When treatment side effects dry out the body—and believe me, that’s a fairly common occurrence—granitas come to the rescue. Granitas are similar to Italian ices in consistency, which makes them great for people with mouth sores, and melons are full of water, so they’re great for rehydration. In fact, melons in any form are a wonderful source of fluids and nutrients. Eaten on an empty stomach (and that’s the best way to consume them, as they can cause an awful lot of tummy rumbling when combined with other food), melons require little stomach action and go right into the small intestine, allowing quick absorption of their nutrients. And here’s a fun fact: Cantaloupes are named after the Italian town Cantalupo, which means “howl of the wolf.” No telling if there’s a run on cantaloupes there whenever the moon is full …

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1/4 cup boiling water

　　1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, plus 10 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

　　6 cups chopped cantaloupe

　　1/4 cup agave nectar

　　2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

　　

Step 1

Pour the boiling water over the 1 cup of mint leaves, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and discard the mint leaves.

　　

Step 2

Put the cantaloupe in a food processor or blender and process on high speed until smooth.

　　

Step 3

Add the agave nectar, lime juice, mint infusion, and the 10 chopped mint leaves to the food processor or blender and pulse to combine. Transfer to a freezer-safe 8 by 10-inch pan with sides at least 2 inches high and freeze for 1 hour.

　　

Step 4

Use a fork to rake the mixture, breaking up the frozen parts into smaller bits and pushing them toward the center, like a pile of leaves. Return the granita to the freezer and repeat the raking process twice more at 30 minute intervals until entirely frozen.

　　

rebecca’s notes

Step 5

To make frozen fruit pops, see the Variation on page 161.

　　

Step 6

Use caution when opening the freezer door while the granita is freezing. You want to end up with this frozen delight in your belly and not on the bottom of the freezer!

　　

storage

Step 7

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for 3 weeks.

　　

nutrition information

Step 8

(per serving)

　　

Step 9

Calories: 95

　　

Step 10

Total Fat: 0.3g (0.1g saturated, 0g monounsaturated)

　　

Step 11

Carbohydrates: 24g

　　

Step 12

Protein: 1g

　　

Step 13

Fiber: 2g

　　

Step 14

Sodium: 25mg

　　Excerpted from The Cancer Fighting Kitchen, copyright 2017 by Rebecca Katz and Met Edelson. Published with permission by Ten Speed Press.