Summer is here! Beaches, sunshine, blue skies, sunglasses, flip-flops, sun-dresses, weird straw hats, picnic baskets, cold coffees, ice creams, popsicles, frozen yogurt, slushies, melons, berries………….do you feel yourself nicely wrapped up in a happy summer vibe right now??? Good! Because today’s recipe is all colorful and summery! 😀
Out of all the different kinds of melons, I’d crown Watermelon as King of Melons. Don’t you agree? I mean, I’m not a melonist or anything but it just seems so right to call it that. A tall glass of fresh watermelon juice with a hint of lemon on a hot summer’s day is absolute bliss. For years now, I’ve been under the impression that watermelon is a nice-looking fruit (I mean it!) filled with sugar and water, is fat-free (no pun intended), mainly consumed during summer, and is popularly (and only) known for its thirst-quenching quality. My whole belief system was shaken (wait…..in a good way) when I dug deeper into its myriad health benefits.
Watermelon, as it turns out, is super-healthy! It is apparently the Lycopene Leader among fresh produce. What is Lycopene? Lycopene is a red pigment that occurs naturally in certain plant and algal tissues. Along with giving watermelon its color, it is also thought to act as a powerful antioxidant, and is especially important for our cardiovascular health. Watermelon is one of the few privileged sources of this fantastic nutrient. Other sources include tomatoes, red and pink grapefruit, and guava. Watermelon is also rich in vitamins A, B6, C, and Thiamin. Red, ripe flesh is the best indicator of the sweetest and most nutritious watermelon. Enough Science – let’s get the ‘melon’ rolling! 😀
This recipe of Watermelon-Feta Salad is simple and refreshing, and takes only 10 minutes to make.
Watermelon-Feta Salad
Ingredients
Ripe Watermelon – 8 cups (cubed and chilled)
Feta Cheese – 3 (crumbled or cubed)
Fresh Mint Leaves – 1 cup (coarsely chopped)
Walnuts – 1 Cup (halved)
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Chat Masala (optional)
Method
- Gently toss together watermelon with feta cheese, mint leaves and walnuts. Season with chat masala. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice when ready to eat. Enjoy fresh!
Tip: You can also use fresh basil leaves instead of mint leaves.
Thank you for reading! ❤
Chai-Time 