Peace, love and electrolytes
Summertime hydration and a tribute to watermelon. Plus 5-minute watermelon & halloumi pittas.
Hey! I’m Dina, a registered Nutritionist, I chat about realistic healthy living for diverse bodies, with monthly 5-minute meals and delicious discoveries. If you’re new here, you can read more about what to expect on the D-List.
As an Arab, I love the sunshine, and I especially love summertime in London. People come out of hibernation, showing off their sunburn and white bits, wanting to socialise after months of avoiding each other. There is hope and positivity in the air, and the outdoor spaces come alive with festivals, boozy barbecues and beer gardens, giving us plenty of reasons to eat, drink and get dehydrated.
My favourite things about summer are picnics in Victoria park, ice cream, canned cocktails and watermelon. The cocktails do nothing for my hydration, but the watermelon has it covered, with 92% water (and 8% peace, love and electrolytes).
I’ve been eating it a lot these days and there is watermelon symbolism everywhere I look. It’s been on my mind. So here are some things I love about the wonderful watermelon:
A natural source of electrolytes, aiding in hydration, and muscle and nerve function. It’s also jam-packed with nutrients - vitamins A, C, and B6, and is one of the richest sources of lycopene, an antioxidant linked to heart health.
It’s a symbol of summer, holidays and family gatherings. It’s delicious and refreshing, and feels like a treat, sweet but not sickly, and perfect for cooling down on a hot day.
It conjures up childhood memories of summers in Baghdad, being offered a refreshing wedge by my grandmother after playing in the garden. And watching Dirty Dancing on repeat, wishing I was carrying a watermelon to Swayzey’s sweaty party.
An iconic symbol of freedom and solidarity for Palestinians, reflecting the colours of their national flag, bringing up all the emotions for my fellow Arabs - pride, love and heartache. The hydrating watermelon conveniently replaces the fluids lost through tears 🍉
Water makes up over two-thirds of the human body. It lubricates the joints, eyes and skin, aids digestion and flushes out toxins. Even the slightest dehydration can affect bodily functions and lead to dry mouth, headaches and fatigue. Urine colour is a good indicator of hydration - the darker the urine the more dehydrated you are. Here are some ways to stay well hydrated this summer, while enjoying all the seasonal treats:
Balance out your boozy picnics with an equally exciting non-alcoholic hydrating cocktail like a Mexican watermelon agua fresca.
Eat your water. Munch on other hydrating fruit and veg like cucumbers, oranges, strawberries and leafy green salads.
Freeze some watermelon to make a slushie, or blend with yoghurt to make ice lollies for the kids.
Jazz up your plain old water with some fruity flavours. Dunk your favourite herbal teabag in ice-cold water, make some fresh fruit ice cubes or even a squeeze of lime is simple and effective.
Drink a non-alcoholic beverage in between each alcoholic one. It takes your liver around an hour to detoxify one unit of alcohol so it’s just nice to give your hard-working organ a little break.
Gazpacho, a Spanish cold tomato soup, is the ultimate hydrating food - refreshing and nourishing.
Carry a bottle and refill whenever you get an opportunity. The groovier the bottle, the more likely you’ll want to take it out.
Coconut water is another excellent source of electrolytes, and transports you to a tropical island with every sip 🏝
Make your own electrolyte drink with coconut water, a pinch of salt, a drop of raw honey and a squeeze of fresh orange juice. A natural alternative to Gatorade.
If you can’t finish your giant watermelon, here are some ways to use it up in light summery meals:
Watermelon and halloumi pittas. 5-minute recipe below!
When something is as low calorie as a watermelon, diet culture inevitably turns it into something it doesn’t want to be. While looking at recipes, I came across a watermelon cake, not a real cake, just a watermelon shaped like a cake. And watermelon fries. No potatoes involved, just regular watermelon in a crinkle cut, served with a dip. Wtf. Let the watermelon be a watermelon, it is perfect as it is. So are cake and fries.
Here’s your monthly 5-minute meal. Simple recipes with minimal cooking and prep, when you can’t be arsed to cook.
Watermelon and halloumi pitta
This is hardly a recipe, more like an assortment of ingredients that happen to create magic when they come together. Pitta in one hand, watermelon in the other, alternating mouthfuls, it’s a beautiful combination. Delicious, refreshing and perfect for a no-cook light lunch on a hot day.
Ingredients
Watermelon
Halloumi
Fresh mint
Cucumber
Pitta bread
Directions
Cut the watermelon into chunks.
Wash the mint, and slice the cucumber and the halloumi.
Toast the pitta and cut into halves.
Fill your half pitta with halloumi, cucumber and mint, and eat the watermelon on the side. Enjoy!
If you have more time: Grill or fry the halloumi for a crispier outer and a softer inner.
Baby-friendly: Cut the individual elements (apart from the mint) into easy-to-hold finger foods.
Things I eat, read and love.
Gazpacho. Ready-made cool vegetable soup. A hydrating summer food, without any effort.
Watermelon cold brew tea. Jazz up your plain old water with refreshing fruity herbal infusions.
Halloumi made with sheep and goat’s milk is generally easier to digest than cow’s milk if you are sensitive to dairy.
There are some excellent summer salad recipes going around at the moment. Check out 5 summer salads by
, and Excellent Vibes = Excellent Salads.The Substack community is coming together to raise at least $5,000 for the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund, the primary humanitarian organisation in Palestine, and I'm helping. I hope you will, too. Please see the post for the link to donate and more about our efforts. Thank you!
As always, let me know your thoughts or if there’s anything specific you’d like to hear about. I love hearing from you!
Everything here is free, but if you’d like to support my mission of making healthy living more accessible, please share, subscribe or upgrade. Your support is much appreciated ❤️
the watermelon fries are so cute. my kids and I love watermelon, so we’re always eating it. 🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉
Loved the newsletter! Would it be possible for you to not use flashing gifs in future newsletters? They can be a big accessibility barrier--for me they can cause migraines, and for others they can cause seizures. Thanks!