So, I have to be honest, smoothies are not something I have been a fan of at all. I think I avoided them because I used to be so addicted to Jamba Juice, and I couldn’t imagine recreating something that tasted as good as my old usual order. That was until I stopped doubting myself and created this Orange Creamsicle Smoothie topped with Caveman Crunch to replace the granola I used to always add on top.
Now, I have to explain the photo. This is an Orange Creamsicle Smoothie, but when I was testing it a second time, I bought blood oranges because I think they are fun. So, instead of the smoothie being orange, it’s this pinkish color, but it still tastes amazing.
Orange Creamsicle Smoothie (the facts)
The simple truth for myself, most of my family and I think the rest of society is that we do not eat enough fruit and vegetables. People think “paleo,” and they think all meat. While some people may do that, we need to be eating way more fruits and veggies than we do meat in order to maintain a healthy mind and body.
That is why I started drinking smoothies again. I can add fruits that I like, mix in some vegetables or even add fruits that I don’t like, and it still tastes delicious. I pretty much treat myself like a child and sneak in my own greens.
- This smoothie is loaded with Vitamin C, potassium and folate.
- Vitamin C helps the body form and maintain connective tissue, including bones, blood vessels, and skin.
- Potassium supports your heart function and helps maintain a normal blood pressure.
- Folate promotes healthy cells.
If you are trying to lose or maintain weight, be sure you are adding smoothies to your diet as a meal replacement and not as an add-on to your normal eating.
Smoothie Tips for this Recipe and Beyond
Who doesn’t love tips that we can apply to multiple areas of our life or, in this case, multiple recipes? The reason this recipe is called an Orange Creamsicle Smoothie is because it really does taste creamy. However, different ingredients will produce different levels of the creamy flavor.
Here are the best ingredients that I have tried to get that creamy flavor in the order from most creamy to least creamy:
- Raw Heavy Cream (we get ours from Organic Pastures only)
- Raw Milk (we get ours from Organic Pastures only)
- Full Fat Coconut Milk or Cream (we use Native Forest Cream)
- Almond Milk
- Cashew Milk
Now, you are more than welcome to use other options, but these are just what I tested and tasted. These are also all great options for all smoothie bases you make moving forward. Of course, another option is water.
Here is my general rule of thumb for what base to use in my smoothies: If I am having a smoothie to replace a meal, I use one of the milks listed above. If I am having a smoothie to accompany a meal or day of eating, I use water as the base to ensure I don’t overdo it.
Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
Ingredients
- zest of 1 orange
- 2 oranges peeled
- 1/2 cup coconut milk or milk of your choice listed above
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups ice
- caveman crunch
- collagen peptides optional
Instructions
- Place your orange zest, oranges, coconut milk and vanilla in the bottom of your blender (preferably blendtec)
- Blend on high until everything is smooth
- Add your two cups of ice and blend on high once again until smooth
- If you are adding collagen peptides for easy protein, add it to your blender now and blend on medium for a few seconds
- Pour your smoothie into a mason jar and sprinkle caveman crunch on top
- Serve
Sources: Vitamin C benefits
KAi
The thing I don’t like about smoothies — and i gotta say i LOVE milk with fruits — is that milk and fruits is not exactly a good pairing, for your tummy it’s like stones. I can’t seem to get that part of western civilization and will probably never be able to drink it despite it being so god-damn yummy.
George Bryant
Ah hadn’t heard that before
Amberoni13
Why no egg? Most of the Orange Julius type recipes I have used have an egg. It adds a little protein and gives the proper foam on top. Try it out sometimes, with a good farm fresh egg, of course