Enjoy this takeover post by our featured community partner and future cooking class host, Fernanda Chacon of Cook and Move.
The weather this time of the year in Florida can vary quite a bit, this increases the risk of catching a cold. The ability of your body to fight infections is determined by different factors including the quality of your diet. However, protecting your immune system can be tastier and more fun than you might think with my recipe for a pitaya or dragonfruit smoothie bowl.
Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is undoubtedly important to maintain a balanced diet.
However, I’m sure that if I put a table in front of you with a lot of different fruits and vegetables and asked you to point out all of the ones you’ve eaten in the last five days, we probably wouldn’t see a great variety.
And that’s because we tend to eat the same ones regularly. This can be more pronounced when it comes to children.
That is why I love to make smoothie bowls and juices! Through them, we can introduce new fruits, hide vegetables, and have a lot of fun in the process.
Eating a diet rich in vitamin C during this time of year is ideal as it will help protect your immune system and keep it strong.
So… how about we go beyond the fruits we typically consume, like oranges and strawberries, and we go for the dragon fruit, raspberries or kiwis?
In addition to having a high amount of vitamin C, these brightly colored fruits are also chock full of other vitamins, essential minerals, and fibers. They also excite our senses with their vibrant colors.
Meet the pitaya
In this smoothie bowl, I focus on pitaya, also known as dragon fruit. Dragon fruit has gained a lot of popularity for its bright pink color and cool name which children accept easily.
In addition, vitamin C and carotenoids in dragon fruit can stimulate the immune system and prevent infections by protecting white blood cells from damage.
Pitaya or dragonfruit smoothie bowl recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen dragon fruit
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- One scoop vanilla protein
- ¼ to ½ cup water (max)
Topping: (toppings may vary)
- 1 sliced strawberry
- 1 sliced fig
- 1 tablespoon raw peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon cashews
Preparation
- Add the first four ingredients to the blender and grind to a creamy consistency. Make sure to add water as need it. You are looking for an ice cream consistency.
- Serve in a bowl and garnish with toppings.
- Eat immediately, or put in the freezer while you wait to enjoy.
Here’s a video of the process.
I hope you enjoy this delicious smoothie at home!
Remember: Consuming smoothies or raw juices regularly can help us maintain our energy and increase vitality.
Want to learn more about varying and combining interesting fruits and vegetables in your juices and green smoothies?
Come see me at our monthly healthy cooking club which launches once The Doral Yard opens later this winter. I’ll teach you how to maximize nutrients in green juices. Sign up here to receive weekly updates on events, recipes and other special updates from The Doral Yard.