Secret-Ingredient Orange Julius Smoothie

Welcome to my first (maybe annual) Juice & Smoothie Week!  This week, nothing but fresh juices and delicious smoothie concoctions.
 
Why are we celebrating such a festive occasion?  Well, for several reasons.  First, I have an excess of fruit in my freezer 🙂  Second, I have sooo many ideas for juices and smoothies and I think the summer heat is making me want to try them all.  Immediately.   But mainly, THIS IS MY HUNDREDTH BLOG POST!!!!  Yaaaaay!  And I knew I had to do something fun and different to celebrate.
 
But first I have to say thank you to all of the wonderful people who read my blog!  I absolutely love doing this, and I hope to hit many more hundredth posts.  I have had so much fun, and love having a sweet and supportive audience to read about my culinary trials and triumphs! 
 
So to kick off Juice & Smoothie Week, I’ve picked a guy that’s both fresh juice and smoothie in one recipe 🙂 
A creamy, frosty, refreshing orange smoothie – with a secret super healthy ingredient: carrot juice!
 
You heard me.
 
And it’s unbelievable.  I don’t mean you take a sip and go “oh, this is really good for something with carrots in it.”  What I mean is you take a sip and don’t say a word cause you’re too busy downing the whole thing and forgetting there are vegetables in it.  
At least that’s what I did.  
 
I’ve never actually had carrot juice that wasn’t fresh, so I’m not sure how that would compare.  Worth a shot if that’s all that’s available to you!  But fresh carrot juice is shockingly sweet. 
 
Blended into this drink, it just sweetens up the bright orange juice, adds a phenomenal color and a slap-in-the-face of beta-carotene for a nutritious start to your day!  Or middle of your day . . . or end to your day . . . this is definitely an anytime drink.  
 
serves 1
1 C light coconut milk ice cubes* (after they’re frozen – about 2/3 C before frozen)
1/2 C orange juice
3/4 C carrot juice**
couple drops orange extract (optional)
*see my coconut almond chai smoothie post for more info
**for me that was 4 normal sized carrots and a teeny guy
Blend everything together.  
You won’t believe this!  It tastes like an orange creamsicle.  I like it without the orange extract, but it doesn’t taste as definitively orange-y without it.   The carrots add a very sweet but unrecognizable taste to it.  
 
Sunshine in a glass!  Bottoms up 🙂 
 
Nutrition facts per smoothie: Calories: 180; Calories from Fat: 76; Total Fat: 8.4g; Saturated Fat: 7.6g; Sodium: 98mg; Total Carbohydrates: 26.8g; Dietary Fiber: 2.6g; Sugars: 14.3g; Protein: 3.6g

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Comments

3 responses to “Secret-Ingredient Orange Julius Smoothie”

  1. Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes Avatar

    So much fun, I have neverhad an original orange julius but I have a feeling your version is waaay better!

  2. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    i am going to have to try this but at a reduced amount can you do some recipes for people who are newsly diabetic, it so borning and i dont know how much i should use of this and that. the carrots should be organic. thank you

  3. Leslie Avatar

    Hmmmm, I never thought about how the sugar in all-natural carrot and orange juices might affect a diabetic, but I will look into it. You certainly don't want a boring diet!

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