With over 40,000 followers on Instagram alone, Tiny Pies proves their taste is big, though their pies may be little. This is the story of how a small business from Austin took the nation by storm.

Tiny Pies Idea Is Born

Tiny Pies is a creative endeavor started by the mother-daughter duo of Kit Seay and Amanda Bates back in 2011. The idea of making hand-held pies came from Bates’ son. He loved taking a slice of pie to school, but it always got too messy. “One day he tossed out an idea: ‘Why don’t you come up with something I can eat with my hand?’ We instantly knew it was a really good idea,” Bates explained.

The idea turned into days spent in the kitchen playing around with recipes and testing flavors. Baking together wasn’t new for the pair. Bates baked with her mom for as long as she can remember. And Seay, in turn, used to bake with her own mom. [Read more…]

I’ll admit, when my doctor first suggested I adopt a paleo lifestyle, I was nervous. Sure, I could adapt my cooking habits. Hand me a zucchini–I’ll make noodles. Toss in a butternut squash–you’ve got rice.

But what about my profound love for restaurant exploration? Would I be able to navigate the menus of up-and-coming eateries, or would my favorite hobby turn into a daunting task? Turns out, I had nothing to worry about.

During my first Whole30 journey, I remembered Picnik. The wholesome walk-up-turned-brick-and-mortar is known for its paleo offerings. They also have an entire menu of hand-selected dishes that are Whole30-compliant. And they aren’t all salad! [Read more…]

Austin is rich in restaurants bringing cuisine from around the world. Our city is particularly blessed with great Japanese food, and we have the creators of Ramen Tatsu-Ya to thank for much of it. As the long lines can attest, Ramen Tatsu-Ya earned its spot in the hearts of Austin ramen lovers long ago. Now the owners and chefs behind Austin’s premiere ramen spot have brought us a new restaurant concept: Kemuri Tatsu-ya. [Read more…]

Am I the only one infatuated by all things French? Even placing the word “French” in front of a noun makes it sound better. Think of bread, for example…

I would love to wake up in Paris one morning, get dressed to look simple but chic like a true Parisian, then run to the bakery and have a croissant with a cup of coffee. Oh, stereotypes!

How close can I get to my dream while living in Austin? I can definitely find bakeries that make croissants. The only question is: how authentic are those croissants? Out of this question the idea for a croissant crawl was born: one day, four bakeries, four croissants. The winner takes all. [Read more…]

Each year from November to January we embark on an annual journey of indulgence. We revel in the company of friends and family. We bask in waves of nostalgia as songs, traditions and memories from years past wash over us. We willingly loosen our belts a notch, making room for a parade of seasonal delicacies.

But come January, we’re jarred from this holiday haze. As if a switch has flipped in our brains, we begin a desperate search for a reset button. In truth, there’s no magic bullet to instantly shedding the weight or cravings from two months of holiday cheer. Nor is there time to search for one as we confront that mound of unanswered work emails.

That’s why we live in Austin, a foodie city that understands that healthy needs to be good as well as easy. I’ve put together some of my favorite resolution-friendly restaurants for healthy but satisfying meals on the go. [Read more…]