Yesterday Austin played host to the 3rd annual Texas VegFest. I am happy to say that I have attended all three. I have fond memories of them all. It was through Texas VegFest that I first had Sweet Ritual ice cream, that I met Terry Hope Romero, and that I discovered Vegeria restaurant from San Antonio.
This year felt a little more laid back than before. Since we're trying to be healthy individuals these days we sampled only things we felt like we couldn't pass up. The same went for the food we bought from the vendors. We couldn't pass up a vegan ham 'n cheese kolache and a maple bacon cupcake from Capital City Bakery, though. Both were exceptionally tasty.
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| Me and my cupcake. Yummy! |
Like in years before, I came across a number of products I was not yet familiar with. Amazing Grass sampled their new Raw Reserve protein powders. It's made with all raw greens from both land and sea, contains probiotics, and has 14 grams of protein per serving. The gentleman at the table said they should be in stores in Austin in less than two weeks. They were being sold at VegFest for $30 each, so about $1 per serving. It was flavorful and not clumpy, which is something I definitely look for in protein powders, lol.
But the two coolest things I encountered had to do with gardening. The first is The Ground Up's vegan compost. Yes, vegan compost! Veganically grown products are the new thing in the retail industry. Well, now you can grow your own herbs and veggies at home without using dirt and compost that are chicken poop, manure, or bloodmeal based. Hooray! And then there is the Tower Garden, an aeroponic gardening system that can grow 20 plants in a very small area. It seems like an excellent value for the investment, currently $525 though they have financing available, too.
I had a great time, as usual, and am now looking forward to Austin's other vegan event, the Lone Star Veggie Chili Championships. November can't come soon enough!
We were supposed to meet up with the Donovan clan (my mother and her siblings) last night after they arrived in Austin but their flight was delayed and they had trouble finding a BBQ joint. They'll be picking us up in a little while. Today will be jam packed with activities including wineries, food trucks, and bars on 6th street. Tomorrow, our gang will be heading down to San Antonio. They'll be seeing the Alamo, walking the Riverwalk, and dining at our favorite vegetarian restaurant, Green. Then, on Tuesday, they'll be coming with me to try on wedding dresses before I entertain them with my culinary skills at the house they're renting. It's going to be fun!
In the meantime, though, below is a slideshow featuring all of the pictures I took (captions included) at VegFest. If you can't see the slideshow, open the album at this link. Thanks for reading! I hope you had a great, time, too. If you went to VegFest and published a write-up yourself, leave me the link in a comment. I'd love to check out your story!
This year was my husband's and my first year to go, and it was awesome. Many of the products we already use, but we don't know anyone else who does, and it was cool to talk to all the vendors. I got so excited walking up, knowing I could eat everything offered. All the food was amazing, and the free samples were the most fun, of course!
ReplyDeleteI just LOVE samples. And you're right, it's really refreshing knowing that you can eat everything they're offering. I think that sense of belonging is one of the reasons I get so excited. :-)
DeleteSounds like a fun event. I am in New Jersey, will search for a comparable event here.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Arjun! New York City may be your best option. I'd love to hear more if you find anything!
DeleteGreat recap! I was hoping to attend VegFest this year and ended up missing it.
ReplyDeleteThat's a darned shame! If you're interested, VegFest Houston will be coming up in July. Their event is indoors. After that is the Texas State Veggie Fair in Dallas in October and the Veggie Chili Cook-off in Austin is in November :-D
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