Recipe: Vegan Strawberry Orange Julius

You guys, you are in for a treat today! Just for you, I’ve plucked the beloved Orange Julius straight out of my childhood memories, veganized it, and added strawberries for a summery twist. I’m super pleased with this version, and I think you’ll love it too.

I was first introduced to the Orange Julius by Jeanette, a.k.a. the best babysitter of all time. She taught me and my brother to speak Pig Latin, took us to the park for rollerblading and grilled cheese sandwiches, and even managed to make chores fun — after folding the laundry, we’d stack it up on a beach towel and sit on the back. She’d pull us around the house at warp speed, delivering clothes to each bedroom.

Once we were wiped out from a crazy afternoon of Laundry Express, Jeanette would make us a big batch of Orange Julius, combining orange juice, milk, ice cubes, an egg white, and a dash of vanilla in our trusty Osterizer blender. I loved the creamy, frothy concoction — it was like an orange creamsicle in smoothie form.

Here, I’ve given the Julius a vegan update. Instead of egg whites, you’ll use ground flax to give the smoothie a slightly thickened consistency. The recipe contains a lot less sweetener than most copy-cat versions you’ll find online, which often call for pre-sugared sliced frozen strawberries, orange juice concentrate, and up to a quarter cup of sugar.

Don’t worry, this Strawberry Orange Julius is still plenty indulgent — agave syrup makes things nice and sweet, and a dash of orange extract dials up the orange flavor without extra calories.