In Season: Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe photo by Clarice via Flickr/Creative Commons

Stepping into a big box grocery store, it’s easy to think that all produce grows all year round—but that’s hardly the case. In this series, we’ll highlight one in-season produce pick a week.

Cantaloupe

Nutrition: A serving of cantaloupe contains more than 100 percent of your daily vitamin A and vitamin C needs.

Why that’s important: Vitamin A keeps everything from the immune system to the reproductive system running smoothly, and vitamin C is important for disease prevention and tissue formation.

Where to find them: Cantaloupe season in Massachusetts is short—limited only to August and September—but you can pick your own at Tangerini’s farm in Millis, or seek out another local fruit farm.

Five cantaloupe recipes:

1. Grilled Shrimp with Cantaloupe-Lime Salsa
via Steamy Kitchen

Cantaloupe with tomato may not be an obvious combination, but together the two form a well-rounded, refreshing accompaniment to grilled shrimp. And don’t worry if you don’t have a grill—the recipe works just as well on your stove.

2. Paleo Salad
via OMG Cupcakes

A classic appetizer combination, prosciutto and melon take center stage in this entree salad. Adding avocado and walnuts makes it even more filling and nutritionally balanced.

3. Chicken Melon Salad Bowls
via Reluctant Entertainer

These salads—served in hollowed-out cantaloupes—are perfect for nights too hot to turn on the oven. Since the recipe calls for rotisserie chicken, all you have to do is assemble, no cooking required.

4. Cantaloupe Gazpacho with Crispy Prosciutto
via Serious Eats

Step up your gazpacho game with a soup made from cantaloupe, cucumber, and sweet onions. Prosciutto and basil serve as delicious finishing touches.

5. Cantaloupe and Cherry Popsicles
via Honest Cooking

These frozen treats—made only from cantaloupe, cherries, lime juice, honey, and Greek yogurt—could double as a refreshing breakfast for hot mornings.