Spring seems to have finally arrived here in North Texas! The days are getting longer, the sun is warm and the trees in my courtyard are cluttered with chirping birds. Over the weekend I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather and wander around the Lakewood neighbourhood. I rarely make it over that way, so it was nice to explore. I found a great natural grocer where I was finally able to pick up some hard to find ingredients like agar agar and coconut flour.
When Greg and I got back home, our apartment felt a little stuffy so we opened up the front door to get some fresh air. As soon as I sat down our cat stormed in with bright eyes, bushy tail and a flailing bird in her mouth. I won’t get into the screams, the concerned neighbours and the comedy of errors involving the removal of this living gift using an old bucket and a poster board. Suffice it to say, I guess there are some downsides to Spring in our household.
According to the internet one theory on why cats do this is that cats notice your lack of hunting skills and feel the need to show you how it’s done. Greg says we should cook a whole chicken, show it to the cat, and explain to her that we humans already got the bird thing down. Maybe that’s a recipe for another day.
In the mean time here’s a vegan orange creamsicle milkshake I made with the ingredients I picked up at the natural grocer we discovered. The bright colour and nostalgic childhood flavour perfectly complements this beautiful emerging Springtime weather.
Vegan Orange Creamsicle Milkshake
- ¾ Cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1Tsp. orange zest
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 cup light coconut milk
- 1 ripe frozen banana
- 1 Tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tsp. natural orange extract
- 1 Tbsp. agave
- ice cubes
- soy whip to top (optional)
Combine orange juice, orange zest, coconut oil, coconut milk, banana, vanilla extract, orange extract, agave and ice in a blender and pulse until smooth
Top with soy based whip cream
Serves 3-4
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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
This orange drink looks fantastically delicious! Please tell us more about healthy food options in Texas. We have been afraid of wandering out of Boulder since our last vacation’s food adventures convinced us never again to leave. :) I love your photography, by the way! xo
Thank you! Surprisingly, there are a lot of great healthy options in Texas. (There’s also a lot of unhealthy options… chicken fried steak I’m looking at you…) Dallas has a really great farmers market and quite a few specialty grocery stores. If you plan a vacation to Texas, you should visit Austin. It’s hard not to fall in love with the quirky city and the food options are endless!
Just found this on Tastespotting and I had to see how you did this. Bookmarking it now to try. Love this site, so glad I found you!
Thanks, enjoy! :)
Wow your vegan milkshake looks amazing! I loved creamsicles when I was a kid. Thanks for the story too, you really crack me up girl!
Glad you had a good laugh! At the time I was pretty freaked out, but I’m laughing now!
lol i love it! my cat does it, too!!
this is an awesome milkshake… yummm!
Thanks! Murder presents are never fun… hope they don’t happen to you too often!
hi just wondering would this be thick enough to use as a sauce for a dessert?
It’s similar to a thick smoothie or milkshake, so it will thin as it melts. You could try freezing it and using it like ice cream. Or you could leave out the ice cubes and use agar agar to make more of a pudding. What kind of dessert were you thinking?
Hey!
That’s why you’re on of my favourite inspirations.
I really inspire myself in your blog, to get my “food photography” better and better.
Thank you so much!
Keep up with the great blogging!
Thank you so much. It means so much to me that I inspire you! You have some gorgeous photography on your blog. I am especially jealous of your VW camper. I bet you go on some pretty fabulous adventures in it!
I love the orange colour in your pictures!
Thanks!
Haha, I’d love to watch Greg explain the chicken to your cat. After enjoying your pumpkin milkshake so much, I can’t wait to try this one! I never would have thought to add coconut oil but it adds so much great flavor!
Maybe I’ll make a video. lol! Our kitty has to learn one way or another. I find the coconut oil helps with the consistency too, it makes it a little creamier and richer. So glad you you liked the pumpkin one!
will this recipe work without the banana?….. i’m allergic to bananas
The banana makes the milkshake thick and cold. Try freezing the coconut milk before putting it in the blender. That should help the consistency.
I just made this–OMG it’s good! I can’t have coconut oil, so I used soy milk since it has a high fat content then added a few drops of coconut extract for the flavor. Yummy! Thanks so much for posting this. It made this fall day feel like spring.
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