Creamsicle Smoothie (dairy-free, vegan)

As a kid, I loved creamsicles. Do you guys remember those? Far better than the common popsicle. That creamy vanilla centre coupled with an icy orange bite was dreamy — classic!

Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve had a creamsicle, and I haven’t seen any vegan ice cream verson. (anyone?… do they exist?)

I wanted to recreate that refreshing, creamy-orange flavor in a healthier goodie – that would be simple to make: Creamsicle Smoothie

The girls returned to school last week, and this Creamsicle Smoothie has been perfect after school when the days are still warm. It’s bright and naturally sweet, and entirely nourishing with whole foods ingredients.

If you’ve followed my blog for even a short while, you already know I’ve been a long-time fan of Vega powders. Their flavors are fabulous, and the ingredients simple and clean – with no dairy, sugar or soy, and non-gmo project verified. Vega Sport and Vega One are always in my pantry.

Vega One French Vanilla is a staple, and it works beautifully in this creamsicle smoothie, adding some background vanilla flavor along with all those extra plant-based vitamins and minerals! I like 1/2 scoop here, but you can use the full scoop, adjusting to taste.

For that creamy-orange base, I use a combination of fresh oranges along with non-dairy milk. We keep a few vegan milks on hand, including soy, cashew, and almond milks. Here I’ve used Silk unsweetened original almond milk. It’s one of our staple milks, again with no added sugar and non-gmo project verified.

I choose to use a whole orange in favor of orange juice. We rarely have orange juice on hand, but I always have oranges. If you’d prefer to use fresh orange juice, you can do so!

I also add a peeled lemon for extra brightness. I do this every day with my green smoothies, and I found it contributed a more vibrant flavor here too. So, don’t omit it!

Finally, I sneak in some raw carrots. Why not? Adds to the orange color of this Creamsicle Smoothie, and gives an added nutrient boost for the kids (or adults)! Using the raw carrots, you do need to give that smoothie a good blitz. A works best, but just ensure to puree very well if using a standard blender.

K, kids… hope you love this one! Please let me know if you try it, or what childhood treats you’d like to see reinvented smoothie-style.

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Creamsicle Smoothie

Like the childhood ice cream treat, churned into a nutritious, refreshing dairy-free smoothie!

Ingredients

• 1 large orange outer peel cut away (can substitute 1/2 cup orange juice)
• 1 small or 1/2 large lemon outer peel cut away
• 1/2 cup sliced raw carrots
• 1 cup Silk Unsweetened Original Almond Milk  see note
• 1/2 - 1 scoop Vega One French Vanilla see note
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple or frozen mango
• 1 cup frozen sliced banana see note
• optional: 1 tbsp raw cashew butter or raw almond butter
• optional: couple pinches vanilla bean powder
• 1/2 cup ice optional

Instructions

• Add all ingredients (except ice, and starting with 1/2 cup of powder) to a blender. Puree until very smooth. Taste, and add extra powder if desired, and extra milk to thin if desired. Add ice to glasses and pour smoothies over ice if using. Serve. Makes just over 3 1/2 cups; makes 2 large smoothies or 3 smaller.

Notes

Vega Note: I prefer this smoothie with 1/2 scoop of the vanilla powder. You can taste and adjust to use the full scoop if desired. Milk Note: I prefer keeping unsweetened milks on hand, because they are the most versatile in recipes - can be used in both savory and sweet. Here, you can always add a touch of sweetness with a drizzle of maple syrup. I don't think you'll need it though. If you're using overripe (frozen) bananas, there is enough sweetness along with the pineapple and mango. Banana Note: The pineapple, banana, and mango can be used interchangeable if you prefer one more than the other. For instance, you can use 1 cup of frozen mango and 1/2 cup of pineapple, or 3/4 cup of frozen banana and 3/4 cup of frozen pineapple. The flavour will change just slightly with the highlighted fruit.

This post has been sponsored by Vega and Silk as part of their Build a Better Smoothie campaign. The opinions and text are all mine.