Clementine

The next time you wonder if it's an appropriate time of day to eat a clementine, refer to the chart above.  And if you're wondering how to pack enough clementine into your system, here are some hints:

Breakfast: Ambrosia Breakfast Bowl
Lunch: Clementine Ginger Almond Rice
Snack: Creamsicle Smoothie
Dinner: Clementine Teriyaki
Dessert: Clementine, Basil and Lime Sorbet

Freekeh

What do you get when regular old Wheat and Freekeh (a.k.a. Green Wheat) switch places for a Friday and learn a tender lesson at the end of the day?  Freaky Friday might have gone through many remakes, but none like this.

Among the crazy fish-out-of-water scenarios, Freekeh finds himself in delicious dishes, including kabocha squash stuffed with roasted green wheat and peppers, freekeh tabbouleh, freekeh with mixed vegetables, and freekeh breakfast pudding.  Happy Friday!

Okra

Happy Chanukah!  What's not to love about a holiday that involves fried food (latkes), spinning tops (dreidels), and playing with fire (lighting candles)?

Please don't light Okra on fire (although roasted okra is pretty tasty), since he lends himself to both spinning and frying (okra fritters are kind of like okra latkes).  If you are looking for something a little less fried, check out pickled okra, sweet and sour okra, or quick stir-fried okra with fresh tomatoes and turmeric.  Happy eating!

Winners

After a great deal of back and forth, a few tears, and finally a lot of hugging it out, we are proud to announce Rambutan and Ghost Pepper as the Halloween Costume Parade winners! 

When Rambutan heard the news, he could not believe that he would have to share his title with Ghost Pepper and demanded a recount. While recounting set us back a bit (we promise that's why it took us so long to announce the winners!), we hope printing T-shirts will take less time.

Lest we forget our favorite fans, both Rambutan and Ghost Pepper each selected a reader to win a free T-shirt. The winners are e (@sirrice) and drMikey!  Please email us at info@kalecrusaders.com with your mailing address and T-shirt size!

Snow Pea

Snow Pea is a little sad to see the colorful autumn leaves fade, but he's super-excited for the promise of winter fun.  Sipping hot cocoa, sledding, and building snow(pea)men are just a few of Mr. Pea's favorite cold weather activities.

For those of us who prefer to escape the cold weather and seek refuge in the kitchen, you are in good company with miso vinaigrette snow peas, snow pea salad, stir-fried snow peas, red pepper and shallots, snow peas with mustard seed paste, and snow peas, tofu & ramen stir fry.  If you're in the northern hemisphere, stay warm, and if you live anywhere, stay fed!

Black Bean

In times of gastrointestinal distress and shopping, it's good to have a constant in your life.  Black Bean Friday is a day to appreciate all of the tasty food experiences you've had this year, and then go back to your old standby, Señor Frijol Negro.

Bring on the day of beans with Caesar salad, Mexican bean & rice soup, chilli, homemade vegan refried beans, and black bean brownies!

Cranberry Bean

Happy (American) Thanksgiving Week!  It's the most wonderful time of the year: a time to give thanks for the season's bounty while being grateful for the modern and awesome food innovation of canned cranberry sauce.

It's too bad that Cranberry's not-so-blood-related-cousin, Cranberry Bean, does not take well to canning.  Luckily, Ms. Bean fits in well elsewhere, including fresh cranberry bean hummus with chervil, fresh cranberry bean pilaf, vegetable soup with cranberry beans, farro, and chard, and fresh cranberry beans and tomato stew.

P.S. We owe yet another hat tip to our friend and Kale Crusader A.J. for nominating Cranberry Bean!

Yuca

If Prune can be rebranded a Dried Plum, why can't Yuca (pronounced yuck-ah) rebrand himself as Yuma (pronounced yum-ah)?  He might look less than appealing on the outside, but at least he's trying to make a name for himself.

Whatever pet name you choose for Yuca, he's always delicious in baked yuca fries, yuca con mojo, mashed yuca with cilantro and lime, and  tapioca pudding. Yum!

Persimmon

We interrupt this blog for a Persimmon Service Announcement.  Like Simon, Persimmon says a lot of things that you should listen to, when prefaced with "Persimmon Says."

Asked for his general advice on eating, Persimmon replied, "Eat persimmons, never too much, mostly ripe."  He also wants you to eat persimmon, pear, and clementine salad, raw persimmon fruit pudding, persimmon bars, and persimmon ice cream.

Root Vegetables

Back to our regularly scheduled cartoons! There's something magical when like-minded individuals come together to create something creative, beautiful, and tasty.  Fan favorites like The Roots have been doing this for 25 years, but nothing beats the Root Vegetables, who have been doing this for, um, a much longer time.

Let the Root Vegetables perform music in your mouth with root vegetable pancakes, root vegetable and fennel casserole, root vegetable pot pie, and lil roasted root veggies.

P.S. Don't forget to vote for your favorite Halloween Costume by this Sunday at 12:00 PM EST Vote here!!!