Gluten-free and Lactose-free Orange Mango Creamsicle Smoothie

Summer is around the corner and warm weather automatically makes me think that I need to get back to making smoothies. I can't bring myself to drink slushy ice drinks when it's 20 degrees outside, but now I can't get enough of them. Usually I make mine with a blend of frozen berries, frozen mango and fresh spinach with orange juice as a base and sometimes protein powder. I swear that you do not taste the spinach at all and then I feel as if the smoothie is healthy and good for me as well as delicious.

I stumbled upon this great idea for a creamsicle type smoothie and modified it a little. I don't know if it really qualifies as a 'healthy smoothie'. It's certainly healthier then a creamsicle milkshake or a pint of ice cream but on the scale of smoothies, I would classify this as healthy dessert. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's super healthy for you and I'm just completely fooled into thinking it's dessert by how utterly fabulous it tastes. It also makes for a great drink accompaniment to a summery light lunch or dinner. Regardless of what you make it with, it's good.


Orange Mango Creamsicle Smoothie

1 - 1 1/2 cups vanilla coconut milk
1 can orange juice concentrate
1 cup frozen mango pieces
a dash of your chosen sweetener ( i used agave but honey or sugar would work too I'm sure)
a little of your favorite protein powder (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend thoroughly. Serve in pretty glasses. Enjoy. I would say that this probably makes 4 - 8oz servings but let's be honest, you'll drink the entire thing by yourself.

ps. the next day I needed to make this again but I only bought one can of concentrate. so I froze regular orange juice in an ice cube tray and used that instead. It worked just as well. The only difference was that it wasn't as sweet as the first one.

Lemon Shandies

As I said before, last week we were in California visiting the Grands. It was about 104 and sunny outside; a good day for a pool day! However when in the pool, one needs a pretty drink with a pretty umbrella in a pretty glass. Unfortunately, we were out of pretty umbrellas. So I had to be satisfied with pretty drinks in pretty glasses. Since the house is just as full of boys as girls, it couldn't be too fru-fru. So, I made Lemon Shandies, which is basically sugar syrup and lemon juice in beer. It is a great by-the-pool drink or BBQ Party drink. You can make it with only a splash of sugar syrup or if you're like me, you can make it incredibly sweet and lemon-y. It's delicious!


Lemon Shandies


1 cup sugar

1 cup water

6 lemons

6 pack of Sam Adams Summer Ale, Blue Moon or another light beer


In small saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water and stir. Heat on medium high heat until sugar has fully dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, cut and juice 5 of the lemons. Strain to remove any seeds. When sugar syrup has cooled, add lemon juice to sugar syrup.

In a tall glass, pour 1 - 3 tbsp of lemon sugar mixture (depending on your sweet tooth). Add one beer to glass. Garnish with a lemon slice or if you are so fortunate as to have them, a pretty umbrella. Go sit by the pool and enjoy!

 If you do have a pretty little umbrella, that would make it nice too.