Watermelon and Prosciutto Salad, by Diane

 

I made this salad for a summer meal with a friend and it was so good! Reading Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is definitely changing the way I combine flavors naturally, and coming up with this salad was no exception! I wouldn't top the watermelon too far in advance with the remaining ingredients since it pulled the water out and there was a lot of liquid soon after in the bottom- so serve it fresh and ready to go!

Ingredients:

1/2 large watermelon, cubed

1 pack prosciutto, torn

1 large handful of mint, torn

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup toasted pistachios

Drizzle EVOO and balsamic vinegar to finish

Directions: Toss everything together and adjust to taste!

Cinnamon Sea Salt Watermelon Salad, by Diane

A few weeks ago I was reading a magazine article about Meghan Markle in a waiting room, and she said that her favorite snack was watermelon with cinnamon sprinkled on it. I thought this was a weird combo, but that evening we had a family cookout and had a watermelon for dessert. We tried it with cinnamon, and WOW does the cinnamon bring out the flavor of the watermelon!! I can't eat it alone anymore.

Fast forward to this week, our 4th week of Whole30, and I am sorely missing fun summer desserts like ice cream and snow cones. I remembered the watermelon combo and created this dish with some leftover mint in my fridge. This is SO good chilled, and I don't even miss dessert! It's been a huge hit at the pool all weekend. :)


Ingredients:

1/2 seedless watermelon, cubed
1/4 cup fresh mint, diced
1 tsp coarse sea salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and chill for at least an hour. This is best fresh, but it will last in the fridge for a few days covered.

Watermelon Granita, by Diane

Ermagod this recipe is SO good. I made it as a dessert for bookclub, as our theme this month was 4th of July. This is the PERFECT summer dessert for cookouts, BBQ's, or just when you need to cool off. It could not have been easier to make, and I customized it to make it really summery and delicious (I included what I added in the ingredient list below because it came out so awesome). YUM!

Note: The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of sugar, but I thankfully thought this would be too much and tried it first with 1/4 cup. I'm not even sure this amount was necessary, as the watermelon I picked was sweet enough on it's own. The sugar may be a good edition if watermelon is out of season, otherwise I think you can skip it altogether.

Another note: this recipe also makes a DELICIOUS smoothie if you don't freeze it!! :)

Ingredients:

1 large seedless watermelon, cut in large chunks (or 4 cups)
Juice of 1 lime
1/4-1/2 inch ginger, finely grated
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped finely
1/4cup sugar, optional

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add the watermelon in batches until it fits.

2. Pour into a METAL baking dish- this is important. The granita will not freeze properly in any other type of baking dish. Place the dish uncovered in the freezer.

3. After an hour, scrape with a fork and place back in the freezer.

4. Freeze for 2 more hours, scrape again with the fork. The granita can be served now, or you can cover it with foil and make up to 3 days ahead of time.

Watermelon Pizza, by Diane

This dessert could not have been easier to make, and yet it totally won over the crowd at my parent's 39th anniversary cookout this weekend. It's fresh and summery, and you can add whatever toppings you like. It's also really unique and impressive. I really liked the combo of the mint, lime and coconut that I had on hand! I thankfully made several "pizzas," because this one was gone before I had the chance to upload the photo on my phone! We even put a candle in it like a real cake to celebrate. This will definitely be on hand this summer as a great healthy option for dessert!


Ingredients:

1 large circular watermelon slice, about 2 inches thick
2 cups cool whip
5 strawberries, cut lengthwise into slices
20 grapes, sliced in half lengthwise
3 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
2 tbsp mint, finely chopped
1/2 tsp lime zest


Directions: Cut the watermelon into wedges, then frost with cool whip and top with fruit and toppings!

Watermelon Salad, by Diane

This salad is delicious and easy to make! We had it tonight as an appetizer in our third round of "Best Of" meals, and it was amazing. This is great for parties, cookouts, or just a healthy snack!


Ingredients:

1/2 large seedless watermelon, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 cup mint, finely chopped
1 cup feta cheese crumbles
4 tbsp EVOO

Directions: Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Stir again before serving.