Confession #58: I’m obsessed with all things floral… Citrus Smoothie {Refined Sugar Free}

I’m the kind of person who would be happy with a garden of flowers alone. In fact, every so often, I come up with a new favorite, convinced that I should just have that specific kind of flower everywhere. A while back it was orchids, then poppies, tulip trees, the list goes on… Not that long ago I saw a piece on the Martha Stewart Show about “black” plants and now I get excited every time I see one; in fact, I just bought a black and white Bird of Paradise! The funny thing is, ahem, I have yet to prove my gardening capabilities. I’ve done some gardening here and there, but let’s just say I’m not the best at maintenance. When I was little my parents gave me a little plot of the garden to plant flowers, and I spent hours trying to plant them perfectly that first day, but then I pretty much forgot to ever water, prune, or feed them. You can see where that’s headed. Still, I love flowers, I just really love them when I’m not the one taking care of them!

It’s not just real flowers I love, though. I’m pretty much obsessed with anything floral you can find. That’s why I was thrilled to find the floral-patterned tray you see in these photos at Ikea the other day. (By the way, I may also be obsessed with Ikea now, but that’s a different story). I was so excited to get the perfect opportunity to use the tray in my photos for this Citrus Smoothie. I think the bright flowers go beautifully with the fresh yellow color of the smoothie – can you say springtime, anyone?

The lowdown on this Citrus Smoothie: it’s cool and refreshing just like a smoothie should be, with a burst of flavor from all of the citrus blended into it. The lime and lemons add just the right amount of tang, while the oranges, tangerines, and bananas bring the sweetness. All together, the taste is just bang-on perfect for a morning wake-me-up or afternoon pick-me-up. Plus, true to my smoothie philosophy as I mentioned in my post for my Berries and Mango Smoothie, this smoothie is natural and simple: fruit, milk, and ice are the only ingredients. I think the timing of this recipe is especially appropriate since Easter just passed, because a fresh Citrus Smoothie is literally The Perfect detox from all of those Easter sweets. So really, what are you waiting for? Let’s hear that blender whirring!

Citrus Smoothies

A fresh Citrus Smoothie to cleanse your body and wake up your taste buds.

• Yield: about 60 ounces, or 7 1/2 cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 navel oranges
• 2 tangerines
• 4 bananas (frozen and slightly thawed or fresh)
• 1 meyer lemon
• 1 meyer lime
• 1 sour lemon (e.g. Eureka lemon)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 28 large ice cubes

Instructions

1. Rinse and peel all fruits and add to blender. Add milk and top with ice cubes. Cover and blend until smooth. Smoothie should be thick.
2. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Notes

Smoothies are so versatile. Don’t let one fruit you might not have on hand stop you from trying out this smoothie; just replace it with another.