Orange Push-Up Smoothie

from Averie Cooks

This delicious smoothie concoction came from the Averie Cooks Blog.  Enjoy and check out her blog.


Ingredients: 
Makes approx three 8oz portions
1 can orange juice concentrate, slightly thawed
1 cup milk (or half & half, cream, nut milk, soy milk)
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups crushed ice, or to taste




Directions: 
Combine all ingredients, except ice, in a large blender and blend until smooth and creamy, taking care the sugar has dissolved and is well incorporated.  If desired, add a splash more water or more milk. Add the ice and blend until smooth.


Tips & Tricks: 

• Pour excess portions into glasses and thaw later and drink as smoothies; pour excess into bowls and freeze for orange sherbet; or pour into Popsicle molds, paper cups, or ice cube trays and freeze for homemade Push-Ups.  Or halve the recipe by cutting the can of orange juice concentrate in half and halving all other ratios.
• Averie said, "There have been people who have made this and report theirs being bitter but believe it may be due to the brand of OJ concentrate they used. I suggest trying the brand of juice I showed in the above photos, Hawaii’s Own, and I used mango-orange flavor, as originally indicated above. I bought it at Ralph’s (Kroger) Grocery store."
• Sweeten this to taste, and that may mean substantially increasing the amount of sugar used, i.e. using 1 cup or more, rather than 1/2 cup, of sugar. She used 1 cup, but that maybe too sweet for you. 
• You can also use an alternate sugar substitute such as Splenda or Stevia.