National Watermelon Day is Aug. 3, and though it's not a nationally celebrated holiday, midsummer is the perfect time to enjoy a recipe or two featuring the fruit.
Watermelon is a sweet and refreshing addition to a summer day, whether eaten by itself or mixed with a larger recipe.
The fruit consists of almost all water, making it healthy and good for you.
Share with friends, family and pets but be cautious of seeds and rind.
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What are the flavors that complement watermelon?
Watermelon is very highly concentrated with water.
Because of this, the texture of the fruit is crunchy and crumbles when it's bitten into. Watermelon can be both sweet and sour and sometimes even a little bitter.
Because of the variety of flavors watermelon offers, it pairs well with a number of other foods, seasonings and herbs.
While the texture may prove a little difficult to work with because of its spongelike absorbancy, the fruit tastes good with sweet, salty and savory pairings.
Some of the most delicious items to pair watermelon with include the following:
- Honey
- Salt
- Cucumber
- Fish such as tuna and shrimp
- Bacon
- Salmon
- Chicken
- Other fruits, including different types of berries
- Nuts like walnuts, pecans and almonds
- Greens like spinach and kale
- Cheeses like feta or goat cheese
- Herbs like mint and basil
- Citrus like lemons and limes
Watermelon is healthy for both humans and pets, but be sure to remove rind and seeds before sharing with your animal. (iStock)
Can I feed my dog watermelon?
The short answer is yes, you can give your dog watermelon as a snack, and it is safe for dogs to eat. You should be aware, however, of a few things before doing so.
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Remove all seeds and all signs of watermelon rind before feeding watermelon to your pet.
Seeds can cause intestinal blockage and rind can cause gastrointestinal upset, according to the American Kennel Club.
Just as with any other human food, dogs should only receive watermelon in moderation.
What are the health benefits of eating watermelon?
Watermelon contains fiber and potassium, which are beneficial for both digestive and gut health.
In one cup of watermelon, there is 1.5 times the lycopene present compared to a large fresh tomato, according to the USDA.
Lycopene is a powerful carotenoid antioxidant found in red fruits and vegetables, giving them their ruby color.
Carotenoids are considered nature's food coloring, have zero downsides and are healthy all the time, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
How do I choose a ripe watermelon?
Choosing the ripest, sweetest and tastiest fruit or vegetable isn't always easy.
Sometimes after you've purchased produce that appears and feels ripe you find it is actually neither.
It's disappointing to cut into a piece of fruit and find it's dried out, molded or flavorless.
When choosing watermelon, you'll want to beware of the texture of the skin, the weight and the color of the field spot.
For the texture of the skin, look for any lumps or bumps that may look off-putting. If the skin surrounding the fruit appears funky, avoid this watermelon.
You'll want to choose a watermelon with a smooth, beautifully green skin surface.
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When considering watermelon, compare fruits of similar sizes — and go with the heavier one.
The heavy watermelon will be the ripest.
Find the ripest watermelon at the grocery store by checking for weight, smoothness of the skin and the yellowness of the field point. (iStock)
Lastly, locate the field spot on the watermelon. The field spot is where the watermelon was picked from the ground.
The yellower the field spot, the more ripe your fruit will be.
Recipes with watermelon
- Watermelon feta cheese salad
- Watermelon tuna salad
- Watermelon margarita
1. Watermelon feta cheese salad
Ingredients for watermelon feta cheese salad
- 2 handfuls of chopped kale
- ½ cup of diced watermelon
- ¼ cup of feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons of red onion
- ¼ cup of diced cucumber
- 2 large leaves of mint
- 2 large leaves of basil
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- Salt to taste; pepper to taste
Start by chopping two handfuls of kale into bite-sized pieces and lay out on a plate or in a bowl. Dice ½ cup of watermelon into pieces about ½ inch.
Cut cucumber into pieces about the same size as the watermelon.
Dice red onion and include all fruits and vegetables atop the bed of kale.
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Top the bed of lettuce and vegetables with ¼ cup of crumbled feta cheese.
Slice fresh mint and basil and sprinkle atop the salad. Drizzle with olive oil and honey and a pinch of both salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
For additional flavor and a portion of protein, include grilled or blackened chicken.
2. Watermelon tuna salad
Ingredients for watermelon tuna salad
- 1 can of tuna
- ¼ cup of diced watermelon
- ¼ cup of diced cucumber
- 2 tablespoons of finely diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon of mayo
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Begin by draining one can of tuna and adding it to a medium-sized bowl.
Dice watermelon and cucumber and add to the bowl. Finely chop red onion and include in the bowl. For less of a spicy flavor and more sweet aromas, substitute shallots for red onion.
Add diced watermelon to tuna salad recipes for extra flavor and texture. (iStock)
Include one tablespoon of mayo, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper into the mixture and use a spoon to combine all ingredients.
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Serve over a bed of lettuce or between slices of toasted bread for a tuna salad sandwich.
3. Watermelon margarita
Ingredients for watermelon margarita
- 2 cups of fresh watermelon
- 3 ounces of tequila
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon of agave
- Black salt
Begin by combining watermelon, tequila, lime juice and agave in a blender and blend until smooth.
For a frozen margarita, include 1-1.5 cups of ice in the blender and blend until combined.
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Rim a margarita glass with black salt and fill with the margarita mixture.
Garnish the edge of the glass with a lime slice and serve immediately.
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