The other melon

By Jill Wendholt Silva - 08/05/2008

Cantaloupe’s orange flesh is high in vitamin C

A watermelon slice in his paws, the famous kitty drawn by Sandra Boynton that graces greeting cards and coffee mugs has a cat-ate-the-canary grin.

But if you’re more a cantaloupe person, you might be saying: Why so smug?

Sure, with its striking green rind, red flesh and shiny black seeds, watermelon is just too cute to resist. But once you cut through its thick, coarsely netted rind, cantaloupe has a literal heart of gold.

The orange flesh is an excellent source of vitamin C. (One-quarter of a medium cantaloupe equals 47 milligrams; it’s recommended most women get 75 milligrams per day and most men 90 milligrams). It also contains beta-carotene, a plant pigment that may protect against cancer and vision loss, and plenty of potassium that can lower blood pressure.

The Star’s Grilled Turkey and Cantaloupe Salad With Ginger-Lime Vinaigrette is a hearty entree salad loaded with interesting ingredients, including turkey bacon, turkey breast, grapes, cucumber and radicchio.

Shopping tip: Tempted to buy cantaloupe chunks for convenience? Whole melons are a better nutritional value. Once cut, the vitamin C diminishes when exposed to air.

GRILLED TURKEY AND CANTALOUPE SALAD WITH GINGER-LIME VINAIGRETTE Makes 4 servings 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons orange juice 2½ tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided Salt, to taste ¾ pound boneless, skinless turkey breast 2 slices turkey bacon 4 cups coarsely torn romaine 4 cups coarsely torn red-tipped leaf lettuce 4 radicchio leaves, coarsely torn 2 cups cubed cantaloupe (about ½ cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into ¾-inch cubes) 2 thin slices red onion, halved and separated into rings 1 cup seedless red grapes 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber Combine lime juice, orange juice, honey, ginger, 2 teaspoons oil and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Season lightly with salt. Whisk to blend well; set aside about 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Cut turkey into 2 pieces, each about 8 by 2 inches. Brush remaining 1 teaspoon oil evenly over all sides of turkey, then season with remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Wrap 1 slice bacon around each piece of turkey in a spiral fashion.

Preheat grill or allow coals to burn down to white ash. Grill turkey over medium-high direct heat 20 to 25 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 170 degrees and meat is no longer pink, turning frequently to brown evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to stand 10 minutes. Slice bacon and turkey crosswise into thin slices.

Combine lettuces, cantaloupe, red onion, grapes and cucumber in a large salad bowl. Top with turkey and bacon. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently to combine.

Per serving: 268 calories (19 percent from fat), 6 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 62 milligrams cholesterol, 32 grams carbohydrates, 25 grams protein, 157 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber.

Recipe developed for The Star by professional home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss.