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. 

"I Love You Like Peaches" Texas Peach and Pecan Pie (gluten and dairy free) & AFBA Pie Luck

In case you're not a Bob Schneider fan (like I have been for more than a decade), the name of my pie, "I Love You Like Peaches", is one of the songs from his latest album, A Perfect Day, and has become a summer family favorite around our house. It was the perfect name for the peach pie I created for the Austin Food Blogger Alliance's Pie Luck Social this past weekend at House Wine. It's like a bite of sunshine.

Several Austin food bloggers gathered to raise awareness for SafePlace, an Austin organization that creates a safe haven for individuals and familes, primarily children, who have been affected by sexual and domestic violence. We also came for the pie. Lots and lots of really amazing pie. 

Local chefs and food industry professionals had the not so difficult job of tasting several pies to choose the winner. Adolfo Moreno, of SafePlace, wondered if there might be pies at all of the events . A very intriguing question. We all mingled, had pie and wine, met local foodies and bloggers and went home with bags of Beanitos to help us out of our sugar comas. 

The event continues on Sunday, August 21st with a screening of the movie, Waitress, at Alamo Drafthouse. Buy your tickets ASAP as the event will most likely sell out. 

The Pie Luck winner, and proud owner of "The Crusty" trophy, Michael Chu, of Cooking for Engineers, will have his perfectly executed pecan pie slices available for purchase at the event thanks to the help of Alamo Drafthouse Executive Chef John Bullington. And yes, I do mean perfect pecan pie. It looked straight out of a Martha Stewart cookbook and the recipe straight out of a calculus book. My husband is an engineer. I know all about perfect execution...which is pretty much the opposite of my right brained self. Whole pies from local bakers will also be for sale after the event. 

How can you help without having to share your peach pie? Attend the screening, buy a pie or donate to SafePlace. SafePlace is in great need of diapers and wipes right now, but you can also check out their WISHLIST for more items. 


See you at Alamo Drafthouse on August 21st!

"I Love You Like Peaches" Texas Peach & Pecan Pie

Gluten and Dairy Free

Pecan Pie Crust
1 cup Texas pecans (Texas pecans are sweeter)
8 organic medjool dates, pitted
1 tsp cinnamon (stick cinnamon ground with a microplane grater)
1/2 tsp nutmeg (whole nutmeg ground with a microplane grater)
pinch of Celtic sea salt
2 tsp Rawtella (People's Pharmacy) or a natural chocolate hazlenut spread, like Justin's
1/2 vanilla bean, sliced in half, remove seeds with a knife


Peach Filling
1 TBSP Earth Balance butter, melted

1 tsp cinnamon (stick cinnamon ground with a microplane grater)

1/2 tsp nutmeg (whole nutmeg ground with a microplane grater)

1/2 vanilla bean, sliced in half, remove seeds with a knife

4 TBSP tapioca starch

5-6 large or 10 small Texas peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced, Lightsey Farms 

pinch of Celtic sea salt

1/3 cup combined local honey and organic maple syrup

1. Prepare the pecan crust by adding all of the ingredients for the crust to a food processor. Pulse and check to see if the crust is sticking together periodically by turning the food processor off and pressing the crust against the sides. 

2. Once the ingredients have come together, press the mixture into  to a nonstick pie pan. I love this USA Pie Pan that I found at Breed and Company (10% off with your Go Local card). 

3. Put the pan in the fridge for 1-2 hours while you peel, pit and slice the peaches.

4. Once the peaches are sliced, set them aside in a bowl and melt the butter in a sauce pan or butter warmer on low.

5. When the butter has melted, remove it from the stove and add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until combined. 

6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour butter mixture over the peaches and let sit until the crust has been baked and cooled. Remove the vanilla bean pods before adding to pie crust.

7. Bake the crust at 350 for 10 minutes and let cool before filling. 

8. Pour the peach mixture into the crust and bake for 10 minutes at 350, then lower the heat and bake for 20-30 minutes at 325, being careful to make sure that the edges of the pie don't burn. Make sure that you let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before enjoying!








Don't forget to buy up the last of the Texas peaches at your local farmers' market or Wheatsville to freeze for smoothies or make peach jam with local honey.