DRAGON FRUIT BUBBLE TEA SMOOTHIE

When I was at the Asian market last week, I was in awe of the bubble tea selection. There must have been over 50 varieties on the menu! Taiwanese bubble tea is something I love as a treat occasionally, but I know it’s full of less than desirable ingredients and tons of processed sugar. So I decided to create a bubble tea inspired smoothie at home with the beautiful dragon fruit I picked up at the market! My Dragon Fruit Bubble Tea Smoothie is full of healthy, nourishing ingredients, vitamins and antioxidants. I like to enjoy it post-workout because it’s also loaded with clean, plant-based protein. A delicious chia seed pudding base mimics the texture of the black tapioca pearls usually seen in bubble tea, while a spring-inspired combination of dragon fruit, banana, mango, strawberry and creamy Vanilla Almond Breeze gives the smoothie its natural sweetness and soft pink hue. If you’re in the mood for something exotic, try my healthy spin on bubble tea!

DRAGON FRUIT BUBBLE TEA SMOOTHIE

Have you ever tried a dragon fruit? We don’t eat them often, but sometimes when they look good at the Asian market I like to pick them up! Dragon fruit is lightly sweet, crisp and the small seeds have such a pleasing, crunchy texture. They’re also high in vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein and antioxidants. Basically, they’re amazing for you — and they add such a fun, unique texture to this bubble tea inspired smoothie. If you’re feeling adventurous, pick one up! Sometimes I like to halve them and eat them just as they are — scooping out the flesh with a spoon. They have a very high water content and I find them so juicy and refreshing!

I’ve said it many times on the blog — but I truly believe you can nourish yourself and treat yourself at the same time! My Dragon Fruit Bubble Tea Smoothie is a perfect example of that. I’m proud to report that lately I’ve been enjoying this smoothie post-workout for breakfast. Remember when I said I wanted to work on my fitness this year? Well I’m actually doing it! I’ve been getting a HIIT workout in every morning for almost a month and I feel amazing! UPDATE: Check out My Fitness Routine to see exactly what I’ve been doing.

I also find myself needing something substantial post-workout to fuel the rest of my morning. This smoothie has a double-dose of protein and heart-healthy fats inside thanks to omega-3 rich chia seeds and a scoop of vanilla protein powder. Its thick, creamy texture comes from the frozen fruit blended with Vanilla Almond Breeze, which is my favourite almond beverage for smoothies, breakfast bowls, homemade lattes and baking! Did you know Almond Breeze products have no saturated fat, cholesterol, dairy, lactose or gluten? They’re only made with the good stuff — including The Blue Diamond Growers almonds, which are considered the pinnacle of quality for Californian almonds. If you want to pick up a carton of Almond Breeze for this recipe, you can now find it in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store.

DRAGON FRUIT BUBBLE TEA SMOOTHIE

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

CHIA SEED PUDDING

• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup Vanilla Almond Breeze
• Dash of salt
• 1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Optional: 1 – 3 tbsp pure maple syrup

DRAGON FRUIT BUBBLE TEA SMOOTHIE

• Flesh from half a dragon fruit
• 
1/2 cup frozen bananas
• 
1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup Vanilla Almond Breeze

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare your Chia Seed Pudding by adding chia seeds, salt and vanilla extract to the Vanilla Almond Breeze. If you’d like the pudding to be sweet, add maple syrup to taste. Personally I like the pudding without any additional sweetener because the smoothie itself is naturally sweet, but you do you! Whisk vigorously to combine all ingredients. Allow the mixture to set for about 15 minutes to form a pudding.

2. In the meantime add dragon fruit, banana, mango, strawberries, vanilla protein powder and Vanilla Almond Breeze to your Vitamix (or similar) and blend until smooth.

3. Once the Chia Seed Pudding has formed, spoon it into the bottom of your glass. Then, pour the Dragon Fruit Bubble Tea Smoothie over top.

4. Garnish with a fun straw, slice of dragon fruit or strawberry and enjoy! You can also enjoy this smoothie in a bowl with a spoon if you prefer.

Print

DRAGON FRUIT BUBBLE TEA SMOOTHIE

Prep Time

10 mins

Resting Time

15 mins

 

When I was at the Asian market last week, I was in awe of the bubble tea selection. There must have been over 50 varieties on the menu! Taiwanese bubble tea is something I love as a treat occasionally, but I know it’s full of less than desirable ingredients and tons of processed sugar. So I decided to create a bubble tea inspired smoothie at home with the beautiful dragon fruit I picked up at the market! My Dragon Fruit Bubble Tea Smoothie is full of healthy, nourishing ingredients, vitamins and antioxidants. I like to enjoy it post-workout because it’s also loaded with clean, plant-based protein. A delicious chia seed pudding base mimics the texture of the black tapioca pearls usually seen in bubble tea, while a spring-inspired combination of dragon fruit, banana, mango, strawberry and creamy Vanilla Almond Breeze gives the smoothie its natural sweetness and soft pink hue. If you’re in the mood for something exotic, try my healthy spin on bubble tea!

Course: Breakfast

Servings: 1

Author: Justine

Ingredients

CHIA SEED PUDDING

• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup Vanilla Almond Breeze
• Dash of salt
• 1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Optional: 1 - 3 tbsp pure maple syrup

DRAGON FRUIT BUBBLE TEA SMOOTHIE

• Flesh from half a dragon fruit
• 1/2 cup frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup Vanilla Almond Breeze

Instructions

1. Prepare your Chia Seed Pudding by adding chia seeds, salt and vanilla extract to the Vanilla Almond Breeze. If you'd like the pudding to be sweet, add maple syrup to taste. Personally I like the pudding without any additional sweetener because the smoothie itself is naturally sweet, but you do you! Whisk vigorously to combine all ingredients. Allow the mixture to set for about 15 minutes to form a pudding.
2. In the meantime add dragon fruit, banana, mango, strawberries, vanilla protein powder and Vanilla Almond Breeze to your Vitamix (or similar) and blend until smooth.
3. Once the Chia Seed Pudding has formed, spoon it into the bottom of your glass. Then, pour the Dragon Fruit Bubble Tea Smoothie over top.
4. Garnish with a fun straw, slice of dragon fruit or strawberry and enjoy! You can also enjoy this smoothie in a bowl with a spoon if you prefer.

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Isn’t this background cool? It’s actually a sheet of gift wrap that I ironed flat and adhered to a piece of foamcore — because I’m crafty like that! I’ve been loving all things pink, blue and watercolour lately (as I’m sure you’ve probably noticed!). I’ve actually made all the backdrops you see around here — whether they’re painted, made from paper or foraged barn board.

Do you have any favourite exotic treats? I love to try to replicate recipes at home and put a healthier, more nourishing spin on them, so leave me a comment if there’s something you have in mind! If you try my Dragon Fruit Bubble Tea Smoothie please report back — I love it when you guys make my recipes and give me your feedback! You can tag me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, or use the hashtag #justinecelinarecipes in your recreations so I can find them! I also have a board on Pinterest for my recipes, if you’re looking for some more inspiration.

Disclaimer: Thank you to Almond Breeze for sponsoring this post. It’s a dream to work with companies whos products I’ve used and loved for so long! JustineCelina uses affiliate and referral links, which allow me to receive a small commission when you make a purchase through one of my links. Your purchases help to support JustineCelina.com!