By Grace Dickinson, Temple University
To me, nothing speaks more of summer than watermelon. I still have very vivid memories of waking up as a kid, walking out into the hot summer’s heat, and devouring a huge slice of watermelon for breakfast. Juice would always be spilling down my face and drenching my hands in pure stickiness. It’s no wonder my mom sent me outside to eat my breakfast. At this age, I had not a care in the world, something my pink-stained pajama shirt usually reflected.
To this day, whenever I eat watermelon, I’m still swarmed with memories of summer mornings where I had not a thing to do but eat the fleshy fruit. Watermelon remains for me the emblem of summer. It’s the perfect refresher for anytime of day, and having a slice allows me to be a kid again.
However, as an adult, I know it’s also a smart snack. Watermelon is around 90% water, making it an obvious light choice in comparison to many other calorie-dense snacks. One cup contains just under 50 calories. Eat 200-300 calories worth of watermelon, and you’re sure to not only fill up your stomach (and bladder), but you’ll also put nearly a full day’s worth of vitamins A & C into your body.
This Wednesday, August 3rd, marks National Watermelon Day, and you’ll be sure to find me eating some. My favorite way to chow down on watermelon is straight from the rind, although tossing a few cubes into a leafy salad comes in at a close second. For a real refreshing treat, I’ll whip up some of the juice found in the recipe below. I prefer to eat my watermelon at room temperature, so this is a great way to use up any leftovers. A cold glass of watermelon juice is sure to help you fight the summer’s heat.
Watermelon Juice with a Splash of Mint
(Serves 3-4 people)
Ingredients:
-1/2 a medium sized watermelon
-1 or 2 tablespoons of honey (to taste)
-10-15 leaves of mint
-3/4 of a lime
-7 ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour over ice, sip, relax.