NATIONAL WATERMELON DAY

I really enjoy watermelon so today is a great day.  I actually have a quarter of a watermelon in my fridge today.  I will cut it up and take it with us when we get in our truck for a snack.
Here is a recipe for a Watermelon Slushie that serves 6.  Hope you enjoy!

 

2 c. seedless watermelon, cubed (add’l for garnish)
1/3 c. light Agave Nectar
¼ c. lemon juice
2 c. fresh strawberries, quartered (add’l for garnish
3-4 c. ice cubes

 

In a blender, add watermelon, agave nectar & lemon juice. Cover and process on high speed for one minute. Add strawberries and process on high for an additional minute. Add ice cubes, one at a time, processing on high for 1 to 2 minutes after each addition of ice, until ice mix is completely chopped and drink is slushy. Garnish with watermelon and strawberry slices. Serve immediately.

NOTE: You can add 2 cups of rum to give this drink a kick. Before adding the ice, pour half of the watermelon & strawberry mixture into a pitcher. Add 1 cup of rum to blender then follow instructions to add ice. When this batch is done, repeat and make the second half.

 

 

*  Watermelon is the perfect fruit to enjoy on August 3rd.  It is also National Watermelon Day. Enjoyed by many, it is a favorite at summertime events such as picnics and fairs.  Watermelon is 92% water, which is why it is so refreshing.

Watermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp and endocarp). Pepos are derived from an inferior ovary and are characteristic of the Cucurbitaceae. The watermelon fruit, loosely considered a type of melon – although not in the genus Cucumis – has a smooth exterior rind (usually green with dark green stripes or yellow spots) and a juicy, sweet interior flesh (usually deep red to pink, but sometimes orange, yellow, or white).

The fruit was likely first cultivated for its ability to hold plentiful water in a desert landscape, especially since the wild melon was bitter or tasteless.  Seeds and art found in tombs of Pharaohs are substantial evidence of the watermelon’s value. Cultivation and breeding brought out the better qualities of sweet and tender fruit we enjoy today.

Watermelons can grow enormous, and you will find competitions across the country which award prizes each year for the largest one.  The Guinness Book of World Records states that the heaviest watermelon weighed 262 pounds. To learn more refreshing watermelon facts, check out www.watermelon.org.

 

 

*   http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-watermelon-day-august-3/

NATIONAL WALNUT DAY

We eat a nut mixture which contains walnuts, almonds and Macadamia when we are driving.  I like to season them with either Tabasco, creole seasoning, vegetable oil and salt & pepper or Wasabi, Five Spice, Sriracha, peanut oil and salt & pepper and bake them on a low temperature around 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about 1 hour.  The slow baking allows the nuts to absorb the flavors from the seasoning.  Nuts are a very good snack for a Ketogenic diet because it has good fat and protein.

*** May 17th recognizes a “nutty” holiday.  Each year on this day, it is National Walnut Day.

Rounded, single-seeded stone fruits of the walnut tree, walnuts are a high-density source of nutrients, particularly proteins and essential fatty acids.  Like other tree nuts, walnuts must be processed and stored properly.

Grown for their seeds, the Persian or English Walnut and the Black Walnut are the two most common major species of walnuts.

• English Walnut
  – originated in Persia
  – commercially produced
• Black Walnut
  – native to eastern North America
  – high flavor
  – hard shell and poor hulling characteristics prevent it commercial growth for nut production.

The husk of the walnut, which is peeled away from the shell at harvest, and contain juice which will readily stain anything it comes in contact with.  The husk juice has been used as a cloth dye.

The United States is the world’s largest exporter of walnuts.

Ninety-nine percent of the nation’s commercial English walnuts are produced in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys of California.

 

 

*** http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-walnut-day-may-17/