This week we'll explore red onions and creamy tahini sauces. We'll also delve into rethinking the idea of selfishness and some thoughts about supplements for a plant-focused diet.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: RED ONION

Winter is the time for root veggies to really shine. These versatile veggies have a long storage life; in the old days of root cellars, January would mean you'd be down to the heartiest roots like onions, parsnips, and rutabaga. This week, I want to celebrate the humble red onion.

Red onions have a wonderful flavor, especially when caramelized or grilled. If you're a caramelized onion fan, you'll definitely want to try this Caramelized Onion Guacamole. It's an easy, healthy, and unique dip that makes red onion the star of the show (you might want to bookmark it for a Super Bowl party too!).

Speaking of Super Bowl snacks in which red onion plays a key role, this Nacho Cabbage is another fun one. Diced red onion gets caramelized in a skillet, mixed into a quick chili-like filling, and dolloped into cabbage scoops instead of chips. Feel free to add all your favorite nacho toppings.

Next time the winter blues have you down, reach for this versatile purple root veggie. Grill it (probably on an indoor grill pan this time of year) or caramelize it in a skillet, then add it to all your favorite salads, dips, soups, and stews.

Try This Week: TAHINI SAUCES

Do you ever find yourself wanting to make a salad or a bowl meal feel more special but you're not sure what to add?

My solution is usually a tahini drizzle. Tahini has a decadently creamy texture that makes any dish instantly feel more indulgent. It also adds some protein and healthy fats, so it's a perfect addition to a salad or other veggie-filled dish. This works great with just straight tahini, or you can mix it with some citrus juice and a dash of maple syrup to make a flavorful drizzle. My personal favorite is this three-ingredient Turmeric Tahini Sauce.

My biggest advice: get a really good tahini. Some store brands can be bitter and grainy. 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.

Interested in learning more about tahini, including other ways to use it? I have a comprehensive tahini guide on my blog.

Live Colorfully

A Podcast to Explore: RECLAIMING THE WORD SELFISH

Last week, I re-listened to one of my favorite podcast episodes, which I wanted to share with you all. It was episode 395 of the Zen Founder podcast, called "Reclaiming a Bad Word: Maybe Selfish is Good". This episode focused on re-framing the idea of selfishness.

This episode talks about how crafting our sense of self is the ultimate creative endeavor of our lives. Focusing on our priorities, needs, and desires, as well as our pleasure and play, is how we cultivate who we are and our role in the world. It is only from a place of truly knowing ourselves that we can then serve others and make an impact.

The episode argues that the idea of selfishness has been misunderstood. It's not "selfish" to tend to your own needs, prioritize your health, draw boundaries, and intentionally shape yourself.

What do you think? Does this message speak to you? I think women especially can fall into a trap of always sacrificing for others. This podcast episode makes the point that we should serve others from a place of our own inner abundance, rather than from a place of losing ourselves.

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Self-Care Pick: SUPPLEMENTS FOR A PLANT-FOCUSED DIET

I've been getting a lot of questions about supplements lately, so I figured we should dedicate the self-care section this week to supplements.

My biggest piece of advice? Don't just guess about whether you should be adding supplements to your routine. With some very standard blood work that your general practitioner can order, you can get actual data about your blood levels rather than just guessing. Many health insurance plans cover standard blood work, so you may be able to do it with no out-of-pocket cost. It's always better to make your decision based on real data.

If you choose to use supplements, I suggest paying attention to the ingredients in the same way as you do with your food. If you're vegetarian or vegan, note that most omega supplements are derived from fish and most collagen supplements are derived from cows; if you want to avoid those, make sure to specifically look for an algae-based omega (instead of fish oil) and plant-based collagen-building peptides (instead of bovine collagen).

You won't necessarily find your favorites overnight; this has been a process that has taken me years. It's okay to experiment and refine as necessary. However, here are some of my discoveries that I hope can streamline your search:

• Omegas: I use Sunwarrior vegan DHA. It's the only algae-based omega I've ever found (and I've tried lots!) that doesn't have a stinky smell and aftertaste.
• Collagen-building peptides (= not true collagen, which comes from animal bones): I use the Sprout Living vegan collagen-enhancing protein powder in my smoothie every morning. It tastes good and you can easily mix it into smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, etc. Use the code ROGUE to get 20% off all their products.
• Creatine: I use Sunwarrior creatine in my smoothie every morning and have found it to be hugely beneficial for my strength training and recovery.
• Electrolytes: I use Buoy unsweetened, unflavored electrolyte drops throughout the day (you can save 20% if you shop through the link). I also use Sunwarrior Liquid Light in my green smoothie every morning. Both have been transformative for me.
• Vitamins and minerals: I also take Vitamin D, and a C/B12/Iron complex a couple times a week, both based on blood work.

It's important to note that supplements should be an add-on to a healthy diet full of diverse veggies, fruits, and other whole foods; supplements are definitely not a bandaid for a poor diet. Of course, your best course of action is to chat with your GP or nutritionist. Hopefully some of these points above give you a starting point for questions to ask at your next visit.

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!