Is there any other fruit that conjures up such joy and happiness? Summer and picnics? Watermelon is always an invited guest. They are refreshing and sweet and when chilled, they provide a fun way to combat the heat. Can you find an easier dessert than watermelon?
Most people believe that watermelon is only made up of water and sugar, however, it is actually considered to be a nutrient dense food. It has a high amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants for a low amount of calories. According to an article in the Medical News Today:
One cup of diced watermelon (152 grams) contains 43 calories, 0 grams of fat, 2 milligrams of sodium, 11 grams of carbohydrates (including 9 grams of sugar) and 1 gram of fiber. One cup of watermelon will provide 17% of vitamin A, 21% of vitamin C, 2% of iron and 1% of calcium needs for the day.
Watermelon also contains thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, choline, lycopene and betaine. According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, watermelon contains more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable.
Despite being a great source of the above nutrients, watermelon is made up of 92% water.
Along with cantaloupe and honeydew, watermelons are a member of the botanical family Cucurbitaceae. There are five common types of watermelon: seeded, seedless, mini (also known as personal), yellow and orange.
Now I feel much better about sharing this next recipe, because it is delicious and healthy! As you know, I am a BIG fan of Monique from Ambitious Kitchen, everything from her food philosophy to her fabulous recipes. She is also part of the Healthy Glow team which I wrote about in a previous post. This concoction, her Skinny Jalapeno Watermelon Margarita has become my summer cocktail~~and it’s easy to double, triple or quadruple the recipe. It’s not too sweet, but light and refreshing.
You can control the heat of the jalapeno, depending on your personal preference. And look at that beautiful color!!
I have tried different combinations of rim coatings~~ from just coarse salt, to salt/organic sugar mix and the Mexican flavoring, Tajin Classic Seasoning.
My second, rather fun, recipe involving watermelon is a Vietnamese-style salad that makes a refreshing accompaniment to any kind of barbecue meat. Originally this recipe, Cucumber and Watermelon Salad with Hoisin-Lime Dressing, appeared in Bon Appetit in July 2002 in their Flavors of the World article.
With 7 simple and fresh ingredients, this salad is so easy to make. Start with cubes of watermelon and English cucumbers.
Mix them together and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours. Drain and discard the liquid that will accumulate.
In the meantime, make the dressing and chop the fresh herbs and dry-roasted peanuts.
Toss all together and garnish with the nuts.
Enjoy the recipes (click on the recipe names in the bold links above) and explore with using watermelon in different recipes. There is actually a website that focuses strictly on watermelon~~recipes, nutritional value and you even get to meet the 2017 National Watermelon Queen..who knew? You can find it all here.
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