This week we'll explore cozy chai spices and versatile mustard sauces. We'll also delve into letting go of things we can't control and some tasty homemade holiday gifts.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight

December is the time of year for cozy spices to really shine. Chai tea has all the best warming spices in a single package and it's a delightful seasonal treat. But did you know that chai spices can be used for much more than just sipping as tea?

One of my favorite ways to use chai is in a cocktail or mocktail. The spices feel so festive alongside other seasonal flavors like orange, cranberry, and apple. This Chaider Rum Punch unites two of the season's best beverages: chai and apple cider. There's even a "big batch" pitcher version in the blog post for holiday parties plus mocktail and low-alcohol variations. Whether you're looking for a cocktail or a mocktail, I can't wait for you to try this combination.

Chai spices are also fabulous in baked goods. These Chai-Spiced Pear Crumble Bars seem decadent but they're actually vegan, gluten-free, and naturally-sweetened. They feature simple whole-food ingredients like pears, oats, peanut butter, and of course lots of warming spices. Make a batch today so that you can have easy treats all week long!

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What I'm Loving Right Now

I've been in a major mustard sauce phase lately. Something about mustard feels perfect for fall and winter, don't you think? It goes beautifully with other fall ingredients like squash, apples, caramelized onions, rosemary and thyme.

My favorite super-quick sauce this season has been to combine coarse-grained mustard with some white balsamic vinegar (so the color stays vibrant; it won't look as nice with traditional balsamic), maple syrup, salt, and pepper. It's a great oil-free multi-purpose sauce and dressing that you can use on everything. Feel free to make a big batch and store it in the fridge for a few days.

What can you do with this tasty mustard sauce? Try it as a salad dressing. Drizzle it on top of roasted veggies. Thicken it with tahini or plain yogurt and use it as a dip for veggies or crackers. Toss it with farro, quinoa, or wheatberries to infuse them with flavor. Mustard goes beautifully with a wide variety of flavors, so this easy mustard sauce can complement almost any meal.

Speaking of mustard, did you know that you can make your own? Homemade mustard is easy, fun, and versatile, plus it makes for a great homemade gift. I have a whole guide to homemade mustard on my blog. It's actually my single most popular blog post right now, so I'd love for you to check in out. Feel free to respond to this email if you have any mustard questions, I'm happy to help.

Live Colorfully

Self-Care Pick

This past week, I saw a quote that I wanted to share with you all: "Peace comes when you realize that everything out of your control should be out of your mind too".

Personally, this philosophy is something that I've worked on a huge amount over many years, so this quote really spoke to me. Yoga in particular has helped me learn to release things that I can't change; in fact, I used to practice with a yoga teacher who often used the mantra "give me the strength to impact the things I can change, and the grace to accept the things I cannot change".

Do you identify with this quote? Are you able to step back and release things that you can't change, and also to resist the temptation to control other people and their decisions? Especially during this busy holiday season, maybe we could all return to this quote when things get stressful, when we don't like situations that arise, or when we don't agree with choices that others make.

Although we can't control the situation, we can control how we react to it. So next time a situation arises that we don't like, what if we practiced releasing it rather than letting it stress us out? What if we reacted to it with grace, empathy, and curiosity rather than judgement?

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HOMEMADE GIFT IDEA: FREEZER FUDGE

Over the next couple weeks, I'll be featuring some of my favorite recipes for homemade gifting. There are many reasons why homemade gifts are a wonderful choice: they're often more heartfelt, they're usually less expensive, they're certainly more unique, and they're less wasteful.

(But if you're more into traditional gifts, refer back to last week's newsletter; I shared my three favorite wellness-focused gifts for different budgets).

If you have people on your list who are nearby, a great option could be freezer fudge. This healthy "fudge" is made with protein-rich nut butter instead of dairy butter. It's also naturally sweetened and easily vegan if you use maple syrup instead of honey. I have a Matcha Swirl Freezer Fudge as well as a Honey Raspberry Chocolate Chip Freezer Fudge on my blog.

As an added bonus, both of these treats come together in about 15 minutes with no cooking involved. Keep in mind that they should be stored in the freezer though (otherwise they'll get too soft), so they're a good gift option for people who you'll be seeing in-person. Remind them to store their precious fudge in the freezer so it keeps its shape. Wouldn't this be such a unique holiday gift?

Remember to keep an eye on the next two newsletter issues since I'll be sharing two more of my favorite homemade holiday gifts: maple roasted nuts and fig jam.

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!