This week we'll explore corn on the cob and how to make a successful picnic or potluck salad. We'll also delve into this week's full moon and a very simple (and free!) transformative change we can make to enhance our overall wellness.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: CORN ON THE COB

Now that we're into July, I vote that we should all be making at least one or two corn dishes a week. Anyone else agree? Although we don't have local corn here yet, I know that many of you already do, so I wanted to share some of my favorite ways to use this summer treat.

Corn on the cob, especially when grilled, is an iconic summer side. But did you know that corn is also wonderful in a salad? Grill it, cut it off the cob, then toss it with some chopped veggies and a light dressing; you'll have the perfect side dish for a BBQ, picnic, or potluck. Three of my favorites are this Summer Mojito Corn Salad (with a lime and mint dressing you'll want to make all season long), this Grilled Corn, Snap Pea, and Blueberry Salad, and this Grilled Corn, Strawberry, and Avocado Salad.

What about some corn appetizers? I think you'll love this Grilled Corn Guacamole. Or, these Healthy Mexican Street Corn Stuffed Peppers are a party all-star, especially if you make bite-sized mini versions with baby peppers.

Try This Week: PICNIC SALADS

Have you ever made a dish for a picnic or BBQ, then realized (too late) that you chose ingredients that wilted or browned as they sat out? It's a total bummer to end up at your picnic spot, only to open the container and find a soggy salad. But don't let those experiences get you down; salads are actually great for picnics if you choose the right ingredients.

Whether you're heading out on a picnic or are bringing a dish to a friend's house for a BBQ, here are my top tips for selecting a salad recipe that will work:

1. Opt for a recipe that’s easy to prepare and is make-ahead friendly.
2. Ditch the greens (they can wilt) and look for salads with hearty ingredients like beans, corn, peas, sugar snap peas, peppers, cucumbers, etc.
3. Avoid ingredients that brown or get soggy (such as avocado, certain nuts, apples/pears, and fragile berries). Or, if possible, bring them with you separately to add right before serving.
4. If the salad is going to be the star of your picnic, make sure to choose a recipe that's meal-worthy. Look for one with some protein, a good diversity of veggies, and some hearty ingredients that will be filling.
5. If the recipe you're considering doesn't seem meal-worthy, add some chickpeas (for Mediterranean recipes), black beans (for Mexican or tropical recipes), or cubed tofu (for Asian recipes). You can also add some cooked farro, but you may want to increase the amount of dressing since the farro will soak it up.

Live Colorfully

In the Natural World: THE BUCK MOON

Keep your eyes to the sky on Thursday (July 10) for the full moon. July's full moon is traditionally called the "Buck Moon", named because this is the time when bucks (male deer) are growing their new antlers at the fastest rate.

Although my main goal here was to draw your attention to the full moon, I can't resist an interesting tangent. Bucks shed their antlers every year in the late winter, after breeding season. A couple months later, in early spring, they begin re-growing their antlers, which get progressively larger each year as the deer ages. But did you know that during mid-summer, their antlers can grow a quarter inch EACH DAY? That's over an inch and a half each week. I don't know about you, but having antlers emerging from my head that rapidly doesn't sound very pleasant.

Want to catch the Buck Moon in action? You'll be able to see it on Wednesday night and Thursday night. You can watch it rise those evenings if you look to the east, or you can watch it set the following mornings by looking to the west.

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A Book/Podcast to Explore: THE CIRCADIAN RHYTHM

Did you know that 80% of the cells in your body are controlled by your circadian rhythm? I was amazed to hear this in an episode of the Strength in Hormones podcast. This is actually an older episode (#74, July 24 of 2024), but I had saved it to listen to again because it was so interesting. It's all about our body's rhythm and its relationship to daily schedule and light exposure.

One of the take-homes for me in this episode is the benefit of keeping to a daily routine. It's incredibly important for our bodies, minds, and hormones for a lot of different reasons. This means waking up at the same time each day, eating at approximately the same times, and maintaining a consistent bedtime. Everything from our digestion to our sleep to our hormones to our moods functions more smoothly if we establish and maintain a routine.

Another big take-home: the importance of eating dinner earlier and not making dinner your biggest meal. If you eat a large meal late in the evening, you prevent your body from effectively producing melatonin, which is the hormone that helps us relax and sleep. Insufficient melatonin production can cause lower-quality sleep, which can carry over into tiredness and sub-optimal hormone function the next day. Additionally, if you eat late, your digestive system is already winding down for the day; this can yield less effective digestion overall.

The good news? This is a simple thing we can all work on. There's no fancy tests to run, no expensive supplements, no complicated workouts. In fact, this is a completely free solution that requires no extra time investment. Now THAT is an empowering thought!

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!