by Samantha Kennedy | Aug 5, 2017
Oh, watermelon. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Watermelon is the perfect warm weather treat and a summer holiday essential. It’s a sweet, light, and delicious snack and its versatility lends itself to a wide variety of beverages, salads, meals, and desserts.
Watermelon is more than just water and sugar. It’s jam-packed with a number of vitamins and minerals that can help you stay healthy, including vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene.
Vitamin A is vital to eye health and helps boost your immune system by supporting the functions of the infection-fighting white blood cells.
Vitamin B6 has many functions in the body, including aiding in immunity by supporting the creation of antibodies, which are needed to fight off infection. It also helps maintain proper nerve function and aids in the creation of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Vitamin B6 is also used to break down proteins into smaller parts that can be used to build and maintain muscle mass.
Vitamin C also helps boost immunity and overall cell health by helping to break down free radicals in the body, which can deteriorate cells over time.
Potassium is a mineral that is necessary for keeping a healthy water balance in the body, helping to maintain proper water balance and reducing the incidence of painful muscle cramps.
Lycopene is one of a family of vitamin precursors known as carotenoids. This substance is what helps give those bright red and pink fruits and vegetables – such as watermelon – their lovely color. Lycopene and other carotenoids function as antioxidants, which help eliminate those previously mentioned harmful free radicals. And preliminary studies have shown that lycopene may help reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, which may lead to a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.
Nearly every part of the watermelon can be eaten, from the sweet and juicy fruit to the rind, which is often pickled or used in stir frys. Even the fruit itself can be grilled and served as part of a savory dish. And watermelon is a sweet addition to many colorful summer salads.
One of my favorite watermelon recipes is a twist on a traditional favorite – Watermelon Lemonade – and is sure to be a great addition to any of your summertime picnics. Try it today!
Watermelon Lemonade
Ingredients
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 1/2 cups water
2/3 cups agave syrup*
2 cups watermelon chunks
*Other sweeteners may be used instead of agave syrup. However, be careful when adding them, as you may need to use less. Add to taste, mixing in a little at a time until you reach the desired sweetness.
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve over ice.
Servings
Makes about 5 cups.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories per serving: 163
Fat per serving: 0.3g
Saturated fat per serving: 0.0g
Fiber per serving: 0.3g
For more delicious recipes, please visit http://www.watermelon.org/Recipes.
by Samantha Kennedy | Jun 27, 2017
There are few things more iconic during summer than a picnic. There’s just something fresh and fun about sharing a meal in the park or at the beach with family and friends. But just because you’re enjoying the warm, gentle breeze doesn’t mean you should throw caution to the wind. By following a few simple food safety tips, you can ensure that your perfectly planned picnic doesn’t make you sick.
Planning it out. Not all foods are picnic-appropriate. Anything that requires a lot of perishable ingredients and/or a lot of preparation should be avoided. Stick with foods that require little or no cooking and that contain just a few ingredients. Foods such as fruits and vegetables (especially whole ones), hard cheeses, peanut butter and jelly, cereal, bread, and crackers are ideal picnic items. Anything made with commercially processed custard or mayonnaise will stay safe as long as they are kept cold.
Packing it up. Use a cooler, if possible, and store cold foods together so they can help each other stay colder longer. Use ice or frozen gel packs to help keep foods cold. Pack foods directly from the refrigerator into the cooler; don’t leave them sitting out before packing. Store ready-to-eat foods separately from raw meats. If packing up hot foods, be sure to keep them in a thermos or other insulated dish. DO NOT store them in the same container as the cold foods. Paper towels, disposable utensils, and a food thermometer are ideal picnic accessories. Remember, keep cold foods below 41 degrees F and hot foods above 135 degrees F. Do your best to keep the cooler away from direct sunlight by storing it in the shade and be sure to replenish the ice and/or frozen gel packs when they melt. Consider packing drinks in a separate cooler, as they are consumed more frequently; this will reduce the exposure of food items to warm air until you’re ready to eat.
Preparing the feast. All food items should be kept at the proper temperature at all times. When cooking raw meats, use separate plates for the raw and cooked products and clean and sanitize utensils between uses. Cook meat to the proper recommended internal temperature to ensure doneness and safety. Click here for a list of recommended internal cooking temperatures.
Presenting the bounty. Discard any perishable foods that have been left out for longer than two hours. In really hot weather (generally above 90 degrees F), foods should not be left out longer than one hour. Keep food protected in storage containers such as coolers and lidded dishes to minimize contamination from flies and other pests. Serve small portions of food at a time and keep the rest in the cooler.
Picnics are an important part of summer and with just a little bit of planning and a few useful tips and tools, they can be safe and delicious for everyone!
Source: Beaugh, Kristina. “Checklist for the Perfect Summer Picnic,” Foodsafety.gov blog, June 16, 2015. URL: https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/2015/06/picnic.html.
by Samantha Kennedy | May 27, 2017
North Florida’s beautiful spring weather means we get to enjoy a variety of delicious, locally-grown fruits and veggies during the summer months. Produce such as bell peppers, squash, tomatoes, greens, corn, cucumbers, okra, peas, eggplant, and a variety of melons are plentiful and fresh from late spring through early fall.
The benefits of eating fresh fruits and vegetables are numerous and well-known. Fruits and veggies provide important vitamins and minerals that are vital to keeping your body working properly. They’re rich in fiber, which is important for digestive health and helps lower cholesterol. They provide antioxidants, which can help reduce your risk of a variety of cancers. They’re low in calories, fat, and sodium, which make them an ideal snack. And their colorful spectrum makes them a beautiful and healthy addition to any meal.
The MyPlate https://www.choosemyplate.gov/MyPlate guidelines call for making half your plate fruits and vegetables as part of a balanced meal. But remember, preparation is key. Steamed, roasted, raw, baked, and grilled veggies will provide the biggest nutritional bang for your buck, allowing the natural flavors to shine through. Deep fried, breaded veggies add unnecessary fat and calories, so be careful not to rely on this cooking method too often.
Mix and match! Pair a leafy green with a starchy vegetable for a wider spectrum of nutrients. Add fruits such as mandarin oranges or dried cranberries to a salad for a little extra sweetness. Try new flavor combinations by adding herbs and spices – but go easy on the salt!
While fresh fruits and vegetables are healthy, delicious, and plentiful during Florida’s summer months, frozen and canned varieties, including juices, can also provide many of the same health benefits. However, be sure to read the label carefully before buying. Look for low sodium or no salt varieties and only purchase 100% juice beverages, as other drinks may contain a lot of artificial flavorings and colors.
For more information about the benefits and uses of fresh North Florida produce, please visit the Panhandle Produce Pointers page at: http://wfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/panhandle-produce-pointers/produce-pointers-sheets/.
Oh, watermelon. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.