Published June 29, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
When summer gets underway in Vermont, I like to make dishes that hail from warmer climates. This month, I went with a tropical theme: papaya-avocado salad and a thirst-quenching drink made with watermelon and coconut.
Papaya is a popular ingredient in a wide range of countries, from Mexico to the Philippines. When unripe, it's green and crunchy and is often used in curries, stews or the popular Thai salad som tam. In its ripe form, it's a deep orange color, sweet and so buttery that it almost melts in your mouth. To ensure that your papaya is ripe, make sure it's a little soft to the touch and has plenty of yellow or orange skin.
Though avocado toast and guacamole are popular dishes now, avocados have been enjoyed for millenia. Some sources say they were first eaten about 10,000 years ago in Mexico and cultivated 5,000 years ago. They are full of healthy fats and rich in vitamins, and they have more potassium than bananas. Because avocado and papaya have similar textures, they pair well together on top of a spinach salad with a zesty lime vinaigrette.
The watermelon-coconut refresher is a great beverage for a hot day. With both blended chunks of watermelon and coconut water, it's super hydrating. I used reduced-fat coconut milk in it, so the drink doesn't feel heavy. Whip up a batch and keep it in a frosty pitcher in the fridge so it's ready to drink when you need to beat the heat.
(Serves 4-6)
Dressing:
(Makes 8 glasses)
This article was originally published in Seven Days' monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
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