This week we'll explore shishito peppers and a healthier french fry alternative. We'll also delve into the upcoming fall equinox and why this is the perfect time of year to watch a sunset.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: SHISHITO PEPPERS

This week, I'm excited to introduce you to (or remind you of) a great ingredient that might be at your local farmers market right now: shishito peppers. These tasty peppers are especially fun because their heat level is variable and unpredictable. Most are quite mild, but about one in every 10 to 20 is spicy. You never know what you're going to get! Don't worry though, the "hot" ones aren't too hot; most "spicy" shishitos have considerably less heat than a jalapeño, so they're not painful.

The most common way to cook shishitos is in a skillet over high heat. They cook very quickly and their skin blisters, making them tender and flavorful. They're a great and easy finger food to serve as an appetizer or happy hour snack, especially if salted generously and served with a dipping sauce. We love them on a Friday night alongside some margaritas and guacamole.

One of my favorite ways to use shishitos, however, is in a salad. Their delicate heat is the perfect complement to sweet fruit like mango or pineapple. If you want to try shishitos in a less traditional way, check out this Blistered Shishito Pepper and Mango Salad.

Try This Week: CARROT FRIES

Looking for a comfort food dish that won't weigh you down? Or maybe a gameday recipe featuring healthy ingredients? I have just the thing: carrot fries!

Intrigued? Carrot fries are easy to make at home and are a much healthier alternative. They have the same appeal as regular fries, but they're not deep-friend in oil and are made from vitamin-rich, fiber-rich carrots. All you need to do is cut full-sized carrots into sticks. Toss them in a dash of olive oil and air-fry them at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, until tender but not soft. They should be delicately browned on the outside. Salt them generously right when they come out, then top them however you like.

Our current greatest love is to pair carrot fries with a simple maple mustard tahini dressing. I just mix a few spoonfuls of tahini with a bit of homemade coarse-grained mustard, a dash of maple syrup, and some salt. You can get the detailed recipe (both for the fries and the sauce) in this blog post. Give them a try next "Fryday" night and let me know what you think!

Live Colorfully

In the Natural World: THE FALL EQUINOX

This Tuesday, September 22, marks the official beginning of fall. But do you know how fall is actually defined and what event specifically kicks it off?

Called the equinox, this is a special moment in which the Earth's tilt passes through its midpoint. During the northern hemisphere's winter, we (in the northern hemisphere) are tilted away from the sun; conversely, during the summer, we're tilted toward the sun. At the equinox, that tilt comes through its midpoint as the Earth continues to rotate around the sun. So, at the fall equinox, the northern hemisphere is beginning the half of Earth's orbit during which it will be tilted away from the sun.

It's important to note that this is a gradual transition that has been happening ever since we had our longest day on summer solstice in June; that's why our days in the northern hemisphere have been getting progressively shorter. We'll continue losing daylight until winter solstice in December, then slowly begin gaining it again as our journey around the sun progresses. The equinox marks the time around which we'll be experiencing the fastest decrease in daylight, so you'll be noticing really big changes if you live at the higher latitudes.

Self-Care Pick: EARLIER SUNSETS

Are darker days and cooler temperatures getting you down? Especially since we're at the equinox right now (see the section above), we're losing daylight fast. However, there are a few silver linings to the darker days. For example, a few weeks ago we chatted about fall rainbows (easier to spot with the lower sun angle!). Then, last week, we explored why September evenings are the perfect time for a bonfire.

This week's fall silver lining? You can see the sunset earlier! At the height of summer, the sun sets so late (especially here in northern Vermont) that it can actually be hard to watch the sunset if you go to bed early. This time of year, though, the sun sets much earlier, before 7:00PM. That means you can easily catch the sunset and still make it to bed early. As an added bonus, still-warm temperatures make it comfortable to stay out after the sun goes down, unlike later in the fall.

Want to see some sunsets this week? Try going on a walk or hike after dinner somewhere with a westward view. You can look up local sunset times online, and you'll see the sunset time in your weather app if you have an iPhone.

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!