Missions and Vegeria

Last weekend we took a day trip down to San Antonio to travel the mission trail. Everyone has probably heard of the Alamo, but San Antonio actually has four other missions dating from the 1700s. I'm not religious and I have some issues with the whole philosophy of the missions, but I am also fascinated by history and architecture, so this was a trip I had been wanting to make for quite some time!

After soaking in some Texas history and exhausting Jackson and Olivia's tiny leg muscles, we had dinner at Vegeria. On Saturdays they offer an all-day totally vegan brunch buffet. So much to choose from! Clockwise on my plate from top left: beet and potato ranchera tacos, "chicken salad" quinoa, maple ginger kale salad, "cheezy" grits, and tofu scramble with summer squash.

I also had pozole, and watermelon lime chia pudding. When we went to New Mexico last year, all the restaurants had pozole on their menu, but I could never find a vegetarian version, so I was excited to try something new! It's a delicious soup made with hominy and a broth that tastes like enchilada sauce. Olivia loved the chia pudding! She had three helpings!

Jackson went straight for the black beans and chocolate chip waffles. The kid loves his beans.

Everything was so good. I was kind of blown away, and really wishing Austin had its own Vegeria! Vegan, organic, gluten-free, local, non-GMO...everything you could want in a brunch! 

For dessert, we bought some peanut butter chocolate cupcakes from the bakery case. They had about a 2:1 ratio of frosting to cupcake...my kind of cupcake! I seriously can't wait to go back and try Vegeria's regular weekday menu...or eat their fab brunch again!

Texas VegFest 2013

Olivia and I attended Texas VegFest 2013 over the weekend. We arrived at lunchtime, so we headed straight for the food vendors. I got the tamale nachos from Vegeria. I'm definitely going to visit their restaurant next time I'm in San Antonio. The nachos were awesome and yes, there was a tofu scramble-filled tamale hidden under all those chips and queso.

For dessert, we couldn't pass up chocolate ice cream from Sweet Ritual.

With full tummies, we made our way to the children's area where Olivia had her first face-painting experience.

Flower child!

Next, she took part in a kids' yoga session.

She was really into it! I see more mother-daughter yoga time in the future.

Next, we were going to see Isa Chandra Moskowitz speak, but she was ill and had to cancel. Sad face. So, we made another lap around the vendor area. Now that Austin is bag-free, I'm on the lookout for cute tote bags, and I couldn't pass up this one from Food Fight Grocery.

We brought home a bunch of free swag, too: a pin and temporary tattoo from Dandies marshmallows, some Beanitos, Lundberg Farms brown rice and wasabi rice chips, Raw Revolution snack bars, a multitude of flavored agave packets from Wholesome Sweeteners, and a fruit-flavored magnesium supplement from  Natural Calm.

Can't wait until next year!