Enjoy these mouth-watering watermelon dishes

Recipe: Grilled Beef Salad with Thai Dressing, Mango & Watermelon

Kathleen Daelemans, chef and host of "Cooking Thin and Loving Food"

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
• 1 pound flank steak
• Coarse salt & cracked pepper
• Juice of two limes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vietnamese chili paste
• 1/2 cup loosely packed, roughly chopped cilantro
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 mango, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 4 cups watermelon chunks

Preparation

Serving

Serving Size

Recipe: Red, White and Blueberry Watermelon Kabobs

Kathleen Daelemans, chef and host of "Cooking Thin and Loving Food"

Ingredients

• 1/2 large watermelon cut into cubes
• 1 pint blueberries
• 1 pineapple, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 medium star fruit, sliced thin
• 24 long skewers

Preparation

Tips

If you want to put together a super beautiful last-minute dessert, frost a store-bought angel food cake with whipped topping using an offset spatula, if you have one, to create a “pastry chef” perfect smooth finish. Next, skewer fruit onto tall Fourth of July skewers and place on top of the cake. Decorate with extra berries, if time permits.

Serving Size

Recipe: Watermelon & Whipped Feta Cheese Crostini

Kathleen Daelemans, chef and host of "Cooking Thin and Loving Food"

Ingredients

• 4 ounces feta or goat cheese, whipped
• 1/2 cup loosely packed, chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 loaf good quality sourdough or any dense bread good for grilling
• 8 thin slices of watermelon to lay over cheese-topped grilled bread

Preparation

Tips

To turn this into a salad course, serve with baby arugula dressed with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve crostini tucked just underneath the lettuces, sticking out, of course.

Serving Size

Recipe: Watermelon Ceviche

Kathleen Daelemans, chef and host of "Cooking Thin and Loving Food"

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 pound shrimp, peeled, rinsed, patted dry, deveined and cut in half lengthwise
• 1/4 pound scallops, rinsed, patted dry, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 pound white fish, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon grated jalapeno, or more to taste
• 3 cups watermelon cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups cantaloupe cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into small cubes
• 1 cup cilantro, roughly chopped, loosely packed
• 1/2 cup mint, roughly chopped, loosely packed

Preparation

Serving Size

Recipe: Watermelon Strawberry Juice Smoothies

Kathleen Daelemans, chef and host of "Cooking Thin and Loving Food"

Ingredients

• 4 cups watermelon chunks
• 1 quart strawberries
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Pinch of salt

Preparation

Tips

To make a super low-calorie libation perfect for hot summer nights, add 4 shots of rum or tequila to pitcher of smoothies. Place pitcher in freezer for one or two hours or until really cold and slushy. Serve immediately.

Serving Size