One sip of this dragon fruit smoothie and you'll feel like you've been swept away to a tropical island! Couldn't we all use a vacation right about now? This smoothie will surely brighten any dark and dreary winter day. It's not only beautiful, but incredibly delicious, refreshing and super nourishing! In fact, it's currently my new favorite!
I made this smoothie for the first time over the summer after my husband and I came home from a bike ride. Eventually, I knew I'd be sharing it here on the blog because it was just so unique in flavor and color!
The thing I love about smoothies is that you can tailor them to whatever mood you're in. Sometimes winter produce can leave me feeling bored and blah and craving those vibrant colors and flavors of summer. This dragon fruit smoothie was the perfect cure.
What is dragon fruit?
Dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, is an exotic fruit that was once native to Mexico and Central America. The spiky pink fruit that looks like something out of "Game of Thrones," was named as such because of the dragon-like appearance of its outer skin. Many people describe the fruit as tasting like a cross between a strawberry and a pear.
The most common variety of dragon fruit has a white fleshy inside with black seeds, but there is another less common variety with a gorgeous magenta colored flesh. Obviously, this is the variety that I used for this recipe.
What's special about this smoothie?
That beautiful, vibrant, purple color! It's a sign that the fruit has flavonoids and potent antioxidants essential for disease prevention that can sometimes be lacking in our diet, especially during winter months.
It's high in fiber and prebiotics. A prebiotic, an important type of fiber that promotes the growth of good bacteria in your gut. People often pop vitamin and mineral supplements in winter to help support their immune system, even though most studies show they lack efficacy. However, maintaining a healthy gut microbiota by consuming prebiotic foods is essential in helping to prevent bacteria and pathogens from entering the body. It's probably one of the most important and efficacious ways to support your immune system. One serving of this smoothie has 8 gms of fiber!
Smoothie packets make it simple and quick to make.
It's not easy to find fresh dragon fruit, especially this time of year. That's why I was so intrigued and excited when I came across these amazing dragon fruit smoothie packets, (you can find them in the frozen fruit section of your supermarket). They contain frozen dragon fruit puree that you can just pop right into the blender. Super convenient!
For this recipe I also used frozen raspberries, baby spinach, banana and coconut water to really bring out that tropical vibe. The taste was out of this world! I highly recommend this combination of ingredients.
Let me know if you give this recipe a try. These dragon fruit smoothies would look gorgeous on any breakfast, lunch or brunch table for Valentines Day too!
Follow the links below and don't forget to tag me on Instagram! I'd love to see what everyone is making!
If you liked this smoothie, you may also want to try my Mango, Kale and Coconut Smoothie.
This post was not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
Dragon Fruit Smoothie
Equipment
- high power blender
Ingredients
- 1 dragon fruit smoothie packet
- ½ cup baby spinach
- ½ cup frozen raspberries
- ½ cup coconut water
- 1 small banana
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Serve cold or with ice.
Nutrition
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