An easy, fresh, alkalizing watermelon salad with watercress, cucumbers, radishes, fragrant basil, creamy feta (optional) and a tangy honey-lemon dressing!
I hope you’re having a wonderful Summer enjoying all the wonderful fruits and vegetables from your garden and farmer’s market. Summer is a special time to enjoy local watermelons, peaches, plums, tomatoes and more. I love eating all the delicious, sweet, summer fruits.
Summer is the best time to eat watermelon (and other local fruits).
In the summertime we have the right summer-food digesting microbes to digest the carbohydrates and starches from sweet fruits and vegetables.
The summertime fruits and vegetables are “cooked” on the vine as they ripen. They are very easy to digest and don’t require much of the stomach’s digestive heat to process. Eating lots of them keeps your system cleansed and your body cool.
How to Pick A Good Watermelon
The success of this salad depends on choosing a ripe watermelon.
A good watermelon should be symmetrical and heavy for its size. Roll it around and check for the couche, a light yellow “field spot,” which indicates the part that was touching the ground when the watermelon was ripening. If that spot is white instead of yellow, that tells you it was probably picked too early, and may not taste quite as ripe and juicy as others. If you don’t see one at all the melon’s is not yet mature. Last, find the spot where the stem was attached.
Also a ripe melon should sound deep, full, and hollow when you gently knock on it. And when you hold the watermelon, it should feel heavy for its size, thanks to its high water content. Make sure there are no bruises, cuts or dents which will have to be cut away. 
This colorful, refreshing salad is full of alkalizing watercress greens, watermelon and fresh lemon juice that will balance your body’s pH and detoxify the digestive tract.
Watermelon is an excellent source of the potent antioxidants lycopene and beta-carotene which helps neutralize free radicals in the body to prevent premature aging.
Watercress contains high levels of iron, unusual in vegetables and necessary to convert energy in our food to be active. It also contains lots of Vitamin C needed to change the iron into the form that’s easy for your body to absorb. If you don’t have watercress substitute arugula.
Throw in some high fiber radishes and cucumbers to soothe the digestive system and control inflammation and you will feel light and energized.
The olive oil helps the absorption of the fat soluble vitamins A and E.
Basil adds a big herbal flavor and fragrance. It has lots of antioxidants, magnesium and vitamins.
I topped the salad off with goat feta cheese. I love the combination of salty feta over sweet, cool watermelon.
But if you don’t eat dairy use tamari roasted sunflower seeds instead. They’ll give you the nice salty taste that goes so well with the watermelon.
I hope you LOVE this salad! It’s easy, colorful, vitamin-rich and oh-so-refreshing.
“When one has tasted watermelon, he knows what the angels eat.”
~ Mark Twain
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Alkalizing Watermelon and Watercress Salad
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
An easy, fresh, alkalizing watermelon salad with watercress, cucumbers, radishes, fragrant basil, creamy feta and a tangy honey-lemon dressing!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups watercress chopped
- 3 cups watermelon cubes
- 1 cup seedless cucumber cut into cubes
- 2 radishes sliced into thin rounds
- 15 fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons or chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese chopped or ¼ cup tamari roasted sunflower seeds (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, salt and honey until dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Set aside.
- Place the watercress, watermelon, cucumbers, radishes and basil in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with enough vinaigrette to coat the watercress lightly and toss well. Taste for seasonings and serve immediately.
- Serve on 4 individual plates topped with feta cheese or sunflower seeds.
- Enjoy immediately.
Notes
Tip to Prepare Ahead: If you want to make this watermelon salad ahead of time, you can cut the watermelon, radishes and cucumber, and prepare the watercress and feta. Make the dressing. Store each in the fridge in separate containers. Add the dressing, chop the basil and mix the salad together when ready to serve.
Because the watermelon and cucumber are super watery it is best to finish it on the same day you prepare it. If you’re not going to eat all of it, only dress the amount you’re going to eat.
- Prep Time: 15
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, Seasonal, Farm to Table, Vegan Option,
If you like this recipe try these other salads:
Watercress and Avocado Salad
Cleansing Garden Salad with Easy Miso Dressing
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