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Idaho’s Summer Bounty

Eat Smart Idaho

Fresh, Tasty, and a Bargain!

This week, Eat Smart Idaho will be sharing 3 of our fave recipes for Idaho Summer produce, watermelon, beets, and sweet corn. We'll also take the guesswork out of picking a great watermelon!

How to Choose a Good Watermelon

Idaho is known for exceptionally sweet and tasty watermelons. They are available from July through early October. Find a local farm to pick your own or get a bargain at the store.

  1. Find the Field Spot– This yellow/gold spot on the bottom means the melon basked in the sun on the farm and was ripe when picked. Watermelons only ripen while on the vine. A dark, shiny green melon with no gold “field spot” may mean a melon is under-ripe.
  2. Pick Up the Melon– A ripe watermelon will feel very heavy for its size and the rind should be firm with no soft spots.
  3. Smell the Melon– A ripe watermelon will have a mild smell, even through the rind! 
  4. When in doubt, ask a professional. Talk to the local farmer or produce manager. They will be happy to help you pick a ripe watermelon.

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Watermelon Granita

A healthy, icy treat for a hot day.
Course Dessert, Snack
Freezing Time: 4 hours 4 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings 5 servings
Calories 46kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Wash hands with soap and water
  • Put watermelon in a blender. Blend until smooth. (Alternatively, use a potato masher.)
  • Strain into an 8″x 8″ glass baking dish and place in freezer. (Don’t use a nonstick dish as you may ruin the non-stick finish when you scrape the granita.)
  • Every 30 minutes or so, for about 3 to 4 hours, scrape the mixture with a fork, making sure to get the solid bits around the edges.
  • The granita is ready when it is frozen, but still grainy.

Notes

Learn all about Idaho’s watermelon season here!
Adapted from a recipe by Shelby Kinkaid at the Diabetic Foodie. Photo courtesy of Ms. Kinkaid.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 865IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
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Carrot and Beet Salad

Delicious and nutritious!
Course Salad, Side Dish
Servings 8 servings
Calories 146kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Onion diced
  • 2 Tbsp Ginger fresh, grated
  • 2 Garlic cloves minced
  • 1 Lime
  • 1/4 cup Olive oil
  • 4 cups Carrots finely shredded
  • 4 cups Beets finely shredded
  • 1/4 cup walnuts *optional*

Instructions

  • Wash hands with soap and water
  • Grate the beets into a large bowl. (Beets can get messy so, grate them near a sink.
  • Grate the carrots and add to the beets.
  • In a small bowl, combine onion, ginger, garlic powder, and lime juice and oil. Whisk and add to grated beets and carrots.

Notes

Serve as a vegetable side dish with any meal or enjoy as an appetizer. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 10719IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

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Grilled Sweet Corn

A summer favorite!
Course Side Dish
Servings 6 servings
Calories 128kcal

Equipment

  • Grill

Ingredients

  • 6 Ears of Fresh Corn
  • 3 Tbls Butter melted
  • Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Wash hands with soap and water
  • Preheat grill until coals are glowing, or 350-400°F on a gas grill).
  • Peel back corn husks (but do not remove).
  • Wash ears of corn but do not
  • Remove silk from each ear (leave the husk intact).
  • Brush each ear of corn with butter. If you don’t have a kitchen brush, use a paper towel or clean hands.
  • Sprinkle each ear with black pepper.
  • Keeping the husks peeled back, place each ear of corn directly on the grill.
  • Cook for 10-12 minutes, rotating until each ear of corn is evenly cooked. (When grill marks begin to appear, and kernels darken in color rotate the corn (about every 2-3 minutes).
  • Remove from heat and serve.
  • *Tip: Fresh corn husks are a little moist and do not need soaking. However, if your corn husks are dry, soak the corn for 15 minutes before beginning this recipe.

Notes

Get the whole family involved, check out our blog post on grilling with the kids here!

Nutrition

Serving: 1corn ear | Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 59mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 343IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
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