This week we'll explore how to use coconut milk and a special mango salsa recipe. We'll also delve into some peaceful giants in the ocean and healthy snacking tips.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: COCONUT MILK

Need some cozy comfort food for these mid-winter days? If so, then turn to coconut milk. Coconut milk (the kind that comes in a can) is a delightfully creamy and versatile ingredient. Because it comes from coconuts, it's plant-based and creates a decadent creamy texture in dishes.

I especially adore coconut milk alongside some spice. Although it's most often used in curries, this Golden Turmeric Farro "Risotto" and this Golden Turmeric Pasta are my two personal favorite coconut milk recipes. The Golden Turmeric Pasta (see the photo below) is an especially fabulous comfort food dish for a cold January night since it unites hearty chickpea or lentil pasta, creamy coconut milk, warming spices, a bit of heat, and some crunchy garnishes.

Coconut milk is a great ingredient in soups too. If you want to try some creamy (without the cream) soups, check out this Vegan Butternut Squash Corn Chowder and my go-to Butternut Squash Carrot Ginger Soup. Both are cozy and hearty but still completely plant-based.

Special Recipe: MANGO, CORN, & AVOCADO SALSA

Have you ever made a salsa using sweet, juicy mango? If you enjoy the combination of sweet and spicy flavors, then this one is for you. I've been living for mango salsa lately, and this recent version with mango, corn, and avocado was especially wonderful. Try it for a weekend hang-out or game day party. If you want to explore more fruit salsas, I have a comprehensive fruit salsa guide on my blog.

Ingredients

• Ripe mango
• 1 c corn kernels
• Juice of half a lime
• Generous flaky sea salt
• Few or more pinches of cayenne, to taste
• Ripe avocado
• Optional sprinkle of furikake seasoning

Directions

1. Remove the peel from the mango, cut the flesh off the pit, and dice the flesh into cubes.
2. Combine the diced mango, corn, lime juice, sea salt, and cayenne and mix well. Adjust the lime, salt, and heat to your own tastes.
3. Cut open the avocado and carefully cut the flesh into a cross-hatched pattern, then scoop the flesh from the rind. Very gently mix the avocado in with the rest of the salsa.
4. Garnish with furikake seasoning (optional; fresh cilantro or mint will also work well) and serve with cucumber slices and/or chips for dipping.

Live Colorfully

In the Natural World: SEA TURTLES

A few days ago, I had the joy of seeing one of my absolute favorite creatures: the Green Sea Turtle. These gentle giants come up onto the beaches of Kaua'i to sleep; we can sometimes find them napping happily on the sand when we hike to remote areas of the coast. This was the most I had ever seen together and I was in awe!

Green Sea Turtles, or "honu" in Hawaiian, are the largest hard-shelled sea turtles in the world. They can reach a whopping 300+ pounds and grow to four feet long. The sweet honu feed on sea grass (the adults are herbivores) and can stay underwater for many hours at a time. Amazingly, they can live up to 90 years old.

It's important to note that the honu evolved to sleep on the beaches here because there are no native land mammals in Hawaii. This is one of many reasons why invasive species are so damaging; numerous native Hawaiian creatures sleep or nest right on the ground and are incredibly vulnerable to invasive mammals like dogs, cats, mongoose, and rats. Although their population decreased dramatically in the 20th century, the honu have been doing better recently thanks to conservation efforts but are still classified as endangered.

To me, the honu always seem so content and wise. They're beautiful, elegant swimmers and exude such grace in the ocean. They also seem to really savor life, swimming in lazy loops in the blue water or closing their eyes for an afternoon nap in the sun. I think we could learn a lot from them.

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Self-Care Pick: HEALTHY SNACKS

I've gotten some questions recently about healthy snack tips, so this week I figured we'd dedicate the self-care section to how to snack in a way that actually fuels our bodies.

Generally speaking, I'm a fan of snacks that are high in protein, have some healthy fats, and are small in size. I also love snacks with some texture, e.g. chewy or crunchy, since I find them more satisfying. Homemade snacks are less expensive, waste less packaging, and are typically healthier since you can be in full control of the ingredients. I've been making a batch of these chickpea protein "truffles" every week and absolutely love them. Some of my other go-to portable homemade snacks are homemade Larabars, these whole food monster cookies, and these chickpea flour + tahini muffins.

However, it's not always realistic to make your own snacks, especially if you're traveling. That's why I've also put together a healthy snack list that includes my store-bought favorites. You'll see some protein snacks, some bars, some sweeter snacks, and also some healthier options for salty snacks (because let's be honest, sometimes you just need a salty snack). If I have to buy a snack in a package, my absolute favorite is these dry roasted edamame, which have just edamame and salt, yielding 14 g of protein and 6 g of fiber per serving.

What about snacks to avoid? Personally, I try to stay away from snacks with added sugar, especially if that sugar has no protein or fat to go along with it. I also try to stay away from snacks that are just carbs, unless I'm in the middle of being active (for example, on a big hike). Carbs are a great source of energy if you're in the midst of or about to start a workout, but otherwise carbs (especially in isolation) can feel unsatisfying and can cause blood sugar to spike. So overall, in addition to thinking about ingredients, you might also consider how much activity you'll have in the couple hours after your snack.

Regardless of whether you make or buy your snacks, my biggest tip is to always have some healthier options on-hand. It's definitely better to be prepared and proactive, rather than reactive and at the mercy of whatever you can find.

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!