by Margaret S Garrett - Published 6 months ago

Digestive Smoothie: TCM Expert's Recipe

Papaya is my favorite fruit. During a volunteer trip to Costa Rica, I experienced some health issues, including constipation, indigestion, skin rashes, sore throat, and a bit of homesickness. My host mom always gave me papaya as a remedy, saying "¡Come un poco de papaya y te recuperarás!" ("Eat a little papaya and you will be fine!").

Papaya is rich in antioxidants, enzymes like papain, vitamin C, lycopene, and more. This smoothie enhances the healing properties of papaya with calming herbs such as jujube dates, longan fruit, lotus seeds, and lily bulb. These sweet and mild herbs blend perfectly in a smoothie, adding fiber, protein, and natural sweetness. I enjoy this smoothie on summer afternoons!

The Five Elements

Seasonality: Warm

Energetics: Neutral

Meridian Affinity: Heart, Spleen, Stomach

Functions: Aids Digestion, Calming

YIELD: 1 serving

TIME: 35 minutes

Ingredients

⅓ cup (30 grams) lotus seeds, hearts removed
1 cup roughly chopped ripe papaya
1 cup nondairy yogurt
1 cup nut milk of choice, plus more as needed
2 medium jujube dates (10 grams), pitted
3 fresh longan fruit (20 grams), pitted, or dried (6 grams)
1 tablespoon (15 grams) fresh lily bulb*
Ice (optional)

Fresh lily bulbs are preferred here. If you can only get dried lily bulbs, place 10 grams in a small pot of water and boil for 10 minutes. Make sure they are soft and fully hydrated before using.

Note from the Editor

Instructions

In a small pot, add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the lotus seeds and cook, covered, until they are very soft, about 20 minutes. Strain and reserve the lotus seeds. Discard the liquid.
In a blender, add the cooked lotus seeds and the rest of the ingredients and blend at high speed until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding nut milk. Enjoy at room temperature or iced.