This week we'll explore sugar snap peas and birthday cake bars made from chickpeas. We'll also delve into the cutest shoreline birds and three new supplement recommendations that you might want to explore.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: SUGAR SNAP PEAS

One of summer's greatest pleasures is the delightful crunch of sugar snap peas. Especially if you can get your hands on local (or even homegrown) sugar snaps, they're a seasonal treat that's worth celebrating. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use them:

• Keep them raw and whole, then dunk them into hummus as an appetizer or a happy hour snack. I love them with this herb-filled, brightly colored Green Goddess Hummus.
• Give them a very quick sear in a hot skillet with a little splash of coconut oil and some salt, then toss them on top of a salad, into pasta, or into a bowl meal. Just a couple minutes at high heat keeps them crisp while enhancing the flavor.
• Slice them and toss them into a summer salad like my favorite Rainbow Vegan Chopped Salad, this Watermelon, Snap Pea, and Mint Salad, or this Grilled Corn, Blueberry, and Snap Pea Salad. Bonus: all three of these salads are great for bringing on a picnic since they don't contain greens, which wilt easily.

Try This Week: BIRTHDAY CAKE BARS MADE FROM CHICKPEAS

Yes, you read that title correctly; these nostalgic Birthday Cake Protein Bars are made from chickpeas. Before you get all concerned, let me assure you that the chickpeas disappear completely, both in terms of flavor and texture. They yield a delightfully decadent, creamy filling that's reminiscent of cheesecake.

I'm sharing these birthday cake bars with you this week because my birthday is this Thursday, the 17th. It's a big one too... I'm turning 40! But whether you have a summer birthday or not, I'm excited for you to try these nutrient-dense bars. These beauties are:

• Vegan
• Grain-free and hence gluten-free
• High in protein and fiber thanks to chickpeas
• Rich in healthy fats thanks to almonds
• Naturally-sweetened with dates (in the crust) and maple syrup (in the filling)
• Easy to make and require no baking
• Deliciously indulgent, yet secretly healthy

Live Colorfully

In the Natural World: THE CUTEST SANDPIPERS

This week, my husband and I are headed up to the coast in Maine for my annual beach birthday getaway. I hope we'll be sharing my birthday week with my favorite tiny shore birds, the Piping Plovers. We always walk endless miles on the beach and have dinner picnics on the sand, so we'll have a lot of opportunities to look for them.

Piping Plovers are quite rare now due to habitat destruction in shoreline environments. Depending on the sub-species, they were listed as either threatened or endangered during the 80's, which led to efforts to save their habitat and nesting areas. Their populations have done better since, but even so their numbers are likely still in the thousands. This is one of many reasons why it's important to preserve shoreline environments and to stay out of the dunes.

These tiny migratory shore birds make an incredible journey twice a year, flying thousands of miles between their wintering grounds in the south (southeastern US, Gulf of Mexico, and even the Caribbean), all the way up to the beaches in New England. Unlike many other pipers, they're not tall and lean; rather, they're quite plump, fluffy, and round.

If you're headed to the beach this summer, keep your eyes out for the huge diversity of birds that call it home. You might consider doing some reading ahead of time to learn about who you could see, or using a birding app while you're there (we love the Merlin app).

Self-Care Pick: THREE NEW SUPPLEMENTS TO TRY

Do you add supplements to your diet? Whether you're a supplement pro or a supplement newbie, I have three less common ones to share that you may not be familiar with. All three of these have made huge differences in my overall wellness and especially my energy/recovery, which is why I'm excited to share them with you.

As always, please do your own research and consult a doctor or nutritionist before diving in.

1. ​Creatine. Creatine is an amino acid complex critical for muscle creation, muscle repair, and also cognitive health. We make creatine naturally in our bodies, but it also comes from food sources and in particular animal proteins (which is why this may be an especially important supplement for plant-based eaters). There has been a lot of new research on creatine, especially regarding its importance to brain function. Personally speaking, my husband and I both added this supplement about a year and a half ago and it has made huge differences for both of us in our weight lifting recovery.
2. ​Liquid Light. This supplement contains a wealth of rare minerals, including hard-to-find trace minerals like selenium. Those minerals are bound up in fulvic acid, a naturally occurring organic acid, to assist with cellular absorption. Personally, after adding this into my routine several years ago, I noticed big changes in my overall energy levels and stamina.
3. ​Glutamine. Another amino acid, glutamine is important for both muscle creation and gut health. In particular, it aids with recovery, healing, fighting infection, and maintaining (or healing) the lining of the gut. Like creatine, our bodies produce glutamine but we also get it from foods. Also like creatine, the richest food sources are animal proteins, meaning that plant-based eaters may not get enough, especially during times of physical stress. Personally, this is my newest supplement addition but I've already noticed a difference in my recovery after weight lifting days.

Curious about more common supplements? This newsletter issue from May contains protein powder tips and brand suggestions. This newsletter issue from February discusses supplementing for a plant-based diet.

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. Your best course of action is to chat with your GP or nutritionist. Hopefully some of these ideas 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!