Tropical Sorbet Fruit Cups

It is the second day of spring and my mind is already sitting on a tropical beach drinking out of a coconut. Today it's supposed to hit 60 F in New Jersey which is awesome, however early next week the forecast shows more snow. I know this is not surprising for spring, but can it just be 80 F, sunny, and sandal weather already?!  These 100% fruit tropical sorbet cups are my ode to summer in food form, and will transport you to a warm, tropical island where you can daydream away about warmer days.  They are coming!

The real star of this sorbet is papaya.  The bizarre almost alien looking fruit is often forgotten, but super tasty and healthy!  I first got into this fruit when I went on a high school science trip to Hawaii.  It was love at first bite and I couldn't believe I had never tasted it before.  When I got home I immediately went out and bought a papaya, only to be extremely disappointed with the lack of juiciness and flavor. When it comes to buying papayas where they don't natively grow, you have to be very picky and know how to choose a good one.  The ideal papaya is both green and yellow as well as soft to the touch: not so soft that you almost break the skin when pressing it, but enough so it leaves a slight indent.  It is rare that I will go into a grocery store and find the perfectly ripe papaya, therefore I usually settle on getting a green one and allowing it to ripen for a few days in the sun at home before eating it. Never buy a super soft papaya, they are not good!

Now here's a look at some of the super health benefits of eating papaya:

1.  Helps with digestion by breaking down proteins and supporting the production of digestive enzymes.

2.  Increases the quality of proteins we eat.

3.  Revitalizes the human body and helps maintain energy and vitality.

4.  Boosts immune system.

5.  Lowers inflammation.

6.  Supports cardiovascular system.

7.  Helps with nausea and constipation.

I love eating super foods!  Not only is papaya a seriously delicious fruit, but it packs a power punch with every bite.  I particularly love papaya for its ability to aid in digestion.  My stomach is super sensitive and if I eat something that disagrees with it, I usually nibble on some fresh or dried papaya to alleviate the pain.  It is the natural alternative for Tums!  Now that I have this sorbet, I can have this after a large meal as dessert as well as a digestion aid.  Winning!

I hope you all are enjoying the bright, spring weather.  Treat yourself with this sorbet and indulge in guilt-free tropical bliss!


Tropical Sorbet Fruit Cups

1 1/2 cups frozen papaya chunks
1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
3/4 c fresh pineapple
2 oranges
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Cut the top off the oranges and scoop out the inside flesh.  To make it easier, cut a cylinder into the orange flesh and then scoop out the middle.

2.  Add the papaya, strawberries, pineapple, orange flesh, and vanilla to a high-speed blender (or food processor), and blend until everything is well combined.  If necessary, add more orange juice or water to help with the blending, but try not to add too much.  You want a thick, soft-serve consistency.

3.  At this point, you can eat as a soft-serve sorbet or freeze to make a hard sorbet.  Stuff the orange cups with the soft sorbet and freeze until hard to make frozen fruit cups.  Freeze the rest of the fruit mixture in a air-tight container for at least 3 hours.  Let sit out for 5-10 minutes after freezing if it is rock-hard.  Enjoy!