This week we'll explore ways to enjoy matcha and a special peanut butter protein ice cream recipe. We'll also delve into spring birding and a new book you'll want to get your hands on.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: MATCHA

Did you know that there are many ways to use matcha beyond just as a drink? Although matcha is wonderful year-round, it's an especially fabulous ingredient in the spring. To celebrate this delightful ingredient AND this delightful season, here are my four favorite ways to use matcha:

1. Make a special matcha latte. If you have a few extra minutes some morning this week, there's nothing more satisfying than a beautiful and unique latte. Try adding seasonal flavors, like muddled strawberries or fresh mint. My personal favorite for spring and summer is this whimsical Tropical Ocean Matcha.
2. Add it to smoothies. If you enjoy smoothies, try adding 0.5-1 tsp of matcha. Matcha goes nicely with a wide variety of flavors including many fruits, cozy spices like ginger or cinnamon, and even coconut, so it's a great addition to almost any smoothie. Personally, I can't start my morning without this Supercharged Green Electrolyte + Protein Smoothie.
3. Use it in desserts. Matcha is a great addition to many desserts including cookies, ice cream, and no-bake treats. You'll love these Raw Vegan Matcha Brownie Bites, this Matcha Honey Swirl Freezer Fudge, and these White Chocolate Macadamia Matcha Cookies; all three recipes are vegan, gluten-free, and naturally-sweetened.
4. Use it in oatmeal. Yes, indeed, you can stir matcha into oatmeal and it's a very tasty addition. This works well for either regular oatmeal or overnight oats.

Want to get your hands on the best matcha? I always use Matcha Nude, which is organic. You can save 15% by using the code ROGUE at check-out. And if you're looking for more recipes, there are amazing ideas on the Matcha Nude recipe website (many of which I created... can you tell which ones??).

Special Recipe: PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN ICE CREAM

As promised, I'm beyond excited to share with you my first good-for-the-body ice cream recipe for the Ninja Creami. This kitchen gadget has been a game-changer since it's allowing me to make lightened-up ice creams with minimal sugar and a lot of satisfying protein.

In case you missed it, refer to this newsletter issue from two weeks ago to get all my tips for making light ice creams in the Creami. Then use those tips to make this Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream, which my husband and I have been enjoying almost every single night!

This recipe (not counting the peanut butter drizzle) has 221 calories, 7 g fat, 7 g fiber, 9 g sugar, and 19 g of protein for the whole pint. It's much lower in calories, fat, and sugar, and much higher in fiber and protein than any ice cream you'll find at the store. Additionally, it's made with simple, whole-food ingredients. I'm providing these numbers not because I think we should be counting calories (I definitely don't), but in order to provide a useful point of comparison for store-bought.

Ingredients

• 1.5 c unsweetened almond milk (I used Almond Breeze)
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I love Sprout Living; use the code ROGUE for 20% off)
• 3 tbsp peanut butter powder (I used Sunwarrior)
• 1 tsp psyllium husk (I used Sunwarrior; this helps with the texture of a low-fat, vegan ice cream)
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 0.25 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients into the Creami pint and mix thoroughly. Freeze overnight.
2. Run the pint under hot water for five minutes before inserting it into the machine.
3. Spin the ice cream using the light ice cream setting on the machine. It will look crumbly after this first spin; that's okay.
4. Run a butter knife or small spatula down the sides of the pint to make sure everything has released from the sides.
5. Drizzle another 1-2 tablespoons of almond milk on top of the ice cream and return it to the machine.
6. Use the re-spin button to spin it again.

Alternative Directions

A very thoughtful reader emailed me last week to ask whether this recipe would work without a Ninja Creami. The reality is that it won't work as well, but I do have two things for you to try. If you have a high-power blender, you can try making the base as written above and freezing it into an ice cube tray, then blending the cubes with some extra almond milk. If you don't have a blender, you could try freezing the base into popsicle molds. Both of these options will yield icier, less creamy results than the Creami though.

Live Colorfully

In the Natural World: BE A BIRD NERD

At the risk of sounding nerdy, I've really gotten into birds lately. My husband has always loved birds, and I've progressively come to love them as well (as two PhD scientists, you can imagine how excited we can get about things like this).

Birds are beautiful, interesting, and an important part of the ecosystem. This is an especially great time of year to observe them because most species are migrating and/or nesting. Depending on where you live, you likely have many dozens of bird species near you, so why not learn a bit more about them?

We're big fans of the Merlin birding app, which is a free download (then you download individual "bird packs" depending on where you live, all of which are free). It helps you identify birds using photos or calls, and even has a cool listening feature that tells you what you're hearing.

Curious about who we've been spotting lately? We have an awesome Great Egret family in the marsh near our house. My personal favorite recently has been the American Woodcock, who makes an adorable noise (check out American Woodcock videos if you want to see an incredibly silly bird). My husband has been looking for warblers, since they're migrating through Vermont now, and we especially enjoy the Yellow Warbler (who looks like Tweetybird).

YOUR TURN: Are there any cool birds you've spotted lately? Please reply to this email, I'd love to hear about what you're seeing.

A Book to Explore: THE CALAMITY CLUB

I'm beyond excited that I just got Kathryn Stockett's brand new book, "The Calamity Club". It was just released this past week and I think I was the first person in our library to get it! Stockett also wrote "The Help", one of my all-time favorites, which I talked about in this newsletter issue from last summer.

This is the first time I've recommended a book here that I haven't finished. Given that it just came out a few days ago, I wanted you to be able to get on your library's wait list if you get books that way. I'm about a third of the way through it and am loving it.

Similar to "The Help", "The Calamity Club" is set in rural Mississippi. It takes place during the Depression and follows two intersecting stories: one of an unmarried, independent-thinking woman and one of an orphan girl. If you enjoyed "The Help", then you'll love the characters, themes, and voice of this new book.

Remember that you can always browse my favorite book list if you need 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!