Lembas for Breakfast and Brunch

Lembas

6701 Burnet Rd
Austin, TX 78757
Tuesday-Friday: 7 am - 11 am
Saturday & Sunday: 8 am - 2 pm


***UPDATE 5/8/12 - The Lembas trailer was damaged and is out of commission for now. Please help support them by ordering online. They would be happy to deliver!
Delivery Menu: http://www.lembasaustin.com/dmenu.pdf

Enjoying a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning by skipping out on doing the dishes and heading somewhere close for breakfast is something that is made more difficult when switching to a gluten and dairy-free diet. Thanks to Lembas, it is easier to get my guys out of bed on the weekends with the promise of coffee, green eggs and ham, homemade gluten-free bread and gluten-free chocolate scones. 

Although math has never been my strong suit, let me share a very important equation. Gluten-free chocolate scone = Happy Kid. Happy Kid = Mommy and Daddy get to drink coffee while it is still hot and enjoy a slow Saturday or Sunday morning catching up while our son runs his cars along the picnic table. 

I first heard about Lembas, the cute little chartreuse food trailer located on the Burnet Road Farmers' Market grounds, from a few fellow Austin Food Bloggers, ATX Gluten Free and Austin Food Carts. Many of the ingredients are sourced locally including eggs, coffee, honey, pork belly and pecans. 

All locally sourced ingredients are listed on their menu board. There are several baked goods to choose from and they will arrive at your table with about the most friendly service you could ask for. 

There is plenty of room to lounge with coffee in one hand and scone in the other at one of the shaded picnic tables. If you happen to go on Saturday morning, you can pick up your local produce and from the Burnet Road Farmers' Market from 9 am - 1 pm. 

On Saturdays and Sundays they stay open into the early afternoon so that you can enjoy your brunch whenever you'd like and did I mention that it is BYOB? 

If you really can't drag yourself out of bed, then host a brunch at your casa instead because Lembas delivers and even has party trays for your hungry crew. Or, maybe you want to treat mom to their Tea Time Treats with mini cookies, cupcakes and brownie bites on her special day. 

Lavender Loquat Jelly - Food & Community

People around Austin are feeling the love for loquats this spring. Those mysterious orange orbs decorating the trees all over Austin are actually edible! A mild winter allowed these winter blooming trees to bear spring fruits in abundance. People are curious about how to enjoy loquats and it seems that everyone is talking about them. At my son's school, recipes were shared over coffee. I sat and chatted with neighbors and farmers over possible jelly flavor combinations using fresh mint from the garden or which sweetener might work best. I read Edible Austin's list of 5 Things to Do with Loquats in their monthly newsletter...loquat cobbler cups or simple syrup, anyone? 

 Several of our neighbors were kind enough to let us lighten their trees in exchange for the promise of loquat jelly. I called my sister, a Master Gardener in California, to see if she had any ideas on loquat jelly making. She remembered that my stepmom used to make loquat jelly when we were young. When I called my stepmom to see if she had any recipes,  she laughed telling me that there were several jars of loquat jelly made with her mother's help at our childhood home. I was just too young to remember. It sounds a lot like a story I remember of making too many sugar cookies with her sister at Christmas one year...

When I told Clay that we could pick the loquats in the neighborhood, he was almost halfway out the door ready to harvest before I could finish my sentence. Harvesting is, after all, one of his favorite things to do in spring. He wanders our backyard garden each morning in search of anything ready to pick. Many times over the last few weeks he has come into the house beaming saying, "I love spring!". 

So, we headed over and filled up our berry picking box with tart, not-quite-ripe loquats and headed home to make our first batch of jelly. The taste of a loquat is almost that of a sour lemon when it isn't completely ripe, so when mixed with honey in a jam it has sort of a lemonade jelly sort of flavor. 

Clay with his kid-safe knife, helped to slice the loquats in half, remove the stems and seeds before simmering in the pot, a task he later told me was SO MUCH FUN! I just enjoyed making something special with him by my side and having him experience making something delicious out of a fruit that might have gone unnoticed.


I suggest spreading some loquat jelly on Elana's Gluten and Dairy-Free Biscuits. We made ours with honey instead of agave and you could use lavender or orange blossom honey as well. Or, try some loquat jelly into your favorite yogurt or dairy-free yogurt. The honey gives it a very spreadable texture. 

Lavender Loquat Jelly
Yields 6 Pint Jars of Jelly

One large bowl of rinsed loquats (you can use any extra juice for other recipes or drink over ice) - you will want 4 cups of loquat juice for this recipe ***Look for ripe golden orange loquats without bruising or damage if possible. If you prefer tart loquats, pick them when they are a yellowish-orange color. 

4 teaspoons Pomona's Pectin, a 100% pure citrus pectin (available at Wheatsville)


4 teaspoons calcium water (included in Pomona's Pectin box. Mix 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder with 1/2 cup water in a small, clear jar and store in fridge)

1/2 -1 cup of local honey depending on desired sweetness, we love Goodflow Wildflower Honey, Round Rock Honey or Imagine Lavender Honey or infuse with culinary lavender wrapped in cheesecloth and tied with butcher's twine before you boil the juice



1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice


water

Begin by preparing your kitchen so that you can move seamlessly through the process. You can also start the loquats simmering and spend that time preparing everything else for the jelly making! You will want an uninterrupted 30 minutes of time once you start the jelly making. 

6 pint size mason jars or 12 half pint mason jars (make sure they are new lids or use the Tattler reusable lids available at Wheatsville) 


one large pot for sterilizing jars, rings and lids


one large pot for simmering halved loquats and water to make juice


one heavy bottomed pot for making jelly

jelly strainer for the juice set over a large bowl (as shown in photo)


ladle


small bowl for combining pectin & honey


jar lifting tongs for lifting hot jars out of pot

tongs for squeezing loquats in the jelly strainer


clean rubber gloves


one jelly roll sheet or cake pan for finished jelly jars to make them easy to move


non-slip cutting board and knife for halving loquats


bowl for seeds and stems


measuring cups and spoons


2 clean handtowels, one for wiping lids and rings for jars and the other for wiping the jar lids


skimming tool or bamboo skimmer/spider in case you have bubbles in your jars before sealing them

1. Wash your hands. Fill the large pot 3/4 full with water, then put the clean mason jars, lids and rings in the large pot. Make sure they are completely submerged in the water. Bring the water to a boil and make sure the water stays hot until you are ready to fill the jars with jelly. Prepare the calcium water needed for the Pomona's Pectin by combining 1/2 teaspoon calcium powder with 1/2 cup of filtered water in a small, clear jar. Follow the directions in the Pomona's Pectin box for storing the calcium water. Set aside. 


2. Begin by taking your bowl of loquats and cutting them in half lengthwise and removing the seeds and stems and any bruised portions. Collect the halved and seeded loquats in a bowl. Put the seeds and stems in another bowl to compost (or plant!). 


3. In a large pot, add the loquats and enough water to cover them. Turn the pot on high heat until the water boils, then turn down to a simmer and let them simmer until the liquid reduces by about half. It could take an hour or so. You can also use a potato masher to get more of the juice out once they are soft, just push gently so that the hot juice doesn't burn you. 

4. Make sure your jelly strainer is placed securely on a bowl. Using your ladle, ladle a small amount of loquats and juice at a time into the jelly strainer and with your rubber gloves on, use your tongs to squeeze the liquid out of the strainer into the bowl below, careful to do this gently so that you do not burn yourself. Repeat until you have squeezed out all of the juice possible. You will need about 8 cups of the loquat and juice mixture from the pot to yield 4 cups of loquat juice.  Once you have measured out 4 cups of loquat juice, set the bowl aside.



5. With your rubber gloves on, use the jar lifter tongs to safely remove the jars, lids and rings from the boiling water, being sure to pour any water in the jars out before filling. Set your clean, sterilized jars and rings on a jelly roll pan or cake pan. Make sure everything is ready to go so that you are ready to ladle the jelly into the jars when the jelly is ready. 


6.  In a small bowl, combine 1/2 -1 cup of honey (depending on desired sweetness and the sweetness of the loquats) with 4 teaspoons Pomona's Pectin and set aside.


7. Ladle 4 cups of loquat juice and 1/4 cup of lemon juice into the small heavy bottomed pot. (If you would like, infuse the culinary lavender bag at this point for 15 minutes and then remove). Add the honey and pectin mixture and stir rapidly as the mixture comes to a boil. Allow it to boil 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat. Skim off any bubbles or foam that appear at the top. 

8. Using the ladle, fill each jar leaving 1/4" headspace at the top of the jar. Wipe rims clean and screw on the two piece lids. Using the jar lifter tongs, carefully place jars in the boiling water for no longer than 10 minutes. After that point the pectin starts to break down. Make sure the jars are completely submerged in the water. 


9. The pectin starts to gel when it cools. Set on a counter for 2 hours then place in fridge for 24 hours before enjoying. You'll hear the "ping" of the jars sealing within about 10 minutes of taking them out of the water bath and the lids should be sucked down in the middle if they have a good seal. 




***Because this recipe uses honey instead of sugar, the Pomona's Pectin instructions dictate that it lasts up to one year unopened, although the flavor and color may start to decrease after 6 months. Enjoy within 3 weeks of opening and store in fridge. 

Check out some other great ways to use your loquats at Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking

Crisco, Pickles & Sage - Food & Family - Part I

My paternal grandmother, who we affectionately called "Tutu", the Hawaiian name for grandmother (or "kuku wahine") after a trip to Hawaii, was a collector of cookbooks and recipes torn from the pages of Southern Living that can be found tucked into her many cookbooks. Some of her cookbooks grace our shelves alongside our own growing cookbook collection.  Her cookbooks have been passed down to me along with her favorite recipes for family favorites like Texas Sheet Cake, pecan and pumpkin pies nestled in Crisco-laden pie shells (a common ingredient in many of her baked goods), cornbread made in a cast iron skillet and a recipe for sweet & hot pickles that is now made for friends and family at Christmas. It is the sweet & hot pickle recipe that is asked for time and time again. Her pastry board sits on our kitchen counter and is often used as the backdrop for my photos of the meals we've prepared. 


These reminders of food and family keep me inspired in the kitchen and bring back warm childhood memories. I love to think about laughing with my cousins at the kids' table which happened to be within arms reach of the row of pies that my grandmother prepared at their Hill Country ranch. I can't pick a leaf of sage without thinking of my grandmother's stuffing at Thanksgiving. 


Food has always been a part of our family and you can find most of us in our kitchens a good part of the day. My sister and I have also found a love for gardening which means we might be found in our garden as well. Most of our gatherings growing up centered around what we would eat and how it was prepared. Our family members tend to be the ones hosting the parties and dinners rather than just attending them.


Although my maternal grandmother had stopped cooking very much by the time I was born, my mom told me that she was known for her brandied fruit, boiled beef tongue with cream sauce, green peas and diced carrots and peanut brittle that she would pour and let cool on a buttered white tile kitchen counter and whole wheat bread that my mom loved. I never had a chance to meet my grandfather, but I have heart stories about him making sauerkraut in a large, round ceramic jug in their family home utility room that according to my mom would "stink to high heaven". 


There have been many food traditions over the years, like having chicken spaghetti, a recipe passed down from my maternal grandmother, on Christmas Eve or black eyed peas on New Year's Day. We all loved fried okra sprinkled with salt or a nice cold glass of sweet tea on a hot summer's day. Our Christmas table usually included my grandmother's more traditional Southern recipes alongside a few Tex-Mex favorites like tamales, guacamole and salsa. 

 After my grandparents passed, the holiday meals continued to be the same as my parents and my aunt, siblings and cousins followed the same recipes. Over time, however, our diets have changed, we've made healthier additions or changed recipes a bit to fit our own personal tastes. My sister continued the Tex-Mex tradition and created Mexi-mas, an annual party near Christmas where posole and a lucha libre piñata have been known make an appearance. 


To preserve some of these family recipes, I made a family cookbook several years ago to preserve our family recipes. After finding the Heritage Cookbook, Lulu Cookbook, Zazzle Cookbook Binders, Cookbook People, Heirloom Cookbook sites, it makes me want to compile a more comprehensive recipe book combining both sides of our family for our son, Clay. What a wonderful piece of history to pass down to your kids! 

When I was looking through the memoirs of my husband's grandfather, I found a little story that reminded me of the importance of recording the oral history of past generations.

"We had to save and live on what we had. There were no jobs for money. So we had to grow a garden, had cows for milk, chickens for eggs, or corn for meals. If we did not have syrup we would have honey. After I got old enough to take care of beehives, I had plenty of honey.

 We carried our lunch every day. Sometimes we did not have too much to build a lunch from. I would carry my lunch in a bucket. Back then we would have a syrup bucket. We had syrup in a one gallon can and after we would empty the can, we would use it to carry our lunch for school. I would put some butter in a small glass and add some syrup and biscuits with bacon and egg inside of the biscuit. That was my lunch."

Texas has a rich and complex food heritage and it is important that we preserve this tradition through oral history, community cookbooks and sharing of family recipes and teaching our children where their food comes from and the history behind it. 


At this year's Foodways Texas Symposium at The Blanton at UT, Texas Preserved was the theme and speakers at the Symposium ranged from farmers, shrimpers, photographers, environmentalists, restaurant and bar owners, history professors and food writers. The amount of food knowledge in the room was astounding and the love for Texas food culture and Southern cooking was shared. All of the speakers shared their version of how we should preserve and support the unique food culture in Texas.



As was pointed out by MM Pack, the local food movement is not new to Texas or to the Austin area. In the early 1910s, housewives formed canning community centers and canning clubs to preserve the harvest in rural and urban areas. Housewives used to ask their local grocer to stock specific butters or jams from local farms. 

The same is true today. We search out our favorite farmers to find the perfect sunny egg yolk or sweet strawberry. This renaissance of sorts in the local food movement is making canning cool again. I thought I might brush up on a few tips on canning and took notes while Stephanie McKlenny, of Confituras, led a canning demonstration at the Symposium and MM Pack led a discussion on native fruits. 


At my parents' house, the twisting vines that will soon be heavy with mustang grapes and then simmered and jarred for mustang grape jelly have inspired me to search out other Texas native fruits to make into jam and marmalade. I hope to search out recipes to preserve the local fruit harvest this spring and summer and will share my adventures along the way. 

At the symposium I also had a chance to chat briefly with Hoover Alexander who feels the same way about helping kids understand where their food comes from and the rich food heritage of Texas. He said it was part of the reason that Soular Food was born. As he explained it, he wanted to create not only a place that celebrates local food, but creates a meeting place for storytelling. A way to bring in the new generations and remind them of the value of knowing where their food comes from, the history of the food and the importance of sharing stories and experiences. He said something that caught my attention. He said is doesn't have to be all or nothing. It can be easy to get caught up in creating a perfect diet, but it really is about coming together over something that will nourish the body and soul. 

We stopped by Hoover's Soular Food trailer and shared the rawBella platter, pork loin 'cue and some amazing sweet potato and pecan vegan ice cream from Thai Fresh for dessert. I loved sitting under the trees and colorful strings of lights just soaking up the sunshine with my family. It was a great way to spend a Saturday. 


In the next few weeks I'll be highlighting some of the information presented at the symposium along with some of the food movements and events that are happening around Central Austin right now as well as some personal stories about food and family. I hope you'll share some of your family food traditions as well. 

Please share your own family memories or Texas food history tidbits in the comments section below. 


Karen Morgan, of Blackbird Bakery in Austin, is producing a community cookbook to recreate gluten-free family favorites. If you are interested in submitting a family recipe that would be converted to a gluten-free one, contact Blackbird Bakery. 

Bring Spring to the Table (Alley Flowers Optional)

Wildflowers are lining backroads and highways and the pecans are starting to show their leaves. It is time for spring, although I'm not sure we ever got a glimpse of winter. The rains should make the wildflower show a good one this year and I can tell by email inbox that spring has truly arrived. Gardening events, preserving classes and outdoor potlucks are filling up our calendar quickly. If only there was more time in a day. 

I've been busy in the garden with the abundance that the rain and early spring has brought us and our table has been filled with veggies and fruit from our own garden and local farmers. It seems so easy these days to just start with a bed of lettuce and pop in a few things from the garden. 

Clay has been busy collecting flowers from our alley and his little garden to decorate the table. I'm amazed at the beauty of the simple blossoms on our apple tree and the bees that circle our meyer lemon tree, that is no doubt fooled into thinking we've moved to California. Usually our lemon tree produces lemons in November and December then drops its leaves to rest until spring when we see bright white blooms. This year, however, we were able to pick fresh lemons until February, have small lemons and new blossoms. I was even able to make a little Vanilla Meyer Lemon Syrup. 

Try this Vanilla Meyer Lemon Syrup Recipe from Cooking Light (replace sugar with local honey and add vanilla bean - omit whipped cream and use cashew creme or rice whip if you are dairy free). Or, try this recipe for Raw Meyer Lemon Vanilla Bean Cheesecake or Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking's Meyer Limoncello. 

Our recent trip to Fredericksburg reminded us of how breathtaking the Hill Country can be during the spring. Row after row of little pink peach blossoms lining the fields eager to produce sweet peaches. Is there anything better than stopping at a roadside stand to pick up a box of warm peaches in the summer? 

Before the heat arrives along with the mosquitoes, get outside, visit your local farmers' market and attend one of the many great events happening around Austin. 

Slow Money Potluck 

Slow Money Austin & 5 Mile Farms is having a potluck on Tuesday, March 27th from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at 5213 Jim Hogg. Please bring your own dish and label local ingredients.

Slow Money Film Series

Fresh

Thursday, April 12th

Forks Over Knives

Thursday, April 19th

Farmer John

Thursday, April 26th

Potluck at 6:00 p.m.

Film at 6:30

Location: UT Concho Community Garden

Back up rain-site location is Texas Hillel

Slow Money Austin

Markley Farms U-Pick Strawberries


Be sure to visit Markley Farms to pick your own strawberries. Call first to find out availability. Our strawberries and my new raspberry bush and last year's blackberry bush are looking promising, so we hope to have some of our our berry harvest very soon!


Try one of these recipes with your harvest.  
Lemon Balm Infused Berries 
Strawberry and Raspberry Fool (first photo on my blog post)

Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking - Canning and Preserving Classes

I love her tips on great things to do with the last few weeks of citrus season!

March 25 Austin, TX: Hip Girl's Guide to Spring Preserves. 5-7:30pm, Central Market 

March 29 Austin, TX: Beets and Sweet Pickling Class with JBG Organics 6-8pm, Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts

April 29 Wells Branch, TX: Fridge Pickling and Beginning Fermentation Workshop 1-3:30pm, Wells Branch Community Library

Register for classes at the Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking Site

Farm to Plate 

May 10, 2012

25 top chefs prepare a lovely, local meal at the beautiful and historic Barr Mansion. Benefits the Sustainable Food Center of Austin. 

Be sure to check the site bar on my blog for more upcoming events this spring and summer. If you know of one I've missed, please leave a comment below. 

2012 Raw Food Guide for Austin, Texas

2012 RAW FOOD GUIDE

Austin, Texas

Whether you are a serious raw foodie looking for new places to dine, an at home raw cook packing a picnic lunch for a concert in this fabulous Austin weather or just looking for something healthy before taking on SXSW, there are plenty of raw food options in Austin if you know where to look. 


My favorite way to prepare raw food is to shop at the local farmers' markets for fresh produce and then flip through my collection of raw food cookbooks for a little inspiration, but every once in awhile I like to treat myself or our family to a raw food lunch or dinner...and a little dessert...at a local raw food cafe. 


Look for the entire 2012 Austin City Guide put together by the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance in mid-March which will feature favorite eats and drinks around Austin. 

EAT


Beets Cafe
1611 W. 5th St., Suite 165
Austin, TX 

Open Monday-Thursday 9 AM - 9 PM

Friday and Saturday 10 AM- 10 PM

10% off with GoLocal card
Download their Menu


Just like your favorite neighborhood diner, Beets Cafe is clean, friendly and full of light. What sets it apart is its commitment to raw food and supporting local farms. Beets Cafe sources their produce using Farm to Table, a resource for restaurants looking to include local produce on their menus. Currently, Beets Cafe is using locally grown radishes, beets, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage and more in their raw dishes. Just check out the green sign near the cashier's counter for an up to date list. They also have a great selection of raw products for making meals at home as well. 

Asian Style Noodle Salad from Beets Cafe

No wonder this one's a customer favorite. It is a perfect combination of creaminess and crunch. The Asian Style Noodle Salad is made from napa, red and green cabbages, kelp noodles, sea vegetables, pickled daikon radish, bok choy, broccoli, carrot, scallions, cilantro and tossed with Sweet n' Spicy Miso Dressing, garnish with gomasio.

Just-A-Good Burger

Just as it says on the menu, this burger is a perfect balance of texture and flavor. It's made with carrot, beets, sprouted sunflower seeds, celery, onion, parsley, flax, olive oil, crystal salt, spices and served open-face (or as pictured with sprouted almond sunflower flatbread for $1.95). It is pilled high with romaine leaves, high-vibe sprouts, tomato slices, mayo and mustard. Served with veggie chips and kraut. 

Raw Reuben
This is one of my personal favorites. I can't turn down a good reuben and I was happy to see that I could have one again! This reuben is made with sunflower flatbread layered with raw 1000 island dressing, kraut, marinated portabella mushrooms, caramelized onions, aand Swiss cashew cheeze.  Served with beets salad and veggie chips. 


Taco Plate
An entry in the Mayor's Fitness Council Challenge, these three crispy corn taco shells are filled with a veggie ground meat, topped with shredded lettuce, salsa and drizzled with cashew nacho cheeze.  Served with “sunflower beanz” and a choice of side salad. No reason to miss out on some really great Tex-Mex even if you're eating raw. 


Don't forget the brazil nut milk lemon cheesecake. Trust me. 


DRINK

Daily Juice in Hyde Park or Downtown - They have an amazing choice of fresh juices and smoothies and are stocked with really great raw snacks and treats. Go for a green drink from their extensive juice menu. Try one of my favorites, the Cool Hand Cuke or Pineapple Popeye. Most of their menu is gluten and dairy free or can be made so with raw bread and vegan cheese. My husband and son are wild about their raw nachos and Texicali tacos. 


ELT - Love this one! The eggplant "bacon" on this is a thing of beauty. It actually fools me into thinking I'm having a BLT every time. 


Bella Bello - Marinated portabella mushrooms with sesame seeds on raw bread - Delicious!

Good Seed Burgers - Austin based gluten and dairy free burgers served on a gluten-free bun. It's not raw, but I highly recommend it!


Austin Raw Treats - Made in Austin and some with local ingredients like Texas citrus. Try the Mexican Cacao, Strawberry Coconut or Baklava or any of their amazing flavors. Grab one of these babies with your meal. 


Juicebox
Juicebox offers some really great options for juice in South Austin. Check out their takeaway menu. I think the Jalepiña is calling my name, so I may need to try that one. 


Juiceland

Photo courtesy of Juiceland

The funky decor at Juiceland is very much Austin eclectic. We picked up a raw lunch to go there recently and loved every bite. At the juice bar, my son chose a Rosie Cheek juice with watermelon and raspberry juice. The Cold Shower with cucumber, mint, watermelon, parsley, lime and salt looks amazing. I imagine we'll be regulars there this summer after taking a swim a Deep Eddy. Two locations on Barton Springs Road and Lake Austin Boulevard. 

SNAP Kitchen

At Snap's Triangle location they feature a fantastic salad bar with a variety of raw add-ins including local kale from Oak Hill Farms in Poteet and organic kale from Martinez Farms in Pleasanton. If you're in a hurry, grab one of the pre-packed kale salads or fruit salads. 


In their drink case you'll find four raw varieties of cold-pressed juices, including the Carrot Ginger Elixir, Antioxidant Juice (spicy apple carrot beet juice), Energy Boost (watermelon mint papaya juice) and Super Greens (spinach kale and romaine). I love them all, but especially the Carrot Ginger and Antioxidant Juice! Two locations in Austin - Flagship location at 4616 Triangle Ave. at The Triangle


ENJOY...like an Austinite


Wheatsville Co-op

If you're like me and you have a hard time finding raw snacks or meals when you are on the go or at festivals, pack a picnic and pick up some great local, raw snacks at you local farmers' market or our favorite neighborhood grocery store, Wheatsville Co-op!

A run down on all things local and raw from Adrienne Beall, Grocery Buyer from Wheatsville...


Thunderbird Energetica Bars are a customer favorite (and they’ll be on sale 2/$4, reg $2.49, during SXSW as well!)  My very favorite is the cherry walnut crunch. The bars are vegan, raw and hand molded.  The wrapper is compostable.  

Sirius Chocolate is vegan and raw and very fine.  Our customers love it. 

New Earth Superconscious Superfoods has a variety of raw snack foods- from Chocolate Goddess Clusters to Banana Walnut Bites to Chipotle Chia Crackers, there is something for every raw food lover.  Better descriptions of their foods can be found here.

Bearded Brothers are another local, vegan and raw line of bars that we are proud to carry.

The Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla is our best seller: 

Then there is the wildly popular Buddha’s Brew, kombucha made right here in Austin.  We have all of their flavors in 16 oz bottles, which will be on sale for 2/$5 during SXSW (reg $3.19).  Kombucha is great for hangovers.  

There is also Dallas based Hail Merry. We carry their delicious little tarts and macaroons. 


You can also find veggies and fruit from local farms, like Johnson's Backyard Garden, in the produce department. Just look around the store for the signs that say local and their distance from Wheatsville. 

Wheatsville, an Austin original, celebrates their 36th birthday this year!


Other raw food finds around Austin

Wunder-Pilz Kombucha - available on tap at HOPE Farmers' Market on Sundays or SFC Austin Farmers' Market on Wednesdays. We love the Heart flavor.

HOPE Farmers' Market or Austin Farmers' Market - Besides the amazing in season produce offered by the farmers and vendors (carrots, oranges, radishes, kale for kale chips, etc.), pick up some raw treats created by local vendors like Open Heart Foods. I love her Fabulous Flax Crackers and Super Fudge Chunks!

People's Pharmacy - Several locations in Austin and a great place to find raw snacks and smoothies. 

LEARN


Beet's Chef, Sylvia Heisey is hosting a Raw Food Basics class that will cover how to make:


Almond Milk
Creamy Zucchini Soup

Raw dessert case at Beets Cafe

Mediterranean Kale Salad
Not Tune Pate
Zucchini Noodles Marinara
Chocolate Mousse


Class will be held at 
Beets Cafe
1611 W. 5th Street, Suite 165
Saturday, March 17, 2012
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM


Register online or at Beets Cafe


Don't forget Cleanse ATX is coming up on March 20-31. Become a member here.