This week we'll explore grapes and make-ahead friendly burrito bowls. We'll also delve into tonight's full moon (the "corn moon") and my secret trick for helping air plants to flourish.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: GRAPES

Early September is the peak time for a very special, snackable, juicy treat: grapes! If you want to think beyond basic green and red grapes, and beyond just popping them in your mouth whole, here are two tips for you.

First, grapes are a wonderful salad ingredient. They're sweet, juicy, colorful, and add a great burst of texture. You can see them playing a starring role in this Vegan Brussels Sprouts Waldorf Salad, this Vegan Waldorf Chickpea Salad, and this Mediterranean Farro Salad.

Second, keep an eye out for unique grape varieties. I'm a huge fan of Moon Drops, which are a very long (and astoundingly beautiful) purple grape. There are also Tear Drops (a long green grape), tiny purple Champagne grapes, odd but tasty Cotton Candy grapes, and many others to experiment with. Your best bets for finding them will be at Trader Joe's or at artisan grocery stores for the next month or two.

Try This Week: MEAL-PREP BURRITO BOWLS

Looking for a make-ahead friendly, crowd-pleasing fall dinner? How about trying a loaded burrito bowl!

A "burrito bowl" is a bowl-style meal using Mexican-inspired ingredients. It's like a burrito, but without the tortilla. A loaded burrito bowl is my absolute favorite dinner plan and I even have a comprehensive vegan burrito bowl guide on my blog.

Why do I love burrito bowls? Here are my top five reasons these bowls deserve to make a weekly appearance in your dinner rotation:

• Burrito bowls are delicious. The flavors and ingredients are always a hit. You can dress them up with all your favorite toppings like guacamole, salsa, etc.
• It's easy to load a burrito bowl with nourishing veggies and lean protein. Check out my burrito bowl guide for ideas, but your bowl can include anything from salads to slaws to roasted veggies to black beans or grilled tofu.
• Serving all the components bowl-style is easier and less messy than using tortillas.
• Going bowl-style means that everyone can build their own bowls. Burrito bowls are a great option if you're serving people with different preferences or different dietary restrictions.
• Burrito bowls (and bowl meals in general) are a great way to use up leftovers. Try making a bowl meal at the end of the week to use up small bits of whatever you have in the fridge.

If you want to meal prep burrito bowls, just make large batches of whatever components you want to use (e.g., brown rice, grilled tofu, roasted vegetables, a cabbage slaw) and store them in separate sealed containers in the refrigerator. When you're ready to enjoy, just reheat and then add whatever fresh toppings you're in the mood for.

Live Colorfully

In the Natural World: THE CORN MOON

Keep your eyes to the sky tonight (Sunday September 7) for the full moon. September's full moon is traditionally called the "Corn Moon" because (at least in middle and northern parts of the US) it's peak corn harvesting season.

Want to view the Corn Moon in all its glory? Its peak fullness will occur this afternoon (~2:00PM), so you'll be able to see it best tonight (looking east to catch the moonrise) or tomorrow morning (looking west to see it setting).

If you live in Europe, Africa, eastern Australia, or New Zealand, you're in luck! You'll be able to see a total lunar eclipse tonight and the moon will appear as a red-hued "blood moon" as it passes completely into Earth's shadow. If you're fortunate enough to be in any of those areas, this article from the BBC describes viewing times.

​

Self-Care Pick: A SECRET AIR PLANT TRICK

Are you the type of person that finds peace, comfort, or joy by filling your indoor space with plants? If so, this one is for you.

I happen to be a big plant nerd and have quite an impressive collection of cacti, succulents, and air plants. I often get questions about how to keep air plants happy. Want to know my secret? Give those air plants a bath!

Air plants like to be moistened regularly. If you've ever had an air plant get dry, crunchy, or develop brown ends, it's an indication that your plant isn't getting enough water. Especially during the winter when many of us have to heat our homes and the air dries out, regular misting isn't enough. Twice a week, fill up a big bowl with room-temperature water and let your plants soak for a couple hours. They love it, and it means you don't have to mist them (which, let's be honest, makes a mess).

However, although your air plants love a good bath, they need to dry out fully afterward. Accordingly, I suggest keeping your air plants suspended in the air (e.g., on top of a glass, on top of a vase, hanging somewhere, etc), rather than sitting in the bottom of a container. If they sit in excess water for too long, their outer leaves will become brown and soft.

It's important to note that different species of air plants have different levels of sensitivity to drying out. In general, the more delicate the leaves of the plant are, the more easily it will dry out. If you're new to air plants, opt for varieties with thicker leaves like Tillandsia Bulbosa, Tillandsia Medusae, and my latest obsession Tillandsia Seleriana. I put together an air plant list on Amazon so that you can see some of my favorite species.

What do you think? Will you give this a try? Feel free to email or DM me with air plant questions.

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!