It’s the 4th of July and you just realized that you have NO idea what to bring to your annoying neighbor Sally’s barbecue later on this afternoon. You also don’t want to run the risk of being 1 of the 3 people who make black bean and corn salad and then come home with a lot of black bean and corn salad because 2 other people thought they’d make black bean & corn salad too.

I throw in the note about the black bean & corn salad because it happened last weekend at a BBQ a bunch of us from SCF had. Teehee.

I like things that are stupid easy. This recipe came from Stupid Easy Paleo. Prep time says 10 minutes, which would have been true if I didn’t decide to take on the task of hollowing out an entire watermelon and using it as a serving bowl.

What…. I didn’t want to have to worry about forgetting my dish at Coach Mike’s house. Gah I made such a huge mess in my kitchen. That, and I still have a crap ton of watermelon I’m trying to use up.

Stupid Easy Paleo’s Watermelon Mint Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
• 1.5 cups seedless cucumber, cubed
• 2 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• Zest from two limes
• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of black pepper

Directions:

1) Cut the rind off the watermelon and cut into medium-sized cubes (about 1/2-inch).

2) Peel the cucumber – if you prefer – and cut into similar sized cubes.

3) Slice the mint leaves thinly.

4) Combine these ingredients in a large bowl.

5) In a smaller bowl or a small jar, combine the lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir (or shake) well to combine. Pour over the watermelon and cucumber and stir well.

If you’re feeling like you actually want to booze this up (my mom mentioned making a batch for adults for her next cookout), I’d say replace half the lime juice with Tequila or Vodka. Otherwise, this recipe is totally kid-friendly. Enjoy!