This week we'll explore kumquats (the best citrus!) and anti-inflammatory turmeric hummus. We'll also delve into the story of some very special chicks who just hatched and tips for keeping yourself healthy on long travel days.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: KUMQUATS

Now that we're through the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day, how is a foodie supposed to find joy in late winter? My answer: citrus! Citrus season is a bright, sunny spot in these late-February days. Today I'm excited to celebrate my absolute favorite citrus: kumquats.

You've probably heard of this delightful little fruit before; they're essentially tiny oranges. They're deliciously tart, absolutely beautiful, and the best part is that you can eat the skin. Yes, that's right, the skin is very thin, very flavorful, and 100% edible. There's no peeling or other prep needed; just pop them in your mouth whole or slice them thinly to add to salads.

You'll see kumquats in numerous dishes on my blog because I love them so much. They make a fabulous garnish on a slaw (especially my go-to Rainbow Vegan Citrusy Slaw, shown below), this pretty Tropical Fruity Brunch Salad (bookmark it for spring brunches), these succulent Orange Ginger Sesame Brussels Sprouts, and these spicy Orange Jalapeno Brussels Sprouts.

This week, I challenge you to get your hands on some kumquats (or their close relative, mandarinquots) and experiment with them. Look for them at artisan grocery stores like Whole Foods or at your local health food market.

Try This Week: TURMERIC HUMMUS

If you follow my Instagram stories, you probably noticed that I absolutely lived for my favorite Golden Hummus (a.k.a. Superfood Turmeric Hummus) during our last couple weeks on Kaua'i this winter. This hummus has lots of plant-based protein, is a great way to add anti-inflammatory turmeric to your diet, and is easy to make. It's also a versatile recipe that you can enjoy as a dip, sandwich spread, or dolloped onto a salad or bowl meal.

New to turmeric? If so, this is actually a perfect recipe to start with. Because hummus requires no cooking and can easily be tweaked, you can adjust the flavors to your own palate. If you're a turmeric newbie, I suggest starting with less turmeric than the recipe suggests and working your way up.

My biggest advice before diving into homemade hummus: get a really good tahini. Look for an artisan brand with a creamy, silky-smooth texture and just a single ingredient: sesame seeds. My go-to brand is Seeds of Collaboration and you can save 20% if you use the code ROGUE at check-out, but you'll also find good options at stores like Whole Foods (check out Soom or Artisana Organics brands).

Live Colorfully

In the Natural World: ALBATROSS CHICKS

I have very exciting news to share: some of the albatross eggs we had been keeping an eye on hatched!

Albatross are the largest birds in the world and we're very fortunate to be able to live alongside them while we're on Kaua'i. In mid-December, we started doing near-daily checks of the albatross nests near us. And now, just this past weekend (literally our last day there), we finally saw the first chick!

These incredible bird parents have been incubating their eggs continuously for about 60 days. Each mating pair only lays a single egg, and it's always such an incredible gift to start seeing those eggs hatch. The adorable little chicks are tiny gray fluffballs with little black beaks and soulful black eyes. They spend most of their time nestled under their parents, but we can catch glimpses of them when they get fed.

The family bonds are so sweet. The parents alternate returning with full bellies and opening their mouths to regurgitate fish (yum) for the tiny chick to eat. It's incredibly intimate, with the parent sheltering the chick beneath its wing and continuously nuzzling and caressing the chick with its beak. Sometimes the parents make gentle cooing noises to the chick. The two of them will spend about eight months total caring for this single offspring, and it's clear from their mannerisms that the chick is incredibly precious.

We're always awed and humbled to be able to spend our winter months alongside these amazing rare birds. Unfortunately our time on Kaua'i has come to an end for this year, but we'll be thinking every day of the fluffy little chicks who, by the end of summer, will be ready to fledge from their nests and soar out over the ocean for the first time.

Self-Care Pick: STAYING HEALTHY ON LONG TRAVEL DAYS

I have travel on the mind right now. As I write this, we just completed a 24-hour, three-flight haul making our seasonal migration from Kaua'i back to Vermont. Therefore, I figured this would be a good time to share some of my favorite healthy travel tips for when you're in transit from one place to another.

• Bring snacks. Don't trust fate to deliver you good food on the road; you could end up disappointed (or hungry, or forced to eat something you otherwise wouldn't). My favorite travel snacks are these homemade Larabars because they're not fragile, they store fine at room temperature, and they pack a lot of nutrition in a small package.
• Bring veggies. I like to fly or drive with baby-sized veggies like cukes, peppers, and carrots; they're less temperature-sensitive than cut veggies and are a great snack or addition to whatever airport meal you can find.
• Plan ahead. If I'm forced to eat on the road, the Whole Foods salad bar is my #1 choice if we're driving. If we're flying, Chipotle or Qdoba are good bets since they have lots of great, customizable options. All airports have their terminal maps online, so look them up before you arrive at your layover location.
• Stay hydrated. Almost anything that can go wrong in our bodies is exacerbated by dehydration. Flying is an especially huge culprit because the air on the plane is so dry. Having some fun drink options can help; I don't go anywhere without a little baggie of my favorite matcha and my go-to electrolyte drops.
• Take breaks to move. If you're driving, pull over at a rest area with a place to stroll around for a while. If you're flying, use layovers as a time to walk the terminals.
• Think ahead about time zones. My tried and true strategy: I start acting as if I'm in the destination time zone the day before my travel starts. That means I try to time everything from my wake-up to my breakfast to my subsequent meals and my sleep as if I'm already there. When you arrive, jump right in to that schedule rather than allowing yourself to remain stranded between two time zones.

Hope some of those travel tips help. I travel a huge amount both for my day job and in my personal life, so don't hesitate to get in touch if you have questions or want some additional ideas.

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!