Watermelon is a summer staple in our house. My little one absolutely loves it. You might remember last summer I wrote about watermelon popsicles that were a big hit! I even tried growing our own watermelon in our garden this year, but I haven’t had much luck yet. 🙁

I wanted to share a little secret from a dietitian…..watermelon is not just filled with water like most people think. There are actually some good nutrients in there too, like lycopene. You know the good stuff people talk about found in tomatoes that prevent cancer. Well, watermelon can give you this great antioxidant too. Here are other nutrients you can find in watermelon:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Potassium

While in my opinion, watermelon is best enjoyed fresh sitting on the back porch with friends and family, here is a fun recipe for you to try.

Sweet, Spicy, Salty Watermelon Salad

© 2006-2013 Pink Sherbet Photography via Compfight cc

What you need:

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint
• 1 small seedless watermelon
• 1 small cantaloupe
• 2 English cucumbers
• 2 mangoes

How you make it:

Combine lime juice, sugar, orange juice, jalapeno, salt, and crushed red pepper.

Place red onion, cilantro, and mint in a large bowl. Dice watermelon and cantaloupe into 1-inch pieces and add to bowl. Peel and dice cucumbers and mangoes and add to bowl. Stir in lime juice mixture. Cover and chill 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.