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Watermelon Wonders

More than just a summer picnic favorite, watermelon offers important pregnancy benefits and shows its stuff in several surprising recipes.

By Leigh Brown Perkins


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Grilled Chicken With Watermelon Barbecue Sauce

SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 50 minutes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each) For sauce:
2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 cup seedless watermelon, chopped

Purée watermelon in a blender. Place purée in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in remaining ingredients (except for the cup of chopped watermelon) and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped watermelon and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Grill chicken for 5 minutes. Turn chicken and brush with barbecue sauce. Cook for 5 more minutes, then turn and brush with more sauce and cook an additional 5 minutes. Brush with remaining sauce. Serve with mashed sweet potatoes, if desired.

Nutritional information per serving (1 chicken breast and 1/2 cup sauce): 374 calories, 12% fat (5 g), 38% carbohydrate (36 g), 50% pro-tein (47 g), 2.5 g fiber, 3.7 mg iron, 74 mg calcium, 15 mcg folate, 19 mg vitamin C.


Summertime Slush

SERVES 3
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: None

1 cup seedless watermelon, cubed
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 kiwi, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup white grape juice
1/2 cup cold green tea, sweetened
1/2 cup ice cubes

Purée watermelon in a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend well. Serve immediately.

Nutritional information per serving (10 ounces): 80 calories, 0 fat, 95% carbohydrate (19 g), 5% protein (1 g), 2 g fiber, 0.6 mg iron, 24 mg calcium, 17 mcg folate, 58 mg vitamin C.

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August/September 2006
Leigh Brown Perkins is a food writer in Florida and the mother of three sons.

User Comments:

  1. Dear Leigh, Trust all is well. I just wanted to share with you that our Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had mentioned the nutritional values of water melon for pregnant women in the narration of his saying which reads: "None of your women who are pregnant and eat of water melon will fail to produce off spring that is good in countenance and good in character." This was almost 1400 years ago. I would urge you to seek more of his narrations that will definitely help you in your research and studies within your field of knowledge and writing. Wishing you all the best. Regards, Mohammed
    — Mohammed Al Saqqaf
  2. 12 Foods of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be upon Him) (Arranged Alphabetically) Barley: Good in fever, while use in a soup form. Dates: The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said that a house without dates has no food. It should also be eaten at the time of childbirth. Figs: It is a fruit from paradise and a cure for piles. Grapes: The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) was very fond of grapes - it purifies the blood, provides vigour and health, strengthens the kidneys and clears the bowels. Honey: Considered the best remedy for diarrhoea when mixed in hot water. It is the food of foods, drink of drinks and drug of drugs. It is used for creating appetite, strengthening the stomach, eliminating phlegm; as a meat preservative, hair conditioner, eye soother and mouthwash. It is extremely beneficial in the morning in warm water. Melon: The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: 'None of your women who are pregnant and eat of water melon will fail to produce off spring that is good in countenance and good in character.' Milk: The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said that milk wipes away heat from the heart just as the finger wipes away sweat from the brow. It strengthens the back, improved the brain, renews vision and drives away forgetfulness. Mushroom: The Prophet (SAW) said that mushroom is a good cure for the eyes; it also serves as a form of birth control and arrests paralysis. Olive Oil: Excellent treatment for skin and hair, delays old age, and treats inflammation of the stomach. Pomegranate: The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)said it cleanses you of Satan and evil aspirations for 40 days. Vinegar: A food Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)used to eat with olive oil. [That's now a fashion in elite Italian Restaurants] Water: The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said the best drink in this world is water, when you are thirsty drink it by sips and not gulps, gulping produces sickness of the liver.
    — Mohamed Rushan
  3. Isn't green tea on the "no list"? I thought it prevented absorption of Folic Acid. It's an ingredient in the otherwise perfect sounding Summertime Slush.
    — Marta


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