This tropical Pink Dragon Fruit Smoothie is loaded with antioxidants. A swirl of plant-based vanilla yogurt gives it a pretty finishing touch.
Smoothie bowls feel so luxurious to me. Taking a little extra time in the morning to make something nourishing for yourself, adorn it with beautiful toppings and then sit down to enjoy it in a leisurely fashion is always such a #treatyoself moment. Well this Pink Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl is no exception.
What is Dragon Fruit?
Dragon fruit, which also goes by the name pitaya, is native to Mexico and some Central American countries. It is also cultivated in subtropical regions like Southeast Asia and Australia. The most common varieties of dragon fruit have either white flesh with black seeds or a magenta hued flesh with black seeds. The skin is either pink or yellow and has a scaly appearance similar to dragon skin, hence the name.
Dragon fruit contains vitamins, antioxidants and is a great source of fiber. It has a soft texture when ripe and a mildly sweet (bordering on bland) flavor, making it a wonderful neutral addition to smoothies.
How to make a Dragon Fruit Smoothie
You can find dragon fruit or pitaya at some grocery stores in the produce section near the other tropical fruits. Because it is unique and exotic it can be a bit pricey. But another option that will give you more bang for your buck is frozen smoothie packs containing dragon fruit. I have spotted them at Whole Foods and Costco.
My favorite part about this dragon fruit smoothie bowl is the bright pink shade. Since I was only able to find the white variety of dragon fruit at my grocery store, I used pink pitaya powder to achieve the color.
Making this dragon fruit smoothie bowl is as simple as adding all the ingredients (minus the toppings) into a blender and blending them up. In addition to fruits like frozen banana, frozen mango and dragon fruit, I added chia seeds and hemp seeds to boost the fiber and protein content. Frozen pineapple or frozen peaches would also be great if you’re not a fan of mango.
I found that my smoothie did not need any additional sweetener, but if you wanted yours to taste a little sweeter, simply add a bit of honey, maple syrup or agave to taste.
Tips for the prettiest smoothie bowl
The key to a good smoothie bowl is making sure it’s nice and thick, so only a small amount of liquid such as coconut milk or almond milk is needed, if any. Since my dragon fruit was on the riper and juicier side, it provided sufficient liquid and I did not have to add any extra liquid to my smoothie. I suggest adding a little bit of liquid at a time to the blender, and only add as much as you need for the smoothie to blend. If you want a thinner smoothie consistency just add more liquid.
The toppings are where you can really make your smoothie bowl shine.
The toppings you will need to recreate this exact dragon fruit smoothie bowl are:
- kiwi (which I cut out into little heart shapes using a mini cookie cutter)
- additional dragon fruit, cut into cubes or scooped out with a melon baller
- bee pollen
- hemp seeds
- flowers- you can use edible flowers or non-edible if they are just for decoration
- vanilla yogurt- I used cashew yogurt to keep this recipe plant-based
For the yogurt swirls, I transferred the yogurt to a small squeeze bottle and piped little dots onto the smoothie bowl. Then I used a toothpick to drag through the yogurt and create hearts and swirls.
More healthy smoothies from the blog:
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Pink Dragon Fruit Smoothie
This tropical Pink Dragon Fruit Smoothie is loaded with antioxidants. A swirl of plant-based vanilla yogurt gives it a pretty finishing touch.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pink or white dragon fruit (pitaya) scooped out
- 1 cup frozen mango or frozen pineapple
- 1 cup frozen banana
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon pink dragon fruit powder optional, if using white dragon fruit, to achieve pink hue
- 1/4-1/2 cup coconut milk or almond milk optional, use as needed
Toppings:
- vanilla yogurt
- kiwi
- dragon fruit
- hemp seeds
- bee pollen
- edible flowers
Instructions
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Add pitaya, mango, banana, chia seeds, hemp seeds and dragon fruit powder (if using) to a high speed blender. Cover and blend until smooth, adding a small amount of coconut or almond milk as needed to help the mixture blend. For a thicker smoothie bowl, add as little liquid as possible. Depending on the juiciness of your dragon fruit, you may not need to add any liquid at all. For a more drinkable smoothie, add more liquid.
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To make a smoothie bowl as pictured, pour smoothie into a bowl and top with dots of vanilla yogurt. Drag a toothpick through the yogurt to make a swirl pattern. Add desired toppings such as kiwi, dragon fruit, hemp seeds, bee pollen and edible flowers.
Recipe Notes
I found that my smoothie did not need any additional sweetener, but if you wanted yours to taste a little sweeter, simply add a bit of honey, maple syrup or agave to taste.
The most colorful way to start the day! And the flavors are spot on!