The Orange Julius for Adventurers!
In 1926, Los Angelesian Julius Freed opened an orange juice stand. Three years later, Freed’s real estate broker Bill Hamlin improved upon his recipe to create a version of the orange drink that was less acidic. It became so popular that by 1964, the “Orange Julius” was named the official drink of the World’s Fair in New York. Dairy Queen saw the beverage gaining a following in the libation kingdom, and purchased it in 1987. Now this icy concoction of orange juice, milk, powdered egg whites, and vanilla flavoring is sold in Dairy Queen outlets from coast to coast.
(Image above from Wikipedia)
Looking at that ingredient list, it’s easy to see why the Orange Julius is so widely liked: it’s boring. I mean, I’m sure it has some taste to it, since there were probably oranges involved in that juice at some point, but most of the other ingredients are designed to soften the edge of that citrus flavor and create a sweetly simple drink even tastebuds accustomed to the most boring of American fast food could handle. And that’s all right for some. Others like to be a bit more adventurous…
I wasn’t thinking about an Orange Julius when I made this smoothie. In fact, I’ve never even tasted one, so I’m not sure I can fairly compare it with what I came up with. All I know is, I took one sip of this ice-cold blend and the iconic drink came to mind. I wondered if I had accidentally created some variation on their recipe… a variation for those who crave a little more excitement, who relish a rich, novel taste and perhaps don’t relish powdered egg whites in their flavorful libations. Is it an improvement on the classic? Dare to taste and decide.
Click here for the full recipe: Orange Julius Plus Smoothie
Orange Julius Information Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Julius
“Snickers Bar” Crêpe
I just got back from a trip to Las Vegas which lasted from Wednesday to Saturday. While in Las Vegas, one thing that impressed me (and not necessarily in a good way) was the sinful decadence of the food. Almost all the menu options at any given restaurant there were chock-full of fat and calories, and included more than one type of meat. For breakfast one morning, my family and I went to “La Crêperie” and got – you guessed it – crêpes. But not just any old crêpes: these were supersized Las Vegas crêpes with high-calorie fillings and toppings. I opted for the lightest possible one, the blueberry lemon crêpe without whipped cream, and it was still quite filling and not something I’d eat every day.
Now that we’re home, I find myself missing Las Vegas. Earlier today I couldn’t stop thinking about those crêpes, especially the super-indulgent ones I didn’t try such as the caramel apple and the Nutella banana options I saw on the menu. I wanted to make my own, portion-controlled and sort of healthy version of a Las Vegas crêpe. So I adapted my recipe for a single-serve crêpe to be a flourless chocolate crêpe filled with peanut butter and caramel and topped with banana and chocolate chips. I’m calling it a “Snickers Bar” crêpe because that’s basically what’s in a Snickers bar, minus the banana.
This recipe is a healthier alternative to the Las Vegas style, gigantic crêpes with a ton of calories and whipped cream. It is flourless, always a plus, and since I bought the caramel topping at Whole Foods it must be healthy. 😉 The peanut butter provides protein, and the banana provides potassium and fiber. As for the chocolate, studies have shown consuming dark chocolate provides the body with needed antioxidants, and the higher percentage cacao, the better. Since the cocoa powder in this recipe is pure cocoa, I think it’s safe to assume it carries some of the same benefits as a bar of solid dark chocolate.
So if you ever need a pick-me-up that is reasonably healthy, try this crêpe! The chocolate shell is intensely chocolatey and not overly sweet. The ooey gooey caramel peanut butter filling is great as expected from peanut butter and caramel. And of course the toppings add a lovely texture and sweet taste.
I think it kind of looked like a chocolate omelette! But don’t worry, that isn’t what it tasted like at all. Here is the recipe:
“Snickers Bar” Crêpe
makes one serving
Ingredients:
for crêpe batter
- 1 egg
- 1 tbl dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbl skim milk
- 2 tbl pure cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
for filling
- 1 tbl organic peanut butter
- 1 tbl organic caramel topping
for topping
- 1/2 banana, sliced
- about a tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Place 1 tbl caramel topping on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for about five seconds, just to soften it. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine batter ingredients. (I recommend beating the egg first, then adding it to other ingredients.)
Spray a small non-stick pan with cooking spray. Over medium heat, pour batter onto the pan, filling the entire pan in a thin circular shape.
When crêpe begins to solidify at the edges, carefully flip to cook the other side. While it is cooking, spread the softened caramel and peanut butter on the surface of the crêpe that is facing up.
Remove crêpe from heat. Fold it over with spatula, place it on a small plate, and top with the banana and chocolate chips.
Bon appetit! I hope you enjoy this crêpe. It’s one of the ways I indulge without overdoing it. You could use this recipe to shoot down crêpe and Snickers bar cravings both with one stone!
Caramel Apple Chocolate Pretzel Adventure
Those who know me well, know that I like each one of my smoothies to be an adventure. I don’t generally go for a smooth, monotonous smoothie with one or two flavors involved. I like to throw together as many unique flavors as possible, and I usually demand that my smoothies have a texture, something chunky or crunchy floating around to keep me awake.
This smoothie fits the bill! It combines the flavors of caramel, apple, and pear with salty pretzel and decadent chocolate. The chocolate pieces, chopped nuts, and of course the delicious chocolate covered pretzels kept my jaws active as I drank this smoothie creation.
Caramel Apple Chocolate Pretzel Adventure Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 banana
- about half a Honeycrisp apple, chopped
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 Jello pudding, Turtle Sundae flavor
- 1 tsp vanilla
- a dash of cinnamon
- 5-6 ice cubes
- 1 Snackwell’s brand 100 calorie pack of chocolate covered pretzels (I couldn’t find any non-diet-y brand, so I bought this. I was afraid this would be bad since it’s “diet food,” but it was actually good.)
Directions:
Pour all ingredients in blender, except the topping on the Jello pudding (it’s like a parfait with pudding and a chocolate and nut topping) and the pretzels. Blend for a minute or two. Add the topping and the pretzels. (For the pretzels, I wanted a hierarchy of different sizes of pieces for texture, so I used a sharp knife to chop some of them into four pieces, some into two, and I left some whole.) Blend for a few more seconds. Chill and prepare to embark on an especially yummy adventure!
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
When I first made this recipe, I was certain it was a failure, because the dough was not very dough-y. It almost acted like batter and was hard to roll into a swirl shape. Probably something I did wrong. Also the recipe was a special yeast-free recipe (I have a feeling only master bakers can work with yeast properly; I wanted to avoid trying) so the fact that it purposely didn’t include yeast may have had something to do with it. Anyway, I was on the verge of throwing them away as soon as they were done baking, but my mom convinced me to just keep them and try them in the morning.
I thought it was okay, but nothing special the first time I tried it. However, my mom insisted she liked the rolls, so I put them in the freezer. After a couple days in the freezer, I tried one again and suddenly realized – I loved it! It had a great texture, not too hard or too soft, and the caramel filling and glaze were perfect compliments for the baked apple chunks. Why did I not recognize the delectability of these pastries before? Maybe it was being in the freezer; maybe my tastebuds miraculously became more accurate in a matter of days. It’s possible they really were nothing special to begin with, but the pastry fairy visited our house overnight and sprinkled some of her magic “great taste” dust on them out of the kindness of her heart. 🙂 But whatever the reason, these are good! I am aware the apple chunks may look a little gross to some people, but they taste great. Feel free to omit them if you are a fruit-in-pastries-hater.
Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
makes 9 individual rolls
Ingredients:
for the dough:
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup milk
for the filling:
- 2 tbsps caramel topping
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- about 1/3 of a Granny Smith apple, chopped into little cubes
for the caramel glaze:
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp caramel topping
- 1 or more tsps milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a cookie sheet or a 9×9 inch pan with cooking spray.
To make the filling, combine caramel topping, sugar, cinnamon and as much diced apple as desired in a small bowl. Set aside.
To make the dough, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cut in softened butter. (I actually melted mine completely before adding it; maybe this is why the dough was so soft.) Stir in milk.
Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press it into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
Spread filling on dough, being careful not to tear the dough. Roll the dough into one long scroll, then use a sharp knife to slice it into 9 small rolls.
Place rolls on prepared pan or cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.
To make glaze, mix powdered sugar, 1 tsp caramel topping, and as many teaspoons of milk are needed to achieve that glaze consistency. Spread glaze on rolls when they are done baking.
True Healthy Me 