'm not sure I want my nutritional info guided by the heart, but she did quote Einstein, so that's instant credibility!
What can I say, it was a phase. A delicious, delicious phase.
February 26, 2010
There are some great recipes in here, from the basic to the adventurous. I look forward to planting some things in my garden this season that I will be able to use in making some of the recipes. I will say that making a green smoothie for our cat is not going to happen--a little over the top for me personally. For now, I feel accomplished with my 5 year old wanting the rest of my kale smoothie. I will definitely purchase this book now that I have enjoyed the library copy.
May 19, 2010
Anyone that owns a Vita-Mix blender needs to get this book. It has so many green smoothie recipes. There is even a section for kid-friendly green smoothies. Whenever I make a green smoothie for my 2 year old, he sucks it down. Little does he know there's a ton of spinach, kale or chard in it. It's brilliant! The only complaint I have about the recipes is that every recipe mixes the fruit and vegetables with water. I use ice and a little bit of water so it's nice and cold.
July 22, 2010
TCL Call#: 641.875 BOUTENKO V
Madeleine - 3 stars
Lots of recipes for a variety of green smoothies. Just don't read the text in the beginning. It's a bit simplistic and has that feel of the zealoty new age healer which made me distrust the info and the recipes. Still, skip the beginning and look at the recipes and maybe you'll find some new ideas. Then again, it looks like you just combine one fruit with one green and you're good to go.
Madeleine - 3 stars
Lots of recipes for a variety of green smoothies. Just don't read the text in the beginning. It's a bit simplistic and has that feel of the zealoty new age healer which made me distrust the info and the recipes. Still, skip the beginning and look at the recipes and maybe you'll find some new ideas. Then again, it looks like you just combine one fruit with one green and you're good to go.
January 6, 2011
I like that she has actual smoothie recipes in here. It's sometimes hard to find all the ingredients, but I'm looking around and keeping note in the book of which grocery stores carry which things. I cornered a poor guy working in produce at Giant today. "So, do you have butter lettuce? How about beet greens? Black currants? Figs?" Poor guy. ;)
My boys and husband won't drink the first one I made (blueberry, spinach, and ginger), but I don't mind it.
My boys and husband won't drink the first one I made (blueberry, spinach, and ginger), but I don't mind it.
March 5, 2011
Way more delicious than I anticipated!! I would have liked more source information for some of her claims, but the focus of the book is the recipes, not the science, so that's to be expected. I should also say that there WAS enough information to direct me toward further research. Science aside...these are delicious and I consumed more greens and fruits lately than I have in ages. Can't argue with that!
November 18, 2011
Good info about the why we should eat greens. You can tell she has a lot of personal experience informing her writing. I think she is rather close-minded about what you can put in a green smoothie beyond greens and fruit. She is against food combining, but others who write about green smoothies don't take issue with it. It's your choice, but you won't find recipes with veggies in them in this book. Just greens and fruit, and a limited amount of other add-ins.
April 3, 2012
I am not a raw foodist and don't plan to become one. I would consider myself a "foodie" I love trying new things and not limiting myself to any lifestyle. In my quest I have found green smoothies to make me feel more alert and energized especially in the morning for breakfast. This book has really great recipes and I learned to rotate my greens. It will also help me be more creative in developing tasty smoothies and maybe I will make a green soup or 2 in the summer months.
May 21, 2012
Everyone complains about this book having pseudoscience in it, and that might be true but there are some other really compelling arguments. I have to say her chimpanzee pie chart (I think) was a compelling argument. I did not learn to much from this book that I hadn't already read, just picked up really good recipes
I do prefer the Thrive series by Brendan Brazier, those are phenomenal Vegan nutrition guides that offer lots of cited info about Vegan and Raw foods.
I do prefer the Thrive series by Brendan Brazier, those are phenomenal Vegan nutrition guides that offer lots of cited info about Vegan and Raw foods.
December 8, 2012
I read this and The Green Smoothie Bible at about the same time, and I prefer the other book. They cover all the same information and in fact look similar - about the same size, similar covers, but Boutenko's style is a bit over the top, and she doesn't favor additives like blue-green algae and phytoplankton and such, while Kristine Miles does.
There's nothing wrong with this book, but I would opt for the other one.
There's nothing wrong with this book, but I would opt for the other one.
January 5, 2016
What intrigued me: This was a selection that fit really well with my smoothie building habit.
What I liked: If anything the book is short.
What I didn't like: There were a lot of dubious claims. In appendix 2 Clent Manich lists out 18 benefits he has experienced from drinking green smoothies including whiter teeth and sweeter breath.
Favorite quote: “Anticancer Smoothie”
What I liked: If anything the book is short.
What I didn't like: There were a lot of dubious claims. In appendix 2 Clent Manich lists out 18 benefits he has experienced from drinking green smoothies including whiter teeth and sweeter breath.
Favorite quote: “Anticancer Smoothie”
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