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Food of the Week [Part II]: Cantaloupe

Posted December 30, 2007 at 06:00 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Her Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Vegetarianism, Special Features, Food of the Week

Yesterday, we introduced you to the health benefits of cantaloupe, a melon rich in vitamin A and vitamin C, both good sources of anti-oxidants. Cantaloupe is also an excellent way to get folate, potassium and fiber, and is versatile enough to fit into recipes from appetizers to desserts.

Need more reasons to incorporate cantaloupe melon into your diet? B-vitamins are some of the most important in energy production, metabolism, and blood sugar stability. Cantaloupe has an unusually complete profile of the B-vitamin family, making it ideal for athletes with high-demand training regimes that call for heavy exertion and cell repair. Plus, they’re just as convenient as many other fruits - chop ‘em in half, scoop the seeds, and you’re good to go.

Eating cantaloupe can be even easier if you prepare a big batch of this cantaloupe butter. This sweet spread will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator, and is tasty as a substitute for jam or honey on a sandwich.

Recipe Profile

Perfect For: A high-fiber and nutritious alternative to other sweet spreads

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1 large cantaloupe, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice

Combine melon pieces with 1/4 cup water, then bring to a boil and heat until soft. Puree with a blender, then combine in a pot with the other ingredients, and boil again. Stir often, until thickened, and then pour the mixture into sterilized jam jars or a container for the refrigerator. Chill well before serving.

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Tags: beta-carotene recipes, butter recipes, cantaloupe, cantaloupe butter, cantaloupe health, cantaloupe recipes, fruit butter, healthy fruits, healthy recipes, melon, melon recipes, sweet spreads, vitamin a

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