Ombré Smoothie with Hawaiian Papaya!

Hawaiian papayas are one of my favorite fruits! Unlike the more traditional varieties such as Sunrise, Hawaiian Kapaho papayas are sweeter and less dense. One cup of fresh papaya contains just 65 calories. Papayas are a wonderful source of fiber, vitamin A (lycopene and zeaxanthin). In addition, they are a pretty good source of vitamin C and folic acid. Papaya is also an anti-inflammatory that has been linked to potentially reduce symptoms of asthma and arthritis.

For the ombré look, I created two separate smoothie recipes. The first is a creamy tropical papaya recipe and second is a basic berry smoothie base. I prefer (and recommend) using frozen fruit to get a thick and creamy consistency.

Where to buy Hawaiian Papaya? Try your local specialty grocery. If you live in southern California, Gelson's markets are currently in stock! 

Ombré Smoothie

Recipe makes 2.5 servings (approx. 2 glasses).

Creamy Tropical Papaya Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh Hawaiian papaya, diced and frozen.

½ banana.

2 Tbs.  2% Greek yogurt.

¼ Tsp. cinnamon.

¾ cup of fruit juice (I used Ocean Spray Reduced Sugar Cranberry. Organic apple juice 

or pineapple juice also complement nicely).

Basic Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

½ cup mixed berries, frozen.

1Tbs. 2% Greek yogurt.

½ cup fruit juice.

Instructions:

Make each smoothie separately (by blending together the ingredients in a blender) and combine by first adding the papaya smoothie (using half of the mixture) and layer the berry smoothie on top. Repeat for second glass. 

Serve and enjoy!

 Label for 1 serving:

© KATE EZRA WOLF, 2012. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.