Coconut VI

Eugene Wu is back with our New Year's Eve (Eve) Cartoon!

The holidays are always challenging on the health. Flying (or driving, or walking) across the country to see loved ones, an endless parade of dinners and lunches, the lack of yoga and gym classes, and the parties. Oh the parties! With such a blur of activities, how can one _not_ feel like Coco the Coconut after the deluge of alcoholic beverages, heavy eggnog, and the lack of hydration?

Well praise science! Let it ring from sea to shining sea that Coco can drink its own medicine.

Dehydrated? Grab a pack of coconut saline and dip it in your veins[1].
Feeling hungry? Chew on some rich coconut flesh, because it's not red meat -- it's white.
Low energy? Drink from a fresh coconut stream and enjoy its supply of copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc[2].
Growing old? Bathe in its wealth of cytokinins and protect yourself from old age and cancer.

Whatever your holiday plans are, stay strong and eat our friend Coco the Coconut, and don't let him go to waste [3].

[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10674546
[2] http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/nutrition-2.pdf
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWSA6vqKPw8

Kale IV

Christmas and kale go together like...um...milk and cookies, pretzels and mustard, and aloo (potatoes) and gobi (cauliflower).  That said, we encourage you to check out this beautiful, Christmas wreath-inspired Kale Christmas Salad by Keri Wise at My Wise Mom.

Asparagus III

Tonight is the first night of Chanukah!  For those of you who wish to honor the holiday without frying (or baking*) up some latkes, consider Aviva Goldfarb's Edible Menorahs as a crunchy, veggie-filled, and festive alternative!

* We have mentioned this before, but we absolutely love this Vegan Baked Latkes recipe by Annie Shannon of Meet the Shannons.

Coconut V

Today's cartoon was inspired by this Coconut Snowflakes recipe by Kate at Real Food RN.  The recipe relies on a single ingredient: coconut butter. Coconut butter, in turn, is composed of only one ingredient: coconut flakes.

Coincidentally we made Homemade Coconut Butter for the first time this past weekend, following these instructions by the famous Angela at Oh She Glows since coconut butter is a crucial ingredient in her Coconut Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies.  Needless to say, the cookies were delicious and we were so proud of ourselves for making our first homemade butter!

Have you tried coconut butter before?

Nutritional Yeast VIII + Kale III

Walking in a vegan winter wonderland of nutritional yeast (snow)flakes and kale trees

Happy December! Here in the Northeastern United States, we are gearing up for winter and the bitter cold that will be keeping us company for quite some time.

Rather than focus on our poor life decisions, we prefer to daydream of warming up with our favorite comfort foods.  Here at Kale Crusaders HQ, we love to munch on nutritional yeast*, kale, pasta, and chickpeas. 

Fortunately Katie at Well Vegan has us covered with her Kale Walnut Pesto Pasta.  Toss some chickpeas on top and then you will achieve the ultimate vegan comfort food quadfecta!

* After an entire month of nutritional yeast cartoons, we couldn't help ourselves.

Nutritional Yeast VII

Welcome to our fourth and final installment of NOOCHvember cartoons!  In honor of our favorite vegan food and our love of themes, each cartoon this month will be devoted to nutritional yeast.  Please follow along with our super-corporate #NOOCHvember hashtag.

NOOCHvember is coming to a close this week.  It's an appropriate time to look ahead: to December, to next year, and to the future.  At this time of reflection and consideration, our friends have been thinking about the next big thing in food spread technology.

As budding futurists, today's cartoon represents one of the first Crusaders' attempts at dreaming up the future of nutritional yeast in the commercial food space.  Noochtella is not just a cheesy spread that you can pour over nachos or noodles.  We're envisioning a product that you would be eager to spread on a piece of toast and call breakfast.

P.S. Our favorite guest cartoonist, Eugene Wu, has had quite a busy year.  In addition to creating today's nooch-tastic cartoon, he also dreamed up a sat-sumo wrestler back in February as well as this year's April Fool's Day cartoon.  Alongside these achievements, Eugene managed to find time this year to complete his Ph.D. and score a faculty position at Columbia University.  Let's cross our fingers that he continues to dream up amazing cartoons for us from way up in those ivory towers.

Nutritional Yeast VI

Welcome to our third installment of NOOCHvember cartoons!  In honor of our favorite vegan food and our love of themes, each cartoon this month will be devoted to nutritional yeast.  Please follow along with our super-corporate #NOOCHvember hashtag.

Today's cartoon says it all.  Vegans go crazy for these mysterious yellow flakes of goodness!

Nutritional Yeast V

Welcome to our second installment of NOOCHvember cartoons!  In honor of our favorite vegan food and our love of themes, each cartoon this month will be devoted to nutritional yeast.  Please follow along with our super-corporate #NOOCHvember hashtag.

It is no secret that we love to poking fun at food logos and creating our own satirical interpretations.  Swiss Chard (Skittles), Butternut Squash (Butterfinger), Chickpea of the Sea, Sun Chokes (Sun Chips) and Coconut (Cool) Whip are a few of our favorites.


Please welcome the newest addition to our collection, inspired by this incredible Nooch-Its recipe by Beth at Eat Within Your Means.  Beth's Nooch-Its are a work of art unto themselves!

Nutritional Yeast IV

Welcome to our first installment of NOOCHvember cartoons!  In honor of our favorite vegan food and our love of themes, each cartoon this month will be devoted to nutritional yeast.  Please follow along with our super-corporate #NOOCHvember hashtag.

We would like to introduce nutritional yeast's (a.k.a nooch's) new look, entitled "Nooch Love." 

Also, happy Election Day to our friends in the United States!  We originally planned to bring you both an Election Day-themed and nooch-inspired cartoon today.  Unfortunately while exploring democracy-related inspiration, we were quickly derailed.  Below is a visual account of how today's cartoon came to be:

While perusing Google Image Search for aforementioned democracy-related inspiration, we were soon distracted by this image:

Which immediately then led to preoccupation with this iconic Robert Indiana LOVE image and subsequent set of sculptures:

Preoccupation then led to obsessive pixel pushing.  In honor of our love of nooch, we decided to contribute our own "version" of the iconic piece.  So there you have it--the creation story for today's "Nooch Love" cartoon.

Nutritional Yeast III

Vegan MoFo 2014 came to a close a mere 30-something days ago, but it already feels like forever.  It was so much fun to participate in such a massive and passionate month-long pep rally for vegan food as both spectators and participants.  It was fun to have a single "Vegan Faux Show" theme for 30 days of cartoons.  Although our cartoons are sometimes seasonally appropriate, our selection is otherwise pretty random, so it is nice for us to follow some semblance of a structure every once in a while.

As the calendar turns to November, many Americans like to focus on the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and more carefully consider what they are thankful for.  We are thankful for many things in our life, including family, friends, the Internet, and Web 2.0 blogging technology.  We're also grateful to have food security and access to our favorite foods, including nutritional yeast. 

So, in honor of our favorite vegan food and our love of themes, we would like to declare November to be NOOCHvember here at Kale Crusaders Headquarters.  Each cartoon this month (5 total) will be devoted to nutritional yeast.  We hope you'll follow along with our super-corporate #NOOCHvember hashtag.  We hope you enjoy!

Cauliflower VI

Purple, orange, green, and white cauliflower are in season right now and they just scream Halloween!  Or maybe it is just us?

Embrace multicolored cauliflower and soup season with this gorgeous Rainbow Cauliflower & Basil Chowder by Yvonne and Julie at The Alkaline Sisters.  Happy Halloween!

Teff

Teff is just begging for puns and cartoons! Teff flour just happens to be a gluten-free and provides a nice stand-in for traditional flour.

During our exhaustive search for teff cookies, we noticed that peanut butter and teff are commonly paired together, as illustrated by these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Teff Cookies by Leslie Cerier. If peanuts are a no-go for you, most other nut butters, including the always allergen-friendly sunflower butter, would be a proper substitute for peanut butter.

Oyster Mushroom

The humble oyster Mushroom is an incredible stand-in for both carnivorous land animal dishes, such as Vegan "Pulled Pork" Sandwich by CJ Bruce at Vegetarian Dude and seafood dishes like Vegan Crab Cakes by Monique at Brown Vegan.

Have you taken the plunge into the world of oyster mushrooms yet?

Chickpea Flour III

Here at Kale Crusaders we pride ourselves for being your go-to resource for breaking (food) news and trends but sometimes we fall short. Case in point: Burmese Tofu (or Shan Tofu) has deep culinary roots in Burma and the hit single Gangnam Style by South Korean musician, Psy, harkens us back to late 2012.

Regardless of our shortcomings, we encourage you to try Burmese Tofu for yourself. Unlike "traditional" tofu, Burmese Tofu is soy-free and consists of mainly chickpea flour, turmeric, and water.  Check out this Burmese Chickpea Tofu recipe by Jennifer Schmidt at Delicious Everyday.

P.S. Just a quick shout-out to our two favorite Burmese restaurants in the States. Burma Superstar in San Francisco and Yoma in Boston, located adjacent to Boston's (kind of) famous "vegan corner."

Eggplant III

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

We kind of thought that we had seen it all when it came to macaroni and cheese. Boy, were we wrong. This eggplant cheese sauce featured in the Vegan Caramelized Onion Mac 'N' Cheese recipe by Dana Shultz at Minimalist Baker took us by surprise and totally blew our minds.

So concludes Vegan MoFo 2014 and 30 posts in 30 days. We had lots of fun and we hope that you did too!  Thank you for joining us and see you next week!

Sauerkraut

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Vegan macaroni and cheese has gotten pretty sophisticated over the years. Some of the earliest recipes relied on lemon juice for tang and depth of flavor.  Then miso paste and tahini emerged on the scene.  And more recently insane ingredients like heart of palm and sauerkraut are tempting us with promises of signature cheesy depth of flavor.

With countless versions of vegan macaroni and cheese under her vegan belt, Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Post Punk Kitchen fame does it yet again with her Mac & Shrews recipe.

Tahini

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

It only takes a bit of tahini to add that little bit of something something to your vegan macaroni and cheese. Perhaps this Creamy {Vegan} Mac & Cheese recipe by Brooke Lark at Cheeky Kitchen will convince you to give tahini a try!

White Beans

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Like our good friend, Chickpea, White Bean makes a great base for creamy, protein-rich soups and sauces. For those of us who have allergy concerns or an appetite for adventure, check out this No-soy, No-nut, Gluten-Free, Vegan Macaroni & "Cheese" recipe by Janae Wise at Bring Joy.

Cauliflower V

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Perhaps it is becoming obvious to you that Cauliflower is desperate for attention.  Not satisfied with his significant roles in breakfast scrambles, pizza crusts, and rice dishes, Cauliflower demanded to be the leading man in one of history's most classic love stories, macaroni and cheese.

Let's indulge Cauliflower one more time with this Vegan Mac and Cheese with Creamy Cauilflower Sauce recipe by Susanna at Divine Healthy Food.

Butternut Squash III

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Believe it or not, winter squashes are beginning to make an appearance in the produce section.  Embrace the upcoming cool season with this comforting Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese by Erin Griffin at Vegan Housewives.

Coconut IV

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Coconut is such a dear.  He butters our bread, whips our cream, and provides bacon-y goodness. Now Coconut is swimming in our mac and cheese! Like cashew cream, coconut milk provides a nice creamy, fatty base for this Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe by Jeanine Donofrio at Love & Lemons.

Pepper II

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Nutritional yeast and turmeric are not the only yellow/orange ingredients in town.  In addition to rounding out the flavor of a cheese sauce, roasted red pepper contributes to the tell-tale orange mac and cheese glow.   This Roasted Red Pepper Mac and Cheese by Erin Wyso at Olives for Dinner will set you on the right track!

Nutritional Yeast II

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Nutritional yeast tends to be a mainstay in many vegan cheese and vegan savory egg recipes. Most vegan macaroni and cheese recipes will include nutritional yeast but a few exceptions are out there, such as VegNew's signature Vegan Macaroni and Cheese.  What we love about this Homemade Vegan Cheese Sauce Powder recipe by Kristi Arnold at Veggie Converter is that we can whip up this powdered sauce in bulk and portion it out for an easy vegan mac and cheese indulgence.

Cashew

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

How can you live without cheese? Typically once people discover a vegan in their presence, this question tends to supersede the classic protein question.  Not to worry, folks. Many vegans miss the salty, cream taste and texture of cheese while creating some incredible replacements for it.

If you check out a vegan cooking blog, there is a great chance that there is one (or five) vegan macaroni and cheese recipe somewhere in the archives.  Most of us who grew up in North America associate mac and cheese with childhood comfort. Blended cashews transform into an incredible cream sauce that can be used for sweet or savory use.  Angela at Vegangela shows us how it is done with her Best Vegan Mac & Cheese recipe.

Tofu IV + Butternut Squash II

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Since today is the last day of our 10-day ode to egg-like vegan breakfast foods, we wanted to close out this momentous occasion with an impressive vegan food fake-out.  Commonly known as either "Egg in a basket" or "Toad in the Hole", this clever concoction by Vanessa Rees (via Jamie K at Save the Kales) consists of a classic vegan egg component (tofu) and a dark horse ingredient (an orange squash such as butternut squash).

P.S. We had an awesome chat and #veganmofo roundup with @TheSexyVegan. Check it out here: http://www.thesexyvegan.com/home/panini

Tofu III

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Ah, the tofu quiche, a vegan brunch classic! With savory spices and custard-like filling, tofu quiche is crowd-pleaser, for sure.  Like its traditional counterpart, tofu quiche is great container for creative fillings and/or the random edible items remaining at the bottom of your crisper drawer. For more inspiration, check out this Vegan Quiche by Chris at The Vegan Zombie.

Chickpea Flour II

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Chickpea flour is back again for some more breakfast! Chickpea flour is a natural when it comes to egg-less breakfast.  All you need is some seasoning, a hot surface, and some flipping confidence. Before you know it you have yourself a vegan omelette like this one by Cristina Carolan (Chef Veggie) at Veggie Bytes.

Nuts + Seeds

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

While we've mentioned before that vegan, gluten-free, Paleo, low-fat, and allergen-free crowds whip up some inventive dishes as a result as a result of dietary restrictions, we neglected to include raw vegans in that list.

Broadly, raw vegans believe that there are health benefits to consuming a diet that consists mostly of food that has not been heated beyond 118 °F. Nuts and seeds play major roles as protein sources in a raw vegan diet and this Raw Vegan & Gluten Free Veggie Scramble by Chef Teri Vlaskamp at Global Raw exemplifies the incredibly creative and delicious spirit of raw veganism.

Corn III

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

As you may have witnessed by the last five days of egg-less scrambles, the vegan scramble space is pretty crowded.  Polenta scrambles are still kind of under the egg-less scramble radar but, fortunately we were able to track down this gorgeous Polenta Scramble recipe at Veganize Everything.

Cauliflower IV

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

According to so-called food experts, cauliflower is the new kale.  While we find it quite entertaining to envision kale and cauliflower competing in hand-to-hand combat for our love, we are mostly just excited that so-called food experts and influencers are excited about veggies rather than bacon-wrapped-something.

According to our so-called research, cauliflower's role at the breakfast table has not been adequately studies or appreciated.  Whip up this Cauliflower Scramble by Katharine Freeman at The Left Hand Chef and be part of the next, next big thing!  

Chickpea Flour

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

Along with nutritional yeast, chickpea flour is akin to magic vegan fairy dust. Given chickpea flour's status, we felt that its post merited its own unique title rather than simply "Chickpea VI." Take a peak at the Chickpea Flour Scramble recipe by Sayward Rebhal at Bonzai Aphrodite and prepare yourself for a breakfast revelation.

Tempeh II

In September, we're posting one cartoon per day as part of Vegan MoFo. Our theme, *Vegan Faux Show*, showcases various methods for creating vegan versions of classic foods like bacon, eggs, and cheese.

So Tempeh is making another appearance during Vegan MoFo 2014. For those of you who do not know, Tofu and Tempeh have a bit of a friendly rivalry going on. Tempeh feels like he is living in the shadow of Tofu.  Tofu gets a lot of the attention (both positive and negative) while Tempeh receives confused looks.

Tofu Scrambles are all the rage on breakfast menus across the country but Tempeh Scrambles are a lesser known, homemade affair.  Help a Tempeh brother out and check out the Tempeh Scramble by Ty at Vegan Derby Cat Party.