A Wonderful Watermelon Salad

01 Sep A Wonderful Watermelon Salad

With Labor Day weekend right around the corner, we’re all on the hunt for some delicious, healthy, and quick recipes to take to those weekend cook outs. We all know watermelon is the perfect summer fruit, but with its season coming to an end in September, now is the perfect time to eat it all up while you can! It’s no secret watermelon is delicious all on its own, but have you ever tried it paired with balsamic and feta in a salad? If not, Labor Day is the perfect excuse to make this quick balsamic watermelon feta salad from Layers of Happiness  that promises to hit the spot.

*It is important to note to make sure the cheese you are using is pasteurized to avoid eating listeria contaminated cheese, which can be damaging to your developing baby. If you cannot find pasteurized feta cheese, try substituting it for mozzarella, which is usually pasteurized.³

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing:

• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

For the salad:

• 1 (5-pound) watermelon, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 6 cups fresh spinach or arugula
• 1 red onion onion, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

*Directions and more recipe information can be found on Layers of Happiness

Not only is watermelon delicious, but it is a great way to stay hydrated, as it consists mostly of water. Staying hydrated is especially important for pregnant women during those hot summer days. Not only will watermelon help you stay hydrated, but it is also loaded with other key nutrients such as lycopene, vitamin C and potassium.²

One cup of watermelon delivers the following:

• Vitamin C: 21% of the RDI
• Vitamin A: 18% of the RDI
• Potassium: 5% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 4% of the RDI
• Vitamins B1, B5 and B6: 3% of the RDI

*Percentages for recommended daily intake from Healthline.com. Accessed August 2017.

The green of choice for this salad is spinach. Not only does the spinach enhance the flavor of the watermelon and feta, but it is a great vegetable to eat during pregnancy. The nutritional profile of spinach is nothing less than impressive. Spinach is among a few foods with the highest levels of folate, along with asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and liver.⁴ Just 100 g of spinach contains 194 mcg of folate. With the NIH recommending 600 mcg of folate/day for pregnant women, spinach is a great way to get in more folate.⁴ Folate is especially important during early pregnancy as it helps prevent neural tube defects.⁷ Spinach is also high in niacin and zinc, vitamins A, C, E and K, thiamin, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese.⁵

Another way to ensure you are obtaining adequate levels of folate and other key nutrients during pregnancy is to take PrimaCare™, a once-daily pill that provides optimal nutrition.⁶ Among some of the nutrients PrimaCare™ delivers are:

• 1 mg Bioavailable Folate
• 30 mg Bioavailable Iron
• 470 mg Omega-3s
• 50 mg Vitamin B6
• 1 mg Biotin
• 1000 IU Vitamin D3

REFERENCES: 1. Balsamic Watermelon Feta Salad. Website. http://www.layersofhappiness.com/balsamic-watermelon-feta-salad/. July 28, 2014. Accessed August 22, 2017. 2. MS, RD, Jennings, Kerri-Ann. The Top 9 Health Benefits of Eating Watermelon. Website. http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/watermelon-health-benefits#section3. August 18, 2016. Accessed August 22, 2017. 3. Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy. Website. http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/foods-to-avoid-during-pregnancy/. Updated July 20, 2017. Accessed August 22, 2017. 4. Folate Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet. NIH Website. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/. Updated April 20, 2016. Accessed August 22, 2017. 5. What is Spinach Good For? Website. http://foodfacts.mercola.com/spinach.html. Accessed August 22, 2017. 6. Primacare™ Prescribing Information, Avion Pharmaceuticals. October 2016. 7. Scholl TO, Johnson WG. Folic acid: influence on the outcome of pregnancy. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000; 71(Suppl):1295S–1303S.