How to Make an Orange Banana Smoothie with or without Ice Cream [Recipe Video]

You don't have to be a health nut to enjoy the rich frothy taste of this smoothie. Even those junk-food-junkies who reside at the very top of their empty-caloric game have, on occasion, allowed this healthy smoothie to cross their lips; and enjoyed its flavor and frothy cool texture! The recipe found here is a favorite among all who enjoy something with a Vanilla Scent, add in Orange and Banana Sweetness, kinda of like a yummy 50/50 ice-cream bar (you know the old fashion Creamsicle) and you find healthy nutrition with a junk-food lovers absolute approval! This smoothie is really quick health food, with this "simple to follow" recipe. I hope you enjoy learning "How to Make a Vanilla Scented Orange Banana Smoothie in Minutes" as well indulging in some healthy nutrition hidden deep within a junk-food-junky-flavored dream!

Use fresh ingredients when possible, but substituting store bought supplies still makes a great smoothie, just not as fresh and healthy.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 oranges (fresh squeezed to make 1 cup of juice)
• ½ of a banana
• 1 cup ice (up to 2½ cups if you prefer a thicker smoothie. More ice reduces the brightness of the fresh flavors)
• 3 TBL plain yogurt
• 1 TBL honey (use local honey if you can)
• 1 to 1½ tsp vanilla (Use 100% pure vanilla, but artificial vanilla can be used successfully if you don't want alcohol of any measure in your smoothie.)
• ¼ cup low or non-fat milk (Soy or almond milk are also great tasting in this recipe.)
• 1 raw egg (Only use eggs that you are certain are safe. I raise my own hens and have farm-fresh SAFE healthy eggs to use daily. I am not sure I would use a raw store bought egg in anything these days!) This step is optional for those who buy eggs at the store. Really, I do NOT recommend eating raw store bought eggs,...ever.

NOTE: It was suggested by a HubPages community member that using powdered egg is a good solution when you don't have farm-fresh eggs on hand! Thanks livelonger!

This is one of my favorite quick and healthy nutritional "go-to" food recipes. It not only taste fantastic, but it can be tossed together in just a couple of minutes. It is so easy, I find myself energized with this healthy smoothie more often for the sake of convenience than for the high impact found within the ingredients.

Prepping the Recipe

First; get all of your ingredients together in one location so you can easily use them, adding them to the blender without doing a lot of running around during the actual preparation. This makes the recipe go even faster, because the work area is organized.

Try using a cutting board to put all of the utensils and ingredients on, so when you're done with the smoothie making, you can easily slide the egg shells (if you decide to use a safe egg) and the orange and banana peels into the compost, and then tote the other ingredients to where they will be returned to their place in the pantry and cupboards. This helps you get the smoothie made and cleaned up quickly, which gets you to your frothy taste treat much sooner!

There is a reason for the order in which the ingredients are added to the blender. It allows for each item to be fully distributed during the blending of the smoothie. If you do them out of order, the banana may become too chunky, the ice won't break down to an acceptably smooth texture, and the flavors may not intermingle to provide the familiar Creamsicle ice-cream bar flavor we are striving to acquire.

NOTE: If you are using ice cream instead of the ice and dairy ingredients in your smoothie, add it right after the fresh squeezed orange juice.

Be sure to add ingredients to the blender in this strict order:

1. Peel and pull apart ½ of a banana, place the pieces in the blender.
2. Squeeze 4-5 fresh oranges to make 1 cup of juice. (Scraping out the pulp adds some very good flavor, texture, and fantastic fiber to this recipe. If pulp is not your thing, leave it out.)
3. Pour 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice into the blender. (Store bought juice works fine, it just won't be as bright and nutritious.)
4. Add 1 to 2½ cups of ice to the blender.
5. Add 1-1½ teaspoons of vanilla to the blender.
6. Add1 tablespoon of honey to the blender. (Use local honey if you have it.)
7. Add 3 big tablespoons of plain yogurt to the blender. (I recommend fat free yogurt, you will not notice the difference at all.)
8. Add ¼ cup low-fat or fat-free milk to the blender. (Soy milk and almond milk are also going to taste great in this recipe, as well as adding extra-good nutrients to your smoothie.)
9. Add 1 raw egg (or powdered egg equivalent) to the blender. (If you use a real egg, only use a fresh SAFE egg. If you don't have farm-fresh safe eggs or powdered eggs, this step becomes instantly optional!)

Now that you have all of the Vanilla Scented Orange Banana Smoothie ingredients in the blender, it's time to take them for a spin!

Make certain the lid is tightly on your blender, and that the lids center (removable) section is also in place.

• Start off by pulsing the blender a few times, this helps get the ice to break up and mingle with the other ingredients.
• Now shift the blender to "smoothie" gear and let her spin for about 45 seconds.
• During this smoothie spin sequence, tilt the center section of the blender lid (usually the clear acrylic removable center section of the blender lid assembly) so it is open a little. This will allow extra air to get incorporated into the smoothie, bringing with it a light and frothy end result.
• Pour your yummy fresh squeezed vanilla scented smoothie into a tumbler (preferably a chilled glass tumbler), add an orange wedge to the lip of the glass as an edible garnish, and enjoy your cool brightly flavored labor!

This simple Smoothie Recipe brings with it the knowledge that you are doing something really good for your body. Fresh raw foods hold many more vitamins and minerals than those foods that have been processed and degraded through a production process. Even if you are a fantastically loyal junk-food-junky, this recipe will be pleasing to your taste buds! And you don't have to think about all of those nasty healthy properties that are lurking among the frosty goodness of this Smoothie. Just pretend you are enjoying a good old fashioned Creamsicle from your youth! No one has to know you are actually putting something fresh, nutritional, and great for your body, into yours! Enjoy!