Saturday Sustenance for September 19, 2009

Today is my sweetheart's birthday! I made him his birthday meal last night, and today we plan to hang out with friends and eat German Chocolate cupcakes. I'm really excited because after having a record breaking heat wave--where we had 100+ degree temps every day, and a terrible drought--we finally received tons of rain and have had relatively cool weather this past week, so hopefully Austinites can take advantage of that this weekend.

This week Central Market has red or white organic seedless grapes $0.99 per lb.

Newflower has:
conventional cantaloupe, 3 melons for $1.00
conventional jewel or garnet yams, $0.99 per lb.
conventional green beans, $0.99 per lb.
conventional kiwi fruit, 5 for $1.00
refrigerated Silk soymilk, 64 oz. for $2.49
organic cauliflower 2 heads for $4.00
organic gala apples of barlett pears, $1.40 per lb.
organic bunched broccoli, $0.99 per lb.
organic Cascadian Farms frozen vegetables, $1.99 for 16 oz. bags or 7.4-10 oz boxes
organic High Country kombucha tea, $1.99 for 16 oz. bottles

Sprouts has:
conventional green beans, $0.77 per lb.
conventional sweet potatoes, $0.77 per lb.
Blue Diamond Almond Breeze, 32 oz. packages, buy one at$2.29, get one free
Seapoint Farms organic frozen edamame, 14 oz. bags, 2 for $3.00

Sun Harvest has:
conventional Hass avocados, 4 for $1.00
organic green onions, 2 for $1.00
organic green or red cabbage, 2 for $1.00
organic barlett pears, $0.77 per lb.
Imagine Foods Almond Dream, 32 oz. packages, 2 for $4.00
conventional bulk pecan halves, $5.99 per lb.

Have a great weekend!

Saturday Sustenance for September 5, 2009

The big foodie news in Austin this weekend is that a new grocery store, Sprouts, has opened two Central Texas locations, one in Round Rock, and one in Sunset Valley. I haven't been to the either of the Texas locations yet, but I checked out Sprouts the last time I was in Colorado, and was struck by Sprouts' similarities to the Newflower chain(called Sunflower in Colorado). I'm glad to have more choice and I have no doubt that there will be insanely low prices, but one thing that I find kind of...aggravating about both of these stores is the subtitle, "Farmers Market" that both companies tack on to the end of their respective names. Don't get me wrong, I do shop at Newflower because it's close, convenient, and reasonable, but it doesn't compare to, and could never take the place of Sunset Valley Farmers Market for me. I guess I just want to reaffirm my love of real farmers markets, and encourage you to check them out before going to a grocery store, especially since they have the freshest, most seasonal, local produce.

There's not really much advertised at Central Market this week for vegans, but one item of note is that the Westgate location is now carrying the Soyatoo organic topping cream in aseptic containers (the non-aerosol variety) for $3.99 a package. I've only tried this once with cocoa powder for a quick, light, chocolate whip cream style frosting for cupcakes, but it worked nicely and was way better than the aerosol version (which inexplicably smelled like play dough). Soyatoo used to be available only through mail order, and while you can still get it from places like Pangea and VeganEssentials, one of it's best attributes is the convenience it offers, and that's not really apparent when you have to order it two weeks before you plan to use it. One other great thing about it is that is has a pretty long shelf life if left unopened. It is also available at Wheatsville, although I'm not sure of the price there.

Newflower has:
conventional Hass avocados, 3 for $1.00
organic bunched broccoli, $0.99 per lb.
organic red, green, or black seedless grapes, $1.99 per lb.
organic Italian or yellow squash, $0.99 per lb.
Boca burgers, 10 oz packages for $2.49
and their 48 hour weekend specials include:
organic Just Tart Cherry pure cherry juice, 32 oz. $3.49
conventional cluster tomatoes, $0.99 per lb.

Sprouts has:
conventional red, orange or yellow cluster tomatoes, $0.99 per lb.
conventional whole seedless watermelons, $0.99 each
conventional green beans, $0.99 per lb.
organic red leaf, green leaf, or romaine lettuce, $0.99 each
44 oz. bottles of Wholesome Sweeteners organic agave nectar, $5.99
Garden Burger veggie burgers, 10 packages 2 for $5.00
frozen Wyman's Berries, 12--15 oz. packages 2 for $4.00

Sun Harvest has:
organic broccoli, $0.97 per lb.
3 lb. bags of organic gala apples, $2.97
organic red of green seedless grapes, 2 lbs. for $4.00
organic Bartlett pears, $0.77 per lb.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

Saturday Sustenance for August 29, 2009

This week, Central Markets continues their Hatch Chile Festival, where they offer fresh roasted Hatch chilies. They also have cara cara navel oranges, $1.49 per lb and organic on the vine tomatoes $1.79 per lb.

Newflower has:
conventional red bell peppers, $0.99 each
organic cantaloupe, $0.77 per lb
organic cauliflower, 2 heads for $3.00
organic, on the vine tomat0es, $1.77 per lb.
Earth Balance soy free buttery spread, $2.99 for 16 oz.
So Delicious Coconut Milk beverage, 64 oz. for $2.99
Lundberg organic couscous, 2 for $3.00 for select 6.8-10 oz. varieties
And, for Saturday and Sunday only, canned roasted red peppers, 19 oz for $1.99 or
Stahlbush Island Farms frozen berries, $2.49 each for 10 oz. bags

Sun Harvest has:
conventional Hass avocados, $0.49 each
organic Valencia oranges, $0.77 per lb.
organic broccoli, $0.97 per lb.
organic Colorado sweet onions, $0.77 per lb.
organic Newman-O's, 9 oz packages, 2 for $3.00

Saturday Sustenance for August 22, 2009

Sorry for missing last week, I wasn't feeling very well. Hopefully, you had a great week.

This weekend, Central Market has Hatch Peppers in from Hatch New Mexico for $0.99 per lb. Both this weekend and next weekend, CM is having their annual Hatch Chile Festival. They also have organic raspberries and blackberries, 2 containers for $5.00.

Newflower has:
conventional on the vine cluster tomatoes, $0.67 per lb.
conventional large Hass avocados, $0.77 each
raw walnut halves and pieces, $3.00 per lb.
organic large bell peppers, $0.99 each
organic celery, $0.99 a bunch
organic radishes, $0.99 a bunch
organic cantaloupe, $0.77 per lb.
organic Newflower brand fruit spread in 9 oz. jars, $1.99
organic Cascadian Farms frozen vegetables, $1.99, 10 oz.
Pet Promise dry pet food, $9.99 for 5--6 lb. bags
Dogswell Veggie Life Treats, $3.99, selected 5 oz. varieties

Sun Harvest has:
conventional Sweet O'Henry peaches, $0.49 per lb.
conventional broccoli crowns, $0.88 per lb.
organic red seedless grapes, $0.97 per lb.
organic on the vine cluster tomatoes, 2 lbs for $3.00
organic strawberries, 1 lb packages, 2 for $5.00
organic white nectarines, 2 lbs. for $3.00
organic Sun Harvest frozen vegetables, 2 for $4.00, 16 oz.
organic Ezekiel 4:9 bread, $2.99
Arrowhead Mills puffed cereal, $0.99, 6 oz.
Maranatha No Stir peanut butter, $2.99, 16 oz.

Saturday Sustenance for August 8, 2009

Central Market doesn't have much on sale for vegans this week, just asparagus for $2.49 per lb. and a deal for a free 10.5 oz. package of Cherub tomatoes and 8 oz. package of sliced mushrooms when you buy a Central Market Organics 1 lb packaged salad, with an instore coupon.

Newflower, as usual, has a large selection of conventional produce on sale:

Bartlett pears, 3 lbs for $1.00

kiwi, 5 for $1.00

broccoli crowns, $0.88 per lb.

artichokes, 2 for $3.00

red or green leaf lettuce, $0.88 each

red, green, or black seedless grapes, $0.59 per lb.

New Mexico Hatch chilies, hot, medium, or mild, $0.88 per lb.

organic kale, green, lacinto or red, $0.99 each

organic strawberries, 8 oz. packages, 2 for $4.00

organic zucchini, $0.99 per lb.

white or wheat frozen pizza dough, $1.99 each

Boca frozen meat analogs, 10--12 oz. packages, $2.49

Amy's organic frozen pizzas, $3.49 for 13--14 oz.

Westsoy unsweetened or Longevity soy beverages, $1.49

and, over the weekend, only, 2 whole pineapples for $3.00 and Santa Cruz organic lemonade, 32 oz. for $0.99.

Sun Harvest has:

seedless watermelons, $1.97 each

white or yellow nectarines, $0.97 per lb.

organic seedless watermelons, 3 lbs. for $1.00

organic celery, 3 lbs. for $1.00

organic strawberries, 1 lb packages, 2 for $5.00

organic yellow nectarines, 4 lbs. for $5.00

Westsoy low fat soy milk, 32 oz. 10 for $10.00

16 oz. organic Bionaturae dry pastas, 2 for $5.00

Purely Decadent frozen desserts, $3.99 each

10 oz. Cascadian Farms organic frozen vegetables, 2 for $4.00

and, for the weekend only:

red or black plums $0.77 per lb.

walnut halves and pieces, $2.99 per lb.

broccoli crowns, $0.77 per lb.

large vine ripe tomatoes, $0.77 per lb.