Healthy Papaya Recipes

Whir up cantaloupe with papaya and mango for a creamy smoothie with a taste of the tropics.

A little low fat dairy and some vitamin-rich fruit and you've just started your day right, nutritionally speaking.

Tropical fruits combine with coconut milk in this healthy smoothie recipe that's like a vacation in a glass.

This Thai-inspired salad makes use of the papayas that grow throughout Hawaii. This version is tossed with tender, sweet pea shoots. Make an extra batch of the vinaigrette to keep on hand in the refrigerator--use it as a marinade for vegetables, a flavorful dressing for fresh melon or as a sauce to splash over grilled fish or chicken.

Lean boneless, skinless chicken breasts take a trip to Asia when tossed with unripe papaya, grated carrots, garlic, chile paste and cilantro. Wrap the salad in rice paper wrappers to make fresh spring rolls. Make it a meal: Iced Lychees are a cool finish to this Asian supper.

A colorful papaya relish served alongside grilled tuna makes a refreshing, healthy main dish. Make it a meal: Serve with Island Red Beans and brown rice.

With just a few simple steps, you can transform plain chocolate into a divine treat with this chocolate bark recipe. We stir dried papaya, pepitas and chile powder into this chocolate bark, which is perfect for a gift.

This slightly tart fruity Bellini recipe will zing you awake. It's the prettiest color imaginable and it makes a brunch instantly fun! You can serve the Bellinis in champagne flutes or in simple Mason jars--be creative!

Try making this sushi recipe once and you'll see how easy it is to make maki sushi rolls at home. In this sushi roll recipe, inspired by chef Bun Lai, we use teriyaki-style glazed mussels, plus plenty of crunchy vegetables and even fruit. Vary the ingredients in the roll to suit your own taste. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy dipping sauce on the side.

Crunchy jicama and walnuts pair with creamy papaya and avocado for an unusual salad.

In Mexico, papayas are served with a wedge of lime and a pinch of salt. This sorbet honors the sweet-tart combination and transforms it into an elegant dessert. It's like a tropical vacation in your mouth.

Luscious tropical fruit topped with creamy coconut milk and crunchy pistachios is a simple yet delicious dessert.

For the best taste and color, use a red-fleshed Hawaiian papaya for this exotic, lip-puckering taste of island summer. Papayas are loaded with papain, a digestive enzyme, so this smoothie is a good dessert to settle stomachs after a substantial meal.

You can use this formula to turn just about any soft fruit you may have on hand into a complex, spicy chutney. Serve with meat and poultry and use to perk up sandwiches.

The relish is at its best served shortly after it is prepared.

Meaty chicken thighs are well suited to this intensely flavored Vietnamese marinade.

Beat the winter blues with a taste of the tropics; this papaya smoothie has an added buttermilk tang.

Chewy pineapple and papaya, tart lime and sweet coconut combine in an exotic fruit bar.

Whole spices give a subtle but distinct flavor to this tropical fruit compote. Here the fruit is not cooked in the syrup, but simply macerated so that the tastes remain fresh and distinct. The spiced syrup is also a wonderful sweetener for hot tea or as a base for a light punch.