Organic Watermelon
Hello fellow foodies!
Yes, it is the middle of summer and we are all super busy and trying to fit into those sexy swimsuits for a day of stand-up-paddle, surf or sunning….It’s Wedding Season and we are putting on our dressy dressy and celebrating new starts in life….It’s also the best time to eat up on local fresh fruits and vegetables!
Recent studies have shown that eating fresh local fruits and vegetables can help with fighting off allergies including the dreaded Hay Fever. Now is the time to pack a punch and make your body more capable of looking trim, feeling great, and fighting allergies and fatigue–get out and eat some fresh stuff!
One of my favorites for this summer:
WATERMELON!
High in Vitamin C, which helps fight inflammation and acts as a natural anti-histamine, this juicy summer treat is great just washed and cracked open, but I am also going to give you some of my favorite quick recipes!
Watermelon makes an excellent sports drink!
Yes, it is good both during and after as a recovery shake. We are all hearing about how perfect coconut water is as a sports recovery drink, so I thought you might like to mix it up a bit and here’s a quick recipe for a summer sports smoothie!
WATERMELON SPORTS CHILLER
- 1cup chilled watermelon, seeds removed, and dark green husk cut away
- 1cup coconut water with or without pulp
- 3-5 frozen strawberries
- 1cup limeade or cold water with lime juice spritz
Watermelon is a surprising source of vitamin B; 
especially B1 (thiamine) and B6 (pyridoxine).
Thiamine is important for maintaining electrolytes and nervous system signal transmissions throughout the body–a good nutrient for athletes to be aware of, and Pyridoxine is essential for enzymatic functions that convert food into cellular energy.
I also like to incorporate watermelon into party foods and mid-day snacks. Ceviche is a simple and quick treat to be eaten alone or with chips (blue corn chips and pita chips being my favorite). Though Ceviche usually means “cooking” fresh raw fish with fruit acids, I like to make this fruity version with pre-steamed shrimp.
WATERMELON CEVICHE
- 3cups medium sized diced pieces of fresh chilled watermelon
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro (fresh basil may be substituted)–I used the cilantro blossoms off of my garden herb
- 2cups medium diced pieces of chilled cucumber–I used an English cucumber this time, but garden fresh cukes taste amazing as well
- 2cups steamed and chilled shrimp (de-veined and shelled) can be served whole or roughly chopped
- 1/4cup fresh squeezed lime juice (fresh lemon juice works too) I used the bottled Sicilian lime juice for ease
- sea salt to taste
- OPTIONAL:
- freshly sliced jalapenos for heat (if you like)
- 1/4 c diced red onion if you want more savory in the mix–I added onions this time
I am not crowning watermelon as the uber-health food, but for those of you with cardiovascular concerns, you may want to ingest more of the minerals of potassium and magnesium, which watermelons also offer abundantly. Potassium is important for cardiovascular health and brain health and helps the kidneys eliminate kidney stone forming calcium as well as assists with the body’s proper fluid retention. Naturally I am not a doctor, so if you have health concerns, please consult your physician before you use watermelon as a naturopathic treatment. I hope that you have fun adding watermelon to your daily summer food adventures! More information on the health factors discussed in this article may be found at the following websites: http://www.naturalnews.com/029157_watermelon_nutrition.html#ixzz20zD1ggGU http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2072/2