I love getting together with my bestie Hilary of The Greener Voyage and vegan food is always involved—but this time it was something we made ourselves! Which, to be honest, doesn’t happen often in tiny New York City apartment kitchens where there’s typically a one-person capacity. This time I headed out to her new place in Bushwick where there was plenty of space to whip up this delicious Strawberry-Beetroot Papaya Bowl recipe.
So, I’ve tried multiple different smoothie bowls in the past, but I’ve never found one I loved. Now don’t get me wrong: I’m a smoothie girl and love sipping on a fruit- and veggie-packed drink in the morning. Eating a smoothie out of a bowl with a spoon, though? It just feels… wrong. But something about putting it into a scooped-out papaya feels oh-so-right.
This smoothie bowl is jam-packed with good-for-you ingredients. Plus, it doesn’t feel soupy—it has a lot of oomph that will fuel you through your day thanks to some sneaky superfoods, including a gorgeous beetroot powder I’m a tiny bit obsessed with. So, what are you waiting for? Eat up!

Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Servings |
person
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- 2 bananas
- 4 strawberries
- 1 tbsp beetroot powder
- 1/2 cup papaya
- 1/2 cup plain, dairy-free yogurt (I used Kite Hill)
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1.5 tsp maca powder
- 1.5 tsp chia seeds
- 1.5 tsp ground flax seeds
- non-dairy milk to taste
Ingredients
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- Cut papaya in half and carve out the middle, tossing out the seeds and saving the fruit.
- Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour smoothie into empty papaya bowls and top with bananas, shredded coconut, chia seeds, and anything else you want.