Dietitians Dish – June 3, 2024

Sweet & Simple Ways to Stay Hydrated

Look beyond beverages as you stay hydrated from the summer heat. If you’re like me, it can be hard to drink enough water. Whether you choose to flavor water with calorie-free mixers or infuse it with fruits and veggies, there’s a simpler way than just drinking more. Eat more fruit and vegetables – they’re naturally full of water!
Here are a couple of fun, flavorful ways to enjoy watermelon (which is 92% water).

Heart Healthy Watermelon Salsa

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp brown packed sugar
3 cups chopped watermelon, seeds removed
1 cup chopped honeydew melon
1 medium English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint, plus additional for garnish if desired
2 Tbsps. finely grated fresh ginger or ginger juice
2 Tbsps. finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk the lime juice and brown sugar until the brown sugar dissolves.
Add the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately, garnished with additional mint, if desired. May be prepared 2 hours in advance, kept covered and chilled.

Recipe (edited) and image courtesy of HealthECooks.com.

Heart Healthy Watermelon Ice Pops

Ingredients:

5 cups seedless watermelon pulp
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
2-1/2 cups lime or vanilla Greek yogurt (mixed with 2 drops green food coloring)

Directions:

In a blender, puree watermelon and sugar in batches until smooth and strain into a medium bowl. Cover and freeze until the watermelon puree is slushy, but not solid, about 2-3 hours. Remove from freezer and stir well. Add blueberries and stir.
Divide the pureed watermelon among (12) 5-oz disposable cups, leaving about a 1/2-in. from the rim. Place the cups in freezer for 2 hours, or until puree is solid.
Preheat the grill to high heat. Remove steak from the marinade and discard the marinade it was in. Grill for 4 minutes per side, or until desired doneness is reached. Keep the grill on for the vegetables. Set steak aside and allow steak to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Spoon approximately 4 Tbsps. of the yogurt into each watermelon cup and smooth the top. Cover each cup with plastic wrap. Cut a small slit in the center of each piece of plastic wrap and insert a popsicle stick into each pop so that it almost reaches the bottom of the cup. Freeze overnight, or until solid. The pops can be frozen for up to 2 days.

Recipe and image courtesy of HealthECooks.com.