How to Make a Pitaya Bowl with Dragonfruit Puree

How to make a colorful and delicious dragonfruit pitaya bowl. This smoothie bowl recipe is easy to make! It only has three ingredients and just two steps.

Dragonfruit smoothie bowls are the perfect summer treat. They are vegan and packed with nutrients. I added cacao nibs to this beauty of a smoothie bowl to add a chocolatey twist without the guilt. You can give in to your cravings and still make good choices.

Read on for the dragonfruit pitaya smoothie bowl recipe…

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How do you eat Pitaya?

My favorite way to eat Pitaya is blended up in a bright pink smoothie bowl! The easiest way to do this is to buy premade pitaya puree which thankfully is now available at many major grocery stores in the United States.

Another fun way to eat it is as a whole fruit cut into cubes but still attached to the peel. You can see an example of this in the smoothie bowl in these photos. The technique is super easy. Just slice the whole fruit in half lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, make 3 to 4 cuts the long way without cutting through the peel. Repeat the opposite direction. Press the peel in from the center to push the fruit inside out exposing the cubed fruit.

Why isn’t my Pitaya or Dragonfruit Pink?

Most of the dragonfruit in the supermarket in the United States is white in the center. There’s nothing wrong with your fruit! They are just a different variety. Pink dragonfruit and white dragonfruit taste similar. Pink dragonfruit has more carotene, Vitamin C, and the antioxidant anthocyanin. They are usually more expensive than white dragonfruit if you can find them.

Before I figured this out, I actually wondered if the pitaya puree was dyed to give that vibrant pink color. It’s definitely not – that color is all-natural.

Health Benefits of Pitaya

It’s not the first time I’ve said it, dragonfruit is a superfood! They are high in phytonutrients and antioxidants, and also contain some vitamin C and B vitamins. Phytonutrients are compounds that protect the plant from exposures that generate free radicals, like UV radiation and pests. The more we study them, the more we are learning about the beneficial anti-inflammatory results for us when we eat them.

How to Pick a Ripe Dragonfruit

A dragonfruit is ripe when the flesh is an even pink color without any green patches. A few dark spots are normal, but if there are too many it’s a sign your fruit may be overripe. The skin should be firm but not hard. If the spiky points on the fruit are thick and pointy, the fruit is not ready to eat. Look for ‘wings’ that are dried and starting to wither. If you’re home and you cut open your fruit and see brown spots, don’t eat it – it’s definitely too ripe.

Thanks so much for reading! For more Sweet in your life, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube, or subscribe to receive a weekly email with new posts and musings from me.

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