This week we'll explore walnuts and ginger wellness shots. We'll also delve into a book about friendship and tips for stocking a healthy pantry.

Eat Colorfully

Seasonal Ingredient Spotlight

As we near mid-October, this is the perfect time to enjoy one of the fall’s greatest and most decadent gifts: walnuts. These powerful nuts have protein, healthy fats, minerals like magnesium, and they're also an excellent source of omegas. They have more omega-3's than any other tree nut.

What can you do with walnuts? The options are endless! Here are some ways you can enjoy them:

• Munch on them as a snack, using this Maple Rosemary Cayenne Roasted Nuts recipe.
• Add them into salads, like this Vegan Brussels Sprouts Waldorf Salad.
• Use them to add crunch and nutrition to a cozy main course like this Vegan Wild Rice Stuffed Delicata Squash.
• Bake them into granola, like this easy Banana Bread Granola.
• Bake them into desserts, like these nourishing Chai-Spiced Pear Crumble Bars, which have an oat and walnut crust.

What I'm Loving Right Now

I’ve gotten a lot of questions in my Instagram DMs recently about some of the juicing recipes I’ve been sharing, so this week I wanted to introduce you to my absolute daily must-have: ginger shots.

There are many health benefits associated with ginger, in particular digestive benefits. I make a big batch of these ginger shots every weekend, then I enjoy one each day in the early evening, right before dinner. I prefer doing them on an empty stomach, since I feel like the ginger juice warms up my whole digestive system.

Homemade ginger shots are easy to make if you have a juicer. Just juice a huge piece of ginger and two peeled lemons, then add a very generous sprinkle cinnamon afterward. If you find the ginger too assertive, you can also stir in a dollop of maple syrup or honey.

If you’re looking to get yourself a fabulous wellness gift, I recommend the Nama J2 juicer so highly. It’s the one we have in our kitchen at home and we use it numerous times each week. It’s incredibly powerful and has absolutely no trouble with super-fibrous fruits and veggies like ginger. If you use the code BRUSSELSPROUT10 on Nama's online shop, you’ll save 10% on the J2, the smaller J3, or the juicer/blender combo C2, as well as any of the accessories (like the fun sorbet attachment!).

Live Colorfully

What I'm Listening To

Have you read any of Kristin Hannah’s books? Long-time members of this newsletter community will know that I’m a big fan of her work and have read almost all of her books. Recently, I’ve been dipping back into some of her older books and just finished Firefly Lane.

Like many of Kristin Hannah's books, this one is not a light read. The story follows two women, who are close friends but take very different paths in life. It’s a book about friendship, how we sustain meaningful relationships with people who are different than us, and the choices women have to make about their families and careers. It has a lot of really beautiful parts, but also very sad parts.

If you enjoy Kristin Hannah's books, you might want to check this one out, especially since it's older and less well-known. Remember that you can always browse my list of favorite books for ideas. Please feel free to pass along book recommendations if you’ve read something good lately; I’d love to hear what you’re enjoying.

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Self-Care Pick

I've been getting a bunch of great questions lately about pantry items. To share some of my favorites, I've put together a healthy pantry list that I hope will be helpful to you. These are the products I have in my own pantry at all times.

Having a well-stocked pantry is hugely important for taking care of yourself. If you have good ingredients on-hand, you'll easily be able to make healthy meals even if you don't have much left in the fridge. Additionally, having delicious options at home might make you less tempted by take-out or pre-made meals.

Some of my favorite pantry items that I always have on-hand:

• Alternative pastas. There are such great bean-based pastas available now that are high in protein and fiber. There are also some great, lighter noodles made from hearts of palm. There's nothing better when you need a fast but nourishing meal.
• Whole grains. Quinoa, farro, wild rice, and whole oats are staples that you can use in a myriad of ways.
• Nuts and seeds. These are a fabulous source of protein and healthy fats, especially on a plant-based diet. Hint: keep them in the freezer after they're opened for maximum freshness.
• Shelf-stable tofu. There are a few different types of silken tofu that come in shelf-stable boxes; keep a few stashed away for times when you've been traveling and get home late at night to an empty fridge.
• Beans. Although it's great to cook beans from scratch, cans are incredibly convenient, especially when you're short on time. I always have at least chickpeas and black beans. Because you don't need to cook them, they're a great add-in to virtually any meal.
• Nut butters. Opt for natural nut butters with just two ingredients: nuts and salt. (Pay attention to the ingredient lists, since most mainstream brands add sneaky oils and sugars).
• Alternative flours. Almond flour, coconut flour, and chickpea flour are all so much more nutrient-dense than refined flour and they have great flavors and textures too. There are lots of recipes for baking with alternative flours for you to explore on my blog.
• Alternative sweeteners. Coconut sugar and date sugar are my favorites, and I really like date syrup for a liquid sweetener. All are less processed, more nutrient-dense, and more flavorful than white sugar.

Do you have any lingering pantry questions? Want recommendations for any specific categories or individual items? Feel free to drop me an email or an Instagram DM any time. I'm happy to keep adding items to this pantry list if it's useful. Cheers and happy pantry-stocking!

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!