Watermelon – not just for seed spitting.
Not only is watermelon is a favorite summer food selection and barbeque closer, it is equally beneficial to health. The antioxidant lycopene is a chemical found in plants that gives certain foods (watermelon, tomatoes, red grapefruit, and guava) their red color.
Part of the large class of plant compounds called carotenoids, which help protect and preserve body cells from oxidation and damage, lycopene may reduce one’s risk of various cancers, particularly prostate cancer. Watermelon is also a good source of antioxidants, that work towards preventing heart disease, lowering cholesterol.
CHOOSING THE PERFECT WATERMELON
Choose a firm, symmetrical fruit that is free of bruises, cuts, and dents. Pick up the melon, it should feel heavy. (A good watermelon is 92% water.) The underside should have a creamy yellow spot where the melon sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.
Watermelon-Strawberry Smoothie
(16 oz serving)
- 1 cup seeded watermelon, diced
- ¾ cup lemon sorbet or sherbet
- 8 frozen whole strawberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 cubes of ice
- 1 cup water
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
(cals; 224, carbs: 50g carbs, 4g fiber (net carbs = 46g (mostly natural sugar: fructose), 2g pro, 0 g fat.
Watermelon Sorbet
1 seedless watermelon (peeled and cubed)
1. Arrange the watermelon cubes in an even layer on a baking sheet and freeze until the watermelon is solid, about 2 hours.
2. In a blender, puree watermelon cubes until smooth
3. Put the puree in loaf pans or dish, packing it down as you add more on top.
4. Freeze until the sorbet is scoopable, 1 to 2 hours more.
5. To serve, scoop the sorbet into dishes and eat immediately.
Watermelon Parfait
(2 servings)
- ½ cup low fat granola
- 1 cup seedless watermelon, cut into small chunks
- 2 cups of low fat vanilla yogurt
- 1 sliced banana, sliced
- ¼ cup of Almond slivers
In 2 tall glasses layer ½ of each of the granola, watermelon, yogurt and banana
Repeat layers with the other half of the ingredients.
Garnish with slivered almonds.
(cals per serve: 230 cals, 4g fat, 9g pro, 35g carbs, 5 g fiber)
