Walking around the mall with an Orange Julius is almost an iconic American experience and they call to you from the food court as you walk by. Being the frugal and health conscious woman she is, my mother never bought me one growing up – with good reason as they aren’t the healthiest treat. Instead she would make us what she called an orange cow at home which is simply vanilla ice cream with orange juice in a glass. It was a favorite in our house.
Not too long ago I decided to cave in to the Orange Julius experience and make my own. This creamy orange drink brings the Orange Julius to a whole new level. Instead of relying on artificial ingredients such as “flavor enhancer”, I chose to use fresh real food ingredients; oranges, raw vanilla ice cream, pastured eggs and grass feed beef gelatin.
Every single ingredient in this Real Food, nutrient dense Orange Julius is so good for you! Here’s just a brief look at each one.
Winter is the perfect time make this drink because oranges are in season and are full of the most favor. Oranges contain vitamin C as well as pectin and fiber that help assimilate the sugars into the blood stream quickly to prevent a sugar high and the inevitable crash afterwards.
Ice cream made with raw milk, raw cream and raw honey contains beneficial bacteria from both the dairy and honey. As well as being rich in enzymes and vitamins such as K, A, E, C and B-complex. If you need a dairy free option coconut milk ice cream is a wonderful choice that it very good for you as well.
Did you know that the original Orange Julius had egg in it? Don’t let raw eggs deter you. When they are from a pastured source raw eggs are a safe and nutritious food. Raw egg yolks have important nutrients like choline, folate, DHA and essential vitamins such as A, D, E, K-2, B-6, & B-12. The whites are what help make this drink frothy.
I add gelatin to my Orange Julius for it’s many health benefits and for the purpose of thickening the drink. It’s entirely optional. Some of my girls liked it with the gelatin but others didn’t care for the texture.
Nutrient Dense Homemade “Orange Julius”
4 medium oranges
2 cups raw vanilla ice cream or coconut milk ice cream
3 pastured eggs*
1 TBS grass feed beef gelatin (optional), KH:I like this brand: Great Lakes Unflavored Gelatin
Whipped Cream for toppings (optional)
Orange Slices and Orange Zest for garnish (optional)
1. Peel the oranges, remove seeds and any excess pith. (You might want to think about saving the peels to make these candies.)
2. Place all the ingredients in the blender * and blend on high until smooth.
3. If desired top with whipped cream, a orange slice and zest for an extra special treat!
* Powerful blenders like the Blendtec or Vitamix work best for this recipe to make a very smooth drink.
*KH: You can read about the pros and cons of eating raw eggs here. Mercola would recommend only using egg yolks, but the drink won’t be as frothy without the white.
Katie Stanley is a dorm “mama” to 12 amazing girls ages 8 to 18 at a home and school for the Deaf in Baja California, Mexico. She and her “hijas” can be frequently found in the kitchen, the garden or making friends with their new chickens. She loves to read, hike the hills near her home and spend time with her girls. In her spare time Katie blogs at Nourishing Simplicity about nourishing foods, herbal remedies, simple living, the Deaf, raising her girls and encouraging other women in their walk with Christ.
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Thanks for the post. I have happy memories of Orange Juliuses and think it would be fun to recreate healthy ones for my kids. 🙂
I hope your kids enjoy it as much as you did!
oh wow–i had never heard of them before now. love learning new things, esp when they are food related.
Isn’t it great to learn something new? 😉
Thanks for the yummy-looking recipe, Katie! Loved reading your bio 🙂 I will check-out your blog! Keep serving the Lord!
Thank you Jennifer! I look foward to you stopping by. 🙂
I have to confess that I’ve never had an Orange Julius, nor did I ever want one. I never liked any of the “orange” candies (Orange slices), drinks (Orange Crush), etc. that so many of my friends or siblings loved, because they just didn’t taste good to me. Now that I’m an informed adult, I know that they didn’t taste good because of all the chemical, or non-food, substances in them.
Your recipe, however, sounds super yummy, and is already making my mouth water!! 😀 I’m happy to say that oranges have become one of my favorite fruits as an adult. I can hardly wait to try this recipe! 😀 Thanks for sharing!
Susan, I’m glad! Saddly I was one of those kids that liked the fake orange flavors. Thankfully now I have lost my taste for them. I hope you enjoy this treat! 🙂
I remember Orange Julius drinks from many years ago, and with a raw egg. However I probably won’t try it with a raw egg now, even from eggs laid by pastured chickens. It is true that pastured chicken eggs have far less Salmonella than eggs from chickens raised in large flocks, but there is still a risk even if small. Having been hospitalized twice from food poisoning I am not willing to take even the small risk.
That’s understandable with the experiences you have had. Thankfully I have not had that experience. It’s still good without them. 🙂