Even if you can’t escape to a tropical island this summer, the pitaya, or dragon fruit, may bring a touch of the exotic to your kitchen. This spiny-skinned orb’s white or pink flesh is easy to cut and peel, with a subtle melons-like flavor. Your taste buds are about to be tickled pink!
The cactus dragon fruit is abundant in calcium, which helps to strengthen bones, and fiber, which helps to keep hunger at away. In addition, the tiny edible seeds are abundant in omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, which your body cannot produce on its own. In addition, one cup of dragon fruit contains 192 percent of the daily vitamin C requirement, which helps to support your immune system.
Go to a specialty grocery store or a farmers’ market to get your hands on this pink fruit. Check the freezer section for pitaya smoothie packets for a pre-blended alternative that’s even easier to use. Dragon fruit will become your new favorite fruit after trying these eleven healthy recipes, which contain anything from puddings and salsas to parfaits and pancakes.
At Home, Try These 11 Dragon Fruit Recipes
Pitaya Parfait (Pitaya Parfait) (Pitaya
Finally, proof that buying the food processor was a good investment. For a guilt-free parfait, make a crumbled crust with dried mulberries, dates, and cinnamon. After that, put the crust and pitaya mixture in your preferred glass, followed by an array of fruit. Mix and match berries to create your own tasty culinary art. Invite your friends over for a mouthwatering taste of this delicacy, which serves two to four parfaits.
Soda with Pink Dragon Fruit
Do you have a strong desire for carbonation? You can receive your dose with this surefire concoction, which is free of the artificial ingredients present in most sodas. In this simple drink, dragon fruit is blended with lime juice, soda water, and a hint of sweetness. If you’re watching your sugar intake, use stevia instead of simple syrup.
Pancakes with coconut, pineapple, and pitaya
You’ll need an excuse to show off these picture-perfect short stacks, so start inviting people to brunch. Because oat and coconut flour are used, this recipe is healthier than white or refined flour flapjacks. Most importantly, preparing the pink sauce does not require any effort. In a blender, combine pitaya smoothie packets, pineapple juice, and stevia drops until smooth.
Smoothie with Dragon Fruits
The dragon fruit is ready to become the new star of your smoothie game, with a mild flavor that blends nicely with other fruits yet a distinct flavor of its own. This simple dish brings your taste buds to the tropics by combining bananas, coconut water, and pineapple with your pink fruit. The vivid, dramatic color is very pleasing to the eye.
Dragon Fruit Pudding
Compared to these refined delicacies, store-bought pudding cups pale in contrast. This no-preservatives version of the famous after-school snack is packed of delicate flavors. For a quick and easy meal with only a few ingredients, combine dragon fruit and rambutan, another exotic fruit. It’s a good idea to plan ahead. This one will take at least four hours to chill.
Dragon Fruit Salsa
Do you have a Mexican supper on the stove? Think outside the box and use pitaya to spice up your salsa. This delectable combination of dragon fruit, onions, cilantro, and lime juice will enhance any dish. Serve it with chips, atop tacos, or with your most recent grilled dish.
Berry Bliss Chia Pudding with Dragon Fruit
If you prepare this dessert-like breakfast the night before, you’ll have a more substantial breakfast than a bowl of cereal. Chia seeds absorb almond milk and turn it into a satiating gel that’s high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, calcium, and fiber. Make the pudding in individual containers and top with berries and nuts for a hearty breakfast that you can toss in your backpack before heading out the door.
Salad with Dragon Fruit, Pomegranate, and Macadamias with Creamy Mint and Lime Dressing
To break free from your lunch rut, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a specialty salad. This intriguing recipe blends dragon fruit with your usual mix of greens in a nutrient-dense bowl brimming with color. Avocado and macadamia nuts are high in lipids that are good for the heart, while pomegranate seeds are high in antioxidants. Bonus: Because the savory dressing is made with avocado instead of dairy, lactose intolerant folks can enjoy it.
Pitaya Pita
The versatility of this hot pink combination, not its color, is its strongest feature. Start your day off right with it for breakfast, or add protein powder for a satisfying post-workout snack. Start with a frozen pitaya smoothie pack and top it with the recipe’s recommended bee pollen, berries, and chocolate nibs to make your bowl a nutritional powerhouse.
Pavlova with Tropical Dragon Fruit
When you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing dessert to serve at your summer BBQ, consider this fluffy dragon fruit-infused meringue cake topped with pitaya-pink whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Dragon Fruit Ice Cream
If you want something a little more low-key as a last meal, make dragon fruit ice cream instead. Simply follow our directions for making smooth and delicious no-churn ice cream for the perfect frosty treat.
For a tropical twist, add a dusting of cinnamon to your dragon fruit ice cream, or add dragon fruit to your strawberry ice cream for a tropical twist.
How to Choose and Cook Dragon Fruit
You’ll probably see vivid pink dragon fruit with white interior meat when you go grocery shopping for dragon fruit. There are also yellow-skinned dragon fruits with white meat and pink dragon fruits with fuchsia flesh can be found.
Regardless of which kind you choose, you’ll get a mellow fruit with a flavor somewhere between watermelon, berries, and kiwi.
Look for fruit with a smooth, vibrantly colored skin that has some give. Underripe dragon fruit will feel rock hard (don’t worry, it will soften in a few days), while overripe dragon fruit will appear blotchy or dry.
The preparation of dragon fruit is straightforward. Simply cut it in half and use a spoon or melon baller to scoop out the flesh.
The Washington Magazine 