Papaya Pineapple Spinach Smoothie

I had never eaten much papaya until last spring, when we were lucky enough to take a trip to Mexico. We stayed in a friend's home, and spent some time with our friend's sister who lives there full time. She's a super cool raw vegan! And she made us some papaya "ice cream" just like what we make at home with mango -- and we got hooked. Papaya, I love you.

Now when I see those crazy big fruits I always buy one. Wait until they are ripe - looking somewhat blemished, or soft like a ripe avocado, peel it, slice it, remove the seeds, chop it up, lay the pieces on a baking sheet or cutting board and freeze 'em! Now we're all ready for THIS:

Spinach, Pineapple, Papaya. Add rice milk and BAM!

 

 

 

 I wish I had a Vita-Mix, but I don't. I have a magic bullet that gets the job done. The bullet can't handle kale, so we stick with spinach for our green smoothies. And the single serving is nice because we can customize them if we want, too. Josh likes his super thick, but I like mine with more milk so it's easier to drink. So does the kid. And the lids come handy because the child usually doesn't drink all of hers in one sitting, so we can seal it up for later.

I love trying new foods and think it's especially important for my daughter. Apples, oranges and bananas are fabulous, but there is really so much more.