Pineapple Julius Smoothie

When warmer weather rolls around, I find myself making smoothies and milkshakes on a regular basis. They’re not only a delicious way to cool down, but they’re filling enough to stand in for a meal when you don’t really feel like cooking. That being said, I usually opt for smoothies during the day and save the milkshakes for the evening. My favorite smoothies are fruity enough to be served for breakfast, but sweet enough to make a satisfying dessert any time of day.

This Pineapple Julius Smoothie is inspired by a smoothie that I used to get at Orange Julius shops when I was a kid. The eponymous Orange Julius smoothies were a favorite of mine and I have been making a homemade Orange Julius recipe, as well as other julius variations, for many years. This pineapple version is made with fresh pineapple, pineapple juice and orange juice as a base, but the thing that really sets this smoothie apart from other fruit smoothies is the addition of an egg white to the other ingredients.

The egg white in this recipe gives the smoothie a very light texture and creates a creaminess, even though there is no dairy present! You can use a fresh egg white or a pasteurized egg white from a carton (which is very safe for all ages). Packaged egg white substitutes (many of which are simply freeze dried egg whites) can also be used.

Blend all the ingredients, including the egg white, at high speed until very smooth and frothy. You can adjust the thickness of the smoothie by adding more or less ice, so you can customize it to suit your tastes. The smoothie has a great pineapple flavor, with just a hint of orange and vanilla. It’s delicious, refreshing and so tasty that you’ll want to make a second as soon as you finish the first. This recipe will make two generous servings or four smaller servings. For maximum visual impact, serve it in hollowed out pineapples – and don’t forget that you can use the fruit from the pineapples to make the recipe in the first place.

Pineapple Julius Smoothie
8-oz fresh pineapple, chopped*
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup orange juice (pref. freshly squeezed)
1 tbsp pasteurized egg white or egg white substitute
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups ice

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed 45-60 seconds, until mixture is very smooth and frothy. Use slightly less ice for a thinner consistency; use slightly more for a thicker shake-like consistency.

Serves 4; makes about 36-oz.

*Frozen and canned pineapple (packed in juice, then drained) can also be used.