Green Smoothie Revolution - The Radical Leap Towards Natural Health

"In more than thirty-five years of practice as a psychiatrist affiliated with the Harvard Medical School, I have learned one thing very well: Human behavior is very hard to change. Now Victoria Boutenko is persuading me otherwise.… Thirty days of green smoothies will change how you feel, and how you feel about yourself. That’s no small achievement for one small book."
—A. William Menzin, MD, Harvard Medical School

“Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Toward Natural Health is one among many naturopathic books available that attempt to get people eating healthily again… Filled with easy, quick recipes that combine familiar and unusual fruits, vegetables and greens, Victoria Boutenko serves up an excellent book to readers who will all be hungry for more.”
—Examiner.com

"This book is groundbreaking and needed by a population whose health is threatened by its own processed food supply. From a naturopathic perspective, the most important constituents of healing are here in these new recipes—enzymes, amino acids, fiber, minerals, antioxidants, and much more. Victoria Boutenko has an intense sense of curiosity combined with a brilliant mind... Join the Green Smoothie Revolution! You may not buy a more important book this year!"
—Ariel Policano, ND

“It is clear that Victoria Boutenko did her homework, because I found myself highlighting sentences on nearly every page. Though Victoria includes ample science in her book, the tone is very conversational and easy to read...This book has truly inspired me to get back on track with more green smoothies.” 
—Basil & Spice

“I rarely say this, but I am a big fan of this book. I would recommend reading Green for Life and then picking up a copy of Green Smoothie Revolution to launch your new understanding of health and nutrition to the next level.”
—Ridgefield Wellness

“Boutenko’s book is a simple guide for anyone who wants to find out what all the green smoothie fuss is about. Readers will learn why green smoothies are so healthy, why we should have more greens in the first place, and what health changes one might expect from this lifestyle change… I know right where to go for added health inspiration.”
—dkMommySpot.com

“Public health could be completely revolutionized by following Victoria's advice… Green smoothies are for everyone, not expensive, and [Victoria Boutenko] even tells you which greens you can find through foraging… Highly recommended.”
—Eco Mama’s Guide to Living Green

“[Green Smoothie Revolution] provides lots of info and inspiration — basically anything you could ever want to know about green, blended drinks.”
—The Nutritionista

“In Green Smoothie Revolution, Victoria has truly created a companion guide to Green For Life… Together, both of these books create all you need to know about Green Smoothies. There are a vast amount of recipes included in this book, with bonus recipes for pets!”
—Raw Food Right Now

“You may not think that reading about how humans and chimps share 99.4% of the same genes is exciting, but it is! Boutenko has unlocked the missing component in human nutrition…Her passion for healing is clear.”
—The Raw Mocha Angel

“Green Smoothie Revolution is an educational and inspiring reference book, giving us an understanding of the power and miracle of greens… Everyone should have a copy of this book.”
—Raw Epicurean

“What a great resource for overall health and nutrition!”
—Naptime Reviews

“The great part about [Green Smoothie Revolution] is the variety of recipes…that are all fun and different…Overall this is a great book for those interested in raw foods, green smoothies and healthy new ways to get greens into ones diet.”
—Cooking for a Vegan Lover

“One really important concept that I learned from Green Smoothie Revolution was…even if one does not adopt a ‘raw foods diet,’ but supplements a regular diet with one or two green smoothies a day, there are still immense health benefits.”
—Lily of the Valley

“[Green Smoothie Revolution has] lots of great information and ideas for smoothies… I love the idea of getting my favorite dark, leafy green vegetables into such an easy snack or light breakfast…They keep me full longer than fruit alone and are perfect before an early morning workout.”
—Find Your Balance Health

“[Green Smoothie Revolution] is a nice primer on a very easy way to amp up your nutritional habits… Raw foods can be intimidating but this is such an easy first step.”
—Best-SellingBooks.com

“I love this book… I usually throw a little bit of everything into the smoothies I make (veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, etc.), but this book gave me some inspiration for a slightly different approach. Boutenko stresses the importance of dark leafy greens, and gives lots of recipes for incorporating these healthy plants into smoothies.”
—Mulberry Spot

“There are some amazingly good points in the book, and I absolutely support the daily consumption of green smoothies… If you want great smoothie recipes, I totally recommend this book.”
—Julie Loves Dogs

“[Green Smoothie Revolution] is a great book…I highly recommend it… [the book contains] loads of recipes and tips, and also provides a detailed understanding of why you should go raw, and the wonderful healing power of green smoothies.”
—Wellwoman

“[Green Smoothie Revolution] will not only help you become personally greener, but it will spark your creativity gene and give you the green light to experiment.”
—GoRawMe

“The book is crammed with recipes, but the basic idea is easy to run with.”
—Star News

“I highly recommend [Green Smoothie Revolution]… reading this book has convinced me that green smoothies can truly deliver. Already, I have tried a few of the recipes in the book, I can definitely feel the nutritional boost in energy from this amazing beverage!”
—Carlos Rull, Raw2Zen

“I had some questions and thoughts about the smoothies that I planned on figuring out by doing some e-search, but this book gave me all the info I was looking for! I finished it in under a day.”
—Sabine, The Fruit Persuit

“Green Smoothie Revolution provides comprehensive information with a large selection of recipes from the creator of green smoothies, Victoria Boutenko. It will appeal to dieters who are ready to make a dramatic lifestyle change as well as those wishing to improve the nutritional quality of their diet.”
—EveryDiet.org

“An earthy, health enthusiast, informational collection of eating your veggies, greens, and fruits through smoothies.”
—Reading For Sanity

“I discovered the Boutenkos with their amazing book, Green Smoothie Revolution. It literally changed the way I cooked (or didn’t), ate and fed my family.”
—Eco Diva

“I picked up Green Smoothie Revolution to better understand why we need to rotate our greens, but while reading I came to see that it’s a great place for healthy eating newbies to start.  It not only helps you understand whygreens are so miraculous, but then gives you 200 examples how to give it a shot. … Green Smoothie Revolution is great for veteran health freaks too.  It’s always nice to be reminded why you care about good nutrition, healthy habits and the great things you for your body every day.”
—Alison Spath,  Mama’s Weeds

Victoria Boutenko teaches classes on raw food all over the world, and is an adjunct professor at Southern Oregon University. Her (and her family’s) teachings have inspired raw food communities everywhere. A regular contributor to such publications as Get Fresh, Just Eat an Apple, Alive, and Natuurstemmingen, she lives in Ashland, OR.

I loved Michael Pollan's book "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" in which he summed up his research into what we should really be eating by saying "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." I then thought, O-K, that's great advice but how do I do that? Salads?

Victoria Boutenko's book answers my question so completely that you would think that she was wondering the same thing. Many of the plants that are the healthiest for you (the dark green types) are difficult to eat raw in any meaningful quantity; kale, mustard greens, spinach, collard greens, etc. This is why so many people either cook them to death or smoother them with high calorie dressings. The Green Smoothie Revolution book showed me how I could add all of things that I believe are healthy for us (leaves, fruit, and berries) to my diet in an easy and fun way.

I was introduced to the Green Smoothie by a friend who had been eating this way for a while. I have to admit that when I made my first one I looked at it and said "Really?" It looked like something that Yoda, the swamp dwelling Jedi master from the Star Wars movies, would eat. Green, thick and kind of bubbling. I pride myself on my cooking abilities, especially in making a dish look appetizing by skillful plating. This did not look good; as a matter of fact my other friends used quite a few "colorful" expressions to describe my concoctions, none of which are appropriate here. The taste however is an entirely different matter. The simple blend of bananas, strawberries and kale was sweet, earthy and fresh. I was hooked!

In addition to the wonderful recipes for green smoothies (with alluring names such as "Hawaiian Hibiscus", "The Laughing Gorilla" and "Green Monkey Face") the book also offers moving testimonials and, most importantly, sage advice from Mrs. Boutenko. I have grown to really enjoy mustard greens as a part of my smoothie meals but she gives a great reason to "rotate" your choice of greens. It seems many plants have ingredients in them (including alkaloids) that could become slightly toxic if eaten in large quantities in order to encourage animals to vary their diet so that the plant would not be eaten to extinction. By regularly changing my choice of greens I can avoid this problem as each plant has a different chemical make-up. Another thing that surprised me is that pets enjoy this type of food as much as people do.

I will have to admit that I am not planning to eat 100% raw foods. I believe that humans are omnivores and that a varied diet is a good thing. However, I feel much better now that I have made my daily Green Smoothie my major meal of the day. I still enjoy my cheeses, breads, butter (I LOVE good, cultured Vermont butter) and meat, but I am eating much less of each of them. Thanks to a great friend and this book I have finally learned a practical way to "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

Green Smoothie Revolution by Victoria Boutenko
Review by Susan Schenck, author of The Live Food Factor
Inspiring, informative and entertaining

As the author of a raw food book myself, I rarely come across a related book in which I find many new facts. But it is clear that Victoria did her homework, because I found myself highlighting sentences on nearly every page. Though Victoria includes ample science in her book, the tone is very conversational and easy to read.

I was delighted to come across many surprising new tidbits such how, if you blend the greens you only need half as much as you do if you eat them in a salad; green grapes, tomatoes, apples, bell peppers (and more) are really unripe fruits; a zinc deficiency can create a lack of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and much, much more!

Victoria also teaches us how processed foods have created degeneration that progresses with each generation! She found that ear lobes get smaller, which reflects a lack of cartilage in the body. She points out that the current generation of children is not only more obese than ever, but also is using more psychiatric drugs, braces for the teeth, and glasses. Our lack of good nutritious food (especially greens) is clearly degenerating us as a species.

I was most impressed with the research Victoria did on greens. For example, I used to have a nosebleed at least once a week until I switched to a raw diet 7 years ago. From reading this book, I realize now it was a lack of Vitamin K. Victoria lists the many symptoms that come from a lack of Vitamin K, which is found abundantly in greens. There plenty of other useful lists, such as cultivated greens, wild edibles and weeds, herbs, medicinal herbs, and most important: poisonous plants (with a stern warning to learn how to identify these before going foraging for wild plants!)

Victoria assures us that if we start blending the greens with plenty of fruit we will love the smoothies. She argues that this is good food combining, since greens are not really vegetables--because they are not starchy. Then, as we get used to them, we will not need so much sweet fruit, but will crave and enjoy the bitter greens. There is info on how to get even your cat to eat green smoothies (dogs are easy!) and also guidelines and tips for green smoothie production.

The book also contains personal stories, such as the delightful one about how her grandchild became hooked on green smoothies while in the womb, and another about leaving green smoothies out for wild animals -which led to, among other creatures, a bear coming for green smoothies! In one appendix we learn about how the Boutenko family went raw, and in another we read about how one guy lost 230 pounds in a year by doing green smoothies. (When will the TV "Biggest Loser" contestants catch on to this?)

All of the above makes the book worth the price even without the recipes. Yet the recipes make up the half of the book--there are 72 pages of them! Many are donated by readers from all over the world, and there are even green smoothie soups, puddings and body care recipes!

This book has truly inspired me to get back on track with more green smoothies. I had gone down to just one a day because of my fondness for chewing. But reading this has definitely inspired me to upgrade my "raw glow" to a "green smoothie glow."

Susan Schenck, author of The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet
and
Beyond Broccoli, Creating a Biologically Balanced Diet When a Vegetarian Diet Doesn't Work