Dragon Fruit

Is there a fruit as aesthetically pleasing as the dragon fruit? Rancho Santa Cecilia has some of this gorgeous fruit right now. The dragon fruit, also known as pitaya, is a tropical fruit from the cactus plant. With a vibrant pink or yellow skin and white or purple speckled flesh, its flavor is a lot like kiwi, mild and sweet. Dragon fruit is excellent for gut health, with its prebiotic content that helps to feed our gut flora, making it ideal for digestion and immunity. Containing vitamin C and carotenoids, dragon fruit’s antioxidant content has been shown to fight chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis. Vitamin C and carotenoids have also been shown to boost our immune systems and prevent infections by protecting your white blood cells from damage from free radicals. Dragon fruit is also a good source of iron, one of the few fruits to contain it, making it great for transporting oxygen throughout our bodies and breaking down food for energy. And finally, dragon fruit is a good source of magnesium. Most people are deficient in magnesium, a mineral that plays a critical role in over 300 enzyme systems in our bodies, such as making proteins, controlling blood sugar levels, regulating blood pressure, keeping our muscles and nerves working properly, breaking down food for energy, bone formation, creation of DNA, and muscle contraction. Let’s make something beautiful, delicious, and colorful with this fruit. 

Dragon Fruit & Mango Chia Pudding Parfait 

Yield: 4 Servings

350 ml simple canned coconut milk 
1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
6 tablespoons organic chia seeds 
½ pink dragon fruit
2 Alphonso mango, ripe
1 cup vanilla coconut yogurt 

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine the coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and chia seeds. Blend on low until well combined and chia seeds are dispersed. Put into an airtight jar and refrigerate overnight, shaking every now and then. 

2. Peel and roughly chop dragon fruit and add to a blender. Puree until smooth. 

3. Mix the pureed dragon fruit with the chilled and thickened chia pudding. 

4. Peel and roughly chop the 1 mango and add it to the blender. Puree until smooth. 

5. Peel and dice the other mango and hold until ready to make the parfaits. 

6. To make the parfaits, layer the dragon fruit chia pudding, pureed mango, and vanilla coconut yogurt. Top with the chopped mango. 

7. Enjoy!