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. 

Sea Veggies for Your Heart & Immune System - A Local Approach

Clay is a pretty adventurous eater for 4. I knew that placing kelp noodles on his plate could possibly be pushing the envelope, but to my surprise he LOVED them. He ate the whole bowl of them. He even wanted them for a snack. Maybe it is the novelty of eating clear "glass" noodles or the crunch that you don't expect when biting into them. 


Either way, they were back on the menu this week and I wanted to pair them with mostly local ingredients. Around our house we find that putting individual ingredients out on plates or in bowls allows everyone to create their own version of the meal and less stress at meal time. 


Sea veggies (or seaweed) are great for your heart, your thyroid and your immune system. Even your hair is supposed to get thicker and stronger. So, freak out your husband, your kids or your friends with these eerily translucent noodles and know that they are getting some really great health benefits from eating them. 


Read more about local company Austin Sea Veggies in an article by Megan Meyers and a second one by Addie Broyles. 

Austin Sea Veggie & Kelp Noodle Salad


We started with a salad base, then placed the honey mustard kelp noodles on top and loaded on the other toppings depending on our personal preferences. 


Ingredients


One bowl of kelp noodles tossed with a dressing of Goodflow honey, coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar (Love Creek Orchards), mustard, sunflower oil and a pinch of Celtic sea salt (use 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil). Kelp noodles do not need to be cooked. Just take them out of the package, rinse and mix with a dressing of your choice. We purchased ours from the refrigerated section at Wheatsville near the tofu. 


salad base made from sliced broccoli greens or kale (our garden and 5 Mile Farms), carrot slivers (Johnson's Backyard Garden) and golden beets (5 mile Farms)


Optional toppings


ogo nori from Austin Sea Veggies (available at Wheatsville)


French Breakfast radishes (straight from our garden) sliced thinly


Romanesco cauliflower (great selection of veggies from Johnson's Backyard Garden available at Wheatsville right now) tossed with coconut vinegar, Bragg's Seasoning or Wildly Natural One seasoning and sunflower or sesame oil and sesame seeds


local sprouts (Winfield Farms at Austin Farmer's Market)


dulse flakes for sprinkling on top (Wheatsville)


cilantro or parsley (our garden)


coarsely chopped almonds


If you feel like going out for dinner, try the Asian Noodle Salad at Beets Cafe!


Or try some recipes from Austin Sea Veggies!

Farmers' Market Finds for January & Ranch Kale Chips (gluten and dairy free)

It was a Wednesday in January of last year when we made our way to the Farmers' Market at the Triangle. We weren't headed to the market in search of anything in particular, but felt the need to support the farmers on a bitterly cold day. There were few farmers there that day, but you couldn't miss the bright red strawberries front and center at the Markley Farms tent. He presented his strawberries with the face of a proud papa and we were not disappointed. Clay took one bite and a smile instantly appeared on his face. I'm pretty sure he finished the pint and we gladly went back for more. 


This year we weren't going to miss out. We got to the market early and bought a whole flat of sweet winter strawberries. We're freezing them for our morning smoothies and we'll be putting them in our oatmeal, chia porridge with homemade almond milk and making raw strawberry oat bars and muffins all winter long. We saved plenty for snacking on and making desserts...for now that is. Clay may have other plans. 





We had the chance to visit Markley Farms last year in April and were amazed by their setup. Try this gluten-free Hot Chocolate Shortbread recipe and serve with your fresh strawberries.

Also at the markets right now are some amazing cauliflower heads in green, white, purple and orange. The purple, of course, is my favorite, but we used a green head to make this cauliflower soup. Mix in some raw cashew sour cream, sprouted pepitas, some coarse grey Celtic sea salt and Damas Ofertas Salsa and you've got a really quick, local (and a bit native) lunch. 

Lately, my favorite market has been HOPE Farmers' Market. I love the slow Sunday feel and the smaller vendor tents. The music is always great and they've got picnic tables where you can sit and enjoy a Gardener's Feast spinach and caramelized onion tamale from or even a pint of Wunder-Pilz kombucha. 


We picked up some Windy Hill Farms Kimchi and Provence seasoning that we we're pretty excited about and even scored some Death to False mustard in our Salt & Time Butcher's Box this month. 

Although I didn't find these at the farmers' market, we stopped in at the Peach Basket on the way to Leakey and found these organic sun dried tomatoes from Lester Farms in the bulk section. It is always great to support a local, organic farm, especially when you are on the road. 






Now that our fridge and pantry are full...it's time to start cooking! I can't wait to share all of the new raw recipes I'm trying as well as some new local and healthy twists on traditional comfort food.

Ranch Kale Chips (Gluten and Dairy Free)
Recipe Adapted from Ranch Dressing/Dip on The Sunny Raw Kitchen

one bunch kale, washed and dried (Farmhouse Delivery)

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes (bulk section at Wheatsville)

1 1/2 cups cashews (soak for 1 hour prior to making dip)

3 pitted dates (soak for 1 hour) - pick up some fresh dates in the produce section at Wheatsville

3/4 cup water

juice from 1/2 lemon (our garden - also available from G & S Groves & available through Farmhouse Delivery)

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (Love Creek Orchards)

1/3 cup garlic olive oil (Texas Olive Ranch - available at Wheatsville)

3 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried or fresh dill (make sure it is bright green to be sure it is fresh - Johnson's Backyard Garden)

1 TBSP Celtic sea salt

1 TBSP ground peppercorns

1. Blend all ingredients (except for kale and nutritional yeast) until creamy.

2. Mix in 1/4 cup fresh parsley and dill, chopped (Johnson's Backyard Garden).

3. Pour about 1-2 cups of the mixture in a bowl. 

4. Add kale and nutritional yeast and combine using your hands to make sure the leaves are coated. 

5. Spread the leaves out on the dehydrator trays (I needed 4 trays) if using a dehydrator or line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

5. Save the rest of the dressing/dip in a pint-sized mason jar as a dressing or dip for your farmers' market carrots, broccoli and radishes. It will thicken in fridge.

6. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 10 hours in a dehydrator or for 2 hours or until crispy at 200 degrees in your oven. 

Makes 1 quart-sized bag of kale chips

Extra dressing/dip will keep 4-5 days in the fridge. 

Local Holiday Gifts

Feel good this holiday season by keeping your purchases and donations local! Support a local business, home business or charity and keep your dollars in your town or city. Why It Pays to Shop Locally 

We began our "keeping it local" holiday season by making a trip over to the Elgin Christmas Tree Farm to pick out the perfect Charlie Brown Christmas Tree for Clay's room and a tree for our living room. This year's trip was freezing cold, but just as fun as the last 3 years in keeping with our family tradition. Despite the press reporting that the drought has affected the trees, there are still many to choose from. 

We also headed over to Toy Joy so that Clay could pick out an ornament for this year's tree and were happy to see that they had a tree set up at the back of the store with tags asking for donations of toys for kids in Bastrop affected by the wildfires. All you have to do is select one of the tags with the child's name and age listed, purchase a gift and Toy Joy will wrap it and make sure it gets into the hands of a deserving boy or girl! 

What are you doing this season to support our local economy and community? 
Please feel free to leave your comments and ideas at the bottom of this post. 

Five Ways to Celebrate Local in December

1. Satisfy a Sweet Tooth...
Better Bites Bakery - Pick up one of these delectable gluten, dairy, peanut, soy and corn-free cupcakes, cake balls and more at People's Pharmacy on North Lamar. Try their Churro bites! Delicious!


Bird's Nest Bakery - Custom made cakes and treats by my fabulously talented Aunt Julie!

2. Support a farmer...

Johnson's Backyard Garden - Farmers' Market Bucks or Gift Subscriptions


Farmhouse Delivery  - Gift Certificates and Food Gifts

3. Celebrate good taste...

Salt & Time Gift Box - A great gift for the guys on your list


Antonellis Cheese Gift Guide


Gift Certificates to Locally Owned Restaurants like Hopfields or Pacha





4. Stuff a Stocking with a Local Treat...

Bearded Brothers Bars & t-shirts - My favorite is the Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla (available at People's Pharmacy)


Confituras Gift Baskets filled with local jams & jellies - Try the Baker's Box or Jam Shares wrapped up with red & white twine

5. Pamper yourself or someone you love...

So.A.P. - South Austin People's Peppermint Foot Cream - SO amazing! Love this stuff. Available at Wheatsville


Austin Soap Gift Baskets - Individual soaps available at Wheatsville




Cleaning services from Purple Fig Cleaning Company or maybe your own homemade peppermint oil cleaners

Don't forget to treat yourself before all the holiday indulgence! Try out a workout at my favorite locally owned place to get fit, Dancer's Shape. They even have a new cardio dance class beginning in January. Or, get a gift certificate or some comfy new workout gear for a friend!

Dancer's Shape is located at 5350 Burnet Road, Suite 7 in Austin, Texas
www.dancersshape.com

Pacha & Pancakes

When you first walk into Pacha, the first thing you'll notice is that it is a real neighborhood coffee shop. There are people working on their laptops, friends meeting for coffee and everyone is there for the friendly service and great community feel. 

90% of their ingredients are organic and many are sourced from the local farmers' markets. Be sure to check out the chalkboard near the door to see which ingredients are local that week. 

Empanadas, salteñas, breakfast tacos, quiches and seasonal salads are made in-house and their herbs come from local farmers' markets or their very own garden. I was also excited to see the gluten and dairy-free treats at the counter such as fruit & nut drops or coconut clusters. 

So, as the holidays approach and you feel the need to refuel or maybe just enjoy a little break from the chaos that is December, just remember your mother, Mother Pacha. 

They are serving up organic pancakes made from scratch, local Vital Farms eggs and locallly roasted Casa Brasil or Texas Coffee Traders coffee every day. Pacha serves up Texas Daily Harvest milk as well as non-dairy options like rice and almond milk. 

Find it on Lo-Burn,@ 4618 Burnet Road in Austin, Texas

 Mother Pacha is OPEN

Monday - Friday from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. 

Saturday - Sunday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. 

Bring your Go Local card for 5% off your food purchase. 

Follow them on Twitter for menu updates at @MotherPacha. 

And...if you're like me and can't enjoy their delicious pancakes because of a gluten intolerance, then satisfy your coffee addiction at Pacha and head home and try out these Mesquite Flour & Almond Butter Pancakes at home. 

We've tried a LOT of pancake recipes and this is our favorite. Mesquite pod flour is our new favorite ingredient. You can find mesquite pod flour at some natural food stores. The flour is naturally sweet with hints of mocha and cinnamon. We found our Dowd & Roger's Organic Mesquite Pod Flour when we were at The Peach Basket in Fredericksburg.

Mesquite Flour & Almond Butter Pancakes (Gluten and Dairy Free)

Makes 8-10 pancakes

5 TBSP almond butter (room temp)

3-4 eggs, Vital Farms

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 TBSP organic mesquite pod flour (optional)

REAL maple syrup

Earth Balance soy-free spread

1. In a bowl, whisk eggs (one at a time) into almond butter until the batter has a pancake batter consistency. 

2. Add all other ingredients and whisk until combined. 

3. Heat a skillet or griddle to medium, add Earth Balance spread to coat bottom of pan so that the pancakes don't stick. 

4. Pour a small amount of the batter to do a tester pancake. Then turn the heat down a bit before cooking the rest of the pancakes.  

Eat Turkey. Repeat.

In case you're in the mood for something other than your traditional Thanksgiving leftovers...
Try this turkey pho recipe that I snagged from the GOOP Newsletter. Chances are you have most of the ingredients around your house anyway and I can't think of anything better to warm you up on a cold day. After all the preparations to get ready for Thanksgiving we're settling in for a lazy weekend. 

I hope your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. 

We have many great memories from this year. 


I loved making the Almond Bread, Apple, Italian Sausage and Pumpkin stuffing with Clay. He used the spiral peeler to peel and core apples then chopped them into pieces with his own set of kid-safe knives.

We played Risk like we did when we were kids,watched Clay play in the mud and just took time to catch up and relax. 

We are happy to report that the Longhorns were victorious in the last game (for now anyway) between the University of Texas and A&M. Go horns!

Leftover Turkey Pho

Adapted from Turkey Pho by Winnie Ab from the GOOP Newsletter
**Double the recipe if you have friends or family over. 


2 quarts homemade turkey or Dewberry Hills Farm chicken stock (Tip: Roast the leftover turkey or chicken carcass for 45 minutes before making the stock and you'll end up with a much tastier stock)
1 bunch scallions, green parts only if you prefer, Austin Farmers' Market
1 bunch kale or swiss chard, sliced thinly, Johnson's Backyard Garden or your own garden
1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
1 TBSP local honey
1 TBSP fish sauce
leftover cooked turkey, shredded (ours came from Richardson Farms & Farmhouse)
1/2 - 1 box rice noodles
sunflower oil


For garnish: 
lime wedges, Farmhouse Delivery
cilantro, Farmhouse Delivery or your own garden
hot sauce, Dai Due or Sriracha hot sauce
optional spices: 2 TBSP coriander seeds, 4 whole cloves, 4 whole star anise and 1 cinnamon stick
optional ingredients: local Kitchen Pride mushrooms, jalepeños or local sprouts 

1. Warm a large pot or dutch oven on medium and add the spices (optional) to toast until fragrant and then set aside. 


2. In the pot, drizzle in a little sunflower oil, scallions, ginger, honey and fish sauce until fragrant, then add the spices (optional) and the stock. 


3. Let the stock boil, then drop the heat to low to simmer for 20 minutes. 


4. Add the kale or swiss chard to cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the turkey and noddles and cook for a few minutes to soften the noodles. 


5. Serve in bowls and add garnishes as desired. 

Thanksgiving 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Richardson Farms turkeys are taking a bath in brine made with Dai Due's delicious smelling brining mix. I've got my recipes organized for tomorrow and am about to roast a Dewberry Hills Farm chicken that I will use to make stock for our Thanksgiving recipes. I think I'm ready for the cooking frenzy tomorrow. 




This year we have a lot to be thankful for. In addition to our family and friends, we are thankful for all of the farmers who worked so hard this last summer in the heat and drought, for the Austin food community that works so hard to support them and for their continuing efforts to improve our health and wellness as a community.


Don't forget there is still time to support your Central Texas farmers! The SFC Austin Farmers' Market at the Triangle will be open from 3-7 on Wednesday, November 23rd. 


In keeping with our local and seasonal menu, here's our contribution to this year's Thanksgiving table. 


Richardson Farms Heritage and Broad-Breasted Turkeys brined in Dai Due brining mix


Local Apple, Pumpkin, Italian Sausage and Pecan Stuffing made with Almond Bread instead of corn bread (see recipe below)


Raw Mushroom & Cashew Gravy with Kitchen Pride Mushrooms


Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta from Salt & Time

Almost Raw Pumpkin Butter Tarts with Raw Pecan Crust 


Mini Raw Local Apple Tarts and Pecan Tarts with Gingersnap Crust


Johnson's Backyard Garden Carrot Pie with Raw Pecan Crust

Almond Bread Recipe - We use either a square baking pan for bread or mini-muffin pan to make rolls. 


Check out last year's posts for more ideas. 
Thanksgiving Menu Planning 2010
Thanksgiving Recipes and Leftovers for 2010
Thanksgiving Centerpiece Idea 2010