Cut the watermelon in half along the middle to make it easier to handle. Then cut into 1-2 inch thick slices, cut away the rind and set aside for kimchi or pickles.

Without doing too much damage to the melon remove the seeds. Alternatively, this can be done later when we cut the melon, but I prefer to do it now. Set the seeds aside for later.

Place the melon pieces in a ziploc bag or two if necessary, and seal while removing as much air as possible. Place in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours; this could even be done overnight if you need to for convenience.

At this point, you can cut the cucumber and tomatoes into 1 inch pieces for the salad, but if you aren’t in a hurry you can do this when you are ready to prepare the melon.

When you remove the melon from the freezer, let it thaw for about 30 minutes and save that juice to enjoy on its own or add for a fun mocktail.

You are welcome to cut the melon any way you like, but I like to cut it into 1 inch cubes similar in size to your tomatoes and cucumbers. If you left the seeds in, remove them and set aside while you’re cutting your melon.

Take the watermelon seed that you removed earlier, and place in a bowl of water and give it a stir. This will let some of the residual fruit float to the top.

Drain the water and place seeds on a towel to dry. It’s okay if they aren’t perfectly dry.

In a hot pan on your stove, toss the seeds without oil until they stop sizzling. This is a quick way to roast and dry them at once. Alternatively, you can roast them in the oven, but keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

Once your seeds are toasted, set aside to cool, before putting them in your food processor to grind. Grind them to a consistency that you like; I prefer something that resembles coarse ground pepper, and set aside. (You can also do this with a mortar and pestle if you like)

Add your tomato leaves and basil to your processor (or just basil if you don’t have the leaves) and puree to a chunky paste. Add your seeds back in at this point.

Pulse the mixture while slowly drizzling in olive oil until the pesto is your preferred consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.