Watermelon Recipes - Easy Summer Meals

As its name suggests, watermelon is composed of almost 90% water, which makes it the perfect summertime or post-workout replenisher. The fruit contains essential vitamins A and C, fiber, and Lycopene, an antioxidant that is beneficial for the prevention of cancer and heart disease. Watermelon also contains the amino acid L-Citrulline which has been linked to reducing post-workout muscle soreness.

Here are three watermelon recipes to help you enjoy the last few weeks of summer.

Watermelon Summer Soup
A refreshing and replenishing spin on gazpacho.

Ingredients
5 cups watermelon, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 small jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
Sea salt to taste

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Instructions
1. Puree the watermelon and the ginger in a blender until smooth. Transfer puree to a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeño, red onion, olive oil, lime juice, and vinegar. Reserve 1/4 cup of the vegetable mixture for garnish.

3. Add vegetables to the watermelon puree. Cover gazpacho and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.

4. Divide gazpacho among four bowls; top with a generous heap of reserved cucumber and bell pepper mixture, finish with salt to taste.

Photo: Courtesy of Crunchy Radish.

Grilled Watermelon & Arugula Salad With Ricotta Salata Sweet and slightly smoky, grilled watermelon is the perfect contrast for salty ricotta salata and peppery arugula. This salad is super simple and captures the essence of summer.

Ingredients

3 large pieces of watermelon, cut into 1-inch thick pieces
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
2 cups arugula
1/2 small red onion, sliced
2 oz ricotta salata (if unavailable, substitute feta)
2 tbsp fresh mint, torn

Instructions
1. Heat a medium-hot grill or grill pan. Use 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to brush the watermelon slices lightly. Grill for about 3 minutes per side, rotate slices 45 degrees halfway through each side to achieve grill marks.

2. Remove from heat and dice. Transfer, with juice, to a large salad bowl.

3. Whisk together remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl with the watermelon. Toss with vinaigrette and enjoy!

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