Papayas

I recently returned from a vacation in Hawaii. This was my first excursion to the Hawaiian Islands. My friend from school invited me to spend time at her mother's house on the island of Molokai. Molokai is one of the smaller, more underdeveloped Hawaiian islands. It is a lot less touristic than places like Maui, Oahu and the Big Island. During my stay on Molokai, I consumed an abundance of exotic fruits, mostly papayas. Before visiting Molokai, I had never tasted papayas as sweet and as rich as the ones I ate while I was there. I ate at least 1-2 per day, usually at breakfast topped with a few squeezes of lime juice.
Papayas are superstars in terms of their nutrient density. They are loaded with potassium, almost twice the amount you would assimilate from a banana. They are high in folate, beta-carotene and vitamin C, and provide a natural source of digestive enzymes, papain. I was lucky enough to bring back a box of 7 to the Northwest. I've been devouring them over the past few weeks. Today, it was #5 of 7 and I did something a bit more creative:

Papaya, coconut and lime smoothie
1 cup fresh papaya
1 large banana
¾ cup coconut water
½ cup plain rice milk
½ tablespoon lime juice
Optional: Sub pineapple juice for rice milk

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until thick. For thicker smoothie reduce liquid ingredients. For thinner consistency, increase amounts of liquid ingredients. Serve in your favorite glass with a straw.
Preparation time: 3 minutes
Makes 1-2 servings
Copyright 2009, Genevieve Sherrow, Original Recipe.