Jen Hansard: Co-Founder / Art Director
I love making things look pretty and have been on a simple living journey the past 9 years. (First thing to go was the TV, you can read all about that on Family Sponge.) I have moved 11 times in the past 10 years, and currently call the Tampa Bay Area home. My husband and I met in high school—and we married five years later. After college and traveling through Europe, we settled down and are truly blessed with two awesome kids that join us on our crazy adventures and our vagabond lifestyle.
My favorite smoothie is…
A pretty basic one: blueberries, strawberries, banana, spinach and orange juice. I almost always have these ingredients on hand and I love how I feel after I drink it.
I feel most alive when…
I am traveling. My husband and I spent a lot of our dating and early marriage years traveling— month-long road trips, mid-week flights to NYC for art shows, summer backpacking trip through Europe, and tons of national park camping (Glacier is my favorite National Park). I love seeing the world from the road, stopping at small shops and talking with the locals, eating local food and taking pics of random finds.
I couldn’t live without…
My adorable Electra Townie bicycle. My husband and I made a pact to only use our bikes within 3 miles of our home. This means we bike to the grocery store, Sam’s Club, bank, Starbucks, farmer’s market, preschool…and we love it!
I’m addicted to…
Craigslist. I love a deal, just like my dad. When my husband and I decided to more from LA to Tampa, we sold off most of our belongings on Craigslist. And then once we settled into Tampa, we furnished almost our entire home from Craigslist.
My guilty pleasure is…
Half and half in my coffee. It’s a love hate relationship.
Hi Jadah & Jen,
Thank you for putting up these rawesome recipes, you two are total rawkstars in my book! =) Initially, I started blending because of convenience. I found it tiresome to food prep and I wanted something easy-to-go before my workout or take to work.
Before blending my veggies and fruits rot faster and ended up in the dumps. Sadly, I’m the only one in our house who really eats them. Now that I’m blending, I go through my veggies & fruits quicker and yay, less guilt and less money thrown away.
I also noticed that I feel fuller, more energized, and overall feel great about myself (inside and out). It’s already close to the end of April but hey, I’m still going to do the 30 day challenge. After that, I hope it’ll stick and become a lifestyle. I love experimenting with my food and smoothies. Yours are amazing!
Thank you again and both of you seem really down to earth. Glad to have found you on Instagram! I’m most definitely sharing you to my FB and IG friends.
XO,
Glacel
Thank you for all the kind words, Glacel
It really warms our hearts.
Hi Jen!
Found your 30 day challenge on instagram and I love the sound of it! See you on instagram!
Rawchefredemption
Jadah and Jen –
Looking forward to the April 1st challenge. Thanks for being soo awesome and super down to earth people.
Well, thank you Paula! We are really having fun with this and just so happy to spread the green smoothie love.
Glad to have you here for the 30-Day challenge— should be fun and life changing.
Jadah and Jen –
You guys are so sweet! Thank you for sharing all your information and just being so down to earth. Can’t wait for the April 1st challenge!
Hey Jen,
Is that a paper bead necklace (turquoise) that you are wearing in the first picture?
Just had to ask as I work for BeadforLife and tend to see our beads everywhere (even when it’s not) !
Anyway, glad to be a part of this green adventure and looking forward to the challenge!
(Another) Jen
It is a paper bead necklace from 31 Bits based out of Orange County, CA. They help rehabilitate women in Uganda and its just an incredible ministry. Sounds like you work for a similar company- I would love to hear more about them!
Hi Jen,
It’s awesome that you’ve given up T.V. I’ve cut my T.V time down to 5-6 hours per week (from 20 or more hours weekly 6 months ago) but would love to do without it altogether. The story of you and your husband is super sweet
Sounds like you have a wonderful family. Thanks for this great site.
Thanks Torrie! Getting rid of the TV truly changed us for the better. And sounds like you are heading in that direction too— rock on sister! Hope you stick around and join our next 30-Day Challenge — we are so excited about it!
Hi Jen, it was great meeting you last night. Really enjoyed this blog and will hop over to Family Sponge. We also moved from CA to the Tampa area. Keep up the great work and I am starting to add green to my smoothies as of this am:)
Well hello Lottie! Glad you found the website. Where in CA did you come from? Hope you like the smoothies— and feel free to FB me (or our Simple Green Smoothies FB page) if you have any questions!
Hi Jenn,
Tomorrow will be my fifth day on the thirty day green smoothie challenge and I’m absolutely loving it! Today i had a smoothie that consisted of; cranberries, strawberries, 2 bananas, almond milk, spinach and flax seed, and i absolutely loved it! However i kind of made this one up on my own and I’m not really sure if it’s as beneficial as the other smoothies I’ve been trying from this site, what do you think?
That sounds great Krysten. I would just recommend making sure you are sticking with the 60 (3 cups fruits)/40 (2 cups leafy greens) formula so you are getting a good amount of leafy greens (and you might have done that with this one!). I make up my own all the time and figure as long as I have leafy greens and a boost (flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp hearts or hemp protein) I will be good to go. Thanks for sharing your recipe— I am gonna add it to my must try list.
Oh Jen– it looks like we fall to the same delicious pitfall every day: a little loving in our coffee– absolutely love what you and Jadah are doing here!
Aw, thanks Brandy. Glad you are loving the site and can relate with the half and half.
Love your website on smoothies and am totally joining the challenge!! As a mom of 4 little ones who loves to travel and loves food its awesome to have these kind of resources. Thanks so much.
Four kids— you are amazing! We have two kids and love to travel too. You should totally check out some articles I have written about traveling as a family: http://familysponge.com/category/play/travel/
Hi Nicole. Congrats on your little one! Being a mom is such a wonderful experience. I love it! It’s great that you found us and one day you little one will be drinking green smoothies too! My kids love them and that makes me feel great, ya know?
Hi Jen, I am so excited to try out your recipes! Thanks so much for starting this with Jayda and sharing them. I just had a baby (5 weeks ago) and was looking to eat/drink healthier…your simplegreensmoothies are an answer to prayer!
Another Mom on a Mama’s group I’m on recommended your website!
Cheers to you and 2013!
From Canada:O)
hi jen!!
Just wanted to say thanks so much for all the wonderful info you share on your site, and the hard work you’ve put into it!!! You and your family are a huge inspiration… I greatly respect and appreciate your honesty, thank you for your hard work and integrity!!! looking forward to the 30 day challenge!!
Thanks Kelly! You just made my morning! I wish I could give you a hug.
Hi Jen
Your site is awesome and i’m excited to start doing more smoothies! Loved reading about you and share lots of the same feelings about art and traveling. I have a almost 6 year old and 2 1/2 year old and would love to travel the world with them one day! 
And…I <3 a little coffee with my half n' half 
Hi Tracy! Thanks for writing me! Traveling with kids is amazing….and exhausting. We are getting ready for a 10 day road trip through the Carolinas next week and I cannot wait! Glad to have you here on Simple Green Smoothies— I cannot tell you how much these smoothies have helped me get leafy greens into my kiddos daily. My kids are 3 and 4— and they love their green smoothies!