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The Orange Creamsicle is a classic frozen treat. And rightly so, it’s a tasty combination of the powerfully orange outside and deliciously creamy center. Since it is such a great frozen treat, I thought that it would make a wonderful frozen smoothie. It is essentially the same thing. Basically just take that flavor and throw it in the blender.
A lot of other people seem to have had this idea as well. One search for an orange creamsicle smoothie on Google will get you a ton of recipes.
Now, I must admit that my process in the kitchen usually follows this same pattern:

  1. General idea of what I want to make
  2. Search on Google for recipes
  3. Take all the best parts from multiple recipes and combine them into one

This recipe was no different.

​But it actually went back to the drawing board after I made it the first time. I had come up with what I thought was a great combination of recipes I’d looked at online. After I made it, it just didn’t taste quite right. It really wasn’t a bad smoothie, but it was not the classic creamsicle flavor I wanted when I set out.
Then another search online led to the rescue. I found this recipe. It recommended including mango in the recipe.
​But wouldn’t that make it a mango orange creamsicle? I happen to love mangoes a lot, so I decided to give it a try anyways even though it seemed a strange thought at first.
And with a slight tweak, this recipe really delivers. 4 ingredients, very simple, and wildly delicious.
Plus, it made the perfect amount to share with my wife. It filled the two cups in the picture, no more and no less. And then when she wasn’t drinking much of hers, I stole it and guzzled it right down.
All in the name of not being wasteful, of course.

​Happy Blending!

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

Makes 2 servings.

​1 large orange (or about 4 of the little Halos/Cuties meant for snacking)
1 yogurt cup (6 oz. or about 2/3 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups mango

1. Peel the orange and throw it whole into the blender.
2. Add all other ingredients.
3. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour and enjoy.
Both blueberries and pomegranates have very deep, powerful colors on their own. To match those rich palettes they also come armed with some strong and distinct flavors. So they seemed like a natural fit to be thrown into a smoothie together to duke it out in a flavor contest and see who would come out on top.
In this particular contest, I think the pomegranate flavor is what comes through the most. 
To be honest, I wanted to use the little ruby pomegranate gems in the smoothie. But my wife and I both tasted them and could not give sign-off on including them. They just didn’t taste right. So none of those red pips from all the photos on here actually made it into the smoothie. Don’t have to taste good to be a prop, right?
At first I was going to scrap the whole smoothie and move on to something else, but luckily I had also purchased some pomegranate juice when we went to the store. This deep red elixir made this smoothie possible. Thank you, past me, for having the forethought to buy pomegranate juice.
The smoothie itself ended up with a very appetizing purple tint that is hard to ignore.
Happy Blending!

​The Blue Pom

Makes about 4 servings.

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
2 cups blueberries
1 banana
1 to 2 cups ice

1. Add all of the ingredients in the blender in the order listed and blend until smooth.
2. Pour and enjoy.
You know you are a smoothie lover when you still pull out your blender in the dead of winter. Who cares if it’s freezing outside? A blend of icy fruits, juices, and greens is exactly what you need. It can be a big punch of fresh flavors that are sometimes a little absent during the colder months of the year.

After making the new logo (so exciting!), I wanted to make a smoothie that matched the delicious looking drink I added to the design. Rummaging through my cabinets and pantry I found a glass and straw that fit the bill. Then all I needed was a new recipe. The end result was a delicious dairy-free green smoothie option to add as one of my go-to recipes.

Obviously, it had to be a green smoothie to match the logo design. So I started pulling out some ingredients that I thought would fit together. I wanted it to be sweet and tasty with a super-smooth texture. Spinach for its amazingly rich green color. Also, I love spinach. Banana for a punch of sweet flavor. Pineapple because it always seems to pair well with spinach. And it looks like I have some mango chunks sitting there in the freezer as well.

This is gonna be good.

​So I threw it all in the blender along with some white grape juice for a little more sweetness in the mix. Liquids first, unfrozen ingredients next and frozen on top. Remember when you are getting the spinach to really pack it in to the measuring cup. If you don’t there will be a lot less spinach in your smoothie. And that will be sad. You can’t really see it in the photo, but there’s a banana between the frozen pineapple and the spinach.

I started the blender out on a low speed and slowly cranked it up until it was at max power. This gave it a great blend and the smoothie turned out to be extra smooth.

I poured it out into the cup. And I messed it up. It got all on the sides of the glass and would’ve made for an ugly picture. Luckily I have more than one of these glasses, so I got to try again. The mouth of the Vitamix spout was just too wide for me to pour it without some ending up high inside the neck part of the glass. I failed the second attempt too. Even an attempt to wipe inside the mouth of the glass with paper towels didn’t really work.

So out came the funnel. I grabbed a third glass and used a metal funnel to get the smoothie inside without messing things up. Finally I was able to add the straw and snap the picture. Let me know, did I do a good job of matching the smoothie in the new logo?

The Green 101

Makes 3-4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 cups white grape juice
​2 cups spinach
1 large banana
2 cups frozen pineapple
2 cups frozen mango chunks

1. Add all of the ingredients into the blender in the order they are listed and blend on high until smooth.

2. Pour and enjoy.
Happy blending!
Nearly a month into 2017 already, so it’s time to show off some changes.

I’ve been hard at work on some site updates as well as a logo change. Hopefully you enjoy the new theme, colors and general excitement around here. I will be hard at work adding new recipes to the site in the coming weeks. In fact, I will be attempting to make a smoothie that matches my new logo:

​That awesome looking green smoothie at the start of my logo? Yeah, I’m gonna try and make a recipe to match that. I’ve already got the glass and straw to match, so it is just time to throw things in a blender and make it taste good. A little spinach, a little pineapple… I must not reveal my secrets!

Until I actually finalize the recipe of course. Then I’ll be sharing it here for all to see and hopefully inspire some blended creations of your own.

This was just a quick little update post, even though the updates themselves were a long time coming. I’ll see you again in a few days with a logo green smoothies recipe. I promise there will be pictures to prove it.

Happy Blending!

Every day Amazon comes out with a few special deals and discounts that they call the Deal Of The Day. Sometimes it is such a good deal that it is hard to pass up.

One of today’s listed deals is this Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender that I have owned for three years now. It is a wonderful mid-range blender that gets the job done right – and if you can snag it for this great price then it is totally worth it.

A few of the things i have loved while using this blender:

+ Glass Jar: the jar is thick glass that gives it a sturdy weight and just feels solid. At this price point most blenders are really cheap plastic that clouds with a couple of uses.

+ Dishwasher Safe: Everything but the motor can go in the dishwasher. Everything! This is amazing for cleanup. The parts all unscrew and come apart very easily and can easily fit in a dishwasher so that it can do all the dirty work while you sip down your refreshing beverage.

+ Pre-Programmed Cycles: Oster has baked in some pre-programmed functions that run the blender a specific way for a specific length of time. Obviously, the one i use the most is the Smoothie setting.

+ Reversing Motor: Speaking of the pre-programmed modes, the reason I like and actually use their Smoothie setting is the fact that it reverses the blades during parts of the cycle. This helps stop your mixture from getting stuck with that annoying air pocket so that nothing blends properly. That air pocket is the bane of my existence. I like my smoothies a little thicker than usual I guess…

+ All Metal Drive: There is no flimsy plastic that will easily break on the machine parts that actually drive the blender. This is an awesome feature, especially for a blender this price range.

It does still have a few shortcomings compared to some of the other blenders I have owned:

– The unit is a little heavy when trying to carry the motor and jar together. This is due to the solid glass jar. It is a feature i enjoy, but it does make it a little weightier.

– It is not as powerful as the more expensive models. You do get more than what you pay for with this one. But it may not be the best choice if you are really wanting to bkend things down to superfine levels on a daily basis. I use this blender a lot, but my Vitamix is my go-to blender. The problem with the Vitamix is how expensive it is for someone who just wants to use a blender every now and then.

– They need some slight changes to the preprogrammed smoothie setting to make it perfect. I wish they had consulted me, but unfortunately Oster did not. The timings ofbthe reversing motor and increasing blending speeds on this setting should be tweaked. It would make this blender that much more perfect.

All-in-all this is an amazing blender that I am glad to have owned the past 3 years. If you are looking for a blender that won’t break the bank and will still get the job done then this one is probably right for you. Pick up the Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender before it’s too late. I bought mine from Amazon, I just wasn’t lucky enough to have gotten it while on sale.

Happy blending!

Note: the links in this post are affiliate links and i will earn a commission on any purchases made. it’s how i fund this site and keep the lights on. i do own this blender and those are my true feelings about it above.

Happy New Year 2016!

The New Year is an exciting time that seems to be filled with hope and promise. We often begin to look at the past year, what we’ve accomplished so far and what we want to get done in the coming year. And as long as we stick to it, these New Year’s resolutions can really transform your life. Getting in shape, spending more time with the family, getting that one project done that you have left far too long, the list can go on and on.

So I have made a few resolutions of my own that directly relate to this site that I would like to share. I am going to have a smoothie every day in January. Right now I am only committing to January, because I want to see how this month goes as far as being able to complete it and what changes it makes for me. So far it is going quite well, so I may end up extending this onward into the year. It should also give me some great opportunities to create new recipes for the site, which is exciting and leads me to one of my other resolutions.

I will be much more active on this site. Last year I was a bit overwhelmed with starting a new job and moving to the Fort Worth, TX area where I have no other family or friends. But I feel like I have a much better grip on things now and I have a lot of built up energy on what I can do for this site.

So far we are only a few days into the new year, but I am proud to say that I have kept my resolutions so far. On the first I made a smoothie with yogurt, strawberries, bananas, milk and a few other things. It was not my favorite. The bananas kind of ruined everything. I think they were a bit too far gone to have used and they fouled up the taste of everything else in the smoothie. We just got back from vacation and I was just throwing what we had around the house together to make a smoothie. So remember to make sure you use things that have not yet gone bad.

Yesterday I made a DELICIOUS mango smoothie (though I must admit that mango is one of my favorite flavors). It is quite basic and very close to the one from this mango a go go copycat recipe I posted. Pineapple juice. Milk. Frozen mango. More frozen mango (I used a lot). So simple. So flavorful. I will be repeating it and making sure to get measurements and put together a recipe for you guys.

​Today I have not yet made a smoothie, but do not worry because I have one planned already. It will be some kind of pineapple strawberry concoction that should be quite tasty. Plus I opened that huge can of pineapple juice yesterday so I need to make sure it gets used and this sounds like a perfect opportunity.

So, if you have made any resolutions you want to share with me feel free to do so below. Maybe we can both keep each other accountable.

So, why did I start a site about smoothies and recipes in the first place?

Well, it all started with liking to drink smoothies. We tend to gravitate towards things that we enjoy and for me I just loved a cold blended beverage of fruit and whatever else was in a smoothie. From there I thought, how hard can it be to just throw things in a blender and make one myself. And to be honest, it really is not that hard to do. The blender does all the work. The hardest part for me is thinking of what might make a good combination or making the last minute additions that I think will best balance out the flavors before pouring and serving (giving myself the ‘accidentally’ more full glass, of course).

After making smoothies for a while, I realized that due to the nature of me randomly throwing ingredients into the blender I never made the same smoothie twice. But there were times when I liked certain smoothies more than others.

And so The Smoothies 101 was born to force me to track what I typically just threw into the blender and make me set out the recipe so that I could fine tune and make the best ones over and over again. I just hope that some of the recipes and information here might help you out as well.

Smoothies are so versatile.

They can become nearly whatever you want. They have the sweetness of the fruit, can cleverly disguise some greens and veggies, and can have some added powders, seeds, sprouts and nuts that really make them healthy powerhouses. It is like a milkshake full of nutrition!

Use them as a meal replacement, as a snack, or as a dessert. Have it sitting on the coach or take it on the go. Your smoothie can move wherever you want to go. And literally the only piece of equipment you need to make a smoothie is a blender, and I guess a cup to pour it into. But make sure to get a good quality blender or you will likely end up regretting it (though this doesn’t mean you have to spend a ton of money for the top-of-the-line product).

And, amazingly, smoothies take mere minutes from start to finish. You literally can just throw things in (make sure you have good aim…), cap the blender, and hit the power switch. Let it do its magic. Taste it for flavor and texture, then make any necessary adjustments before pouring, serving and enjoying. Doesn’t get much easier than that. I’ve even waited in line longer at a fast food restaurant than the time it takes to whip up a good smoothie.

Not sure how to make the perfect smoothie? Get in on some of the smoothie basics or take a look at some of the smoothie books that I enjoy most for some quick info to get you started.

Keep stocked to make one any time

One of the ways to make smoothies a go-to meal is to make sure you have what you need on hand. You’ll do best to have a variety of both frozen and fresh ingredients on hand to be able to make one whenever the desire strikes.

I have the luxury of keeping a deep freeze in my garage. This affords me a fair amount of freezer space. In there right now I have large bags of frozen: blueberries, cherries, mango, pineapple, and strawberries. I typically also have raspberries to round things out, but have not replaced that yet from when I last ran out.

Apples and bananas are great for snacking on any time, so we usually buy those whenever we go grocery shopping just to have at home. They also happen to go great in smoothies. Whatever is in season is typically best to buy fresh, so try to take a look at our ingredients pages for more info on what to get when (please bear with me as this part of the site is still currently under construction. I am trying to add to this while still going through my normal schedule as well).

And finally, it is usually good to have juice, yogurt, milk, and ice available to use whenever you may need them. These help everything blend together and can add to and enhance the flavor of the rest of the ingredients.

So remember the next time you are having trouble deciding what to make for breakfast or as a healthy snack, just think about smoothies. Why smoothies? Because they are quick, flavorful, healthy and easy. What’s not to love?

Most people understand that eating more fruits and veggies are important for good health. Nutritionists recommend at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day – with many suggesting that the more, the better. But with how easy fast food, junk food and prepackaged goods are, it is easy to let it slip and just say that tomorrow will be the day we get the right amount of servings. Stop letting this happen! Instead, get creative in order to add in those extra servings.

First and foremost you have to make sure that your kitchen is stocked with fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables at all times. If they are not readily available at home to use, then there is no way that you can incorporate them into your diet. Use the following 10 tips to sneak more fruits and vegetables into your family’s diet:

1. Let the People Choose

Let those that will be eating the meals choose what vegetable will be served. Each person gets to pick a vegetable one day a week, but they have to have tried the vegetables the week before or they loose a turn and the chef gets to pick. This gives people a chance to choose their favorite, but requires that they have given other veggies a try too.

2. Try Some Dried Fruit

Dehydrated fruit is still fruit. Make sure you get ones that have no added sugars – the natural fruit sugars are sweet enough. These can be excellent snacks throughout the day or added to other things like salads, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal and trail mix. Craisins, yogurt covered raisins, banana chips and dried apple slices can all add to your daily servings of fruit.

3. Use Them as Toppings

Don’t let your sandwiches go bare – top them off with some delicious fruits and vegetables. You can add a lot of flavor and really kick your meal up a notch when you do this. Try banana, apple or strawberry slices on a peanut butter sandwich. Mix in some sprouts, lettuce, tomato, cucumber or banana peppers on top of a grilled chicken or sliced turkey sandwich. Or do it sandwich shop style and set out a bunch of different topping options to let everyone add what they want to their own meal.
4. Salad Bar Dinner

A little less of a sneak on this one, I’ll have to admit. But setting out a large variety of options for a salad bar can give everyone an opportunity to have what they like and will get them to actually eat it. If I see a ‘salad’ that is just lettuce a few croutons and some terrible dressing, then I will take a pass even just as a side salad. But if I can get some chicken or nuts or fruit and a nice flavorful vinaigrette, then that salad instantly becomes a meal. Note: there are more options than just Iceberg lettuce as far as greens go and a lot of them are much tastier.

5. Get Your Juices Flowing

Having an assortment of fruit and vegetable juices in the fridge along with other options like milk and water can help give variety and get some added nutrients. Just make sure that you get products that are 100% juice (none of that 5% juice, 95% sugar…). You can even choose to buy a juicer and make your own juice! This can be great fun for kids as they can help in the process and see it being made right before their eyes. It can even entice them to enjoy a glass of mixed fruits and veggies that they would normally refuse.
​
6. Fruit for dessert

Desserts are supposed to be sweet. A nice sweet accompaniment following a tasty main dish. And fruits are sweet. So fruits can be dessert. Enjoy some sliced up fruit with a little whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Make some dessert crepes and fill it with berries, bananas and a little powdered sugar. Or just eat the fruit plain and enjoy nature’s own sweetness.

7. Snack On Fruits and Veggies

Apple slices, carrot sticks, grapes, celery sticks, raisins/craisins – try to make it things you can just pop into your mouth like you would with chips or other snacks. Mix it up by adding in some cheese cubes, peanut butter, yogurt or another favorite dip of your own (just don’t go overboard… it’s about the fruit/vegetable not what you put on it).

8. Try Something New

There’s a lot more than just apples, bananas and lettuce in your local produce section. Find something new or exotic to pique your family’s curiosity. If you see anything there that is a rarity to your home or has never been before, then give it a try. You have no excuses because just searching online will get you thousands of tasty recipes for whatever the new ingredient might be. ​​

9. Vegetable Soups and Stews

Especially good for when the weather gets cold, vegetable soups and stews can be super hearty, healthy, and tasty. If you happen to have a powerful blender like the Vitamix, there are even options to blend a soup straight in the container or at least make a base from which you can cook the rest of your soup/stew. Broth plus veggies, spices and a little meat can make for a satisfying meal. You can get some great results leaving things to simmer for a while or even try interesting things using a crock pot.

 
 
​ 
10. Bust Out the Blender and Make a Smoothie!

Saving the best for last, this one is by far my favorite suggestion and I bet you can guess why. Across this site I have a lot of inspiration for blending together some of nature’s best work in order to get a perfectly smooth mixture of pure ambrosia. And who would’ve guessed they’re packed with healthy fruits and vegetables. It just tastes so good! Have one for breakfast or a mid-morning snack or for lunch or dinner or even dessert. Have one any time. Because they are the best (pure fact, in no way subjective at all…). You can easily tailor this to whatever you have on hand or whatever you want to drink. Add in greens and other veggies (try carrots with mangoes) or just go straight fruit. Use water or milk or yogurt. Add in chia seeds or some nuts. Basically let your imagination go wild and create something uniquely you and packed full of flavor. Trust me, you’ll be happy you did.
Use a few of the tips and tricks above each week and you will easily start slipping in the fruits and vegetables that your body is craving into every day of your life. Nature really does know how to make them right and so make your body happy with the full amount of fruit and veggie servings every day.
Oranges are a fabulous source of Vitamin C. I remember being a small child and hinting at the possibility of having a sore throat and my mom immediately busted out the oranges, orange juice, Vitamin C capsules and cut out all milk and cheese from my diet. 

But here’s the thing, not everyone is cut out to have straight oranges or orange juice every time they’re feeling a little hoarse or need a little extra Vitamin C. Even if you love oranges and think you could eat them all day every day, I promise you will reach your breaking point.  

SO next time you or a loved one needs vitamin C think about making them a smoothie featuring oranges and or orange juice instead of forcing the fruit straight down. After all, variety is the spice of life. 
 

Picture

…will keep the doctor away! Part of the reason apples are so good for you is because they are a great source of fiber and vitamin C. 

There are more than 7,500 varieties of apples worldwide. The top nine variety’s are grown in Washington state; Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Cripps Pink, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Cripps Pink, and Cameo. The most popular variety being Red Delicious – 48% of apples grown in Washington are exported to other countries! 

You can eat them raw, cooked, in desserts and my personal favorite – in Smoothies! 

Head over to the Apples page to learn more about their growing season, how to pick the best apple, freeze them for future use and smoothie recipes featuring apples.