MNN - Mother Nature Network

I’m really excited to tell you about a new project my friend Becky Striepe just released. I’ve known Becky since we wrote together several years ago at Eat Drink Better. She’s an incredibly talented crafter. She’s also dedicated to educating others about eating healthier for themselves and the planet, and her new book does just that.

 

Using a $25 blender she’s had for years, Becky undertook a 40-day green smoothie Lenten challenge. She drank a green smoothie every morning during Lent. After the 40 days, she came out feeling lighter, healthier and more energetic than ever.

 

Becky has taken what she learned about green smoothie creation during her experiment and organized it into “40 Days of Green Smoothies,” an ebook available from iTunes for the iPad for $4.99. If you don't have an iPad, the book is also available as a pdf download for you computer from Sellfy for the same price. 

 

What first impressed me about “40 Days of Green Smoothies” is how well organized it is. Becky has created weekly shopping lists based on the recipes. The first week is the most expensive because that's when she suggests you buy most of the non-perishable ingredients you’ll need for the entire 40-day experiment. (Ingredients like chia seeds, cocoa powder, frozen fruit and flax meal can be less expensive if you buy them in larger quantities in the beginning.)

 

She then organizes the recipes around the perishable ingredients so you use up everything you buy. The greens for the smoothies like kale, spinach, avocado and parsley show up in several recipes in a row so nothing goes to waste. Still, each day’s green smoothie recipe is different from the last. You won’t drink the same smoothie twice during the entire 40 days.

 

All of the recipes are vegan and use almond milk when milk is called for. I’m sure that non-vegans could substitute low-fat milk, but they might want to go ahead and use the almond milk anyway. Even those of us who do consume animal products know that it’s good to limit the amount we consume for both health and environmental reasons. Sticking with the almond milk in the recipes is a good way to do that. Becky also mentions that fruit juice can be used in place of milk at times, but it’s often more expensive.

 

You don’t have to wait for the next Lenten season to follow in Becky’s green smoothie footsteps. With all of the extra holiday indulgences coming up, it would be a great idea to start off each day with one of these green smoothies. 

 

Related smoothie post on MNN: A smoothie for every season