The Celiathlete

July 18, 2013

Boilermaker 15K – Utica, NY (July 14, 2013)

Me sprinting toward the finish line of the Boilermaker 15K - Utica, NY — Me sprinting toward the finish line of the Boilermaker 15K – Utica, NY

Race: Boilermaker 15K

Place: Utica, New York

Date: July 14, 2013

Time: 1:12:14

When I started running over three years ago, I never dreamed of where my feet would end up taking me. Honestly. That’s the brilliant thing about this sport. You can participate in any event…anywhere you may be traveling through. Or…in this case…there may be a particular event that you are just dying to run because you have heard so much about it. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn’t.

Last year, I had wanted to register for the Boilermaker 15K after hearing my friend, Jean, talk about it with me. She was doing the 5K race that year and I was really wanting to get in that 15K race. However, it conflicted with another event I was attending, so I didn’t get to run it last year. However, I was determined to make it into the running in 2013. So, Jean texted me one day to alert me that registration would be opening. So the moment it did…you better believe I was online and paying my $40 registration fee. Of course, now logistics of how to get from Louisville, Kentucky to Utica, New York needed to be considered…but I had time for that. The important thing was…I was in! Good thing too, because it sold out fast.

This past weekend was the big event. The Boilermaker is run every second Sunday in July…and it has been that way since the race first began in 1976. This particular race was established by Earle C. Reed, who was looking for a way to give back to the community that had supported his family business. The race was his answer. It began with a humble 800 runners and a budget of $750. But now, over thirty years later, The Boilermaker 15K Road Race is now the largest 15K in the nation with more than 10,000 runners. Each year, this particular race attracts elite runners from all over the world, Olympians, and world record holders. It’s kind of a BIG deal. In addition to the star power this 15K race draws, the Boilermaker 15K is also ranked as the most competitive 15K in the world. What other accolades does this race have? Plenty! The Road Runners Club of America has ranked it as one of the Top 20 Favorite Road Races in the country. Runner’s World Magazine rated the Boilermaker as one of the Top 100 Road Races in the country. USA Track and Field has named it one of the 30 Largest Road Races in the country.

And…after getting off work on Friday and driving up to Columbus, Ohio for the night…Cathy, Jenn and I piled into my car and we made the over 8 hour drive from Columbus, Ohio to Utica, New York on Saturday. We headed out early, with hopes of hitting Jean’s apartment by 1 p.m. Unfortunately…that didn’t happen, and we hit there about an hour later than planned. But we were there. And I was reunited with friends I hadn’t seen since high school…Jean and Jen!! Jen drove all the way up to Utica just to see me and hang out and I was thrilled!! It was like these 15 years had never passed. At all. And Cathy and Jenn fit right in with the group. So it was awesome. As we were all piling into Jean’s car to hit up the race expo so I could pick up my packet and goodie bag, it all dawned on me…

I finally made it to Utica, New York for the annual running of The Boilermaker 15K.

The race expo was actually more substantial than I expected. In fact, it was one of the better organized and better run expos I have attended. The expo itself was held at Mohawk Valley Community College. Inside the gymnasium was where we needed to be for me to get my race bib. I accidentally took the long way around the tables in the center and ended up near where I started in order to get in line for my number. It was all done by alphabet…and it turned out my name was the last name in a stack. My bib, however, was missing. After some hunting, they found it in the next pile over and handed it over to me. With number and some safety pins in hand, we were now heading out toward the expo part, where I would receive my goodie bag and could hit up any vendor shops if I wanted.

The line for the goodie bags went quickly, and soon I was being handed my clear bag with a pint glass in it and some race information. My bib number and pins were tucked into the bag and I was out and moving now to do some browsing of the vendors. I hadn’t actually intended to purchase anything…but when I spotted the compression sleeves in the colors I couldn’t find at my local running store…all bets were off. And I was now a little poorer. And when Cathy spotted BondiBand…well…we all know what happens when BondiBand is in the picture. Needless to say, I picked up three new BondiBands, but none of them would be worn during the race the following day.

After that…we needed to get some food and then head back to Jean’s. We ate, we socialized, and we finally decided it was time to get some sleep. The race kicked off at 8:00 a.m. and I needed to be at the start line prior to that, which also involved me hopping onto a shuttle bus from the finish line area to take to the start line. So, one busy morning…and four ladies to cycle through two bathrooms. We saw Jen off, as she was heading home and would catch up with me on Sunday afternoon when I detoured through the town where I grew up. The futon was assembled, the air mattress was inflated. And after a little foam rolling and some seal jacks (compliments of Jean!), we were ready to get some rest.

As is typical with any night before the race, I didn’t sleep well. Despite having an alarm set, I would wake up every couple of hours. I think subconsciously I worry that my alarm won’t go off and that I’ll be late or miss a race. This happens for every race, no matter how big or small. But…my alarm on my cell phone did go off…at 4:30 a.m. I turned it off and quietly switched to my Weather Channel app to check the temperature. This would determine what I ended up wearing to this particular race.

Originally, the weather had been calling for high 60s. But it was already 77 degrees out and the humidity was up to 80%. Don’t even get me started on the dew point. So, with that in mind…I grabbed my bag that had my running gear in it and headed to the bathroom to change. With the high humidity, I opted to run in my running skirt (company sponsored), compression sleeves, and a simple bra top. Any more fabric would have been unbearable to me. Honestly. I put my hair up in my signature pigtails, adorning it with purple and orange hair extensions. And, as I saw the elevation map for this race, I chose an appropriate BondiBand from my collection at home…the one that said: “BEAT THE HILL!”

To top off everything else, I had new running shoes. You aren’t supposed to wear anything new to a race. I had tested them out in a 7 mile run on Friday morning, and wore them around all day Friday and Saturday in hopes of breaking them in. I had never run an actual race in these…so this would be a testament of their quality. My new shoes are the Pearl Izumi Women’s EM Road M3…and I loved them when I tried them on Saturday night. I’d now find out how much I loved them after actually racing in them. And not just any race. Nope. A humid, hot, and hilly 15K race. Talk about taking risks!

After I cycled out of the bathroom, Jenn was in next, then Cathy. Jean came downstairs and we all put something in our stomachs. Jean washed up some delicious strawberries for me, which I downed. Jenn and Cathy had some Cheerios. And Jean…I believe she ate a banana at home. I was taking a banana with me as about 40 minutes prior to any race, I eat a banana. It has never let me down yet. And with that time frame, it gives things time to settle and everything. The goal was to leave Jean’s apartment by 6 a.m. at the latest. We hit the road at 6:03 a.m. Close enough.

It was a short drive and it wasn’t too hard to find parking. We actually ended up parking near the building where Jean works. From there, we started to head toward the school buses that were being used to shuttle runners up to the start line. As the shuttles only ran to the start line until 7 a.m., this meant I needed to get on one immediately. So, even though it was still very early, I gave hugs to my girls and then departed…leaving them near the finish area. I was now on my way toward the start.

It was weird, actually, to be at the start of a race without my crew (Cathy & Co…usually Jenn or Heather, depending on the race!). There was a lot of action though. People were stretching. Some were picking up their packets. Some were doing some strides to get warmed up. Some were using the port-a-potties. Me…I walked away from the shuttle bus where we were dropped off and started toward where the race would be starting. I wanted to scope it out. Volunteers and runners…that’s all you saw here. No families or friends. It was just a totally different scenario than I am used to.

With the sun already relentlessly beating down at 7 a.m., I was hoping to find a bit of shade. But there was really none to be had. Thankfully, there were cups of water being handed out at a table not far from the start. After I did some stretching, I went to grab some water to keep hydrated. As I was finishing that up, I noticed a bright yellow shirt with the words BLUEMILE across the front of it. BlueMile is my favorite running store in the area. They have two stores in Indianapolis and two stores in Louisville. I tracked down the older gentleman wearing the shirt and asked him what store he was from. He said the Broad Ripple store. Ah…Broad Ripple. I went running with the Broad Ripple team the week before on Saturday morning. I know that store well. Anyway…I told him I was from the Highlands store in Louisville and we stood and talked. He asked where the official start was and I pointed toward the corner, where the start was just up a little hill from there.

I went back to stretching as the announcer came over the speaker system to give the run down of the history of the race. Not only how long it has been (literally) running, but also that this race boasts the most water stops. They weren’t kidding either. The Boilermaker 15K (9.3 miles) has over 20 water stations along the course. That’s awesome because today was definitely a day where hydration was going to be the key to having a good race. In addition to letting us know that we had over 20 aid stations along the way, the announcer told us that it was currently 80 degrees and the humidity was high and only going to get higher as the morning progressed. Fair warning. Adjust your race accordingly.

At this point I decided it was time to eat my banana, so I slowly ate that down as the announcements were repeated. I did a little more stretching and grabbed another small sip of water. Then the announcement came that the wheelchair racers and the elites should report to the starting line. After that, they began to announce the various color bibs. We were directed to make our way to the start area. And so…I stepped into the corrals. My bib was yellow and I was let into the corral at the bottom of the hill.

At 7:45 a.m., the wheelchair racers were sent off. And fifteen minutes later…my corral began to slowly slog forward toward the start line. It started as a walk. Then a job. Soon, we were all slowly finding a pace and crossing over the start line, taking on the beginning of The Boilermaker 15K.

The first half of this race is pretty much going uphill. Honestly. I am not kidding. This also does mean that the second half of the race, in theory, should seem easier. While you still have inclines in the second half, the majority of them hit early on in this race. For that, I am thankful, despite legs that feel heavy at first. Once I got moving, I found my stride. It didn’t take too long to do. I’m used to early morning runs when my muscles are still a little tight from resting…so this warm up actually felt natural to me.

Mile 1 starts you off with music. And crowd support. Hontestly, there were droves of people lining the roads, cheering for runners. At about .3 miles in, a guy standing on the front porch of his house shouts down, “You’re almost there! Just 9 miles to go!” It made me laugh. Gotta love crowds. Especially crowds that come to lift the spirits of the participants in the races. This just makes the race even more amazing.

Mile 2 is what the Boilermaker calls the International Mile. All along this mile, runners get to experience the sounds of different countries and cultures. I noticed different bands and dance groups, all representing different cultures from around the world. And, all along the way, all 192 flags of the United Nations’ member states were represented. It was an amazing second mile.

The heat was going up now, and I was making sure to utilize my fuel belt properly. I had 6 ounces of water and 6 ounces of Gatorade on me. And I was doing as my sports nutritionist had taught me when it came to hydration. Of course, the sips were smaller, because I wanted the fluids to last.

Miles 3 and 4 brought the steepest incline of the entire race. We were running through the golf courses of the area, and that meant hills. And these weren’t those quick hills you power up and say a word of congratulations to yourself when you reach the top and start down. No…these were the hills that are long and slow and they just never seem to stop going up. I rounded turns with these hills. I just kept telling myself to keep going. Keep on pushing. Get to the top!

And I did. And soon, the downhill portion was in front of me. I didn’t want to blitz the hill. That can cause injury and it can really wear out the legs. I was about halfway through the race and I wanted to make sure I had a strong finish at the end. Of course, with the humidity on the rise and the relentless heat…my pace was definitely being affected.

Thank goodness for the lovely people of Utica, New York. The streets were literally lined with spectators. This was their event and it seemed everyone from the region was out there and cheering. Some people with houses along the course came out with their hoses to spray water on the overheated runners. I took full advantage of these showers of cold water. And I thanked every single one of them that helped make the course a little less miserable on that hot day. Some residents came out with orange slices, or popsicles to cool off runners. It was just really great to see a town get so into a race.

Me in the Family Reunion Area of the Boilermaker 15K, with refreshing Chobani Greek yogurt, wearing the finisher's medal Cathy bought for me! — Me in the Family Reunion Area of the Boilermaker 15K, with refreshing Chobani Greek yogurt, wearing the finisher’s medal Cathy bought for me!

That being said, by Mile 7 I was starting to fall victim to the rising mercury. The July heat and humidity in Upstate New York was brutal. My legs were beginning to feel heavy. The course was on another incline, so, I decided I would pop a GU pack and continue to press on. If I had to slow it down due to heat…so be it. Running smart and finishing was most important. I went in wanting to beat my last 15K time (The Hot Chocolate 15K in Columbus, Ohio), but that became less important. Crossing that finish line…no matter the time…was the goal.

The next two miles ticked off quickly, I felt. Perhaps finally getting around to fueling (I apologize to my sports nutritionist for not doing it after 30 minutes as I should have been) and reviving my body. But, soon, I was hitting the marker for Mile 9 and it was a downhill sprint toward the finish line.

I could see Cathy holding up the sign, and right next to her was Jenn and Jean. All three of them were just screaming at me to run, run, go, go…and I did. I just ran my heart out toward that finish line, crossing it, dripping in sweat and feeling like I had just been put through the wringer. But it felt good. And I was smiling. Yes…I was smiling.

I had no idea where to proceed from here. Normally Cathy would hurry over to find me and join me…but there was no way for my friends to head over to where I was standing. So, I began to make my way down the chute. First we were handed our Finisher’s pins (no medals here). They were also handing out fresh orange slices, cold water, and popcicles as we proceeded toward the After Party staging area. I finally noticed a sign for the Family Reunion Area. I figured that would be the best place for me to stand. Of course, then I got distracted by the Chobani truck and went to snag some free Greek yogurt (Blueberry, of course!). As I meandered over toward the Family Reunion Area, I turned around and there, in the sea of humanity behind me, I spotted MY SIGN! And there was Cathy…just searching for me.

I got air hugs (I was dripping with sweat still, despite downing two bottles of cold water), and then she told me to stand there and close my eyes. And with that, she pulled out the official Finisher’s Medal, which she purchased at the race expo the day before. I was so surprised. But she said I had totally earned the finisher’s medal…because I had a new 15K PR…not just according to my Garmin, but also according to Cathy. We went over to the merchandise area to see about getting me a t-shirt, but they didn’t have any in my size. I picked up a new magnet for my car and then we decided to go and find our way back to where Cathy left Jean and Jenn.

We found them without a problem, but Jean had held onto a set of keys for a friend who was also running. That friend was in the Family Reunion Area, so she needed to go and locate her. After that, we could move on back to Jean’s car, get back to her apartment, and I could finally shower. While Jean was gone, I went and did a very slow shake-out run, taking my mileage up to 10 miles that Sunday. And it felt good to keep moving. I finished up just a few minutes before Jean rejoined us.

Me with Jean...before having to leave Utica, NY behind and head back home. Next year, Jean...we run it together! — Me with Jean…before having to leave Utica, NY behind and head back home. Next year, Jean…we run it together!

And with that, we were leaving The Boilermaker 15K behind…making our way to Jean’s car. We made the drive back to her apartment and I went and got cleaned up and changed. And then, sadly, it was time to hop into the car and begin the long drive back toward Columbus, Ohio. It was hard to say goodbye to Jean. It had been ages since I had seen Jean and the time went by way too fast.

Of course, she said that she’ll be ready to run in the Boilermaker next year…so I think I need to come back, revisit it, and run it with her. It would certainly be a good time.

So…the official results of the Boilermaker 15K are that I finished with a new 15K PR of 1:12:14. That meant I shaved an entire minute off my last 15K time (which was done in cold weather, mind you). I was thrilled! I was 1127/11,371 finishers overall. Not too shabby!! In addition to that, I was 193/5379 female runners to cross the finish line. And finally, I was 19/828 in my age division. Super proud of these numbers.

And yes…I do want to come back and give this one another go. I now know what to expect and can train accordingly. I can see why this race is so popular. It’s fun, it’s challenging, and it has the most amazing crowd the entire way. Utica welcomes these racers with open arms and really rolls out the red carpet for each participant. And I had one of the best times of my life. Yes…even in that heat.

July 18, 2013July 18, 2013

Charlie’s Pizza rolls out a fantastic gluten-free crust for this Boilermaker runner

Restaurant: Charlie’s Pizza, Utica, New York

It’s the second weekend in July…and that means one thing when you live in Utica, New York.

Yep…

The Boilermaker!

Confused? Don’t be. The Boilermaker 15K Road Race was established in 1976 and has grown to become the largest 15K road race in the United States. Not only that, the Boilermaker is ranked as the most competitive 15K in the world, drawing people from all across the United States as well as from other countries. It’s a big freakin’ deal. And that was why I found myself in Utica, New York this past weekend. I was running in The Boilermaker 15K.

And…as we have established from blogs past…before any major road race, my fuel of choice is a gluten-free pizza.

Lucky for me, a lot of the guesswork on this trip when it came to food was taken out of the equation. My high school friend, Jean, lives in Utica and she was the one who really directed me toward this race. I was going to run it the year before, but…I had a conflict in the schedule. Not this year. So, when I told her that I would require a gluten-free pizza the night before, she was sending me two different local Italian places that both offered gluten-free pizza. They both sounded good, so my roommate and I flipped a coin.

And the winner…Charlie’s Pizza.

Jean said it was her favorite place to grab food, so this was already sounding promising.

After a long day on the road, getting reacquainted with old friends I hadn’t seen in 15 years, hitting up the race expo, and taking my friend Jenn to Florentine’s to place an order for delicious baked goods she used to get when she lived in Utica…we all were rather hungry. So, our next stop was dinner. And that meant we all piled back into Jean’s car and headed toward Charlie’s Pizza.

Looks can be deceiving, and when you first catch a glimpse of Charlie’s Pizza in Utica…well…you might be tempted to go elsewhere. Located next to the Big Lots, it’s a little strip mall sort of joint. It looks like a dive at first glance, but I’ve learned, sometimes these “dives” are the gems of the area when it comes to food. I wasn’t casting judgment. I was going to get my pizza! We walked in to Charlie’s Pizza and it reminded me a lot of those establishments that are run down but for all the right reasons. They’ve got longevity. They’ve been there awhile. One of the ladies behind the counter asked if we were dining in. We said we were so she told us to take a seat anywhere. As we were a party of five, we took the big table at the back, underneath the television. Soon, menus were passed our way and we began to peruse the selections while our drink orders were taken. This allowed the rest of us to decide what we were going to order. Cathy and I were definitely splitting a gluten-free pizza. Jen W. and Jean were going to split a large pepperoni pizza ($14.99). And Jenn went for an order of their Stuffed Shells ($9.99).

All Cathy and I needed to do now was choose our toppings. In the end, we went for what is becoming one of our favorite pizzas to order when all ingredients are available. We settled on a Gluten-Free Pizza with Onion, Mushroom, and Pineapple ($15.50 – small cheese pizza: $9.00, made gluten-free: add $3.00, with two extra toppings: add $2.00; with one premium topping: add $1.50).

With orders in, we settled back into talking. Jean and Jenn W. were high school friends of mine, and when I moved away in 1998, I hadn’t been back to see them. We had lots to talk about and to catch up on, so you can imagine the conversations we had while waiting on food. With their pizza and pasta, there were side salads and soup for “The 3 J’s” at the table. Both Jen and Jean got the tossed salad (minus the olives) and Jenn went with the Italian Wedding Soup. It was a nice way for them to calm their rumbling stomachs. And not too long after they polished those off…food began to arrive.

Everyone’s food looked great. Jenn had expected more than just three stuffed shells with her order, but she said it turned out to be just enough. Jean and Jen’s pizza looked amazing.

But this gluten-free vegetarian was ready to dive into her own pizza creation.

Charlie’s Pizza offers up the usual gluten-free crust…cracker crust. I am not a huge fan of cracker crust when it comes to pizza as it can go wrong so easily. However…Charlie’s Pizza got it totally right. For one thing, the waitress informed us that they pre-bake the crust before they top it and put it in the oven again. This helps get the right amount of crispness to the dough so that it doesn’t remain soggy toward the middle. There is nothing worse than a soggy gluten-free pizza crust. And trust me…I have had my share of those! The cheese was melt-in-your-mouth good. And it really paired well with the fresh vegetables and the pineapple that topped the pizza. The onions and mushrooms were baked in to perfection, so that the flavors melted into the cheese and crust instead of being too bold and standing out. And the sweet pineapple was ripe and added the right hit of sweetness. The sauce was fantastic. And I loved that, while it took a bit of time to eat, the crust never once grew soggy as it sat on the tray. Not once. It remained crisp and a beautiful golden color. No burned edges. No struggling to get the pizza out of the pan. This was easy…simple…and totally delicious. I was impressed.

Highly impressed!!

Much thanks to Charlie’s Pizza for the amazing gluten-free eats the night before what turned out to be a fun, but grueling 15K the following morning. I felt well fueled for the run and have them to thank for not making me break my pre-race-night food tradition. I felt completely safe eating there as it came highly recommended by Jean. The pizza wasn’t greasy…which means everything sat well in my stomach. And it was honestly just really good food made by a great family-run business.

Thanks for the suggestion, Jean. Outstanding pizza to compliment an outstanding trip!

Charlie's Pizza's Gluten-Free Mushroom, Onion and Pineapple Pizza — Charlie’s Pizza’s Gluten-Free Mushroom, Onion and Pineapple Pizza

July 17, 2013May 11, 2015

Morels The Vegan Butcher dices up spicy goodness with Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Vegan Jerky

Product: Morels The Vegan Butcher Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Vegan Jerky – $6.50+

Vegan jerky?

Yep…you read that right. And my roommate and I were just fortunate enough to stumble across this at a little fair in Louisville that highlighted local businesses. One of the businesses participating was Morels The Vegan Butcher. And on their table they had these little pouches that caught my eye. Yep…I spotted them. I also noticed that not only were they labeled vegan, but they were also gluten-free.

Now you really had my attention.

Morels the Vegan Butcher began as a food truck in 2011 and quickly expanded across the country when they developed their line of vegan jerky in 2012. Only using premium ingredients, this Louisville, Kentucky company handcrafts their jerky in small batches. What this does is ensure that the texture and taste remain up to standard. Morels focuses on providing nutritious on-the-go products for people looking to keep meat and dairy out of their diets. This is definitely a product that spoke to me. Trust me…I was ready to try one of the samples.

So…I did…and that was all it took. A pouch of Morels The Vegan Butcher’s Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky came home with me that day. I purchased it at the buy local fair and never looked back. After buying it, I commented to my roomie that it would be the perfect snack to take in the car as we travel up to Utica, New York. I was running up there and we were driving a long way to get to that race. Healthy snacks in the car are always a welcome thing. Always!

So, when the stomach rumblies hit us too late for lunch but too early for dinner (we were eating out for dinner), I reached into the little red duffel of snacks and good stuff and removed the silver pouch that held Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky.

I already knew I was going to like it. No, it wasn’t based off of the fact that it was spicy. This was the version I sampled at the fair. So, I knew what I was doing when I bought it.

Morels vegan jerky is crated using a base that begins with marinated soy curls. By marinating these soy curls, they achieve tender, chewy, and flavorful snacks. All they do is season them up for the flavor of jerky they are creating. In the case of Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky, in addition to soy curls, you have water, Braggs liquid aminos, brown sugar, olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup), vinegar, liquid smoke, garlic powder, chipotle powder, ancho powder, onion powder, pepper, cloves and nutmeg. Nothing fake. And…these snacks are gluten-free and loaded with protein…making them a fantastic choice for a gluten-free, vegetarian athlete like me.

But…how can something that is created by marinating soy curls taste? How about really damn good! Oh yes…this jerky is spicy and addictive. The blend of chipotle and ancho chile powders really get a nice heat going with each bite that you take. Nothing that overpowers, mind you, but just adds a little flavor and a little heat to each bite. I loved the chewy, soft texture of this jerky. And the flavor was smokey and spicy and just amazing. Honestly. I was diving in for more. My roommate and I were splitting the pouch…and we were only going to have a little…but soon we were polishing it off regardless.

Morels hit a high note with this one. The spiciness keeps each bite interesting and the taste and texture is dead-on…super good.

So, let’s talk nutrition. A pouch of Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky from Morels The Vegan Butcher serves 2.5. In one serving (28 grams/1 ounce), you are served 50 calories and 2 grams of fat. This vegan jerky contains no saturated fat, no trans fat, no cholesterol. It has 370 mg of sodium per serving and only 2 grams of sugar. Each serving provides 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Loving it.

The Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky variety from Morels The Vegan Butcher brings the right amount of heat to each bite without overpowering and killing off the flavor in the vegan jerky itself. I went wild for this. I wish I had purchased more. But, they are a local company, so it shouldn’t be too hard to dig up another pouch of this amazing snack food.

Easy to travel with…and super delicious. Loved every handful.

July 16, 2013May 11, 2015

NuGo offers nutritious on-the-go snacks that taste as good as they sound (and they taste awesome!)

There is always that fear when I hit the road. As a gluten-free (and vegetarian) athlete, grabbing food from a fast food joint just isn’t an option. And, let’s face it, some of the “safe” snacks at those convenience stores along the way are still a bit daunting when you’re on the road. All it takes is for one thing to not be right and you’re down for the count with some stomach issues.

I wasn’t taking any chances this past weekend when I hit the road with my roomie, Cathy, and my good friend Jenn. While those two can eat pretty much anywhere and anything that sounds good…I had to watch it. I needed to be sure nothing I consumed would make me sick…or hit me wrong.

So…now was as good a time as any to test out new protein bars, yes?

Sometimes my logic is astounding, I know.

Anyway…I had packed from home two NuGo bars to eat on the road if needed. And thank goodness I did.

Product: NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip Bar – $3.29+

We left Jenn’s house before the sun was even thinking about rising, having just eaten a few pieces of watermelon to at least get something in our stomachs until we stopped somewhere for food. That occurred shortly after putting gas in the gar, and getting some coffee from Starbucks. Cathy and Jenn were making noises about a quick drive thru at McDonalds. While milling about the convenience store that had the Starbucks attached, I spotted a few things of interest…Chobani yogurt, some fruit cups…but I said I would find something in the food I brought along. After all, that’s why I bring it along. So, we got our coffee (caffeine…finally!) and headed over for them to grab their breakfast orders.

And so…we were off.

And as they noshed on their breakfast…I dug around in the little red duffel of snacks and good stuff and grabbed a small box of raisins and the NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip Bar.

Now, I had previously had NuGo Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Bar while at an airport and starving. I loved it. I remember that much. So, I was having high hopes for this variety as well. And…come on…it’s dark chocolate and mint. That’s the most epic combination…anywhere. Who doesn’t like mint and chocolate? I unwrapped the bar and could immediately smell the hints of mint and that bittersweet aroma of (my favorite) dark chocolate!

I broke off a piece and had to test it out…immediately.

Remember Thin Mint Cookies? You know…those addictive little cookies that the Girl Scouts tempt you with every year? Well, they were my favorite back when I could eat them. And I’ve been without them for two years now. Two long years. Well, I can honestly say that the NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip Bar reminds me of what a Thin Mint Cookie tasted like. Honestly. I think that’s why I somewhat hoovered and somewhat savored this bar. I went between wanting to devour it for sheer nostalgia and the fact that it tasted so damn good…to wanting to make each and every bite last. It was the only one I currently had, after all.

This bar is sheer dark chocolate minty love in an easy to unwrap package. What’s even better…is that it is actually good for you. Let’s take a look at the nutrition.

A serving size is one bar. This one bar will give you a hit of dark chocolate and mint at the cost of only 200 calories and 5 grams of fat. This one bar is cholesterol free and low in sodium (only 160 mg). You will receive 1 gram of fiber and 10 grams of protein. While the fiber count is low…the protein helps bulk it up and make it a filling choice for a bar. The sugar count is a bit high for my liking (14 grams), but it tastes like a Thin Mint Cookie…so…I’ll indulge a little this time.

As far as ingredients go, it starts out with dark chocolate, soy crisps (which sort of gives it some texture and that crispness that gives it that Thin Mint Cookie crackle), tapioca syrup, agave syrup, chocolate rice crisp (more crispiness), soy protein, alkalized cocoa, brown rice flour, natural flavor, peppermint extract, and gum acacia. I’m familiar with the ingredients that these are made out of, putting my mind to ease about what I might actually be consuming. That’s always a nice relief.

For a bar that tastes like you’re indulging in a sweet, dark chocolate treat…I highly recommend NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip. Honestly…one of the best out on the market.

NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip Bar (unwrapped)

Product: NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt

Salty or sweet? Some people like one or the other. Me? I’m a fan of the combination. I love having that sweetness of chocolate (especially bittersweet dark chocolate) with something salty underneath. Before going gluten-free, chocolate covered pretzels were my kryptonite. Put them anywhere near me, and the entire bag would be gone in a blink of an eye. I can’t help myself when given something both salty and sweet. For me…it’s the perfect combination.

So, on the way home on this road trip out to Utica, New York for an epic 15K road race (The Boilermaker), my lunch on-the-go (or on the way to ice cream) was the other NuGo bar that I packed from home. This time, it was the NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt variety. Once again, I tore into the wrapper and unveiled a dark chocolate hugged bar. I could see the texture of the crisps that make up the body of the bar. And if the Mint Chocolate Chip variety was any indication of how epic this bar could be…I was already salivating.

Once again, I broke off a piece and popped it into my mouth. I immediately got hit with the sweetness of the dark chocolate that completely coated this bar. The crispy texture from the crisps inside was perfect. And the combination worked. The crispiness of the crunchy pretzels sprinkled with sea salt and the bittersweet flavor of the chocolate just ignited my taste buds. Totally delicious.

So, let’s talk nutrition on this one. One serving is an entire bar. YUM! This serving will serve you 200 calories and 5 grams of fat. Due to the inclusion of sea salt, the sodium count is only slightly higher (360 mg). This bar is still cholesterol free, however. Additionally, you get 2 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein. Once again, the sugar count was a bit high for my liking (15 grams), but every now and again, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge a little in one of these bars.

Trust me…this is definitely worth trying. While I didn’t like this one as much as the Dark Mint Chocolate Chip variety, this one was good for its own reasons and a bar I would certainly eat again.

NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt (unwrapped)

Both of these bars are not only low in fat and high in protein, but they are both also certified gluten-free, vegan, pareve, certified kosher, rich with antioxidants, healthy, and made with real dark chocolate.

And both are super, super delicious!! If you are looking for a good protein bar that doesn’t taste like chemicals…these two flavors from NuGo are good options for anyone. I know they’ll find their way back into my pantry very soon.

Try them…you’ll thank me later.

(Pssst…especially the NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip!)

July 12, 2013

Marathon Training Week #5 – Where I learn the value of sleep…

Another week done. I know…I know…it’s only Friday, but I’m heading out of town this week for a race on Sunday in Upstate, New York. And that means that today ended my week of training as tomorrow, the day of the heaviest travel, I am using as my rest day. In the end, it all balances out. Really. I promise.

With that in mind, I had to approach this week keeping in mind that I would have very tired legs by the end of it. What I didn’t count on was also having new shoes. Yep. Just bought a new pair of kicks. Still not sure how I feel about them…they feel lighter than the Nike’s I was previously in…but…it’s too soon to tell. Of course, this meant my Friday run was not only being done on tired legs…but fresh shoes. So, I did my best to keep it easy. No sense injuring myself before a race…let alone during the middle of my training, right? Right!

So…this week I learned the valuable lesson of sleep. And how necessary it is. Last week with the concert during the week and then the convention over the weekend, I got less sleep than I normally do. And I already get the very minimal. Not because I choose to be that way…but I’ve never required eight full hours of sleep. I function best on 5 hours. But…I wasn’t getting that the week before. And this current week has been just as full with activities and getting things ready for the trip to New York. So…sleep has been rather scarce. I’ve been up later than usual…then getting up at normal time to hit the roads and get my training runs in. I’m really feeling the effects. There are times I’m finding it hard to stay focused on things or maybe even nodding off on the couch. So…after this trip, there is a break in the schedule and things come back on an even keel…so sleep will be a priority. I bet my running will improve too.

I’m still feeling the sting of hurtful things said by people to me about how I look. But…whatever. I’m going to brush it off and know that I am happy and healthy and I don’t need them to drag me down and make me feel ugly. Rise above it, right? Right.

So…with that in mind…here’s how this weeks marathon training went…

Sunday is my easy run or rest day. I was still at the convention, so I went and hit the treadmill at the fitness center of the hotel I where I was staying. I rocked out some intervals, doing one mile at an easy warm-up pace, then rocking out 7 x 800 meters with 6 x 400 meters recovery in between each one. Then, I polished it off with a 1 mile cool down at an easy pace. It was just the start I needed to the day. The gluten-free veggie burger with fries at Cheeseburger in Paradise for lunch was a nice bonus for the day.

Monday morning came way too quickly…and had me back to running in the dark. The 4-H Fairgrounds are close to my apartment and Monday was marking the start of the fair. With that in mind, I decided to stick close to home this week, just to be safe. Safety is always first. I was scheduled for an easy 6 mile run, and that’s what I did. It felt good, despite the 92% humidity that morning. I survived. I think I just needed to get out there and run it all out. I did just that. And, of cousre, Monday marks my Fun Run night, so the Monday Daily Double continued in full swing. I once again went running with Natalie and Harry, up near Cave Hill Cemetery. We didn’t turn this time, we ran around a statue and continued on. And Natalie, as we neared the end, pushed me to have a good finishing kick. She promised to work with me on that finishing kick if I could help her down the road with marathon training. That seems like a fair deal. And she made me work for it. I kicked it and we finished a great 3 mile run. It was hot and humid out and we walked a little. Keep in mind, this lady is running in a cast. She’s hardcore! It was another run that I needed today,with two of my favorite people! I was so tired though…and it was starting to show. Went home, showered, and had to finish getting things ready for work the following day. Later than usual night. Ugh.

Tuesday is the usual cross training day. This week I was scheduled for 40-50 minutes of cross training. No problem. I hit up the gym and did 45 minutes on the Arc Trainer on the Pike’s Peak setting once again, keeping it with the Level 5 setting as well. It’s comfortable, yet challenging, and that was what I wanted. I didn’t want to push too hard due to The Boilermaker this weekend, but I needed some hill work somehow. And this was how I was going to accomplish it. After 45 minutes, I managed 2.38 miles of hills. It was tough…but I pushed on through. Then I moved onto the Cardio Wave machine, which is similar to an elliptical, but your feet move from side-to-side instead of front and back, changing it up a little on the legs. I got in 3.9 miles on there. Felt happy with both of those performances. I capped off my gym day with some strength training. Then headed to work.

Wednesday is my speed work or pacing day and this week called for a 7 mile Tempo run. I used the first mile to warm up and then began to turn up the speed to just under my 10K pace. It was a gradual thing because it was so humid that day. The rain was supposed to be coming down, but it was pushed back to later in the afternoon. That level of humidity at 4 a.m. is intense. The sun isn’t even up yet, and I felt so drained with each mile I pushed through. I did get the Tempo run accomplished with success, I just turned down the speed to train smart. And I hydrated, hydrated, hydrated!

Thursday called for 6 easy miles. So, out I went to get that done. With the rain that had come through, I had hoped that the humidity broke, but sadly…it hadn’t. The teperature was 77 degrees that morning with 93% humidity and a high dew point as well. So, I struggled through these six miles, taking them easy because I didn’t want to do damage to myself. Humidity sucks and it can really just drain every bit of energy out of you. I felt like I was breathing through a wet towel for much of this run. But I got through it, and went inside to have breakfast and head to the gym. I rocked out 9.2 miles on the elliptical in 49 minutes, which made me feel good about life. So did the cool gym environment and the fan that was blowing toward me. Ahhh…relief. Then I hit the rowing machine to get every muscle in my body working. I managed 1.19 miles in 10 minutes. Some strength training followed. Then, on this particular Thursday, I was registered to run in the third BlueMile Brew Mile. This was so much fun, but my legs were just…tired. So tired. I went ahead and tried on the Nike Free shoes that they had for runners to test out at the run. I hated them. I want to move toward minimalist shoes…but those were definitely not for me. The mile went well. It had slight hills and we rounded a sapling at the halfway point, which took some of the momentum away, but I finished in 7:12. My slowest Brew Mile to date. Much water followed. And hanging out with Harry and Laura from my running group. It was a good time. After that, I went to BlueMile and shopped for new shoes. I walked out with a new pair of kicks – Pearl Izumi EM ROAD M 3’s. They are 2 ounces lighter than my Nike’s. I was going to test drive them Friday morning…

Friday…is usually my rest day. But not today. Nope. Not today. With the race being on Sunday and with Saturday being a major travel day, I moved my rest day to Saturday and my normal run I would do on Sunday got bumped to Friday. Sunday I am racing, so I still get a run in. I’m just a bit late on my long run. Anyway, the humidity finally broke and this morning’s run felt amazing. So did the shoes. Although, I can tell they need more breaking in. This will make the Boilermaker 15K interesting…new shoes not quite broken in. Oh boy, oh boy! At least they aren’t giving me blisters. That’s the important part. The lift in humidity made such a difference. I felt so much better during the run. No stopping to cool down. Nope. I think I might have smiled again on this run. It felt great. The shoes are going to take some getting used to…but I think they’ll do good. Next time, I’m getting my Adidas Boosts.

Saturday I should be running 14 miles. But I changed it up with my following week due to the race on Sunday. Next week was supposed to be 10 miles. My 15K is 9.3 miles, so I figure on Sunday I’ll cool off with a short 0.7 mile run after I finish up the race. But Saturday is a lot of time in the car, a race expo, and my rest day this week. We’ll leave it at that.

Another week in the books. Meeting with my sports nutritionist again as the mileage increases and making some adjustments to my regimen. Looking forward to learning more, doing more, and putting the time in to make my first marathon a success. I guess that means getting my sleep pattern back under control as well. But that will have to wait until I get back from Utica.

July 12, 2013

Wellaby’s gluten-free Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips a bland, unsweet, tasteless snack

Product: Wellaby’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips – $2.29+

My local grocery store was having a closeout on a lot…a lot of items in their gluten-free section not too long ago. This, of course, sparked a huge panic by me, thinking they were getting rid of a lot of these products and, perhaps, even shrinking the section down. Thankfully, I was not right on either account, but what this sparked was a splurge purchase of everything I had been meaning to try and was now worried I would never find again.

It’s amazing what I tossed into my cart.

Gluten-free pita chips? You better believe those went into my cart! I mean, I hadn’t had pita chips in two years…and I used to eat the hell out of pita chips. So, I grabbed the only variety they had on the shelf…Wellaby’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips.

And then…they sat in my pantry for a month because I was working through the myriad of other snacks I purchased that expired before these. But today…today that was changing. Because I used up the last of the older stuff…so now…now as the moment I had been waiting for.

PITA CHIP DAY!!

I was so thrilled and excited about it…and I eagerly opened up the little pouch that held these little crisps and doled out a serving into a glass container. I, as always, took one over to my roomie to sample. She didn’t look too impressed when she bit into it. I asked her what she thought. And, after considerable thought she finally said that she felt they were bland. I asked if she thought I would like them…but she never actually got back to me on that. So, I decided I would find out at the office.

Snack time hits at 3 p.m. and I was ready to enjoy my Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips. Really, really ready! I opened up my container and grabbed a crisp off the top. I loved the thickness of the chips themselves. Just like real pita chips. Honestly. The feel of them was spot on. This felt like it would bode well. So, I took a bite…

And Cathy was completely right in her assessment of these chips. They were totally bland. Every now and again, a hint of sugar of cinnamon will touch the tongue and you get…a little bit of flavor, but it’s really underwhelming and not at all what I expected. I feel these had the right texture for a pita chip. They were crunchy and thick. But the flavor…ugh…the flavor was lacking. I expected a little sweetness and I just got…pita chip flavor. And not every very good pita chip flavor.

While I love that these snack chips are baked and not fried, giving them a little bit more of a health factor, they just didn’t work for me. Without bold flavor, the sweet and savory flavors of cinnamon and sugar were not working. I actually missed the seasoning…it just fell flat in the end. Great on texture and crunch…but a very poor showing when it came to how it tasted. I was completely bummed. But, I finished them off. They were, after all, my snack.

So, should you still feel the need to try the Wellaby’s Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips yourself…let me give you the nutrition and ingredient run-down. These chips are made from a mixture of different gluten-free flours and starches. In addition to that…some items I really can’t pronounce, which means, these wouldn’t be making it back into my pantry regardless. As far as nutrition facts go, however, as serving of 28 grams will provide you with 100 calories and 3 grams of fat. Not too bad for a chip, right? Exactly. These are low in sodium (200 mg) and cholesterol free. In addition, these pita chips provide only 1 gram of fiber and 5 grams of protein. And, for being a cinnamon sugar flavored chip, these only have 2 grams of sugar. I’m okay with that part. But…give it some good flavor. Something bold. Something that makes me want to eat more.

Needless to say, I was highly disappointed with Wellaby’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips. I had been so high on trying them and, in the end, they only served to let me down. The hard crash of a snack that you really expected to blow you away…but then it didn’t. Yeah…that’s happened to me countless times. But it feels even worse when it is something you’ve been dying to have back in your life…like pita chips. Maybe I’ll find a different brand that understands that gluten-free doesn’t have to be bland. It can taste good, be healthy, and all that. Until then…I might just have to attempt to make my own.

Not recommended. I wish I could say differently…but these just didn’t sing or excite the taste buds. They were just a bland crispy snack that fell flat on flavor in the end.

Disappointment…once again.

July 11, 2013

Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream frozen dessert a complete let down

Product: Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream Frozen Dessert – $4.99

When you think Cookies & Cream ice cream, what do you envision? For me…it’s a rich and creamy vanilla base that is filled with chunks of cookies. So, when I saw that Arctic Zero offered a frozen treat that was labeled Cookies & Cream, you better believe I got all excited about it.

While I tried and enjoyed the Chocolate Peanut Butter frozen dessert from Arctic Zero well enough…I mentioned that it seemed to be lacking a lot of the peanut butter flavor. And trust me…when you buy something that has the words PEANUT BUTTER listed, you want to be able to taste peanut butter.

Well, the same concept sort of holds true for something that is called Cookies & Cream. You just sort of expect to get cookies with your ice cream, right? EXACTLY!!

And that’s exactly what I immediately noticed was missing when I opened up this pint of the Arctic Zero Frozen Dessert I picked up at Whole Foods not too long ago. I mean…a gluten-free ice cream-like dessert that involved COOKIES??!! I was sold. And tonight, after a quick dinner, this was going to be dessert. I hurried into the kitchen to open the pint, which I let sit on the counter while my roommate and I ate because I discovered that lactose-free desserts do better when they are left to soften a little. I popped off the lid…and was staring at this gray-brown Italian ice-like substance. Given that I had eaten a flavor of Arctic Zero before, I was expecting the sorbet-like look. I wasn’t expecting the brown-gray color. And…AND…there was NO sign of anything cookie-like scattered throughout it.

I was totally bummed.

But, I figured maybe it was supposed to just taste like cookies and cream, in which case…the picture on the front is very misleading. That being said, I scooped up a 1/2 cup serving for my roommate and handed her a bowl, then went to scoop mine. She gave it a taste…and said that…it didn’t taste like cookies and cream. It almost tasted…caramel-like.

I finished scooping up my serving and put the pint back into the freeze. Then, I settled in and took my first taste. She was absolutely right. So, not only did I not have any cookies in my Cookies & Cream dessert…it tasted like caramel. Not cookies. Not cream. Caramel. Now, I like caramel…but not when I want cookies and cream. FOR REAL!! False advertising.

This was a serious let-down for me. It totally bummed me out on every level I could think of. I’m still upset about it. I could have forgiven them for the lack of cookies, but I can’t forgive them for getting the flavor wrong. This is NOT cookies and cream. This is…a disappointing let-down. Not what I wanted. Not what I was told I was getting.

Now, speaking nutrition-wise…the Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream Frozen Dessert is gluten-free and safe for the lactose intolerant. The entire pint will only serve you up 150 calories. But a regular serving, which is 1/2 cup, is only 36 calories and is fat free. In addition, one serving has only 80 mg sodium, 10 mg cholesterol, and 5 grams of sugar. Finally, one serving of the Cookies & Cream Frozen Dessert from Arctic Zero gives you 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

As far as ingredients go…well…I can see how it would be best not to skip to these low-calorie substitutions. All the ingredients are, as listed: purified water, whey protein concentrate (milk), organic cane sugar, chicory root, sugarcane fiber, dutch processed cocoa powder with alkali, guar gum, xanthan gum, natural flavors, organic vanilla, sea salt, and monk fruit concentrate.

Definitely not the cleanest nor the best when it comes to ingredients. And this is not a vegan treat as it does contain whey protein. Just a warning.

For me…on this the second flavor I have tried from Arctic Zero…I’m beginning to see a trend…and I’m saying don’t waste your $5 on this. Go for something delicious that you know you’ll like. Be it real ice cream…or something offered from So Delicious or other non-dairy offerings that are SUPER delicious. This…is just not worth it.

A serving of Arctic Zero Cookies & Cream Frozen Dessert

July 11, 2013

Nature’s Earthly Choice makes a Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil quinoa easy, quick, and amazing

Product: Nature’s Earthly Choice Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Easy Quinoa – $3.99+

This is my fourth flavor of the Nature’s Earthly Choice Easy Quinoa meals. And I think I can easily say that this one is my favorite. I started off with one that didn’t impress me at all. It just was bland. The following two were really good. Each one providing great flavor. But this one…this one in particular had it all working for it.

I am, of course, talking about the Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil variety of the Nature’s Earthly Choice Easy Quinoa product line.

For me, quinoa is never difficult or a hassle to make. I find it one of the easier grains to cook up. In fact, I do cook it up often. It is a staple in my pantry and when I do it myself, I can flavor it however I want. But there is something so compelling about having the seasonings and flavors done up for you. So, that was what initially drew me to the Easy Quinoa line. That and the fact that these were at a grocery store in Minnesota and I had never seen them before. Not in my area. Of course, I can find them in regular grocery stores now…but at the time, it was a new thing…and I had to have it.

Tonight brought about the last of the boxes from the pantry. This week has been insane with recovering from being out of town at a convention last weekend to heading out of town to Upstate New York for a race this coming weekend. So, hectic days, busy nights, and a lot of stress mean that dinners are being kept healthy…but simple. And this is just a matter of boiling some water, letting it simmer, fluffing and serving. Awesome.

Quinoa and seasoning packets for Nature’s Earthly Choice Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Easy Quinoa

So, before I get to the flavor and taste…let’s start with the ingredients and nutrition. Why? Because that should always be the first place you look on any sort of processed and packaged item you purchase.

As far as ingredients go, this list is pretty basic…quinoa is listed first…as it should be…as that is the basis of this entire product line. In addition to quinoa, you find garlic powder, potato starch, onion powder, dry milk, salt, yeast extract, sugar, olive oil, soybean oil, tomato powder, glucose syrup, maltodextrin, celery flakes, dehydrated bell pepper, spices, and natural flavors. So…while I’m not a fan of the maltodextrin and the glucose syrup…it does make me realize that maybe I should just go ahead and make my own from here on out.

As far as nutrition facts go, a serving size is 1/4 cup of the dry quinoa. The actual box contains 3.5 servings. One serving dishes up 160 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. The Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Easy Quinoa is cholesterol free and contains only 220 mg of sodium. That’s awesome for a packaged item. A serving also has 2 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein.

But the flavor…the flavor is awesome. Honestly. This was, by far, my favorite of the four flavors of the Easy Quinoa line. The roasted garlic is very prevalent and the olive oil helps provide a healthy fat and this nice hit of flavor as well. But the garlic is what makes it. This could have easily been served up in a bowl, as my roommate and I were making it an entree and each taking half of the box, but instead, I dished it up over fresh Romaine lettuce and touched it up with some fresh organic tomato slices. It made a very nice meal that was just packed with the richness of roasted garlic. Just…fantastic. If I were to purchase any of these again in the future, this would be the one I would get. So look for the pink box, okay?

While I love the simplicity of how to prepare this…boil water, take to simmer, add seasoning packets, let it absorb water, fluff, serve…I think I could make something from scratch that has just as much flavor and probably better and cleaner and healthier ingredients. So, I think next time I’ll just pull the quinoa out of my pantry and season it up myself. After all, there is nothing hard about preparing quinoa. While Nature’s Earthly Choice takes a lot of the seasoning out of the equation, it doesn’t need all the extra bells and whistles. It’s good. In fact, it’s quite tasty…but I think I could do it on my own…and better.

But, for an easy prep meal…this would be a good one to choose.

Nature’s Earthly Choice Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil Easy Quinoa (prepared and served over Romaine lettuce with organic tomato slices)

July 10, 2013

Enjoy Life’s Boom CHOCO Boom is a decadent, allergen-free, dark chocolate treat

Product: Enjoy Life Boom CHOCO Boom Dark Chocolate Bar – $1.99+

You know what I love about Enjoy Life?

I love that I feel absolutely safe when I buy and consume their products. There is a reason for that. Enjoy Life wants the food allergic to be able to eat freely. And for that reason, this company takes it upon themselves to exclude the 8 most common food allergens in their products. We’re talking gluten, wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, soy, fish, and shellfish. Considering that I am a Celiac who is (not uncommonly) also lactose intolerant, this means these products fit right into my wheelhouse.

And…yes…they have chocolate.

More specifically, and much to my happiness…they have DARK CHOCOLATE!! I love, love, love dark chocolate. Like…seriously love it. I have never been a big fan of milk chocolate. White chocolate…definitely not a huge fan. Dark chocolate is my vice…and it is actually one of the healthiest vices to have. Seriously. Even the books on clean eating I have been studying have mentioned dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants and has been proven to lower blood pressure.

And thanks to Enjoy Life…all those benefits are brought together in a dark chocolate bar. Mmmm…snack time is so bittersweet! (See what I did there?)

With my love of dark chocolate, my roommate surprised me awhile back with the Boom CHOCO Boom Dark Chocolate Bar from Enjoy Foods. I tucked this away and had all but forgotten about it…until I ran out of dark chocolate covered edamame and wasn’t heading anywhere near Trader Joe’s for awhile. Then I remembered my chocolate stash…and this bar was right on top. Brilliant.

As I mentioned before, Enjoy Life prides itself on excluding the top 8 allergens from their products. So, I felt very confident breaking off a square of this bar to take with me for a sweet treat when the 2:00 slump hit at the office. And when said time rolled around, I happily retrieved the container I tucked it into, popped the lid, removed my little square of dark chocolate and took a little nibble.

At first, I felt that this chocolate bar was a bit on the chalky side. But once the chocolate gets warmed up in your mouth and against your tongue, it takes on that dark, divine, rich flavor that is associated with dark chocolate. It just takes a moment to get there. This indulgent treat is a powerhouse with the antioxidant properties it contains, which destroy free radicals that are thought to lead to heard disease and other ailments. Dark chocolate…more please!! Actually, with dark chocolate, a little does go a long way. And for this bar, I separated it into the 4 separate squares and took only one with me. It was perfect. And once that initial chalky flavor gave way to the bittersweet dark chocolate…the bar was consumed…and quickly.

And nutritionally speaking, this bar definitely provides a lot of sinful goodness without the guilt. The serving size is actually the entire bar, but if you’re just snacking, why not make it last longer? One square of this chocolate bar provides you with 43 calories and only 3 grams of fat. Not too bad for 8 grams of dark chocolate goodness. One square will also give you only 3 grams of sugar, 1 gram of protein, and 1 gram of fiber. In addition, the Enjoy Life Boom CHOCO Boom Dark Chocolate Bar contains no sodium and no cholesterol.

As far as ingredients go, it doesn’t get much more basic than this: Natural Chocolate Liquor (Non-Alcoholic), Evaporated Cane Juice, Non-Dairy Cocoa Butter.

Yes…that really is everything.

So, if you have a sweet tooth that needs a little something every now and again, give the Enjoy Life Boom CHOCO Boom Dark Chocolate Bar a taste. It definitely gave this dark chocolate loving gluten-free, lactose-intolerant girl something to dish about. Mmmm…chocolate! Enjoy!

Enjoy Life Boom CHOCO Boom Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)

July 10, 2013May 11, 2015

Kind Healthy Grains lights up the taste buds with Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds

Product: Kind Healthy Grains Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds – $4.99+

I could eat granola forever. It travels well. It is healthy if prepared right and made with the right ingredients. And it is downright delicious. I’ve made my own in the past, but sometimes…sometimes life gets crazy. And these past weeks have brought a lot of craziness and road time. And that means not a lot of time at home nor in the kitchen. Bummer.

So, when I needed a granola to top off my fruit and Greek yogurt breakfast parfaits, I looked no further than some of my favorite, cleaner choices. Low in sugar, natural ingredients. That’s the key.

My favorite brand wasn’t available at the store where I was shopping, but my another favorite brand was thankfully on the shelf. I love Kind products. Kind Bars are one of my go-to granola bar choices because they are gluten-free and really on the better end of the nutrition scale. And…a little bit closer to clean eating when you can’t make your own. Kind products have always been ranked high for me and I’ve had one other of their granola choices…and so many flavors of their Kind Bars. I felt confident choosing one of their bags of Healthy Grain clusters when I needed a granola.

A good friend of mine, who I run with, brought me some fresh blueberries that he picked. I was thrilled to have them, as blueberries are one of my favorite fruits. I’ve been putting them on top of my breakfast banana splits after hitting the gym and this morning, I threw them into my fruit and Greek yogurt breakfast parfaits. Because…they are the best blueberries ever. And, as luck would have it, the version of Kind Healthy Grains I chose at the grocery store was the Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds. It was almost destiny.

A serving of Kind Healthy Grains Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds

I actually liked this a lot more than I thought I would. First of all, because they don’t have a high sugar content, these clusters of whole grains (gluten free oats, brown rice, gluten free oat flour, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, quinoa) aren’t overly sweet and won’t dominate your palate nor the dish you are using them in. The vanilla flavor is subtle, without being lost. The berry flavor, according to the ingredient list, seems to be a combination of blueberry puree, apple puree, plum puree, and a bit of apple juice. In addition to that, the sweetness comes from the use of evaporated cane juice, vanilla, and molasses (which also helps as a binder for the clusters). And thanks to the inclusion of the flax seeds, additional nutritional value is added to a simple sweetened granola.

Like I said, I adored the subtlety of this flavor and variety from Kind Healthy Grains. And for me, a gluten-free vegetarian, the fact that the flax seeds brings a healthy dose of Omega-3 is an added bonus. These are crunchy, and just add great texture to whatever it is included in. Even on its own, this granola is fantastic. Nothing needed to dress it up or add to it. I could eat it by the handful and be happy.

Nutritionally speaking, I love how the ingredients are all natural. A serving size of this granola is 1/3 cup. In that serving, you get served 120 calories and 3 grams of fat. Not bad at all!! In addition, to being cholesterol free, this granola is very low in sodium (only 20 mg) and contains only 5 grams of sugar. Love that! A serving of the Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds also provides 5 grams of filling fiber and 3 grams of protein. It is a really fantastic choice for granola. One that you definitely won’t feel guilty about eating or tossing over your yogurt, fruit, or whatever else you desire.

When it comes down to healthy choices, sometimes granola can be tricky. So often it is just laden with sugars that make it an unhealthy, calorie-laden snack. But, thanks to companies like Kind Products, a healthier choice is available. If you are looking for a hint of vanilla sweetness and a bit of fruity goodness, I highly recommend the Kind Healthy Grains Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds. Honestly…one of the best choices out on the market today. Available in regular grocery stores too. Trust me…you’ll want to try this one!

Kind Healthy Grains Vanilla Blueberry Clusters with Flax Seeds over fresh blueberries and Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt