I was first introduced to dragonfruit, also known as pitaya, at a really good gelato cafe a couple of years ago. Its bright, vibrant, hot pink color instantly caught my attention. I sampled the flavor, I think it had some pineapple in it as well, and… it was really, freakin’ good! I ordered a scoop of it on the spot—along with my usual chocolate hazelnut and dark chocolate flavors of course hehe…
It became one of my favorite all time gelato flavors. No doubt!
Then, not too long ago, I was at a Costco and saw that they were selling “strawberry cherries.” I said, “Whoa! What the heck is this?! Never heard of these before!” I examined them a bit, but decided to hold off ’til next time, and I ended up not purchasing them. Well…guess what? Those things sold out super fast, and I never even got to try them. Apparently they were only available for a limited time, like say only month or two per year, and that’s it.
Damn. Should have gotten them when I had the chance!
Then, it hit me from out of the blue—-out of the curiosity of what a strawberry cherry would taste like, and the craving for a scoop of that pitaya gelato—I got the idea for my next smoothie recipe….
Enter my Strawberry Dragonfruit Protein Smoothie!!
Rich in antioxidants, and packed with muscle building protein, this vibrant berry filled smoothie is exploding with flavor and nourishment!
I still never got to try those strawberry cherries yet, but hey, I think I found the next best thing—
Strawberries for its luscious sweetness…
Cherries for its sweet tartness…
Bananas for added creaminess….
Orange for a nice citrus punch….
Antioxidant-packed dragonfruit for its exotic, hypnotic, glow…
whey protein for lean muscle-building power….
and that melted almond butter drizzle…..
Add these all up and what you get is another trip to smoothie heaven!
Hypnotizing and mesmerizing….
an ultimate fusion of berries and fruits guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds and nourish your body…
Seriously, how long can you resist not trying this??
OK, here are the nutritional benefits of this smoothie’s main ingredients:
Dragonfruit, a.k.a. Pitaya, according to numerous sources, contain high amounts of antioxidants, which help fight free radicals, flavonoids, which help the body’s immune system, and micronutritents which help fight disease. They also contain lycopene, which is believed to help fight cancer. Pitaya is also high in fiber, which is aids in digestion and helps prevent constipation.
If you’re like this, then you gotta check out my berry smoothie recipes….
- Ultimate Acai Blueberry Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
- Dragonfruit Raspberry Chia Protein Smoothie Bowl
- Blackberry Pitaya Protein Smoothie
OK, here’s what you’ll need for my Strawberry Dragonfruit Protein Smoothie:
Quick note: I like to use all frozen fruits when I make my smoothies. The smoothies just comes out thicker, creamier, more flavorful, and less watered down because we are not using any ice. They also come out ice cold right out of the blender.
The cherries in the picture above are freshly bought that I just used for the photo shoot. I ran out of my frozen cherries I usually get from Trader Joes. But these I will definitely freeze for later use!
More details on how to make it in the recipe notes below.
Alright, let’s get to it!!
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
people
|
- 1 packet frozen dragonfruit
- 1 cups organic strawberries (frozen)
- 1/2 cup cherries (frozen)
- 1/4 large banana (best if frozen)
- 1 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 cup Trop50 OJ
- 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1-2 tbsp almond butter (for drizzle)
Ingredients
smoothie blend:
For garnish:
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- Add all ingredients into blender. Blend until you get a smooth, thick consistency.
- Pour into glass. Drizzle with almond butter. Enjoy!
-Best when using all frozen fruits. You don't need to use ice---and using ice waters down the flavors. We don't want that!
-To avoid having to pit the cherries before freezing them, just buy frozen pitted cherries at your local grocery store.
-To freeze a banana, simply remove the peel, slice them up, place them separated on parchment paper on a plate/cookie pan, and stick them in the freezer for at least an hour. Do this beforehand. I have a large ziploc bag full of frozen sliced banana ready to go in the freezer.
-I like this smoothie more on the thick side, so I try to add just enough liquid. You may have to add a splash more of a liquid than specified. If you prefer a more liquid-y smoothie, simply add more OJ, almond milk, or water.
Did you try this recipe? How did it turn out for you? I would love to hear from you! Sound off in the comment section below!
**Nutritional information is an approximation using Nutrifox, information from Google, and my own calculations to the best of my knowledge. It is not the definitive values or guaranteed to be 100% accurate information. Use only as a reference.**
