Everyone’s deep into the heart of summer. If you’re like me, you’re out in the sun every chance you get. With summer playtime lasting only a couple of months, you don’t want to waste a minute of it.
Your days off are filled with catching up on yard work, going to barbecues, and enjoying beach or lake days. As much as you love this time of year, it takes its toll with sore muscles, sunburn, and maybe a little dehydration.
I have a go-to salad I make throughout the summer to help my body recover and meet the demands of this active season. It’s sweet, flavorful, and packed with good things my body needs at this time of year: Watermelon Salad.
Beyond tasting delicious and being hydrating, there are three compelling reasons to take advantage of watermelon season:
Lycopene: Watermelon is higher in lycopene than the ever-popular tomato. Studies show that it provides protection against UV damage reducing the intensity of sunburn 1.
Citrulline: The citrulline found in watermelon has been shown to increase blood flow and exercise performance 2.
Electrolytes: Research proved that watermelon is as effective as sports drinks in remedying electrolyte imbalances from exercising 3.
My watermelon salad is filled with lots of other fresh and healthy fruits, vegetables, and herbs. I make it up and pop it in the fridge for an easy nosh anytime. My husband and I often enjoy a big bowl of it for dinner.
I follow a Mediterranean-style recipe for my salad, using herbs from my garden when available. If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can easily find them at the grocery store.
I prepare it in the largest bowl I have using a quarter of a watermelon, two large cucumbers, and three good-sized tomatoes. As you’ll note, I don’t follow precise measurements in the kitchen. I work by sight, scent, and flavor, which allows me to tweak as I go. In the recipe below, I provide more precise amounts.
I like using a block of feta cheese, as the crumbles are often too dry and less flavorful. No judgment if you choose the already crumbled variety; they are time-saving.
I prefer fresh herbs over dried ones, as they are more flavorful and offer more health benefits. I also zest the lemon before I cut it in half for juicing. The zest provides additional benefits and flavor compared to the juice alone.
One last tip: I love my mini chopper. It prevents tears when chopping onions and saves time with herbs. I chop the onion first and let it sit in the mini chopper for a bit, which keeps the enzymes that cause tears contained.
After adding the onion to the bowl, I rinse and dry the chopper. I then chop all the fresh herbs together. Since they’re going in the same dish, it doesn’t matter. The chopper gives them an extra blend before they’re added to the salad.
With those tips shared, here is my favorite recipe for Watermelon Salad. Feel free to adjust the ingredient amounts to suit your taste.
I hope you enjoy the flavors and health benefits throughout the rest of your summer. This could become a summer go-to in your household too.
Mediterranean Watermelon Salad
Ingredients:
4 large slices, or up to a quarter of a watermelon
2 large cucumbers or a package of mini cucumbers, skin on, diced
3-4 tomatoes (about 1 lb.), diced
1 medium red onion, chopped
½ cup flat leaf parsley (or to taste), chopped
¼ cup mint (or to taste), chopped
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
6–8-ounce block of feta
Ground pepper and sea salt to taste
Directions:
Chop the onion; and dice the watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Combine in large bowl.
Chop the parsley and mint. Combine with other ingredients in the bowl.
Zest lemon directly into the other ingredients. Then cut the lemon in half. Squeeze the juice over the salad. (I squeeze it into my other hand letting the juice flow through my fingers and catching any seeds).
Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to salad and combine all ingredients.
Chop feta cheese (if using block style). Add feta to salad and combine.
Allow salad to sit in refrigerator at least 30 minutes to get all the flavors melded. (I usually allow it time to sit for 3 hours).
Dish out and enjoy!
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