Minted Watermelon Salad

This minted watermelon salad is a simple and refreshing way to enjoy this super healthy summertime fruit.

Minted Watermelon Salad

Summertime is coming, well, it's here in California right now, and it will soon be at a state near you!

I'm fairly sure of it, although there seem to be frost warnings still being issued for many areas, and in May, that's very unusual.

But once it arrives, one of the BEST parts of summer is the plethora of local fruits and vegetables that come to market. I know you can get most everything any time of the year, but I still believe in eating what's fresh and local whenever possible.

Watermelon is one of those summertime treats. Fresh, vine-ripened. And this Minted Watermelon Salad is a great way to enjoy it.

Watermelon is good for you

You might think watermelon is just a bunch of sweet water. But it's so much more!

Watermelon is naturally low-calorie with only 96 calories in 2 cups. That's going to fill you up with fiber as well as rehydrate you with water.

Watermelon is loaded with lycopene; that's the stuff that helps fend off heart disease and some cancers. Tomatoes are great providers of lycopene too, but cup for cup, watermelon has 40% more.

Watermelon can help you reduce your blood pressure and boost your circulation. It is one of the few food sources to contain citrulline which lowers systolic blood pressure with the production of nitric oxide, a powerful compound that opens and relaxes your arteries. Citrulline also helps with wound healing and cell division, helping with circulation to all of your vital organs.

Watermelon unclogs your arteries. Swapping watermelon juice for water helps to reduce body fat, lowers LDL cholesterol (that's the bad one), AND helps to clean plaque from your arteries. You can make your own watermelon juice, or buy some at your local health food store.

If you get one with seeds, you can relive your childhood by seeing how far you can spit the seeds...another way to relax and enjoy life, yes?

So kick back, bask in the summer heat and enjoy this simple Minted Watermelon Salad; a perfect match to my Sirloin Beef and Lamb Burgers with Feta and Cilantro Mint Sauce.