It's that time of year when anything even slightly cool and moist is all I want to eat. Watermelon…mmm…watermelon.
I'm lucky to live in melon country, where for much of spring and fall we can get melons cheaply and abundantly. I just love how watermelon cools me down when I snack on it in the middle of a hot afternoon.
As much as I love watermelon, I never used to eat much of it because it seemed, with its size and storage challenges, to be a little too high maintenance. Then it occurred to me, why not cut it up as soon as I bring it home? And now, that's exactly what I do. I buy the watermelon, cut it into chunks, and store it in a container that is right at eye level in the refrigerator. That way, when I get the munchies and open the refrigerator to see what I have, the beautiful red color catches my eye and reminds me I have healthy options. Often times a couple of chunks is all I need to feel satisfied.
I think, a lot of times, when we think we're hungry, we're actually thirsty. Which is why watermelon is so satisfying. It quenches my thirst before I've eaten and realized I wasn't hungry after all.
Nutritionally, watermelons are high in vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene, not to mention some B vitamins.
If you're feeling more ambitious, consider making an agua fresca. This is a Mexican specialty in which fruits are juiced, then diluted, and spiced up with a bit of lime juice. You get the flavor of the fruit for a lot less sugar than regular juice. They're awesome! Here's a basic recipe for you: http://www.whats4eats.com/recipes/r_bev_aguafresca.php. Note that you can even make agua fresca with cucumber!