Watermelon, Radish & Feta Salad

This is one of my favourite summer salads with Watermelon, Radishes and Mint all being in season and at their best in June. Its super easy to make, has only a few ingredients and goes really well with grilled meat or fish or just to have on its own.

Watermelon is about 92% water and contributes to your daily fluid intake. This is particularly important as dehydration can be a trigger for fatigue, brain fog and painful joints. The current recommended daily guidelines for fluid consumption is 1.5ltrs for women and 2ltrs for men and lots of people find that difficult to meet, so eating fruit and vegetables which contain a lot of water help you to reach that target. Watermelon is also full of Vitamins C, B1, B5 and B6 as well as the minerals Magnesium and Potassium. It also contains some great anti-oxidants which protect our cells, in the form of beta-carotene and lycopene.

Radishes are rich in fibre and because of their slight bitter taste, they stimulate bile production, so they are great for your digestion. They are low in calories and they also have good levels of Vitamin C, the B vitamins and most minerals. B vitamins and Magnesium are both needed for energy production and cognitive function, so this is a good salad to have if you are not feeling particularly switched on.

Mint has one of the highest anti-oxidant capacities of any food and is thought to be great for your digestion. Its also a good source of Vitamin A which is essential for many processes in your body, including maintaining healthy vision and ensuring the normal function of your immune system. The vitamin is needed to convert light that hits your eye into an electrical signal that can be sent to your brain and one of the first symptoms of vitamin A deficiency can be night blindness, which is something that many people with Fibromyalgia find challenging.

The salad contains a good amount of protein in the form of Feta and Pine nuts. Protein foods are broken down into amino acids and the body uses them as the building blocks for literally every function including; growth and repair, neurotransmitter production, immunity, digestion, hormone production, energy etc. etc. etc.

But above all, the salad is just delicious and definitely worth a try on a sunny June day.

Ingredients                                                                               

4tbs pine nuts
800g Watermelon
400g Radishes
Mint sprigs to taste
100g feta cheese
2tbsp rapeseed oil
4tbsp red wine vinegar

Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until they are lightly golden. Allow to cool. Cut the radishes and watermelon into thin slices (removing the rind and any seeds). Arrange on a serving plate and dress with the ooil and vinegar. Season with a little sea salt and black pepper.

Enjoy!