06/16

Papaya Banana Bowls

Who’s excited that it’s almost summer?! I am so, so, so ready to be at the beach, relaxing, and enjoying some much needed downtime with friends and family. During these months, we are always outside—from the time the sun rises to the time it sets. With that said, I’m always looking for refreshing snacks to beat the heat.

Introducing our new obsession: papaya banana bowls. If you’ve never had papaya, try it…now. This tropical fruit is not only delicious but it’s also packed with vitamins, fiber, and potassium to help refuel after a day in the sun. We’ve been filling ours with some homemade banana ice cream and topping it off with more delicious fruit and toppings.

This is such an easy recipe and can be whipped up on the spot. If you choose to make your own banana ice cream, make it ahead of time and store in freezer so the bowls are easy to prepare. The same goes for the fruit!

Here’s our family’s favorite “beat the heat” recipe that may end up being your favorite, too:

Ingredients:

• 1 papaya, seeds removed
• 1 cup banana ice cream (recipe here)
• 1 bunch of bananas
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cacao Nibs
• Hemp Seeds
• Coconut Flakes

Directions:

1. To make the banana ice cream, peel and chop bananas into coin shapes and freeze in airtight container. This should take about 2 hours.
2. Once frozen, put pieces into food processor. Keep blending until smooth. Set aside.
3. Cut a ripe papaya into 2 halves and remove seeds. With a spoon, fill the papaya with the banana ice cream (or vanilla yogurt, if preferred)
4. Now for the fun part! I decorated mine with my favorite fruits, hemp seeds, and coconut flakes/cacao nibs for some added sweetness. Enjoy!

If you’re as big of a fan of papaya as I am, here are some other delicious tropical recipes:

Fresh Papaya With Coconut Lime Yogurt // Papaya Salsa // Papaya Mango Smoothie