Have you ever wondered how to make a smoothie with real oranges? Honestly, the thought had crossed my mind but then I thought, ‘how will I get rid of the pith?’ I don’t even like orange juice with pulp! So I always pushed away the humble orange in favor of another fruit that I knew would blend well.

Turns out, it’s NOT a big deal at all. The blender blends everything completely! And - added bonus -  the pith is a super healthy part of the orange as a whole, with nearly the same amount of vitamin C as the orange flesh. Who knew?! So this is not only a great recipe for anytime, but an especially fun way for the kiddos to get some extra vitamin C when they feel a little under the weather.

Here’s what I did to prep my orange for our smoothies:

1. Peel the orange like you would normally to eat it.
2. Take apart each section and remove any seeds.
3. That’s it!

I’m almost ashamed at what we’ve been missing around here: a cross between an Orange Julius and the freshest Florida OJ you’ve ever had. Dee-licious!

Without further ado,

How to Make a Healthy Orange Smoothie:

Fresh Orange Smoothie

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Cuisine: smoothies, smoothie, drinks

Serves: 1

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Pineapple Orange Juice
• 1 peeled Orange
• 2 scoops Orange Sherbet
• ¾ cup Ice

Instructions

1. Peel your orange normally, and remove any seeds.
2. Add orange, pineapple orange juice, orange sherbet. and ice to your blender and blend until smooth.
3. Serve immediately.

3.2.1230

There’s just something about Summer that calls for refreshing pineapple drinks and this one fits the bill! Tropical fruit drinks make me think of vacation and the beach….

This smoothie recipe tastes indulgent, like a Southern dessert that I can’t think of the name….Dump cake? Hummingbird cake?…… but the only ingredients are pineapples, pineapple juice, and nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt. So it’s much, MUCH better for you!

One thing I love about this smoothie, other than the taste, is that it is super easy. It couldn’t be any easier, really. And the ingredients are staples that you can keep on hand at all times. This is a great smoothie to make if you are craving something fresh and fruity but your fruit bowl is empty.

Pineapple Cream Smoothie

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Recipe type: Smoothies, Smoothie, Drinks, Drink

Serves: 2

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• 1 can Pineapple in Juice (15¼ oz)
• 6 ice cream scoops Nonfat Vanilla Frozen Yogurt (approx. 1 cup)

Instructions

1. Pour the contents of the can into the blender. (The pineapple AND the juice)
2. Pulse until the pineapple is blended into the juice.
3. Add the frozen yogurt a little at a time until you get the consistency you want. Six scoops was perfect for me.

3.2.1230

This is one of the easiest smoothie recipes you will ever see. There are only five ingredients but each ingredient is VERY IMPORTANT. No skipping!

There are a few reasons why this is a fantastic smoothie. Obviously, with just a few basic ingredients it’s a smoothie that you could make in no time. I love it because it has that sweet and salty flavor that I love, kind of like the flavors that you get from kettle corn. YUM! Another great thing about this smoothie is that it’s vegan. While I am not vegan, I do like to limit the amount of cow’s milk that we drink around here. It’s a great option for kiddos with dairy allergies.

Without further ado, here’s the super hard recipe. (I kid, I kid)

Banana Almond Milk Smoothie (Vegan)

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Recipe type: smoothies, smoothie, drink

Serves: 1

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• 1 Banana (sliced and frozen)
• ¼ cup Sweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1 drizzle of Maple Syrup (on top)

Instructions

1. Combine banana, almond milk, vanilla extract, and sea salt in blender until thoroughly combined.
2. Top with drizzle of maple syrup.
3. Serve immediately.

3.2.1230

NOTE: If you only have fresh bananas, you can still make this smoothie, just scale down the almond milk a bit. Pour in a little at a time until you get the consistency you want.

(Salad in a cup, Cereal in a cup)

So you know I’m pregnant and I’m really trying to control my cravings. I’ve seen various recipes for cookie dough that you could eat but they all seemed either really, really unhealthy or super weird. I mean, how exactly does a paste made with beans taste like cookie dough???? NO THANKS!

I knew I could come up with something better…. And boy did I! Real ingredients + healthy food = the unbelievable taste of a cookie dough milkshake! This one is just a tad different from my usually dump recipes and it might sound a little bit weird, but stay with me here…….

I’m so excited about this one!

The only thing that would make this any better is if someone made it for me. Man, my daughter has got it made!

Cookie Dough in a Cup Milkshake Smoothie

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Recipe type: Smoothie, Milkshake

Serves: 1

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• ¾ cup Frozen Yogurt (Vanilla)
• ¾ cup 2% Milk
• 1 tablespoon Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tablespoons Light Cream Cheese
• 2 teaspoons ripe avocado
• 2 heaping tablespoons Confectioners Sugar
• ¾ teaspoon Brown Sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 tablespoons Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Instructions

1. First you make the “cookie dough”. Combine: avocado, cream cheese, chocolate chips, confectioners sugar, brown sugar, flour, and vanilla extract. Add to your blender.
2. Add milk and frozen yogurt to blender and pulse until completely blended.
3. Serve immediately.

3.2.1230

 Do you ever substitute avocado for butter or mayonnaise? It’s one of my favorite tricks!

This smoothie was kind of an experiment. The smoothie recipes that I had in my head all needed some ingredient that I didn’t have, so I just decided to wing it. The resulting smoothie was interesting. I don’t think I would make this exact smoothie again, but I did learn that zucchini only adds a slight greenish tint and almost no discernible flavor to smoothies.

Good to know!

I also learned that I just don’t like the tang that plain greek yogurt gives to smoothies. Maybe because I don’t like to use a lot of fruit juice or added sweeteners, but the fruit is not enough to overpower the sour taste of this smoothie. With that said, this smoothie could be really great with just a few tweaks. I’ll show you the recipe I used below, and then a couple of options that I think would taste better.

Obviously not every smoothie can be a winner, and I really kind of deviated from my norm here. But I think it’s worthwhile to experiment once in a while, and you might think this smoothie is delicious just the way it is. Just because it’s not my favorite, doesn’t mean it won’t be yours!

Tropical Tang Green Smoothie

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Recipe type: smoothie

Serves: 1.5-2

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• ½ Green Zucchini, sliced
• 2 Kiwi, sliced
• 1 Mandarin Orange
• ½ cup Coconut Milk
• ½ cup Water
• 1 Chobani Greek Yogurt, Banana Flavor
• 2 handfuls Ice

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients and serve immediately.

3.2.1230

If I made this smoothie again, I would choose some of the tweaks below.

Better Options for this smoothie:

• Substitute orange juice for the coconut milk
• Substitute a sliced, frozen banana for the banana flavored yogurt (no need to add the ice)
• Instead of using greek yogurt, use regular banana flavored yogurt

Does it seem like I’m on a little bit of a kick? Perhaps…

Maybe just a naming rut. I blame it on pregnancy, which seems to be a very convenient excuse for everything.

This smoothie is perfect for those mornings when you just can’t really decide what you want to eat for breakfast. It’s also really great if you would like to take your cereal in the car. Maybe cereal is your kid’s favorite snack? Who knows. But it is tasty!

I have to tell you that I’m a little obsessed with this Honey Nut Cheerios Medley cereal. I LOVE it, and so does my daughter. It’s a great breakfast or afternoon snack. You can try the cheerios medley or try this recipe with your own favorite cereal. The measurements should be the same.

Also… I bought the tiniest bunch of bananas at the store yesterday. Each banana is the length of your finger. They’re hilarious. Children love hilarious food. Have you ever seen them?

Cereal in a Glass

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Recipe type: smoothie

Serves: 1

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups Almond Milk
• 1¾ cups of Honey Nut Cheerios Medley (or your favorite cereal)
• 1 Banana, sliced & frozen
• ⅛ tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Top with banana slivers and a dusting of cinnamon.
3. Serve immediately.

3.2.1230

AND, it has a top-secret ingredient that your kids will never guess.

There is a whole handful of mixed greens in this tasty, sweet, smoothie!

Ha! They’ll never know!

If you’ve never tried vanilla almond milk, here’s your chance. While it’s not my top favorite to drink straight out of the glass, vanilla almond milk adds a deliciously sweet touch to cereal & smoothies. I actually prefer vanilla almond milk with my granola over regular milk.

I love the addition of mixed greens here because the purple-ish lettuce leaves help the smoothie to maintain it’s rich color. If you substitute something like baby spinach or baby kale for the mixed greens then you might end up with a less appetizing smoothie color. Frozen strawberries don’t actually have a strong flavor, so the addition of them here is mostly for the ‘chill’ factor & the ‘color’ factor.

Try this smoothie and let me know what you think!

P.S – As always, if you use raspberries in your smoothies you will get a few little seeds. Just pour it through a cheesecloth if texture bothers your child. The flavor is worth it!

Raspberry Almond Smoothie

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Recipe type: smoothies

Serves: 1

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Vanilla Almond Milk – Trader Joe’s
• ¾ cup fresh raspberries
• ½ cup frozen strawberries
• 1 large handful Mixed Greens

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
2. Serve immediately.

3.2.1230

I have a confession to make.

I’m expecting a new kiddo at the end of the Summer, and my taste buds have basically gone bananas since I peed on the stick. TMI? Sorry! I really try to eat super healthy, but some days the hormones and the cravings just flat out go NOPE.

So what’s a hormonal momma supposed to do when she’s got a fridge full of fresh fruits & veggies but she physically cannot force herself to make & eat a salad?

A. Suck it up and eat a dang salad.

B. Forget it! Eat some kraft mac & cheese instead and then instantly regret said decision.

C. Throw it in a blender with some extra tasty ingredients and chug it down.

The correct answer (in my case) is C!

<<Hold on a second while I run upstairs to pour the rest of that smoothie in my glass. >>

Ok – so let me describe this smoothie a little bit. The first thing that hits you is the apple and lemon flavors, which are followed up with a little celery tang. You can’t really taste the other ingredients much. It’s light, refreshing, and just the right amount creamy. It’s a delicious smoothie.

Lilly begged me to try this smoothie, and I grudgingly gave her a few sips, to which she said ‘Mmm. Pretty Good.’ Then I took it back from her and shooed her away. Ha!

Salad in a Glass

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Recipe type: smoothie

Serves: 1

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• ½ cup Water
• 1 Braeburn apple with skin, cored
• 1 Cucumber, sliced
• 2 stalks Celery
• large handful Mixed Greens
• 1 Banana, sliced & frozen
• ½ cup Vanilla Frozen Yogurt (Vegans use Purely Decadent Purely Vanilla dairy-free frozen dessert)

Instructions

1. Always put your liquid in the blender first thing (water & lemon juice).
2. Add each ingredient individually, in the order listed, turning the blender on in between adding each ingredient.
3. Use the ‘ice crushing’ option at the end to pulverize any remaining ‘peel’ pieces.
4. Serve immediately.

3.2.1230

Do you remember how your Mom used to cut up apples and put peanut butter on them after school? This smoothie tastes just like that, only in a nice portable cup.

The ingredients are super simple, and you probably already have them in your kitchen! (Apples, frozen yogurt, peanut butter, & water) One important tip I can tell you about making smoothies is to pay attention to the recommended serving size of the ingredients you are making. You could make this smoothie with more peanut butter, but the fat content would go up drastically. My general rule of thumb is to include one serving of each ingredient for each serving of smoothie that I plan to make. I think it’s called ‘scaling’. Or maybe I just made that word up.

Apple Peanut Butter Smoothie

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Recipe type: Smoothie

Serves: 1

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• ½ cup water
• 1 apple (peeled & cored)
• 2 heaping tbsp of peanut butter
• ½ cup of vanilla frozen yogurt

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in blender until combined.
2. Serve immediately.

3.1.09

The fact that her kale smoothie ‘mustache’ matches the stripes in her sweatshirt is a happy accident.

Ok – so are you ready to learn how to turn a big ‘ol piece of raw kale into a delicious treat that your child (and your husband, and yourself) will suck down and ask for seconds???

Step 1. Take a large piece of raw kale and wash it off reallllll good. Pat it with a paper towel to let it dry. Then using a knife or your hands, remove the large, hard parts and discard. You are finished with this step when all you have left is the tender, leafy part.

Step 2. Place the deveined kale into the blender. Don’t turn it on yet!

Step 3. Add 1 cup of your favorite apple juice. Combine just these two ingredients (kale & apple juice) until the kale is pureed. Use the highest blender setting for this. It might take a few minutes. You can get your other ingredients ready while the kale is pureeing.

Step 4.  Add the following ingredients and blend until smooth:

• 1/2 cup of frozen mango
• 1/2 cup of frozen peaches (slices)
• 1/2 ripe banana
• 1 cup of strawberry nonfat frozen yogurt

Step 5. Let your kitchen assistant help with the blending.

Step 6. Serve up this delicious smoothie to your loved ones!

ENJOY!!

Green Smoothie with Kale (!)

 

Author:

Heather Brooke

Recipe type: Smoothie, Drink

Cuisine: American

Serves: 1-2

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Print

 

Ingredients

• 1 large piece of raw kale, washed and deveined
• 1 cup apple juice
• ½ cup frozen mango chunks
• ½ cup frozen peach slices
• ½ ripe banana
• 1 cup of strawberry nonfat frozen yogurt

Instructions

1. First combine the kale and apple juice in the blender until the kale is pureed.
2. Add all other ingredients and blend until combined well.
3. Serve immediately.

3.1.09