Zippy Summer Watermelon Salad

Every summer cookout or picnic includes the all-star green on the outside red on the inside summer fruit- watermelon. It’s a crowd favorite sure to please even the pickiest eaters. Most people simply cut and eat large triangles of watermelon, but this year give summer’s favorite fruit a kick with this tangy and sweet salad.

Watermelon is as healthy as it is tasty, high in vitamins A and C and a good source of potassium. Watermelon is also packed with lycopene, which acts as an antioxidant in the body. Arugula, a peppery flavored dark green, is a rich source of many vitamins and minerals. It contains eight times the calcium and four times the iron as iceberg lettuce making it a smarter salad choice. Healthy eating can reduce your risk of multiple cancers and other diseases. Filling your diet full of a variety of fruits and vegetables will be easy with this sweet and zesty summer salad. Learn more about healthy eating and cancer prevention at preventcancer.org.

Serves 4

4 cups arugula

1 medium watermelon diced

½ cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove garlic

½ jalapeno, seeds removed and diced

2 teaspoons honey

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small sauce pan on medium heat, reduce balsamic vinegar by ¼, simmer for 3-4 minutes. In a blender pulse dressing ingredients; olive oil, garlic, jalapeno, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Toss arugula in dressing and create a bed of arugula on each plate. Put diced watermelon and goat cheese on the arugula and then drizzle the balsamic reduction on top. Bon appetite!