Wonderful Ways to Use Watermelon

I love watermelon. Ever since I was a little kid it has been one of my favorite fruits. For me, summertime is not complete without a good dose of watermelon – and this summer I am definitely getting mine!

Watermelon grows in many shapes and sizes – and baby watermelons are becoming extremely popular. When I was in Israel, we drove by many watermelon fields. Here you can see a watermelon ready for harvest:

Nutritionally, watermelon is a star. Since it is more than 90% water, it’s low in calories, which means you can eat a lot without worrying about your weight! More importantly, watermelon is a great source of some important antioxidants: vitamin C, beta-carotene, and lycopene – all of which help protect the heart, prevent inflammation, and reduce the risk of cancer.

Nutrition Facts for 1 cup of watermelon: 46 calories, 1 g protein, 0 g fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber

Another great thing about watermelon is that there are so many ways to enjoy it. Here are just a few ideas:

• Watermelon, tomato, feta, and basil salad — or skewers (like these seasonal skewers I made last summer)
• Watermelon salsa — watermelon, cilantro, red onion, and lime juice (recipe to come! You can read about it in last week’s guest post by my husband Andy)
• Watermelon sorbet – so easy and refreshing!
• Watermelon box ceviche — I had this delicious dish in Israel. A fish ceviche was put in a watermelon box and topped with feta. It was amazing!
  
• Watermelon drinks — watermelon juice or watermelon cucumber coolers are delish!
• By itself! Here is what a serving of watermelon was at the King David Hotel in Israel (while I love watermelon, that’s a lot for anyone to eat alone!!)

How do you enjoy watermelon?