Watermelon-Berry & Watercress Salad

Watermelon, Berry & Watercress Salad

I promise you; this fruit salad is Berry Berry Good!
We recently returned from a trip to North Carolina, and I definitely felt the need to detox. It is so easy to eat bad and fill up on junk foods when you are traveling.

This salad is so refreshing and packed with flavor. The berries alone are loaded with antioxidants, and still – I kicked it up a notch …with Watercress! Watercress has a peppery flavor to it, which pops so perfectly in this fruit salad. These leafy greens are a powerful antioxidant and packed with many minerals and vitamins (they’re also known to lower blood pressure). It is nutrient rich with Vitamins A, C, K, and is also Calcium rich.

The peppery flavor of the watercress, coupled with the fresh, earthiness of the basil and mint brings this recipe home. The lemon pops too, and any good salad dressing has a balance of fat and acid, so I chose coconut oil as the fat for its flavor.

Enjoy!


Ingredients:
1 Watermelon (small), seeded / cubed (reserve 1-2 cups for dressing)
2 Pints (4 Cups) Blackberries
2 Pints (4 Cups) Blueberries
2 Pints (4 Cups) Raspberries
4oz Fresh Watercress

Dressing:
1 handful fresh Mint (about 1/4 cup)
1 handful fresh Basil (about 1/4 cup)
2 Lemons, juice/zest (about 1/4 cup)
1-2 Cups of Watermelon cubes
2-3 Tbsp Agave or Honey (raw)
2 Tbsp Coconut oil, softened or melted

Directions:
-Reserve about 1-2 Tbsp of the Mint, Basil, Lemon zest for garnish.
-Cube watermelon and rinse berries, then mix to combine. Add watercress before serving.
-Blend dressing ingredients together to combine and set aside.

Note: This recipe stored in a 1.5-gallon storage container. I mixed the berries and watermelon together and topped with the watercress but I added paper towel and did not mix in the watercress to avoid wilting. I also stored the dressing in a separate container and mixed all to serve.  

Enjoy!

Watermelon-Berry Watercress Salad

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients:
1 Watermelon (small), seeded / cubed (reserve 1-2 cups for dressing)
2 Pints (4 Cups) Blackberries
2 Pints (4 Cups) Blueberries
2 Pints (4 Cups) Raspberries
4oz Fresh Watercress

Dressing:
1 handful fresh Mint (about 1/4 cup)
1 handful fresh Basil (about 1/4 cup)
2 Lemons, juice/zest (about 1/4 cup)
1-2 Cups of Watermelon cubes
2-3 Tbsp Agave or Honey (raw)
2 Tbsp Coconut oil, softened or melted

Directions:
-Reserve about 1-2 Tbsp of the Mint, Basil, Lemon zest for garnish.
-Cube watermelon and rinse berries, then mix to combine. Add watercress before serving.
-Blend dressing ingredients together to combine and set aside.

Enjoy!

Advertisement

Gazpacho!

Chilled Gazpacho with Watercress
(Makes about 12 Cups) – Vegan, Gluten-Free, Raw
IMG_4423

I’m celebrating “G” today with Gazpacho a tomato based cold soup. This version is delicious, light and airy. Although it doesn’t have that bright ‘red’ color as some which could be because I do not use tomato juice which is commonly added. I wanted as close to nature and raw as possible with this recipe. It’s packed with lots of flavor and you can taste the freshness. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 Red Pepper, seeded/chopped
1 Green Pepper, seeded/chopped
1 Hothouse Cucumber, chopped
½ Red Onion, chopped
1 Celery Rib, chopped
½ Serrano Pepper, seeded/chopped
5 Basil Leaves, chiffonade
5 Tomatoes, chopped (I use Hot House or Vine Ripened)
3-4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp Vinegar
Juice of 1 Lime
½ Tsp Sea Salt
½ Tsp course ground Pepper
¼ Tsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Blue Agave Nectar
1 Cup Watercress
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Avocado for garnish, optional

IMG_4352

Directions:
-Combine all ingredients in food processor, blender or high powered blender (Vitamix, Ninja or Nutribullet) depending on consistency you prefer. I typically blend the first 9 ingredients first to combine then blend in the remaining. Chill for a couple hours then enjoy!

G