A fluffy, foamy, sweet protein smoothie – this is sunshine in a shaker cup!  The bright burst of orange is blended with creamy, high-protein Greek yogurt, vanilla protein powder and a frozen banana for a frosty treat before or after a workout or as a quick and healthy meal or snack.  Whip it up in the blender in mere minutes and enjoy at home or on the go.

This smoothie recipe makes me think of two childhood favourites.  The first one is Orange Julius (okay, I realize that adults can and do also enjoy Orange Julius, but I’ve yet to see this particular North American chain make its way to the glorious Republic of Korea, so it’s not part of MY current adulthood).  It was a big deal when my friends and I were deemed old enough and mature enough to take the city bus from our hometown to the “big” city of Halifax, Nova Scotia to go to the Halifax Shopping Center.  And other than the attraction of wandering around the mall at random in a giggling group of teenage girl (teenage girls STILL do this, I’m told, although Lord knows what else they’re doing these days), a major draw was hitting the food court for lunch, polished off with a classic Orange Julius Original for dessert.  This recipe delivers the same sweet flavour and fluffy texture without any refined sugar or crazy additives (if you have mixed feelings about xanthan gum, you can leave it out!).

The second childhood favourite is the Ice Cream Man (and to be more politically correct and gender-neutral, I mean Ice Cream Person).  Does anyone else remember craning their ears for the tell-tale bells of the Ice Cream Man’sPerson’s Truck?  Or, in our neighbourhood, it was the Dickie Dee Ice Cream Guy, huffing and puffing up our hill with his ice cream freezer mounted on his bicycle (I’m sticking with the male pronoun because I never did see a Dickie Dee Girl).

We’d scream “ICE CREAM!” and scramble for coins in the couch cushions or piggy banks and rush out, clutching the exact change in our grubby little mitts.  It was SO disappointing when only the “crappy,” least-desirable flavours and treats were left (also annoying were our neighbours who had wind chimes that sounded suspiciously like far-off Dickie Dee bells – I think they did it on purpose just to torment the children of the neighbourhood).

Well, I promise this recipe won’t disappoint!  Step right up and get your vitamin C, your protein and your yumminess!  P.S. – For a fun change of pace, I poured this into my favourite cup and saucer set to make my smoothie “sophisticated.”  It’s surprising how differently drinks can taste when you serve them in a new vessel!  Don’t believe me?  Try milk in a mug or wine in a plastic cup and tell me what you think in the comments!  Or better yet, make THIS recipe, and try it in a mug or glass vs. a plastic protein shaker cup.

For the full “Orange Julius” experience, I recommend a paper or plastic cup:

*Please note that I am currently NOT sponsored by or affiliated with any particular brand, company or product. Any ideas, comments or opinions are my own, as mentioned in my Product Review page.  However, if you choose to purchase new-to-you products I recommend using the link(s) I provide, I can earn a small credit.  More information on that is available here.

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