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WHY WE SHOULD ALL BE EATING MORE WATERMELON – WATERMELON SALAD WITH FETA AND PUMPKIN SEEDS

July 4, 2014 7 Comments

watermelon-salad-in-sun

The biggest blockbuster research in recent weeks was Cambridge University’s study into lycopene, a carotenoid (that’s a natural pigment made by plants) and powerful anti-oxidant.

The latest in a string of studies and reports showing the benefits of lycopene, this one found that lycopene-rich diets can improve cardio-vascular and heart health.  Previous studies have suggested that lycopene lowers the risk of prostate, skin, liver, lung and breast cancer – as well as preventing osteoporosis and skin-ageing.

As Doctor Rao, Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, says: “Evidence to date supports the beneficial role of lycopene in human health. Ongoing studies will undoubtedly strengthen the existing scientific evidence.” You can read about the latest research here (one of our favourite reads at Kale and Cocoa: Alzheimer’s & Dementia Weekly … No, I’m not joking!): http://www.eat2think.com/2014/06/tomatoes-improve-function-of-blood-vessels.html

But all the newspaper coverage (yes, it made the front page of most UK broadsheets) has focussed on tomatoes (more lycopene in cooked tomatoes than raw, better absorbed when olive oil is eaten alongside etc).  The most concentrated source of lycopene is actually dried tomatoes – so keep a jar in your store cupboard and snip into salads and soups.  But the next lycopene-richest foods (twice as rich as cooked tomatoes) are guavas and watermelon.  Granted, guavas are not always readily available.  But watermelons are on sale all year round.  And most of us (and our kids) love watermelon!

This week’s recipe is a fantastically simple savoury salad, adapted from a Peter Gordon recipe.  I first made it ten years ago (with some trepidation) for a friend who worked for Raymond Blanc – when he finished off the bowl and asked for the recipe I knew it must be good.  It’s been in my summer repertoire ever since …

WATERMELON AND FETA SALAD WITH PUMPKIN SEEDS

Serves 6 as a starter

  • 1 cup of pumpkin seeds, dry roasted for a few minutes.
  • 1.5 kg watermelon flesh, cubed (I leave the seeds in, but take them out if you prefer)
  • 300g feta cheese
  • 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 lemons, quartered

Crumble the feta over the watermelon, sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds and some crushed black pepper, drizzle over the oil and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing. This makes a great starter or a perfect side salad for barbecues – or pretty much anything on a hot day!

Annabel

  • Meal Types: Soups and Salads
  • Conditions: Bones, Cancer, Heart, Heart disease
« BEER, BARBECUES AND RECIPE FOR BBQ’D FISH TACOS
WHY WE ARE NUTS ABOUT NUTS – AND A RECIPE FOR ALMOND-GINGER DIPPING SAUCE »

Comments

  1. Bean Landale says

    July 4, 2014 at 9:00 am

    Tania Fawcett forwarded this onto me and I think you’ve done a fantastic job and now look forward to my weekly update. Very clever idea, as giving a good tip per week is brilliant and not information overload.

    Keep up the good work and thank you so much.

    Bean Landale

    Reply
    • Annabel Abbs says

      July 4, 2014 at 2:57 pm

      Thanks Bean – we’re so glad you’re enjoying the site! Your positive words mean a lot to us…
      Annabel and Susan

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. SUNSHINE, VITAMIN D AND A RECIPE FOR COCONUT-CRUSTED SALMON - Kale & cocoa says:
    August 22, 2014 at 7:59 am

    […] sources of Vitamin D – including oily fish, eggs and dairy. (Check out our frittata recipe and watermelon and feta salad for some summery recipes which deliver Vit D). This salmon recipe is a big hit – with adults and […]

    Reply
  2. recent health research into microbiota and pea soybean salad says:
    August 29, 2014 at 6:33 am

    […] always have peas and soybeans in my freezer and jars of red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes (rich in lycopene)  in my store cupboard for those nights when there’s nothing in the fridge and I only want to […]

    Reply
  3. WHY YOU NEED TO NURTURE YOUR LOVED ONES: ONE-POT COD WITH RED VEGETABLES - Kale & Cocoa says:
    May 19, 2017 at 8:13 am

    […] Well, cooking a meal, obviously. This one-pot dish is a current favourite in our household, combining seasonal, flavonoid-rich Jersey Royals (although any small or new potatoes will do) with lycopene-rich tomatoes and red peppers, white fish and flavoursome, anti-oxidant-rich paprika.  It’s quick and easy, leaving you plenty of time to nurture your loved ones. Read more about why we love lycopene here. […]

    Reply
  4. What happens in our bodies after menopause - The Age-Well Project says:
    July 31, 2022 at 1:39 pm

    […] Watermelon salad with feta and pumpkin seeds […]

    Reply
  5. HRV, the power of NO and mouth taping to help us age well - The Age-Well Project says:
    January 19, 2024 at 7:06 am

    […] a side note, there are some great watermelon and beetroot recipes in the Age-Well archives – try watermelon and feta salad (pictured above), beetroot hummus, smoked mackerel and beetroot bruschetta, and beetroot and sweet […]

    Reply

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Welcome to The Age-Well Project

Welcome to The Age-Well Project!
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We went to Stockholm! And, of course, it didn’t We went to Stockholm! And, of course, it didn’t escape our notice that the Swedes have a fantastically age-well lifestyle and a greater life expectancy than us here in the UK (although only by a year). 

The Nordic diet of foods traditionally eaten in Scandinavia plays a role in this: whole grains, fish and game. I brought some smoked reindeer meat home with me, not sure I would recommend. Vegetables, berries, ferments, oily fish and sea food are all longevity superfoods - we ate some incredible lumpfish roe and oysters while we were there. And Annabel had one of her favourites, nettle soup, not once but twice.

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