Looking for a great way to jumpstart the day? Why not begin it with a bit of coconut papaya smoothie? These two mixed together offer a burst of flavor that will energize you through the morning. The natural sweetness also works as an excellent pick-me-up during the day. With a few different recipe options to choose from, you can experiment and pick whichever works best for you.
Three coconut papaya smoothie recipes
Energy Coconut Papaya Smoothie Recipe
This recipe is great when you want to add a burst of vitamins and energy to the smoothie. Coconut and papaya already provide you with a tropical palette, so building on that is a great way to go. To make this recipe you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup chopped papaya
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 medium banana
- 1/2 cup chopped cantaloupe
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1 pitted date
- Ice
Add everything to a blender and pulse. Adjust the amount of ice you want to meet the level of thickness you enjoy. More ice reduces thickness (usually anywhere from two to four cubes is enough). You will be packed with natural energy from this recipe as (depending on the coconut milk) you’ll enjoy 49 grams of carbs, which is important in the morning to keep you energized throughout the day. It’s also a good pre-cardio workout drink. Also, if you’re looking to boost your potassium intake, you’ll drink down a whopping 808 mg.
Sweet and Savory Smoothie
If you’re looking for a bit more savory in your recipe, vanilla is the way to go. This is a perfect substitute for when you’re craving ice cream during the hot summer months yet don’t want to cave and pick up a pint. This is an easy-to-follow recipe with ingredients that include:
- 1 papaya
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 bananas
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Ice
As is the case with any smoothie, adjust the level of ice to meet your thickness needs. 1 tsp of vanilla extract should be more than enough to give you that decadent flavor of luxurious vanilla. You can also add in a dash of cinnamon if you’d like as not only does cinnamon go exceptionally well with vanilla, but it will boost your metabolism throughout the day as well.
Protein Smoothie
Adding in a touch of protein is important as it helps keep you full, longer. If you’re looking for a post-workout drink, consider adding a scoop of vanilla protein powder.
For this smoothie you’ll need:
- 1 cup chopped papaya
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup coconut milk yogurt
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp seed butter
- Ice
Mix everything together in a blender. You can adjust the level of chia seeds and butter as you see fit. The chia seeds add both fiber and omega-3 while the seed butter is a great protein addition.
It is important to remember when making a smoothie there really is no right or wrong way to it. If you’re interested in what one particular ingredient might taste like, try it out. You may discover a favorite new mixture. Coconut and papaya offer an excellent base for a delicious, tropical smoothie. Use it as the starting point and build on from there.
Rick Kaselj MS, is a leading kinesiologist and injury specialist as well as co-creator of the best-selling Unlock Your Hip Flexors program. Rick creates exercise programs that help people heal injuries and eliminate pain, so they can go back to living a full, active, healthy life.
