LESS CURVY - MADE BY MELON

Melon is a miracle - it alleviates thirst, it is filling, sweet and low in calorie - and it is in season now. Two recipes with melon below.








Melon is part of the plant family Cucurbitaceae just like marrow, courgette and cucumber. But I think Melon is the most exciting and most attractive member of this family. Do not you like it? There are so many kind of melon, it is worth to try them to find your favourites. For some reason I have found melons more delicious this year - probably this is a particularly good season in the melon cultivation? Or just the fact that melon can fit into my weight loss diet perfectly?

Oh, it has got a high Glycemix index...

Yes, it is true. Watermelon for example has got a high, 72 GI (high GI means that it has got a very quick effect on blood sugar levels). But if you project this to a portion of Watermelon, you will see that 100g contains only 6g carbohydrate - 29 kcal -as 90% of watermelon is water! It fill you up quickly, but easy to digest. Perfect snack.

Melons are perfect in hot weather as their vitamin (Vitamin A, B1, B2 and C) and mineral content  can replace quickly the minerals lost by sweating. As they contain lycopene, can lower the risk of cancer.

What to do with melons?

Well, if you are busy, just carve a slice for yourself and enjoy! They give their best cooled.

Or you can create a quick and tasty dessert:

Melon cocktail

500  g watermelon

250 g melon (Galia, Cantaloupe, Honeydew)

1-2 apricot or peach

3 apples

150 g raspberries or redcurrant

1-2 tbs apple juice or sweet white wine

1. Scoop balls from the melons, dice apricot and apples.
2. Mix all the fruits carefully and add 1-2 tbs apple juice or sweet white wine (only if it is not served for children)
3. Scoop into pretty glasses or back into the half skin of the watermelon and cool it a couple of hours before serving.

Finally a special recipe for hot days:

Cold melon soup

250 g apricot, stoned, diced, and mixed with 4 tbs lemon juice

400 g yellow flesh melon (like Galia or Canary melon)

400 g green or orange flesh melon (like Cantaloupe or  Honeydew melon) 

500 g watermelon skinned, 

5 dl apple juice

1 tbs honey

two pinch of cinnamon

1 tbs corn flour

To decorate: mint leaves

Method:

1. Scoop about 20-28 balls from all three melons and set aside for decoration.
2. Skin and dice the remaining melons and put into a pan with the apple juice, apricot, honey, cinnamon. On slow heat cook it about 10 mins, then add cornflour (previously mixed with 1 tbs water) to the melons. Boil it 10 mins and using a hand blender purée the soup and cool it down standing into cold water.
3. Add the melon balls and cool it in the fridge about 3 hours.
4. Before serving decorate it with the mint leaves.