Blueberry, Watermelon, Cucumber and Feta Salad

Photo courtesy BC Blueberry Council

Summertime is definitely tops on my list of favourite seasons. Besides the wonderful produce I grow in my garden (amazing heirloom tomatoes!), it’s time for wonderful fresh blueberries. While you can reap their benefits all year long in the form of frozen berries, there’s nothing like the delight they bring in summer.

Considering the ever growing list of health benefits linked to blueberries, they’re a food to include on your menu all year long. They’re packed with an assortment of goodies – some with anti-cancer action and others that decrease inflammation. These little gems are linked to a decreased risk of cognitive decline and developing diabetes, among other ailments.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the BC Blueberry Council’s Patio Picnic where we were treated to a variety of creative blueberry offerings by the chefs at Toronto’s Spoke Club including blueberry mojitos! Portobello mushroom sliders with goat cheese and a blueberry compote and grilled B.C. Snapper with a blueberry habanero sauce and a red cabbage slaw were a few of the other delicious selections.

Here’s a recipe from the BC Blueberry Council for you to enjoy at home.

Blueberry, Watermelon, Cucumber and Feta Salad

Yields 4 servings as side dish

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
1 Tbsp (15 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed
¼ tsp (1.25 ml) fresh ground pepper
⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) salt

1 cup (150 g) B.C. blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup (150 g) watermelon, diced
1 cup (125 g) cucumber, seeds removed and sliced
½ cup (75 g) feta cheese, diced or crumbled
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh mint, finely chopped

Directions:
• In a large bowl whisk together the oil, lime juice, pepper and salt.
• Add the salad ingredients to the vinaigrette, toss and serve chilled.

Nutrition information per serving
• Calories: 117
• Protein: 3 grams
• Fat: 7 grams
• Saturated fat: 3 grams
• Carbohydrate: 10 grams
• Dietary fibre: 1 gram
• Sodium: 285 milligrams