How bout them melons!!!

Hi everyone, its been a while since we've posted, but we have some new things going on in the market this week. Most notable of these is that we have melons in including watermelon. Thats right, everyone's favorite summer fruit is fresh ripe, ready to eat, and sold here at City Greens Produce for a minuscule $0.40 a pound!!! 

In addition to tasting delicious watermelons have some great health benefits. I found these seven nutrition facts. 

• They are ideal for health, as they do not contain any fat or cholesterol but are high in fiber content and water. The fiber content in watermelon scrubs out toxins from your system leaving your skin healthy and glowing. It serves as a natural enhancer of the digestion system of the human body. ·   
•  Watermelons are rich in a phyto nutrient called Lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable. Lycopene – the red pigment that is also present in tomatoes. Lycopene in the diet neutralizes free radicals in the system and reduces incidence of certain types of cancer especially prostate cancer, breast, lung and cancer of the uterus. Lycopene is also linked with reduced risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack).  
•  Oranges are not only the fruit that is rich in Vitamin C but also watermelons that have abundance of vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts your immune system and fights against sickness and diseases.  Vitamin C in watermelons is also known to alleviate medical conditions like cataract. So go cool, eat watermelons and boost your immune system right away.  Stay away from sickness and disease the cool watermelon way. It doesn’t matter whether you cut, slice or juice watermelons but when nutrition matters, watermelons are number one ! 
• Watermelon is robust in vitamin A, which fights off infections. Watermelon has a healing effect on inflammatory conditions of asthma, arthritis, colon cancer, diabetes and arteriosclerosis. There is good news for diabetics; you can enjoy watermelons to the core! 
• Watermelon contains citrulline, an amino acid compound, which helps flush out the kidneys and serves as an excellent detox agent.
• Watermelon is a rich source of potassium*, a mineral indispensable for water balance in every cell. Low potassium levels can lead to muscle cramps. The potassium in watermelons help control blood pressure, diminish the risk of developing kidney stones, osteoporosis and also regulates heart beat.
• The beta-carotene present in watermelon helps keeps your vision sharp, especially at night. Researchers believe that beta-carotene and vitamin C are capable of preventing heart disease, cancer, and other chronic conditions.

Though it is great fresh, watermelon also is great in soups, salads, and salsas...Here is a recipe for a great summer soup with water melon as the main ingredient 

Watermelon Gazpacho 

Ingredients

• 2 cups 1/4-inch-diced watermelon (Can be found at City Greens)
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 seedless cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch dice (Can be found at City Greens)
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (Can be found at City Greens)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (Can be found at City Greens)
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (Can be found at City Greens optional)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, basil or cilantro (Can be found at City Greens)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Process 1/2 cup of watermelon, along with the orange juice and oil, in a blender or food processor until pureed. Transfer to a medium bowl, along with remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Can be made several hours before serving.)

Hope to see everyone at the market this week