This week we'll explore edible flowers and an exclusive green goddess dip recipe. We'll also delve into reflections on the solar eclipse and how to rest in a way that is actually restful.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight

This week, I'm excited to talk about one of my favorite things on Earth: edible flowers! Depending on where you live, you may have started to see some popping up. Or, if you want to plant your own, now is the time. At the risk of stating the obvious, please make sure to do your own thorough research so that you know exactly what you're harvesting. Harvest sustainably and be careful of flowers that may have been treated with pesticides. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Edible violets. These are usually one of the earliest-season edible flowers to make an appearance and you may have them right in your own yard. There are both purple and white varieties and they have a delicate floral taste. I like to use them in salads and as a pretty finish to virtually any dish, like I've show in this Vegan Watermelon, Snap Pea, and Mint Salad.
• Lilacs. Yes indeed, lilacs are edible. They're great infused into water, lemonade, or even cocktails. They have a fabulous smell and a relatively strong floral flavor.
• Pansies. Another ornamental flower that you probably never knew you could eat. I prefer miniature pansies since they're more manageable in size. They have a delicate floral taste and make a great garnish, as I've shown on this pretty Berry Cookie Crunch Nicecream Cake.
• Nasturtium. You probably won't find these wild, but they grow like crazy in many different environments so you might consider planting your own if you have space. They come in a wide array of colors and are great in salads because they have a peppery flavor. They're also a festive cocktail garnish, as I've shown in this Blackberry Tequila Mule and this Blackberry Coconut Margarita.

Exclusive Recipe: Green Goddess Tofu Dip

Earlier this spring, you all seemed to enjoy the Healthy Cowgirl Cookies and the Coconut Lime Rice Salad recipes I shared exclusively in the newsletter. This week, I'm excited to share another recipe that's not available on my blog. This Green Goddess Tofu Dip is packed with flavorful herbs and is very protein-rich; it's a dip you can really feel good about enjoying. (Bonus: it's also easy to make).

Ingredients:

• 12-oz package of soft silken tofu
• 1 c fresh basil
• ½ c fresh mint
• ½ c fresh cilantro
• Juice of a lime
• Small drizzle of flavorful olive oil
• ½ tsp salt

Directions:

1. In a high-powered blender, combine the silken tofu, fresh herbs, lime juice, olive oil, and salt.
2. Blend until the dip is homogeneous throughout and light green in color. If needed, add an additional dash of olive oil to facilitate blending.
3. Serve with your favorite dipping implements including raw veggies, crackers, and chips.

Live Colorfully

In the Natural World

I've had so many people ask what it was like to be in the path of totality for this past Monday's eclipse. In all honestly, it was one of the most incredible natural events I've ever had the privilege to witness. I've traveled all over the world, including five expeditions to Greenland, numerous to Iceland, and even one to Svalbard, so needless to say I've seen some cool stuff. But the total solar eclipse had me at a level of awe that I've seldom experienced.

We hiked up to an overlook near our house and had an incredible view of the open sky and a few of Vermont's tallest mountains. The eclipse was certainly cool as it progressed, but totality absolutely stunned me. It was like a switch flipped and the world instantly transformed from light to dark. The ring around the moon was so incredibly beautiful and delicate. All the birds instantly stopped chirping, and there was absolutely no sound. We had about 2.5 minutes of totality, so it was enough time to really soak it in and to appreciate both the eclipse itself as well as how much the surrounding world looked and sounded different.

To me, this moment felt sacred. It made me feel incredibly small, but also interconnected with our planet and our universe. I felt humbled to be able to spend time here, even if it's only for a fleeting instant in Earth's long history. I've experienced similar feelings in Greenland, but it was such a special gift to be able to experience that level of reverence right in my own little town.

What I'm Listening To

Have you ever thought about how you rest? A recent episode of the Zen Founder podcast (episode 389) raised this question. It's easy to assume that anything non-work is by default rest. But if you're watching TV or scrolling social media, are those activities actually recharging your brain?

In this episode, the host (Dr. Sherry Walling, who is a psychologist) talks about the types of rest that are actually restful for your brain. Sleep is perhaps an obvious one, and one that many Americans don't do well with. But she also mentions spending time in nature and pursuing creative activities as two other ways to reinvigorate the brain. They change the types of processing the brain is doing and stimulate it with a wide array of different sensory capabilities (rather than just sight, which most of us rely on very heavily in our work environments).

What do YOU think about this? Are there any activities that you find are particularly restful? For me, it's definitely going for a walk in the woods. For you, it could be working on a painting, doing yoga, taking a bath, or playing a musical instrument. Regardless, I think it's important to remember that rest isn't a default setting that occurs when we're not working; it's something that we need to consciously cultivate.

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!