Dietitians Dish – June 29, 2020
Sweeten Up Your 4th of July Festivities!
Watermelon is a refreshing treat to enjoy during the summer, its peak season. Being over 92% water, it’s a great choice to stay hydrated. There are plenty of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids in every serving. It’s the leading source of lycopene in our food supply, even more than tomatoes. Preliminary research has shown promise as to its cancer-fighting abilities.
Easy as 1, 2, 3!
SELECTION:
- Look at it – make sure it’s symmetrical and free from gashes, bruises or soft spots.
- Pick it up – it should be heavy for its size.
- Turn it over – look for the ground spot and make sure it’s buttery yellow in color.
PREPARATION:
- Rinse under cold running water in the sink.
- With water running, scrub it with a clean produce brush.
- Dry it with paper towels before cutting.
Enjoy the entire watermelon… including the rind! There are lots of sweet and savory recipes featuring the delicious flavor of watermelon, at Watermelon.org. Check them out and make sure nothing is left to waste. Add a little patriotism to your July 4th festivities!
Watermelon Flag Kabobs
Ingredients:
- Watermelon, cut into 1” cubes
- 1 pkg. fresh, washed blackberries
- 1 angel food cake, cut into 1” cubes
- 12 wooden skewers
- Cups of yogurt for dipping (strawberry, blueberry, and vanilla)
Directions:
- To create an American flag, thread 5 blackberries on 5 skewers, followed by alternating cake and watermelon cubes. On the other skewers, alternate watermelon and cake, so that the first and last cubes are both watermelon.
- The fruit and cake will create stripes when lined properly with red strips at the top and bottom.
- We served with red, white and blue yogurt dips, but the possibilities are endless!
Recipe (adapted) and image courtesy of Watermelon.org.