This week we'll explore powerful spinach and a healthier French fry alternative. We'll also delve into an entertaining book challenging our perception of right versus wrong and protein-rich desserts made with chickpeas.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight: SPINACH

This week, I'm excited to celebrate an under-appreciated but powerful ingredient: spinach. It's a cooler-weather green, so early fall is peak spinach season. This time of year, keep an eye out for large spinach leaves, sometimes sold as a loose head; as the season comes to an end, some farms give great deals on it.

Why should you be eating this powerful green? Popeye definitely had it right: spinach is loaded with nutrients. Like many dark leafy greens, it has minerals (like iron and magnesium), vitamins (like A, B6, C, and K), fiber, and even a bit of protein. Plus, since it's very low in calories, you can eat a lot at once without feeling weighed down.

There are many ways to enjoy spinach. In addition to adding it to salads, try it in this Supercharged Green Electrolyte + Protein Smoothie, which I've made every day for breakfast for about the past decade. You can even blend spinach into homemade hummus for extra nutrition and a fabulous green color, like in this eye-catching Green Goddess Hummus.

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 cooked 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

A Book to Explore: NORA ROBERTS, NIGHTWORK

I just finished a good book that I'm excited to share: Nora Roberts' "Nightwork". It tells the story of a boy who becomes a thief to cover the bills for his mom's cancer treatment. The book follows decades of his life from his youth through his adulthood, exploring the reasons (and, oddly, the morals) behind his thievery. Nora Roberts takes a classic "bad guy" and spins the narrative on its head such that the reader ends up really loving the thief.

I've been in a Nora Roberts phase lately and have talked about numerous of her books here over the past several months. Overall, her writing is entertaining and interesting. Although she explores some complex topics, her books still feel light and fun. I always seem to get really into them!

Remember that you can always browse my list of favorite books if you want some additional ideas.

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Self-Care Pick: DESSERTS MADE FROM BEANS?!?

When you were a kid, were you taught that dessert is "bad for you"? Maybe you were conditioned by society to associate dessert with unhealthy ingredients, or to think that dessert should be only an occasional indulgence. This week, I want to challenge your perception of dessert by re-imagining it with nourishing, whole-food ingredients.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we should never enjoy more traditional desserts. But, personally speaking, I'm a big fan of having a treat every evening. Accordingly, I love experimenting with new ways to incorporate good-for-the-body ingredients. One of my favorite dessert ingredients is actually beans!

Yes, that's right, beans (especially chickpeas) are a fabulous ingredient in baked and no-bake treats. They provide structure, thereby negating the need for refined flour. They're also high in protein and fiber, meaning your dessert actually feels satisfying. Since chickpeas have a neutral color and very little taste, they disappear easily underneath flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and peanut butter.

Curious to give it a try? I have numerous dessert recipes on my blog that feature chickpeas:

• ​Tahini Chickpea Blondies (baked, whole chickpeas)
• ​Birthday Cake Protein Bars (no-bake, whole chickpeas)
• ​Chocolate Chickpea Protein Truffles (no-bake, whole chickpeas)
• ​Healthy Vegan High-Protein Banana Bread (baked, chickpea flour)

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!