No Sugar Added Snack Ideas: Creamsicle Smoothie

Finding low calorie and no sugar added snack ideas can be a challenge, especially with so many sugar-loaded options to choose from at the store. This Creamsicle smoothie recipe will give you a delicious reason to celebrate snack time. Made with low fat yogurt, real fruit, and milk, it’s an all natural snack to enjoy any time of the day!

In the southeastern Wisconsin town that I grew up in, the ring of the bell on the Popsicle man’s cart was the pied piper of my neighborhood.  My friends and I became highly skilled at picking up on the sound from blocks away.

“Oh my gosh, you guys! Did you hear that? It’s him! He’s here!”

The instant we heard that bell, it didn’t matter where my friends and I were or what we were doing, we’d stop dead in our tracks and quickly dash back to our respective homes to crack open our piggy banks. We’d hook up again on the street corner and the hunt for the truck of frozen goodness would begin.

We’d sprint up and down the streets, dashing through back yards, long jumping over blooming flower gardens and neatly trimmed hedges…  until we found him.  Oh, how I wish GPS had existed back then. Our little legs sure did a get a workout though!

I loved everything that was available from the selection of frozen treats, but I had two favorites:  Root beer Popsicles and Creamsicle push-ups.  Oh my gosh, how I adored that creamy dreamy vanilla-orange ice cream…

Sadly, most packaged frozen sweet treats are loaded with sugar and that’s something that I try to keep out of our house. That’s why I knew that I needed to come up with some no sugar added snack ideas, and my love for the Creamsicle is how this smoothie recipe was born!

A note about natural sugar:

This recipe has no sugar added, but that doesn’t mean it’s sugar-free. Fruit has natural sugars in it called Fructose and dairy products like milk and yogurt contain natural sugars called lactose. Actually, the lower fat content milk is, the higher in sugar it is. That’s sort of a double-edged sword, because skim milk is the lowest in calories, so I like to add it to smoothies to prevent them from becoming calorie gut busters. Just be cautious about consuming this beverage if you have a situation that requires you to regulate your sugar intake.

For more delicious low sugar snack ideas, come on over and hook up with me on Pinterest, or visit my food and recipe blog, It’s Yummi!

Creamsicle Smoothie Recipe

Makes 2 smoothies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or you can use skim milk)
• 6-ounce container low-fat vanilla yogurt (Greek yogurt is the healthier choice)
• 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (do not dilute)
• 4 mandarin orange slices, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 ice cubes (more if you like really thick smoothies)

Instructions

1. Place milk, yogurt,  orange juice concentrate, mandarin oranges and vanilla extract into a blender. Blend 10 seconds on high speed to combine ingredients.
2. Add ice cubes and blend about 20 seconds to crush ice. If you desire a thicker beverage, add more ice. For a thinner smoothie, add water or more milk, 2 Tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
3. Divide into 2 drinking glasses, garnish glass rims with an orange slice, if desired.  and serve immediately.