This week we'll explore summery blueberries and creamy (vegan) lemon-tahini sauces and dressings. We'll also delve into the upcoming summer solstice and tips for transforming any salad recipe into a satisfying meal.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: BLUEBERRIES

In celebration of summer solstice this week (more on that below), I'm excited to highlight one of the season's greatest gifts: blueberries. There's no better treat than ripe, juicy blueberries, especially if you pick your own. Try to get your hands on some this week to kick off summer in style.

Although blueberries are, of course, delicious on their own and in desserts, you might be surprised to learn that they're fabulous in a salad. Their sweetness is a lovely complement to savory flavors, especially in salads with a lemony dressing. Try tossing them in a salad this week and let me know what you think.

Looking for ideas? This unique Lemon Blueberry Thyme Pasta Salad is simple but special; the combination of blueberries and lemon zest is divine. Feel free to add in a couple veggies (broccoli or peas are great) and use bean-based pasta to make it into a fast, picnic-friendly summer meal. I also love this Grilled Corn, Snap Pea, and Blueberry Salad and this Mojito Corn Salad; both work great for a summer gathering. Or, scroll down to the last photo in this newsletter issue to see the phenomenal salad with blueberries I made last week.

Of course you can use blueberries in many other ways too. Try adding them to cocktails, baking them into muffins, and even making this special blueberry cake.

Try This Week: LEMON-TAHINI SAUCE

Over the past few weeks, I've been living for lemon-tahini sauces and dressings. This combination is great tossed with a salad, used as a dip, or drizzled onto just about anything.

Want to give it a try? There are details on my blog here; it's the same dressing I use for a fun Rainbow Pasta Salad. But really, there's no need to measure anything. Just stir together a few generous spoonfuls of tahini, some lemon juice, a dash of maple syrup, and a few pinches of salt, then taste it and adjust as you see fit.

One tip: not all tahini is created equal. Many store brands are bitter and have a grainy or gloppy texture, so they don't work well in a dressing. Look for an artisinal tahini that's creamy, smooth, and delicate in flavor. My personal go-to is Seeds of Collaboration; use the code ROGUE to save 20%.

Live Colorfully

In the Natural World: SUMMER SOLSTICE

This is a very special week since the summer solstice, i.e. the longest day of the year, is Friday (6/20). This is the day at which we (in the northern hemisphere) are tilted most closely toward the sun. In many cultures, it's a time to celebrate the Earth, the beauty of summer, and the bounty of the season.

Curious to learn more? During the northern hemisphere's winter, we (in the northern hemisphere) are tilted away from the sun; conversely, during the summer, we're tilted toward the sun. At the spring and fall equinoxes, that tilt comes through it's midpoint as the Earth continues to rotate around the sun.

It's important to note that this is a gradual transition that has been happening ever since we had our darkest day on the winter solstice in December; that's why our days in the northern hemisphere have been getting progressively longer. Although we're currently experiencing our longest days right now, the rate of change of daylight is actually at its slowest. Thankfully for those of us who love summer, this means that we won't see much change in daylight for the next month or so.

In case you want to get nerdy about this, the tilt of Earth's axis hasn't always been the same. As many of you know, I'm actually a research scientist in my other life and I study long-term climate change and glacier fluctuations in Greenland. At present, our axial tilt is about 23.5 degrees, but it actually varies between about 22.1 and 24.5 degrees over cycles of about 41,000 years. As you might imagine, times when we have greater tilt result in more extreme seasonality in Earth's climate.

Most importantly though, happy summer solstice!

Self-Care Pick: HOW TO MAKE ANY SALAD INTO A MEAL

As we enter the season of salads, I wanted to dedicate some time to talking about how you can make any salad recipe into a satisfying meal. If you find an enticing salad recipe and want to call it dinner, here are my top tips:

1. Add (light) volume. If the salad recipe doesn't already call for greens, grab a head of romaine, chop it into ribbons, and toss it in. Romaine is hydrating and adds satisfying bulk and crunch, plus it's hearty enough to stand up to virtually any ingredients and dressing.
2. Add protein. Protein is what makes us feel satisfied, plus it's important for many bodily functions. If the salad recipe you're using doesn't contain protein elements, add some chickpeas or cubed super-firm tofu.
3. Add fat. Fat, specifically healthy fats in reasonable amounts, can make a salad feel decadent and special. If you're looking to make a dinner-worthy salad, top it with some avocado, nuts, and/or seeds; all of those will provide lusciousness to an otherwise light meal.
4. Rethink the dressing. Homemade dressings are always better than store-bought. If the recipe you're looking at calls for oil, you might want to rethink it (especially if you'll be enjoying several portions for a meal-sized salad). Try ditching the oil in favor of tahini, yogurt, mustard, or whatever you think makes sense given the flavors in the salad. Remember that you can always refer to this comprehensive salad dressing guide if you want ideas.

Thanks for joining me for this issue of Eat Colorfully, Live Colorfully! I'd love to hear from you, so please feel free to reply with questions, thoughts, or requests. If you missed a previous issue, you can view all my newsletters here. Have a great week!