Cooling Delicious Lycopene and Vitamin rich Rich Watermelon Lime Sorbet

Five reasons to enjoy watermelon today

1. It soothes sore muscles.

According to a small study, drinking watermelon juice before a hard workout helped reduce athletes’ heart rate and next-day muscle soreness. That’s because watermelon is rich in an amino acid called L-citrulline, which the body converts to L-arginine, an essential amino acid that helps relax blood vessels and improve circulation. The researchers also determined that intestinal cells can absorb more citrulline from watermelon juice than from citrulline supplements, especially when the juice is unpasteurized.

2. It helps heart health.

Postmenopausal women experienced improved cardiovascular health after six weeks of taking commercially available watermelon extract supplements containing citrulline and arginine, according to a study published by Florida State University. It may also help to lower blood pressure as it acts as a natural diuretic.

3.  It’s rich in vitamins and minerals, but low in calories.

Given its name, you might assume the fruit has little nutritional value—and it is more than 90% water. But a 10-ounce (300-mL) wedge of watermelon packs in about one-third of the recommended daily value of  vitamins A and C, as well as a modest amount of potassium (9 percent of the daily value).

4. It may be protective against certain cancers.

Watermelon is rich in lycopene, an antioxidant linked to both the prevention and possibly treatment certain cancers, specifically of prostate cancer, although scientists are still investigating the details of that connection.

The trick to making this recipe at a moment’s notice is to have your freezer already stocked with chopped watermelon. Then all you need to do is toss everything into the food processor and you can have a healthy, refreshing dessert in minutes!

5. It is seriously juicy, refreshing, delicious summer treat.

Try this fabulously easy yummy recipe;

4 to 5 cups frozen watermelon chunks-I like to include the seeds but not necessary
the juice of one organic lime with a splash of zest
sweetener of choice: 1/3 cup local organic honey or organic agave nectar or you can use liquid stevia or you can use coconut sugar
1/8 teaspoon guar gum

Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until all of the chunks have become a smooth sorbet. The pulsing is really the trick here, so if the watermelon chunks just are not breaking down, turn off your machine, then pulse. Taste and add more sweetener if necessary. Pulse again and enjoy! You can serve it right away or scoop it out and freeze for a few hours in a container.

 

Quench your thirst with these hydrating foods

I know it’s really hot out there but I am totally loving this last blast of summer. Having said that, in this weather many of us feel really tired and listless and it is not only because of the heat. One of the first signs of dehydration is fatigue so it’s important to stay mindful about getting enough fluids and electrolytes. Today, quench your thirst with my favorite top 3 hugely hydrating foods, all of which are at least 90% water by weight and the best part, they can all be found growing now in the garden.

Cucumber’s have the highest water content of any solid food and they are growing like mad right now in my garden!  They are great on their own with a dab of sea salt or else chopped up into salads, or sliced up and served with some hummus, guacamole or any of your favorite dips. If you want to pump up cucumber’s hydrating nourishing power even more try blending it with organic greek yogurt, mint (also now abundant in the garden) and ice cubes to make a fabulous soup. Chilled, this cucumber soup is extremely refreshing and so delicious.

My next favorite food quencher are tomatoes. 94% water content and packed with lycopene these homegrown beauties are is season right now and so available in abundance, all varieties are good for you, heirloom are extra special and totally delicious. Slice them up and sprinkle a little sea salt or else toss in your salad, guacamole or make a into fresh salsa with a little basil or cilantro, onions and garlic. You can throw in a few cukes as well for extra quenching affects.

Radishes have a huge water content: 95.3%. These refreshing root vegetables should be a fixture in your end of summer salads. They provide a burst of spicy-sweet flavor and color in a small package, and more importantly they’re filled with antioxidants such as catechin also found in green tea. Their crunchy texture also makes radishes a perfect addition to healthy coleslaw; slice them up with shredded cabbage and carrots, sliced snow peas, and chopped hazelnuts and parsley, and toss with poppy seeds, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

 

 

Amazing Watermelon-Lemonade

So glad it is watermelon season…yum!

Water melon is juicy, refreshing, sweet and packed with tons of vitamins and antioxidants; a great source of vitamin C, A and contains the super mix of B vitamins and magnesium which are great for energy, mood and balancing the effects of stress in your body. In addition, water melon is a fabulous source of lycopene, a potent antioxidant. It contains higher amounts of lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable and has almost double the lycopene of tomatoes. I could easily stop here and watermelon would still be a winner but there is more! Watermelon is rich in water, obviously… so very rehydrating, and it has a balance of electrolytes including sodium and potassium; so very replenishing on a warm summer day.

Below is a fabulous Watermelon/Strawberry (optional) Lemonade Recipe:

• 8 cups watermelon
• 4 lemons, juice from and a dab of rind if using organic lemons
• 1 cup strawberries (organic only – think dirty dozen)
• Maybe a dab of stevia or truvia or agave (to taste, you will probably not need it if your fruit is ripe)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. You can also freeze this delightful refreshing beverage in ice cube trays and use instead of ice to add flavor and nutrients to your water or just to suck on a hot summer day!

 

 

All ears salsa; guilt-free yummy summer treat!

T’is the fresh corn season and you do not want to miss out this yummy sweet summer delightful produce.

Corn is the perfect high fiber, low-cal way to add a sweet crunchy flavor to any of your summer dishes.

With the tomato crop being so plentiful as well this season, i thought to create a combo salsa that is delicious, healthful, and perfect with flackers, chips, as a side dish alone or with baked summer fresh potatoes.

This salsa is low in everything: calories, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate and fat, but not in flavor. It boasts corn, which is a whole grain and tomatoes, which are rich in antioxidants. The perfect yummy guilt-free summer treat.

Recipe:

• 3 cups chopped seeded tomato (about 3 medium)
• 3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatillos (about 2 medium)
• 1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained. You can also soak you own overnight, rinse, cook or-rinse and sprout them for a few days then use
• 1/4 cup fresh corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus rind (must be organic)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, small jalapeno or chipotle pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; cover and chill and enjoy!