Orange Creamsicle High-Protein Smoothie

A: Cottage cheese is the star of this recipe because it blends up incredibly creamy and gives you that 20+ grams of protein, but I understand not everyone loves it! If you want to substitute, try Greek yogurt (plain, full-fat works best) - use 1 cup and you'll get similar protein and creaminess. Silken tofu is another great option that blends silky smooth - use about ¾ cup firm silken tofu plus ¼ cup Greek yogurt for the best texture. You could also use ricotta cheese, which is milder than cottage cheese and very creamy. If you go with regular yogurt instead of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt, you'll want to add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to keep the protein content high. Just know that cottage cheese truly does blend up the smoothest and creamiest when you use a high-speed blender!

A: The key to a perfectly smooth, creamy texture is blending long enough and having a powerful enough blender. If you're using a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Ninja, blend for a full 45-60 seconds until you can't see any cottage cheese curds at all - it should look like a milkshake. If you have a regular blender, you may need to blend for up to 90 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides if needed. Another trick is to blend the cottage cheese with the milk and vanilla first for 30 seconds to break it down, then add the frozen ingredients and blend again. Make sure you're using full-fat or 2% cottage cheese (not fat-free), as it blends smoother. Small curd cottage cheese also blends more easily than large curd.

A: This smoothie is best enjoyed fresh since the texture is so creamy and perfect right out of the blender. However, you can absolutely prep it ahead! Pour individual portions into freezer-safe containers or bags with all the ingredients (cottage cheese, frozen orange juice concentrate, banana, milk, vanilla) pre-measured. When you're ready, just dump the frozen ingredients into the blender and blend - it's like a smoothie kit! If you make the smoothie and need to store it, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 hours, but give it a good stir or quick re-blend before drinking as it may separate slightly. You can also pour it into popsicle molds and freeze for orange creamsicle protein popsicles - they're delicious!

A: The frozen orange juice concentrate is what gives this smoothie that intense, authentic creamsicle flavor without watering it down. Regular orange juice is much more diluted and won't give you the same bold orange taste - you'd need to use a lot more of it, which would make the smoothie too thin and less creamy. If you absolutely can't find frozen concentrate, you could use ½ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice plus the zest of 1 orange to boost the flavor, but you'll need to add more ice cubes (5-6) to compensate for the extra liquid and get that thick, creamy texture. You might also need to add a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup since concentrate is sweeter. The frozen concentrate really is worth seeking out - you'll find it in the freezer section near frozen juices!