Back when I was a teenager I used to work in the mall near an Orange Julius. I was completely obsessed with their drinks, particularly the Strawberry Julius. It was always the highlight of my day yet one of the many things I gave up when I turned vegan, as they use milk powder in their blend.
This morning I was out of bananas but really wanted a smoothie. I decided to make a milkshake instead with fresh strawberries and some Temptations Strawberry Ice Cream from Chicago Soy Dairy I had in the freezer. I was weary when I took my first sip yet was more than pleasantly surprised to find that not only was it fantastic but it tasted just like the strawberry Julius drinks from my youth! I was downright giddy the rest of the day. Enjoy!

Strawberry Cleopatra
7 fresh strawberries, tops cut off
1 to 1 1/2 cups of rice milk
1/2 pint of strawberry ice cream

Blend all ingredients together, adjusting the rice milk to your thickness preference. Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Smoothies in the morning are my favorite part of waking up. I rarely eat the heavy 'traditional' breakfast foods as I find they are difficult to digest and do not give me the energy I need to start my day. Smoothies, on the other hand, are great for the digestive system, supply the fruit I need in my daily dose and leave me perfectly satisfied until lunchtime. I try to drink them with fresh fruit as often as possible but I do keep frozen fruit in my freezer for convenience and for the days I'm in a rush. On the frozen fruit days I let all the ingredients sit in the blender for 10-20 minutes so the frozen fruit can defrost in the juice. I never add ice or milk as I find it takes away from the yummy fruity goodness already in the blender. I always add ground flax seeds, which I grind in my coffee spice grinder, to incorporate essential omegas into my diet.


Strawberry Mango Smoothie

1 mango, peeled and sliced
12 strawberries, green part cut off
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
2 cups of orange juice, fresh if possible
1 tbsp ground flax meal (optional)
1 tbsp soy protein powder (optional)

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Adjust orange juice according to thickness desired.

Makes 2 16oz drinks