Papaya Paradise Smoothie

So far the "Papaya Paradise Smoothie" (page 532) is my favorite smoothie in this book (although I still have three more to try). The combination of flavors is perfectly tropical and sweet, and if you make sure all the fruit is completely frozen before making the smoothie, it can be as thick as a milkshake (which is how I prefer my smoothies). The base recipe calls for 2 frozen bananas, and 2 fresh papayas, but I've noticed that papayas come in two sizes: HUGE (like the size of a large butternut squash), or small, about the size of a mango. I assumed in this case the recipe was referencing the smaller sized papaya, or roughly around two cups. The liquid part of the smoothie is pineapple juice and (optional) coconut milk. Since coconut milk is very high in saturated fat, I opted not to use it, and instead used ½ cup of soymilk and ½ teaspoon of coconut extract. This provided the wonderful coconut flavor without the fat, and excellent and delicious substitution. Garnish the smoothies with fresh strawberry or pineapple. Aloha!

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• While technically no changes are necessary, coconut milk is very high in fat, more specifically, saturated fat. To make a healthier version, use soymilk  (½ cup) and coconut extract (½ teaspoon) instead.