What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Next Step: Jamba Juice Copycat Smoothie! Everyone gets excited with a copycat version of a well-known brand. Some knockoffs make it, others fall short. I have the advantage of living with a food critic in my own home, my husband. So when I asked him to taste my version of the Caribbean Passion Smoothie, he was very accommodating. Afterward, my favorite question to ask was, “Would you have this again if I made it?” Sometimes the truth hurts, but this time his smile said it all. Here’s a helpful hint: frozen fruit can be thawed slightly and substituted for fresh. Caution: Take it easy. If you slurp it too fast, prepare for a “brain freeze”.

JAMBA JUICE COPYCAT SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

1 cup organic apricot mango juice

1 cup fresh strawberries, tops removed and cut-up

1/2 heaping cup peach slices, if frozen slightly thawed

1 cup orange sherbet

1/2 cup ice

Instructions:

Combine apricot mango juice, cut-up strawberries, sliced peaches, orange sherbet, and ice cubes together in a blender. Pulse to purée, then blend on High until smooth. If necessary, turn off blender to scrape down sides with a rubber spatula. Resume. Mixture should be slushy. Pour into glasses. Serve immediately.