5 Kid Friendly Recipes: Papaya

Papaya Smoothie

• Ingredients:

  1. 1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and chopped

  2. 1 banana, peeled and sliced

  3. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

  4. 1/2 cup orange juice or milk (dairy or non-dairy)

  5. Honey or maple syrup to taste (optional)

  6. Ice cubes (optional)

• Instructions:

  1. Place papaya, banana, Greek yogurt, and orange juice or milk in a blender.

  2. Blend until smooth and creamy.

  3. Add honey or maple syrup if additional sweetness is desired.

  4. Add ice cubes if desired and blend again until well combined.

  5. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Papaya Popsicles

• Ingredients:

  1. 1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and chopped

  2. 1/2 cup coconut milk

  3. 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)

• Instructions:

  1. Place papaya, coconut milk, and honey or maple syrup in a blender.

  2. Blend until smooth.

  3. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds.

  4. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm.

  5. Remove from molds and serve immediately.

Papaya and Chicken Salad

• Ingredients:

  1. 1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and chopped

  2. 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast

  3. 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (or a dairy-free yogurt if needed)

  4. 1 tablespoon honey or Dijon mustard

  5. Salt and pepper to taste

  6. Lettuce leaves or whole wheat tortillas for serving

• Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, combine shredded chicken, plain Greek yogurt, honey or Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

  2. Gently fold in chopped papaya.

  3. Serve the chicken and papaya mixture on lettuce leaves or in whole wheat tortillas as wraps.

  4. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Papaya and Yogurt Parfait

• Ingredients:

  1. 1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and chopped

  2. 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

  3. 1/4 cup granola

  4. Honey or maple syrup to taste (optional)

• Instructions:

  1. In a glass or bowl, layer Greek yogurt, chopped papaya, and granola.

  2. Drizzle with honey or maple syrup if desired.

  3. Repeat layers until ingredients are used up.

  4. Serve immediately as a nutritious breakfast or snack.

Papaya Muffins

• Ingredients:

  1. 1 ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

  2. 1 cup whole wheat flour

  3. 1 cup rolled oats

  4. 1/2 cup brown sugar

  5. 1 teaspoon baking powder

  6. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  7. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  8. 1/4 teaspoon salt

  9. 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)

  10. 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  11. 1 large egg

• Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners.

  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

  3. In another bowl, whisk together milk, vegetable oil, and egg.

  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

  5. Fold in the chopped papaya.

  6. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

  8. Let cool before serving.