After making summer fruit salad, we were left with the halves of 3 different melons. So, we cut them up and put them in the fridge to munch on throughout the week, but still, that’s a lot of melon. Always trying to come up with exciting uses for any leftovers, I decided to make….melon juice.

Cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew all have huge water contents which contribute to their bulk in size, so they’re a good source of fluids and perfect for making juices. A friend of ours gave us a Magic Bullet blender, so Kenya decided he needed to try it out and do the cooking! First he had to make a juice for himself, then one for me and then, of course, he needed to drink both of them!

And that, is the benefit to a lot of leftovers: at least I still had enough melon to make another one just for me!

Melon Juice (Serves 2)

3 Cups Honeydew, Cantaloupe, and/or Watermelon
A handful of Ice

1. Place ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Serve.

At this time of year especially, I can’t wait to get out of bed on Sunday mornings. Just the thought of the farmer’s market and all of the amazing new fruit in season gets me so excited (it also makes me feel like a huge nerd, but it’s what floats my boat)!

We’re very lucky to have so much diversity in our fruits and vegetables in southern California. Melons have just started popping up at different vendors at our market and the ones I’ve sampled are incredible. What’s available is not just your basic cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon (though you will find all of those in abundance), but there are numerous different varieties that smell and taste like heaven: Crenshaws, French, Galias, Casabas and more. Every time we’re at the market, we are so wowed by the succulent samples being given out, that we end up buying several types because we can’t make our minds up.

Melons are packed with vitamins such as beta carotene, potassium, vitamin C and A, so they’re a really nutritious snack for kids.

I can just sit with a spoon and half a melon and be happy, but when you get home with your gorgeous melons and want to give them a little extra zip, make this gorgeous recipe and watch your family be as excited as me on a Sunday summer morning!

Summer Fruit Salad (Serves 4-6)

1/2 Small Seedless Watermelon
1/2 Small Honeydew Melon
1/2 Small Cantaloupe
Juice of 1 Lime
2 Tbsp Mint, minced

1. Cut the fruit into 1 inch chunks or use a melon baller.
2. Combine the fruit with the remaining ingredients.
3. Serve.