Cake – Page 3 – The Celiathlete

May 26, 2014

Restaurant Review: Merge, Buffalo, New York

Restaurant: Merge, Buffalo, New York

It had been a long day. By the time I rolled into Buffalo, I had already gotten up early to do a shakeout run while still in Ohio, stretched, did my ab routine, pack, get the car loaded up, and make the seemingly endless drive from Columbus, Ohio all the way up to Buffalo, New York…with one stop in Erie, Pennsylvania for lunch. Getting into Buffalo, I got checked into my hotel, hit up the race expo (I was there for a race, naturally), went back to my room, did more stretching, did some foam rolling, got things ready ahead of time so the evening wouldn’t be as hectic, and watched Food Network.

Because…that’s what I do.

HA!

But, before I knew it…it was time to head out to dinner. I was meeting up with my good friend, Kat, and her boyfriend, Adam, for dinner that night. It was the night before a race, so we wanted to have plenty of options for everyone. Kat requires brown rice pasta…so we narrowed it down to three places, but in the end…chose a place called…

Merge.

Kat was very high on this place when we were trying to make the decision. She said not only can they do a lot of their foods vegan/vegetarian, but a lot can be done gluten-free as well. AWESOME! Sounded perfect. And…the menu was a little different from anything I have down this way, so that was a bonus too. We were to meet for dinner at 5:00 p.m. So, at around 4:15, we set out to walk from our hotel up to Merge. It didn’t take us as long as we expected…so…we stood outside in the slightly chilly air. Right around 5, Kat and Adam showed up…and we stepped inside.

I already liked the place. Dimly lit…with a stage off to the right as you walk in. We were greeted and Kat gave the reservation. We were shown to our table and seated. As it was pre-race, I stuck with just water to drink. I hadn’t been too good about hydrating that day while on the road, so I wanted to make up for that a bit now. The waiter went to retrieve drinks and we sat and perused the menu.

Now, I had looked at the menu numerous times, trying to figure out what I wanted for dinner. Normally, pre-race means a gluten-free pizza. And that was completely available. HOWEVER…there were so many other delicious sounding items on the menu, that I thought, perhaps, to screw with tradition again…and do something completely different, but enough that would fuel up my muscles and top off those glycogen stores for the next morning. I was flip-flopping. On one hand, the gluten-free and dairy-free pizza was one with Daiya cheese, red onion, asparagus…it sounded awesome. But…again…I can get good gluten-free pizza in Louisville. So, it was down to trying the Gluten-Free and Vegan Mac & Cheese that Kat had told me so much about…or the special of the night…the Gluten-Free Eggplant Caponata…or the Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta.

So…while I was trying to decide, the rest of the table ordered. Kat went with the an appetizer of the Dairy-Free Stuffed Potato Skins ($10.00) which comes with a fresh corn salad with turkey bacon, Daiya Cheese, and a Chipotle Cream and then for an entree went with the Gluten-Free Eggplant Caponata ($18.00). Adam went with the Daily Pizza ($10.00). Jenn chose the Sweet Basil Gnocchi (which included roasted red peppers, red onion, spinach, roasted garlic and a white wine sauce) for her meal ($15.00). Cathy went with the Coconut Lemongrass Stir-fry ($15.00), which is a mix of organic tofu, snap peas, red onion, carrot, and rice vermicelli, served with toasted cashews, bean sprouts, and fresh lime.

And I was still stumped!

I went over my choices with the waiter to get his opinion and to maybe help me make a decision, because I was seriously waffling. Pizza…or something different…pizza…or something different…tradition…or not….AH! The waiter said he highly recommended the Arugula Pesto Pasta. Kat made sure that the pesto didn’t have Parmesan in it (as someone with a dairy allergy…she knows all about the importance of asking about things like that because so many pesto recipes include Parmesan…and being lactose intolerant…I avoid all things dairy before a race). He said that it was vegan…and so…I went with it. Why not?!

There it was…tradition once again bucked…

I went with the Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta ($15.00), which was brown rice pasta with local tomato, red onion, spinach, and tossed with toasted walnuts. Oooh…I’d get some nice vitamins from that spinach and some Omega from those walnuts. Nice choice. Glad I had some help in making it!

So, we all sat around and talked about various topics, not just running. In fact, running didn’t really come up all that much that night. We were just having a good time and relaxing. Because that is important before a race. Trust me. The atmosphere of Merge is very conducive to that too. It was really, really nice. The appetizer was brought to the table and Kat let me try one of the potato skins. I didn’t put the corn and bacon topping on it since it was real meat, but the Daiya cheese and the chipotle cream were put on the potato skin…and it was phenomenal. Quite tasty. I want to recreate this at home…and just might this week! It was a great way to start off the dining experience.

But, before long our meals were being served up and we were all happily about to feast on our food of choice.

Merge's Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta — Merge’s Gluten-Free Arugula Pesto Pasta

I actually was quite happy when I took my first bite of the Arugula Pesto Pasta. It was smooth and delicious. I love pesto as it is…but this was really seasoned well. It paired well with the brown rice pasta. And the fresh vegetables that were sauteed and added to the mix just made for a nice break in the texture and a lot of added flavor as well. LOVE. The toasted walnuts were the perfect way to add a bit of crunch to something that would otherwise be very soft. I told Cathy to give it a try and she loved it as well. It’s not every day I get a plate of green pasta (ah, pesto…you’re so much fun on food!) that had so much going on and so much nutritionally sound ingredients added to it. It was just what I think I needed that evening. You could tell everything was fresh. Because this pasta was perfection. So, I broke tradition again…it was worth it for this meal. Trust me.

Everyone else seemed to like their meals as well. Kat’s only complaint was there was too little pasta (she’s carbing up!) in her dish…and Jenn ate around all the vegetables in hers. The rest of us devoured everything in front of us.

The big question of dessert came up. And…we felt it was necessary. They had so many gluten-free and vegan options on their dessert menu…how could I pass up the opportunity?

In the end, Kat went with the Apple Cranberry Cobbler with Salty Caramel Sauce and Homemade Vanilla Soy Ice Cream ($7.00) for her dessert. Jenn and Adam both got the Vegan Carrot Cake with Walnuts and Cream Cheese Frosting ($6.00). And Cathy and I decided to split the Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote ($6.00). I kind of wanted to split the Vegan and Gluten-Free Brownie Sundae…but Cathy is apparently anti-brownie these days. So…that was a no-go.

With our orders in, we eagerly anticipated our sweet reward and end of the night treat. After a short wait, the desserts were brought to the table. They all looked fantastic. Especially the carrot cake. If only that had been gluten-free. Then again, Cathy is anti-carrot cake as well…so it wouldn’t have done any good. GRRRR! Anyway…it all looked delicious and we spared no time digging in.

The Vegan Chocolate Mousse with the Spiced Berry Compote was…different. This wasn’t your usual mousse. It was probably made with cashew cream…which would be the reason for the grittiness to it. In fact, it also wasn’t very fluffy or light. More like a heavy pudding than a mousse to be sure. That being said…the spiced berry compote was beyond delicious. Ultimately, it was my favorite part of the dessert. Cathy agreed. When I think of mousse, I expect something whipped and airy and light…and this just wasn’t a mousse.

Jenn absolutely loved the carrot cake (damn it for not being gluten-free!). Cat and Adam split each of their desserts and both seemed quite happy with their choices. So, that was good.

We finished up dessert and wound up getting caught up in conversations again. And soon, because they are a hot-spot in town, we were asked to leave so other people could have the table. I needed to get back to the hotel anyway and get ready for sleep to be rested up for the morning ahead of me.

All-in-all…a great restaurant in Buffalo, New York. I would happily eat here again without any qualms. Everything I had was good, and sometimes even great. My pasta was the star, for sure. And even if the dessert didn’t wow me…it was still fantastic. Cathy stole a bite of Jenn’s carrot cake and raved about it. The atmosphere was amazing. The food was delicious. And the staff was quite accommodating. I couldn’t have asked for a better pre-race meal.

Merge, when I come back to Buffalo, New York sometime…I hope to come back.

Merge's Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote — Merge’s Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Spiced Berry Compote

May 23, 2014

Product Review: Annie May’s Sweet Café Easter Basket 2014

Annie May's Sweet Café, Louisville, Kentucky — Annie May’s Sweet Café, Louisville, Kentucky

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Easter Holiday Menu 2014

I am a little late on posting this blog because…life has been crazy-busy as of late. But…I didn’t want anything to fall by the wayside, especially when it is my favorite allergen-free bakery. Lucky me…it’s in my own hometown. And every year, around Easter time, Annie May’s Sweet Café offers people the chance to have their own individually wrapped items for an Easter basket. This year’s Easter Holiday Menu was enticing. And…I told my roomie to order for me…and surprise me with what she chose for us to try.

This year brought a change to the standards normally seen on the menu. Due to a chocolate shortage at the wholesale level, Annie May’s Sweet Café announced they would NOT be making the chocolate bunnies or chocolate candy this year. Bummer…because that sunbutter bunny I ate last year was beyond amazing. But…with the rising cost and lack of availability, I can’t blame them.

So…the weekend before Easter, Cathy placed an order at the bakery…and I didn’t listen in or anything. I was so excited about being surprised with what I would find inside. The only thing I was aware of was the 1 Dozen Gluten-Free Lemon Bars that Cathy and I had discussed purchasing, because I had been eying these on the menu every time…but they were never in the case. And Lemon Bars are one of Cathy’s favorite thing in life.

Mine too, honestly.

So…

The Saturday before Easter, we stepped into Annie May’s Sweet Café for breakfast. After we ate, Cathy went to get all the goodies for the Easter Basket she ordered. We got a large pink box containing the one dozen Gluten-Free Lemon Bars. But it was the surprises that I was ready to discover.

Turns out, Cathy put in an order for one of everything…save the Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Brownie as that item is always in the case at the bakery. Always. Trust me…our friend Greg always orders at least two of them.

So…here’s a review of everything inside my Gluten-Free Easter Basket of Awesome!

Gluten-Free Lemon Bars – $38.50

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Lemon Bars — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Lemon Bars

One big pink box is what we brought home and immediately stuck in the refrigerator. Because lingering inside was 12 bars of lemony goodness. For real. And these weren’t small bars either. This dozen lemon bars could easily have been split in half and been enjoyed for much longer. But where is the fun in that? Needless to say…Cathy and I didn’t do that. Not at all.

These bars had this delicious shortbread-like crust. Then…the lemon curd in the center. And a delicious sugary crust on top. It was heaven. Heaven with each bite. The lemon was fantastic and refreshing. The curd inside was soft and lemony, without being overwhelming. That sugary crust on top added a bit of texture. And…I think I have declared these the best gluten-free lemon bars I have tasted.

And yes…I have had a few…some from Cherbourg Bakery in Columbus, Ohio…and some from Sinfully Gluten Free in Dayton, Ohio. But these…these from Annie May’s were the best ever. I hope she starts putting them in the case for Saturdays…because I will literally buy them all. Yes…they are that delicious. Trust me…I can’t make this up. I looked forward to dessert for six days straight! Lemony goodness indeed!

Annie May's Sweet Café Allergen-Free Mini Oatmeal Cream Pie — Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free Mini Oatmeal Cream Pie

Allergen-Free Mini Oatmeal Cream Pie – $3.50

Annie May’s Sweet Café is known for their Oatmeal Cream Pies. The thing is…these things are so huge at the bakery…that they can be quite daunting to eat. This is often the treat my guests choose to eat…and then they end up taking more than half of it with them. Oh…they are good. Just…sometimes a bit much.

So, for Easter, Annie May’s Sweet Café downsized them. And this…was absolutely perfect. You know those oatmeal cream pies you’d buy at the grocery store and devour as a child. These are sort of like that…but better. Two soft mini oatmeal cookies surround a thick layer of frosting. It’s sweet…with a hint of that savory oatmeal cookie appeal. I love texture of the cookies and the way they pair well with the filling.

It might just remind you how sweet some of life’s simplest pleasures really are. Like…cookies and icing. Simple…but oh…so good. And since this is one of their signature items…it’s totally worth the purchase!

Allergen-Free Mix & Match Petit Four Pack – $4.00

Annie May's Sweet Café Petit Fours — Annie May’s Sweet Café Mix & Match Petit Fours

Mmmm…little bite-size cakes of goodness. I love petit fours. Before I had to go gluten-free, I was often sent little petit fours at Christmas time from Swiss Colony. So, I totally missed these little one-bite goodies. But…not anymore. Not at Easter. Thanks to Cathy!

Annie May’s Sweet Café did up a four-pack of Petit Fours, two chocolate with a chocolate ganache topping, and two vanilla with a vanilla icing. And…boy, were these ever moist. I actually found that the vanilla was my favorite. Not a surprise. While I am a choc-o-holic, I also find that I prefer vanilla in some cases. Especially when it comes to cakes. I don’t know why…I just do.

I loved how the icing complimented the moist and sweet cake beneath. I enjoyed having a dessert I could just pop into my mouth and not feel guilty about the little indulgence. Not that I ever feel guilty about enjoying a dessert…but you get what I mean. These little cakes made me so happy. They didn’t last long if that tells you anything.

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Decorated Sugar Cookie — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Decorated Sugar Cookie

Gluten-Free Decorated Sugar Cookie – $5.00

Mmmm…sugar cookies. I never make sugar cookies. Ever. Well, I tried a couple of times. It never ends well. Ever.

So…when I see gluten-free sugar cookies in the wild…you better believe I want one. It doesn’t get much better than a sweet, sometimes a bit gritty (mmmm…sugar!), soft cookie. It is one of the simplest…but most amazing cookies ever made. Almost always, sugar cookies have some sort of decorative flair to them. Last year, Kenna (co-owner of Annie May’s Sweet Café) hand painted Peter Rabbit on the cookies. This year, the cookie was shaped like an egg and decorated with white icing and various designs to make it look like an Easter egg.

I almost hated to cut it in half and devour it with Cathy’s assistance. But, my sweet tooth wins out over the artistic beauty of the cookie in the end. This sugar cookie was soft and sweet, without it being too sweet. Even with the icing, it found a nice balance. And it really was a beautifully decorated cookie. Hands down one of the best, and softest, gluten-free sugar cookies I have had to date.

Gluten-Free Six-Pack Caramels – $4.50

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Caramels — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Caramels

Two words.

Homemade Caramels.

I actually saved these for last. Honestly. I had to. I wanted them to be last because caramel is one of my favorite things in the world. Especially if it’s salted. This wasn’t…but that’s okay. Seriously. Because caramel is the thing that delicious dreams are made of.

Always.

The caramels that Annie May’s Sweet Café put together for Easter were chewy and soft…and sweet. I loved how stretchy it was. But it didn’t attach itself indefinitely to your teeth either. I could taste the sugar, and how it caramelized down into the soft candy. These were so amazing. They practically melted in your mouth when you took a bite.

These were love. Soft, chewy, caramel-y love.

I’m addicted. And the three days I had these in my life were some of my best. More, please!

~*~*~

So…there it is…

Another Easter has come and gone…and for the second year in a row, Annie May’s Sweet Café provided me with a safe and epically sweet and delicious Easter basket. Their Easter menu was out of this world this year. I didn’t even miss the chocolate candies and chocolate bunny.

And seriously…if they ever start putting the lemon bars in that case…I’ll buy them all.

I’m already craving them again.

Maybe I can see about getting these for my birthday this year…

Maybe.

Thank you, Annie May’s Sweet Café, for another fantastic holiday treat. I seriously had some of the best desserts of my life in the comfort of my own home…without having to turn on my oven once.

Now that…is one delicious treat indeed.

May 21, 2014

Product Review: Lucky Clover Farm Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin

Product: Lucky Clover Farm Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin – $3.00

Yeah…after the mention of the Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin from Lucky Clover Farm in my previous post, I wasn’t going to leave you hanging. Seriously. I think I’m in love with the gluten-free baked goods this local business is putting out. I am so glad that I went to the Buy Local Fair in Louisville on Sunday because I don’t think I would have found them otherwise.

Happiness…is being able to eat baked goodies!

Because unless I go to a specialty bakery or buy them in the store or make them myself…I go without.

That’s how it works when you are a Celiac.

That being said…when I literally turned around and walked back to the booth at the Buy Local Fair that was advertising gluten-free breads, muffins, cakes, etc…I didn’t know what I was in for. I ended up purchasing more than what I initially intended. I wanted the gluten-free carrot cake…but it’s hard to sell that on my roomie. She was intrigued by the herb bread…and I just blogged on that. We also picked out three of the jam varieties they had for sale as well. We are jelly and jam lovers here. Seriously. I kept eying that carrot cake…but ended up leaving it and going for the Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin instead.

First of all, I have never seen such beautiful muffins. It was shaped like a giant flour. Seriously. I picked up one of the individually wrapped muffins and found it soft, light, and smelling of fresh blueberries. It smelled sweet. And fresh. And…yeah…I supposed I could leave the carrot cake behind this time if this was what I got to have instead.

On Monday morning, after my spin class, I returned home and got to work on a quick and easy breakfast. This was going to consist of some of the aforementioned gluten-free herb bread from Lucky Clover Farm…and Cathy and I were splitting the Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin. I decided to toast the slice of bread, tossing it on a pan and then into the oven while I went and showered. When I was dressed and back in the kitchen, the bread was finishing up…so I unwrapped the blooming Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin from Lucky Clover Farm, placed it on a plate, and then placed it in the microwave for about 20 seconds.

It smelled so amazing as it emerged out of the microwave, warm all the way through. I sliced it in half…then into quarters. Cathy loves her muffin buttered, so I added a light schmear of real butter to her muffin slices and then plated it with the toasted gluten-free herb bread.

I never have buttered much of anything I ate…including bread and muffins, so mine was simply plated. I settled in with my coffee and my tasty (and easy and quick) breakfast that morning. I already knew the bread was good, so I immediately turned my attention and appetite to the Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin.

It was so soft and light. It was not dense at all. Just fresh and baked to a golden perfection on the outside. The blueberries added a great amount of fresh sweetness. And it wasn’t laden with sugar, making it seem more like cake. This was a muffin through-and-through. It was soft and chewy and perfect. I think angels might have baked it…because I love a muffin that isn’t heavy. And this was just what I needed that morning. They seem to make different varieties of their gluten-free muffins throughout the year and where they end up at different fairs and festivals and markets.

I can’t say enough good things about Lucky Clover Farms. In fact, these gluten-free baked goods were such a hit with me and Cathy that we can’t wait to try the jams out.

This might have been my favorite Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin to date. I mean…it looked like a flower and tasted like a dream.

Doesn’t get much better than that!

Lucky Clover Farm Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin

May 19, 2014

Restaurant Review: The Gluten Escape, Denver, Colorado

Restaurant: The Gluten Escape, Denver, Colorado

I have my friend, Pecos, to thank for turning me on to the newest gluten-free bakery near the Denver Tech Center in Denver, Colorado. I make a yearly sojourn out to Denver for Starfest, an annual sci-fi/fantasy convention, and am always looking for places that can safely feed me. A couple of months before I headed that way, Pecos mentioned this place on Facebook. Sure enough, it wasn’t far from my hotel at the convention at all. Insert a happy traveler right here!

As it turned out, we’d be hitting Denver at the right time to stop into said bakery for lunch. And I couldn’t be happier. Cathy and I budgeted some money (and then she added on after we settled in to eat and after purchasing a few things for later…but I’m getting ahead of myself) for this stop to be our official lunch and snack stop on Friday afternoon. It was perfect. And…after getting a little lost trying to find the place, we finally located it (under a storage awning, of all things).

The Gluten Escape. Their slogan…”Where gluten is a 4-letter word…gone!”

Love it.

The bakery itself is quite small and cozy. You see the counter with all the baked goods in the case and on top of the case the moment you walk in. To the left is a fridge, a toaster, a microwave, and coffee/tea stuff. To the right, a small dining area for those who are dining in. The back and far walls had little shelves with some of the items they had for sale…as well as cakes. Cathy scoped those out while I was preparing lunch…but I’m getting ahead of myself again.

We were greeted by a very nice gentleman behind the counter when we entered the bakery. We told him that we were from the Louisville, Kentucky area and had been told about this bakery by a good friend of ours in the area…and we were starving travelers. I was eying the brownies and bars in the case at the front when Cathy tapped me on the shoulder and said…”Bagels!”

The Gluten Escape's Gluten-Free Onion Bagel and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll — The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Onion Bagel and Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll

SOLD!! They were out of the Everything Bagel, which would have been my first choice. The other two options were Onion and Cinnamon Raisin. I jumped at Cinnamon Raisin, but Cathy said…”Really? You want that one?” Which means…she didn’t. So, I gave in for the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel ($3.00). And let me tell you…this bagel looked AWESOME!! Even better than Udi’s Gluten-Free Bagels. All of them. So, we got the Gluten-Free Onion Bagel with the Daiya Cream Cheese (yay for vegan cream cheese!) to split as we also purchased one of the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls ($2.25) to split as well.

We also picked up other goodies…but I’ll get into that in a moment.

Let’s focus on lunch. We were handed the bagel, which he sliced for us and told that the toaster was right behind us. Awesome. I got to work toasting it while he grabbed the dairy-free cream cheese and then the cinnamon roll. He handed that to Cathy and told her she might want to give it a 20 second warm-up in the microwave. Which…she did. The toasting on the bagel was taking a bit of time and I was hoping I wasn’t going to burn it. Because…FRESH MADE GLUTEN-FREE BAGEL!! HELLO!! Do you realize how uncommon that is to find??!! Trust me…you don’t see it very often. I don’t see it at all, honestly. The bagel popped and I plated it and carried it to the table. Photos happened and then I spread the bagel with the cream cheese and we each took a bite.

Holy gluten-free bagel, Batman. This was fantastic. It was light, not heavy. The flavor was amazing. You really got the onion flavor without it being overpowering. It had that nice crust on the outside, but was still chewy and bread-y in the middle. It was heaven. I cried. Seriously. Tears of joy. Because, save for the Udi’s processed gluten-free bagels…I hadn’t had an actual bagel since I had to go gluten-free. This…was life changing for me. Life affirming even. I might survive after all. I set the bagel down so I could try the cinnamon roll.

This was not what I was expecting when I cut the cinnamon roll in half. Honestly. It looked more like a muffin than the traditional cinnamon roll. It was way different from the gluten-free cinnamon rolls that I purchase from Sinfully Gluten Free in Dayton, Ohio and Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky. Like I said…it looked more like a muffin. But…we all know that cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite indulgences…and I was looking forward to splitting this with Cathy. I sliced it in half…a pocket of cinnamon flavoring nestled right in the center. I lifted it and took a bite. It reminded me of…apple pie, oddly enough. I think it was the spices that went into the dough and the cinnamon center. I loved that it wasn’t coated in icing, but lightly drizzled. I am not a fan of icing or frosting…so the less the better in my book. And this definitely gave it a nice level of sweetness. It wasn’t my favorite gluten-free cinnamon roll, but it was delicious. And we ended up buying another one!

This brings me to our side purchases…

For breakfast the following morning, Cathy and I picked up two of the Mini Chocolate Donuts ($1.59), the Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar, and the Lemon Raspberry Bar as well. I would have bought one of everything if I could have afforded it. So, after I went for a run that morning, I returned to the hotel room and got our breakfast prepped. I sliced the bars in half and delivered those to Cathy, along with her donut. As I was getting the rest of my breakfast ready for me to settle in and enjoy…I hear the happiest noise in the world.

The Gluten Escape's Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar, Gluten-Free Chocolate Donut, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar — The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar, Gluten-Free Chocolate Donut, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar

“You HAVE TO try the donut RIGHT NOW!” I was told.

So, I took a bite.

OMG…best gluten-free donut I have had yet. From anywhere. And, trust me, I’ve eaten a lot of gluten-free donuts…in gluten-free bakeries and the store-bought kind. Seriously…reminded me of a Dunkin Doughnuts Chocolate Munchkin. I was once again in tears. It was a cake doughnut, but without the denseness and heaviness that I often find with gluten-free donuts. These were light and airy, and amazing. The chocolate chips inside were a very nice treat as well. I was starting off breakfast with a bang. YUMMY!!

The next thing I sampled was the Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Bar ($3.75). This had this delicious crust and was topped with a sweet and tart lemon filling and then capped with something akin to raspberry jam or compote. Whatever it was…the flavor combination was awesome. The crust gave it a little bit of texture as well as dulled the sweetness of the berries and the tartness of the lemon. I liked this bar a lot, but found myself wishing that it was just the lemon on there. I love raspberries and all…but LEMON…is the ultimate bar. Forever.

The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bar ($3.75) snagged my attention away from the brownies that were in the case. Those were tempting too. But…pretzel! HELLO! This was a lot like a blondie…but with gluten-free pretzels baked into it and scattered across the top. I’m thinking…sweet with salty. I was right. This bar was fantastic. The pretzels were slightly on the stale side, but that’s because I had bought them the day before and they were sitting on top of one of the tables in the hotel room all night. It didn’t take away from the deliciousness though. I loved the play and sweet and salty, which is my favorite flavor combination These were amazing. For real.

The Gluten Escape's Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie — The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie

Later on that day, Cathy and I decided to have a snack. We indulged in some fruit we had picked up at the grocery store. And with it, we split the Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookie ($2.50) that we also purchased while there. This was my first time ever encountering a crispy snickerdoodle cookie. But…the flavors were spot on. The sweetness from the sugar, the heat from the cinnamon. Snickerdoodles, as we all know, are my absolute favorite cookie and these were different from what I’m used to, but I loved it all the same. So, it wasn’t the chewy cookie I associate snickerdoodles with. Didn’t matter. It tasted like a snickerdoodle. That’s what counts, yes? RIGHT!

I won’t lie…the buying didn’t stop there. Nope. Not at all. Before we left the bakery on Friday afternoon, Cathy pointed out the Gluten-Free Biscotti and the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow on one of the shelves. I also found a Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar that was definitely intriguing, since pumpkin flavored everything rules! I ended up buying the Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar ($2.25), the Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti ($1.95), the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti ($3.25), and a container of the Gluten-Free Puppy Chow ($3.99-ish?).

The Gluten Escape's Gluten-Free Puppy Chow — The Gluten Escape’s Gluten-Free Puppy Chow

I tried the Puppy Chow on Monday morning on my way to the airport. Cathy and I needed to swing by Voodoo Donut to pick up some dounuts for a co-worker of ours. So, while there, Cathy ordered a donut for herself. As for me…it was Puppy Chow time. The Gluten Escape’s Puppy Chow is a mix of Chex cereal, puffed rice, pretzels, and corn flakes. They are dusted in powdered sugar. And it was really, really good. I loved the different textures and flavors with each bite. You got the salty from the pretzels, the sweet from the cereal, and each cereal was different, making it crunchy or softer or just snack-able by the handful. I loved it. I ate half of it before hitting the airport and brought the other half to the office with me the following day.

The Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar was…lacking sweetness, in my opinion. It was good. And they definitely had the right pumpkin spice flavor down. It wasn’t overpowering. But…the bar just seemed flat. It was very crunchy, which is fine…granola bars can go either way. But I kept waiting on something that would sweeten the deal. Like chocolate chips or something. I just think it needed a touch of sugar (not too much…just something to elevate it). Regardless, it was good and I downed that entire thing at the office.

As for the two biscotti that I chose…WOW!! Just…WOW!! They complimented my morning coffee beautifully for one thing. The first one that Cathy and I tried (we split them) was the Grain Free Mocha Almond Biscotti. OH MY GOD!! So delicious. I enjoyed dunking it in my coffee and just having that flavor mingle and mix. Oh…it was divine. And totally made my morning, if you couldn’t tell. The Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti was the same way. I loved the crispness that would soften when dunked in the coffee and the chocolate chips were a nice lingering sweet touch. I was in total coffee heaven those mornings. Seriously. I will probably buy whatever biscotti they have next time I am in town. For real. That…was love at first bite for sure!

I know that Colorado is a hotbed for gluten-free companies and businesses…and I love visiting there for that reason. But, if you happen to be near the Denver Tech Center (DTC)…I strongly encourage you to take the trip up the road to The Gluten Escape and indulge in some of their daily specials and their baked goods. Everything looked fantastic. I really would have purchased one of everything had the budget and my belly allowed. But, that’s why there is always a next time. And there will be a next time.

Beyond impressed!

The Gluten-Escape's Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar, Grain-Free Mocha Almond Biscotti, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti — The Gluten-Escape’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola Bar, Grain-Free Mocha Almond Biscotti, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Biscotti

March 28, 2014

Product Review: Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Pound Cake Mix

Product: Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Pound Cake Mix – $10.99

It’s no secret by now…I have a sweet tooth. I also, fortunately, love to bake! But sometimes, the art of gluten-free baking is more trouble than it’s worth. Like…a simple pound cake can mean, in order to get the right texture and density…a whole lot of different flours being mixed together with the hope that it just…tastes…good.

Well, thanks to Tastefully Simple…a pound cake no longer has to be a daunting task. In fact…it isn’t daunting at all. The mixing part is done for you. All you need to do is add one stick of melted butter and 2/3 cup water. Mix it together until it is smooth…put it in a loaf pan and put it in an oven at 350°F for around 50 minutes.

Word to the wise…pay attention to your oven heat and the time it’s in there. I’m just sayin’…

Going local for a “Sweet” and a “Savory” birthday

September 19th.

It’s an important day. And not just because it’s International Talk Like A Pirate Day.

It’s important…because it’s my birthday.

And this year I was turning the big double 3. Yes. I don’t mind my birthday or getting older. It’s one of my favorite days…even though most of the time I do nothing really to commemorate it. But this year…I decided to enjoy the delicious offerings of two of my favorite, local, gluten-free businesses, both of whom went above and beyond to make the occasion more than special.

It all started on the day before my birthday when my roommate and I took a longer lunch from the office and headed down to Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky to pick up the birthday cake we ordered from Annie May’s Sweet Café. Now…by now most of you know that my local running store nicknamed me Wonder Woman last year. It’s stuck. And I mean…stuck! I get called Wonder Woman more than I care to admit. It’s flattering. I love it. Wouldn’t change it for the world.

Well, back when Annie May’s Sweet Café started showing off some of their custom cakes they were making, I told them they were definitely doing a special cake for my birthday this year. They replied on their Facebook page…”How about a Wonder Woman cake?” (See…my reputation precedes me). I was totally all about it. They actually made a simple birthday cake for me last year too (strawberry cake with a vegan chocolate ganache), which is how I found out about them…and how they won me over in the first place (that and the apple cider donuts we bought when we picked up the cake…just sayin’.). The cake was amazing. So, naturally, as it is my belief that no matter how much you love to cook and bake…you should never have to make your own birthday cake…we hit them up again this year. And, per their suggestion via their Facebook page months and months ago…I thought…I think I should have a Wonder Woman cake.

As we are in Annie May’s Sweet Café every Saturday morning if we are in town for their delicious breakfast offerings…that Saturday we went ahead and placed the cake order (and a soft pretzel order for Soft Pretzel Wednesday) to pick up on Wednesday around lunch time. My roommate asked what kind of cake I wanted. I’m not big on cake…and I like simple. So…this year I went with a vegan vanilla cake with vegan vanilla icing. And yes…WONDER WOMAN!

On Wednesday, when we showed up to pick it up, I was blown away. Kenna does the cake decorating and she did fantastic. I made sure I told Annie May that whenever possible (and I told Kenna when I saw her the following Saturday morning!). Seriously…I couldn’t have been happier with the way it turned out. The Wonder Woman logo was PERFECTION!! I mean, Kenna nailed it!! And the cake…SO delicious. The flavors were vibrant. The icing was sweet and meshed well with the vegan vanilla cake layers. Four layers…of cake-y goodness. And this from a girl who isn’t big on frosting or cake. How about that? I was SO happy with this cake. It was a 6-inch round cake that we got 12 good-sized portions from. I was in sugar-rush heaven. And happy to devour it all. Well, I had some help from Cathy (the roomie), Harry, and Laura.

But…here is the cake in all it’s gluten-free and vegan wonder (woman):

Wonder Woman Birthday Cake from Annie May's Sweet Cafe (vegan vanilla w/ vegan vanilla icing) — Wonder Woman Birthday Cake from Annie May’s Sweet Cafe (vegan vanilla w/ vegan vanilla icing)

Honestly…I have yet to have anything I didn’t like from Annie May’s Sweet Café. So…even if you don’t have food allergies…get over there. My friend Greg (not food allergic at all) would definitely direct you to their gluten-free Double Fudge Brownies. Me? I say…their allergen-free Chocolate Chip Cookies. Or…honestly…EVERYTHING!! Support local businesses!! I will continue to support this one.

HUGE thanks going out to Annie May, Kenna, and the rest of the staff who continue to show the world (or at least the Louisville area) just how good and delicious gluten-free can be!!

But…the birthday celebrations didn’t stop with a cake. Nope. Not for 33. Not ever.

Very randomly, about two weeks out from my birthday, I went over to the Facebook page of my favorite local (and gluten-free) food truck, Sweet ‘N’ Savory, and commented that I would love them forever if around my birthday, at one of their outings, if they could offer a Crepe Suzette, as it has always been one of my favorite types of crepes. I was told that they would be happy to cater a private event for me, featuring a 3-course meal, for only $20/person. I needed to make sure that I would have a decent enough crowd for them, and started asking my closest friends if anyone was interested. Most everyone I knew was free on the Sunday, September 22, and said they would be happy to come and celebrate with good eats. I was thrilled. And I went ahead and set it up with Richard and Ashley, the fantastic owners of the food truck.

They found a location, at Louisville’s The Beer Store in NULU. This turned out to be a perfect setting as they had a patio for seating and the side door was opened so we could trek out to the food truck to place our orders, return our plates, and all that good stuff. Guests could also imbibe in beers of any kind (SO MANY) or sodas or water…or whatever else they could find inside. It was a hit. I ended up having 10 of the 12 guests show up to the shindig, so that wasn’t bad at all. Very pleased. Although totally missed the ones who were unable to make it.

It was a very diverse crowd, but they all came hungry and they all socialized and blended well. YAY!!

So, what did Sweet ‘N’ Savory cook up for my special day? An amazing menu that every guest raved about and devoured. No one left hungry. In fact, we were all completely stuffed. But it was a good kind of stuffed. Trust me.

The menu, as I mentioned, was 3 courses: appetizer, entree, dessert (like Chopped…but without the surprise basket of ingredients!).

For the appetizer round, Sweet ‘N’ Savory prepared two of my favorite gluten-free vegetarian crepes: Caprese and Veggie Caponata. You could either get one large one of your choice, or one of each in a mini-crepe form. I totally forgot to take a picture of mine, but I went with one of each in the mini-form. What a way to start out. Everyone raved about them…especially the Veggie Caponata. That seemed to be the crowd favorite (and mine as well!!). It was the perfect way to start off the feast that day. We were given plates and a ticket and when we were done with the appetizer, all we needed to do was walk the plates and ticket back out to the truck, hand them over, and they would get to work on the entree.

The entree…is super special. Awhile back, Sweet ‘N’ Savory took part in a food truck event called Cluster Trucked. Each truck served up food that wasn’t their normal fare. For the event, Sweet ‘N’ Savory did gluten-free ravioli. And I fell in love with them all over again. For my event, they were dishing up two different varieties of ravoili. Once again, you could either get a full serving of one version, or split the difference and try both. The options: Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Sage Ravioli topped with a Brown-Butter Sage Sauce or Four-Cheese Ravioli topped with a Red-Pepper Cream Sauce. When I was at Cluster Trucked, I had the Four-Cheese with Red Pepper Cream Sauce. I am in LOVE with that red-pepper cream sauce. I want to beg for the recipe. Seriously. But at my party, I was all about the Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Sage Ravioli with the Brown-Butter Sage Sauce. They had told me all about this one prior to the event and that was all I wanted. Observe:

Sweet 'N' Savory's Gluten-Free Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Sage Ravioli with a Brown Butter Sage Sauce — Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Gluten-Free Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Sage Ravioli with a Brown Butter Sage Sauce

I made a fantastic choice. The ravioli was so rich and creamy. The pasta itself was melt-in-your-mouth good. The sauce…so much flavor. The filling…it doesn’t get better than butternut squash (a personal favorite) with ricotta and sage. Honestly. I fell in love with the way this entire dish just danced across my taste buds. Savory. Rich. Delicious. I was in food heaven. I think I might have hoovered this up and licked the plate. It’s possible. For real. For being a gluten-free crepe food truck, they totally rock the ravioli. That is NO joke!

Following the dinner portion of the meal…naturally is something that hits that sweet tooth. And, per my request, Sweet ‘N’ Savory offered up a Crepe Suzette. What is a Crepe Suzette? It’s a crepe with sugar that has Grand Marnier poured over it, and then is ignited. Flaming food! The alcohol in the liqueur evaporates and what emerges is a thick, caramelized sauce. I first had a Crepe Suzette in Denver, Colorado a couple years back and I fell in love with it. So it was nice that they took an extra step to provide this for me at my request. Along with the crepe, they offered some of their famous and delicious gluten-free gelato…either (my personal favorite) Salted Caramel or Vanilla.

They attempted to light the crepes tableside, but the wind wasn’t cooperating. Points for trying!! That being said…CREPE SUZETTE FTW!! There is a reason this is one of my favorite sweet crepes to devour…er…eat. It’s sweet…it has brilliant flavor to it…and it’s still light. So it isn’t too much. I, naturally, paired mine with the Salted Caramel gelato. Best choice ever!! It paired so well with the Crepe Suzette. So, while this is not something that usually graces their menu, I was so glad when they offered this just for my little event. Heaven was in the form an amazing dessert crepe that day. Topped off with delicious gelato. YUM!

Sweet 'N' Savory's Gluten-Free Crepe Suzette — Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Gluten-Free Crepe Suzette

I am eternally grateful for both Annie May’s Sweet Café and Sweet ‘N’ Savory Food Truck for helping to make my birthday so special this year. Everything they gave me was awesome. And no one would have guessed any of it was gluten-free. Because these places make food that is just that amazing. No one was disappointed and everyone commented on how good everything was.

Birthday win. Done with a little local flair.

And check out these beautiful people who came out to celebrate and enjoy good food, good conversation, and good times. I love them all!

Me & My Gang (from left and looping around to right): Kelsie, Cathy, Harry, Howard, Michael, Judi, Natalie, Me, Justin (Not pictured: Greg (he's taking the photo) and Maureen (who hid from the camera)) — Me & My Gang (from left and looping around to right): Kelsie, Cathy, Harry, Harold, Michael, Judi, Natalie, Me, Justin (Not pictured: Greg (he’s taking the photo) and Maureen (who hid from the camera))

August 4, 2013August 5, 2013

Annie May’s Sweet Café packs up delicious take-home treats for every sweet tooth

Annie May's Sweet Cafe Allergen-Free Cinnamon Rolls and Allergen-Free Blueberry Muffin — Annie May’s Sweet Cafe Allergen-Free Cinnamon Rolls and Allergen-Free Blueberry Muffin

Products: Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free Cinnamon Rolls – $3.00; Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free Blueberry Muffin – $2.00; Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Bar – $2.00

I can’t stop myself. It’s an addiction. It’s a routine. But every time I am in town on Saturday…I head over to Frankfort Avenue to Annie May’s Sweet Café, where, depending on what time I hit there (which is often dictated by how long my Saturday run ends up being), I indulge in amazing gluten-free and allergen-free breakfast offerings, or the most amazing gluten-free pizza in the area. Hands down. Either way, I’m a happy girl on Saturday mornings because I know it means a trip to Annie May’s!

There was only one difference this past weekend when I went to get my gluten-free doughnut and gluten-free vegan sausage and “cheese” breakfast sandwich. I was going straight home afterwards. And, Cathy…the best roomie ever…told me to pick a couple of items from the case to take home to have for breakfast and dessert on the following day.

I was thrilled!! THRILLED!

The hard part was choosing.

As I am a cinnamon roll lover, I did opt to get two of their allergen-free cinnamon rolls that were on display. They looked fantastic, with their cinnamon and sugar goodness and even given a drizzle of icing. I was trying hard not to drool, because…cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast. And I don’t get them very often. Now, I’ve gotten the Take-And-Bake variety from Annie May’s Sweet Café before, but these were already made and ready for consumption. The fantastic looking blueberry muffins were calling my name. Blueberry muffins are my absolute favorite muffin to make and devour. And hers looked golden and moist and had this amazing sugary crust on the top. Oh yeah…that was a must. We got one that we decided we would split between us. And then my roommate spotted the Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Cheesecake bars in the case…and we decided to get one of those to split as well. Done. Kenna was delightful and boxed everything up for us and we left with some delicious looking baked goodies from our favorite little eatery/bakery in town.

Fast forward to a late morning wake-up. I rocked out a second 13 miles this morning for my Sunday run, and returned home. After showering, I went to wake up Cathy, knocking on her door. She was sleeping later than usual because we had been up in Indianapolis rocking out with Maroon 5…and didn’t get in until around 2 a.m. My run took place later…her wake-up call came later. It all worked.

But breakfast was going to be a cinch! And it was. I simply opened up the signature pink box with the Annie May’s Sweet Café sticker on it and pulled out the spoils of our shopping on Saturday. Two allergen-free cinnamon rolls and one ginormous blueberry muffin. I simply decided to slice the muffin in half and then warmed that half up in the microwave with the cinnamon roll, individually.

Let’s start with the Allergen-Free Cinnamon Roll ($3.00). These were fantastic. Even having sat on my counter all day and night, it was still cinnamon-sugar perfection. The roll stayed together so well. It had that heft of a cinnamon roll without being super dense and hard to eat. It was crusty and flaky and sweetened to ultimate perfection. I also liked how the icing was simply drizzled across the top, ensuring that the icing didn’t overtake the awesomeness of the cinnamon roll itself. These cinnamon rolls contained no dairy and no gluten (of course) and they were awesome. I hope they keep these in the case more often because I will make a habit of eating them whenever possible.

Now…one of Annie May’s muffins was a new choice for me. Where I had the cinnamon rolls in a take-and-bake format before (but never from the case already done), I had never purchased a muffin. So, this was a first for me. The Allergen-Free Blueberry Muffin ($2.00) was huge. And hugely moist too. Yes…even after it had an entire day to sit in a box, it was still super moist. I mean, I sliced into it and it was just…awesome. I could tell it wasn’t dry at all, and this made me happy. One of the little joys of these muffins was the sugar coating on the top. It gave the muffin this nice bit of texture and sweetness…and I loved the crispness that it gave and the sound it made when my knife glided through the baked goodie to half it between my roommate and I. And the taste…melt-in-your-mouth blueberry muffin perfection. Moist. Light. Not at all dense or overdone. The sugar struessel on top was the perfect touch to keep each bite sweet and interesting. I am in love with these blueberry muffins. And blueberry muffins are my most favorite thing when it comes to muffins. So, I hope to see more of these in the very near future.

This leads us to dessert tonight…and the ever-epic sounding Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Bar ($2.00). Completely gluten-free. It was described by Annie May’s Sweet Café as some crazy cinnamon roll brainchild. Okay…I was definitely intrigued! Because, as we all know…CINNAMON ROLL FREAK HERE!! So, dessert tonight had to be epic and awesome. It just had to be. After dinner, I went and retrieved this morsel of gluten-free goodness from my fridge and sliced it in half…ready to see if it lived up to its epic sounding description.

It was creamy, smooth, and it honestly did taste like some sort of cheesecake-cinnamon roll hybrid. You can only imagine my joy upon first taste. The crust was crunchy and delicious…held up perfectly overnight in the refrigerator. As for the cheesecake portion…I loved that it wasn’t overly sweet. Cheesecake can run too sweet, but this one was perfect. The caramel and cinnamon that were swirled into it gave it the right amount of flavor without taking away from the cream cheese and the crust. Perfectly balanced. And not heavy at all. Sometimes cheesecake can just be too much. Here, it was just perfect. Especially when the bar was cut in half to split with my roomie. She enjoyed it too, especially the swirled caramel and cinnamon topping on the cheesecake itself. We were both overly delighted with our dessert tonight.

And I think anything that tastes like a cinnamon roll should applauded. This was well done!!

Continuing on the trend of her amazing products, Annie May’s Sweet Café provided the perfect way to start my day…and the perfect way to end it as well. The cinnamon rolls and the muffin were both perfect and not too filling…just filling enough to get me through to lunch, when ended up being later in the day from the norm. And dessert…that cheesecake bar was the perfect ending to a day filled with perfect food.

Compliments of Annie May’s Sweet Café. Whether you need to eat gluten-free or have food allergies or not…Annie May’s is the perfect place to pick up a baked item, grab a bite to eat, or even place a special order for one of her breads, cakes, cookies, whatever it is you desire. Her standards are high and her food reflects it.

Always.

I’m already looking forward to breakfast on Saturday this coming week…

Annie May's Sweet Café Gluten-Free Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Bar — Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Bar

August 4, 2013May 11, 2015

Marathon Training Week #8 – Daily Doubles

Halfway!! I am officially halfway through my marathon training for the Chicago Marathon!!

This has been one crazy week for my training. Honestly. Not just from a time perspective, but there was just a lot going on for me with my running and training schedule. Some of it was part of the plan. Some of it…well…some of it was bonus…extra…things I do for fun. And that’s good to have in there every now and again. The key is to keep it easy and run smart. As long as I listen to my body and not get stubborn, I’ll be fine.

It seemed I was doing quite a few doubles this week. That was not actually intended…it was just how it worked out. Regardless, I can feel my legs growing stronger because while they have been worked hard once already, they still power through another run. Sometimes faster…sometimes slower. They run as they feel and I don’t push it. I have a goal to come out of this year uninjured and so far that’s worked out for me.

Let’s take a look at this week of pulling double duty…

Sunday is either an easy run or a day of rest. I normally opt for the easy run unless my legs are just crying out for some down time. But, this past Sunday I was invited by my good friend Kelsie to go running with her running group. I never turn down a chance to get out and run with people. I have a blast getting out with others, talking, running, and just having a good time. You don’t even think about the miles when you’re in that sort of a zone. They were meeting up in Jeffersonville, Indiana to run for 11 miles. I had done 15 the previous morning, but I was feeling up to it and feeling good. I met up with her group at 5:30 a.m. and we all headed out to run across the Second Street Bridge and head up Bardstown until we hit 5.5 miles. Turning around and heading back. We all talked about races, goals, pace, and some amendments to our own goals we had set. Kelsie and I figured out why we click so well…we’re both Virgos. And we had really great conversation for much of the run, talking about fundraising, about family, everything. Running was not the only subject, nor were our upcoming marathons. It was a gorgeous morning with 57 degree temperatures. We finished up just as the sun was coming up. A beautiful 11 miles with good people and great motivation. My legs weren’t screaming at me at all. They felt strong the entire way. It was an easy pace, with great people and I would certainly do it again in a heartbeat.

Minion cake for my Monday fun run group! Yes…I made that!

Monday returned with a vengeance. The weather that morning was perfect for a run. And I took advantage of that for sure. I was scheduled for 7 easy miles, which I totally devoured that morning. I was shocked, actually, since I was coming off a weekend of two longer than usual runs. But my legs were still feeling amazing and that was what mattered. I even managed some awesome negative splits. And, as usual, Monday also brings around my group fun run after work. After rushing home to eat a quick meal and getting ready, I grabbed a special cake I made for my group and headed out to meet up with them. Laura had heard about a World Championship Dainty Competition going on in the area, so we headed a different direction than usual, up Eastern Parkway, and took it over to Goss, where the event was being held. We all paused to watch for a few minutes, then continued along the way. I mostly stayed in the front with Harry and Natalie. Harry and I have been trying to get through to Natalie that she doesn’t have to sprint through every run. Especially since she is recovering from arm surgery and now an injury to her leg. She is stubborn though, but hopefully she’ll learn. We finished up another 4.1 miles that day and then returned to the store to cut into and devour the cake I made. What was this special cake? I made a cake shaped like a Minion from Despicable Me. We all love Minions in my running group. It was a gluten-free and dairy-free cake…and it was a hit!!

Tuesday, however, I was starting to feel all that running. This was a no run…but cross training day. So, Cathy and I hit the gym. She was returning from having her wisdom tooth out. So, we hit the Arc Trainer first. I did 45 minutes on Program 2 – Hills – on Level 5. This was a challenge. But I pushed through those 45 minutes of hills, which means a change in intervals, resistance, and inclines. It was tough, but I managed 2.38 miles. Then it was over to the Cardio Wave machine. I love this machine because it moves my legs from side to side instead of just the standard front and back motion. In 10 minutes, I did 3.69 miles and was ready to call it a day. But some strength training was up next. I hit that up, left the gym…and was supposed to come home from work and fit in some circuit training. My legs were saying “NO!” So, I decided with Cathy still coming back from her tooth and my legs telling me to lay off…we’d take a break this week from circuit training and come back to it next week. We were both happy with that decision.

Wednesday is my speed work/pacing day. This week called for a 6 mile tempo run. And, aside from having some issues with my fuel belt staying in place that morning, I was mostly successful in rocking this out. I held a great pace, I worked into the tempo, sustained it, then cooled down. I felt good about it when it was done, I just needed to get past scooching my fuel belt down throughout the entire thing. I fueled halfway through just as my sports nutritionist is requiring me to do while out running. And it was a good pacing day. When I finished it up, I felt good…so that was the important part.

Thursday…was insane. I went out in the morning for my 5 mile easy run, which I managed better than I thought I would. I didn’t check the weather like I normally do that morning, and figured it would be cool like the past few mornings have been. Wrong. The air was very humid, but I did have a wind. A strong headwind that hit me on the inclines of this run. Despite that, I still rocked out those 5 easy miles and even managed negative splits. Thursday is also our other day to hit up the gym. This time, I did 49 minutes on the elliptical machine. The last four minutes are a cool down, but I was doing good, despite having busy legs all week. I did 9.38 miles in 49 minutes that morning. Then I went over to the rowing machine for 10 minutes. The rowing machine always kicks my booty. It just works my body all over. It’s great cross training and great on the core, back, arms, and even the legs. I really struggled this morning though, starting to feel the fatigue set into my legs. So…I did 1.17 miles in those 10 minutes, then headed downstairs for a couple of strength machines. But my day didn’t end there. Nope. Thursday was also the BlueMile Brew Mile at Molly Malone’s. I haven’t missed a Brew Mile yet this year. And the one at Molly’s is one of my favorites. Despite having to run through Eastern Cemetery. I had actually gotten there in good time and met up with Natalie. We probably should have been stretching, but instead we just got to talking. This happens with us. We met up with Ellen and Andrew from BlueMile as well…and more talking. Then Laura showed up…and we all just talked. No stretching actually occurred. Not really. We were directed to walk toward Eastern Cemetery, so we did. All of us lined up and we were given the course directions by Derek. And then…we were off. Despite these tired, overworked legs, I rocked off a mile in 6:42, which is fantastic for me, I think. I wasn’t sure I would be able to push it having not stretched and having just really tired legs, but I got through it and I pushed and pushed. It was a brilliant mile and all of us finished in great time. Then, we headed back to Molly’s for the giveaways and drinks. I bought Cathy a Magners while I sipped on some much-needed water. I even won a $15 BlueMile Gift Certificate in the prize drawings. WOOHOO!!

Friday…the much needed day of rest. And I’m really good about obeying this for the most part. I have been going out for a walk in the morning. It’s not running…it’s walking. Which, I suppose, doesn’t really mean I am resting. And I tend to walk fast too. So, that morning I went for 3 miles and did that in 34:26. It was beautiful out. Nice breeze. It just felt good. And, on lunch, Cathy and I went for another walk (pulling a double again!), in which we managed 1.65 miles in 23 minutes. It was good and I didn’t push much because I knew Saturday held my long run.

Saturday morning came and normally I would be running with Matthew and company. Matthew and Dawn, however, had decided to spontaneously run a marathon in Tennessee…so they weren’t going to be there. I had 12 miles to run for this week, as it was a fall-back week. A few other people needed to go that distance as well. So, I met up with Laura and a couple of other ladies for the early start at 6:30 a.m. We headed out from Bardstown toward the Second Street Bridge. From there, the other two ladies turned around, as they were only going 6-7 miles respectively. Laura and I continued on, heading down toward the Waterfront. Here Laura took me the opposite way, away from the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge…which was a very scenic and new route for me. And I loved it. We had great conversation, said hello to other runners and bikers that we passed, and she even showed me the trivia about river boats. Oh, and if you don’t know much about trains…Laura can fill you in. I loved learning so much about them. I just love trivia and knowledge…especially on things I normally know nothing about. We reached our turnaround point, then headed back along toward the riverfront before taking Main to Market to Baxter back to the store. I was going to stop at 12 miles, but I felt so good coming up the hill on Baxter, that I just kept going. When it hit the corner near Blue Mile, I was only 0.10 miles off from 13, so I made Cathy run behind me as I worked to hit that 13 mile mark. She jogged for about 20 feet before just heading to the car, where I met her after my watch hit that 13th mile. And I felt good at the end of it. Which was what I wanted to feel. We had a Maroon 5 concert that night and I had every intention of rocking out another 12 – 13 miles on Sunday, despite getting home at 2 a.m. But that…will wait for next week.

So, there was a lot of daily doubles going on this week, whether in running or walking. But I can feel my legs are getting used to working even when fatigued. And that, I feel, is a good thing. The marathon is going to drain me…so knowing my legs can carry me through, even when tired, is just making me feel better about the entire situation. I’m loving every bit of my training…and the extra stuff I do for fun. Because I can’t just keep it serious all the time. I love to run…so when the opportunity comes up to run a mile for charity…to run with friends…to bake a cake and share it with good people…that’s what I do. It’s good for me to adjust my running, to take it easier than usual at times, because it helps build endurance and strength. That’s a hard lesson to learn. I can’t be all-out all the time or I will get injured. Those long, slow distances are key to going the distance and making it to the finish line at the very end of it all.

Definitely looking forward to this coming week…which won’t include as many doubles. In fact…Monday should be the only one. I keep learning from all my training and fun runs. I take in great advice, I learn about what my body is capable of managing, and I just enjoy the feeling I get when I hit stop on my Garmin and realize just how far I’ve gone.

I might have been pulling double duty this past week on the running, but I ran smart to ensure I could handle it. And that is the key!

July 27, 2013

Annie May’s Sweet Café gives Louisville amazing Maple Caramel Blondies

Product: Annie May’s Sweet Café Maple Caramel Blondies – $3.00

I have to give another huge shout-out to my favorite place in Louisville. Whenever I am out of town, I miss arriving on Saturday morning to get a delicious vegan/allergen-free breakfast sandwich. I miss talking to the owners and employees behind the counter. I miss hearing my roommate talk about how many miles I just finished running and how now it was time to indulge in some allergen-free doughnuts and breakfast!

Annie May’s Sweet Café is my happy place. I make a habit to frequent their little spot on Frankfort Avenue whenever I am in town. I have never had anything there that I didn’t care for. In fact, my eyes have been opened to the amazing gluten-free baked goods that continue to churn out. And, every now and again, they introduce something new and spectacular…and if I happen to be around for it…you better believe I am going to purchase it to try.

This past weekend, Annie May’s Sweet Café rolled out Maple Caramel Blondies. I saw them post about them on their Facebook page. I had been out of town the two weekends prior, so now that I was back, I was hitting up the café for breakfast after an 18 mile run…then going out to a Gluten-Free Fair and Fundraiser later that afternoon. While they had the Maple Caramel Blondies at the café that morning…I saved that purchase for the fair.

After feasting on an amazing gluten-free crepe from Sweet ‘N’ Savory food truck, I bounced over to say “HI” to Annie May and Kenna, who were manning the table at the Gluten-Free Fair and Fundraiser. While there, I made a purchase of one of their gluten-free Maple Caramel Blondies ($3.00). They chose me to find one with lots of maple swirled in there…and I was more than happy to oblige. YUM YUM!

But…the weekend was a busy one…and I had a gluten-free sponge cake to polish off. Then my roomie had her last wisdom tooth removed…so the Maple Caramel Blondie sat on my kitchen counter until Wednesday. But…that didn’t affect it one bit.

Over the entire weekend and into half the week, this blondie was still very light and moist. I sliced it in half…eager to get a sample of this bar. Trust me…I think I started drooling when they posted about them. And I had been thinking about it all weekend…and up until dessert on Wednesday. The moment of truth was here.

I handed Cathy her half…then settled in with mine.

FLAVOR TOWN!! I mean…wow. First of all…this is exactly how I like my brownies/blondies. It had more of a cake-like texture. I totally prefer a cake-like brownie to a fudge-like brownie any day. They are lighter, fluffier, and not as dense or heavy. The blondie itself was really good. Not overly sweet, which is good, because swirled throughout it was this fantastic caramel and maple flavor. I mean…WOW!! You can see it blended into the baked blondie. Yes…this was simply awesome. Cathy thought so too, because she eating another one tonight, but stupid shoppers that we are…we had only bought the one.

So…here is hoping that Annie May’s keeps these in the bake case for awhile. TOTALLY yummy!

No one would ever guess they were allergen-free…unless you told them.

So…thank you once again, Annie May’s…for making gluten-free look and taste so, so damn good!

Annie May's Sweet Café Maple Caramel Blondie (unwrapped) — Annie May’s Sweet Café Maple Caramel Blondie (unwrapped)

July 26, 2013

Katz Gluten Free once again sets the standard with moist, fluffy Sponge Cake

Product: Katz Gluten Free Sponge Cake – $5.79

A long while back, I purchased a Gluten-Free Saver deal (sort of like Groupon for the gluten-free) that gave me more than half off a certain dollar amount of products ordered from Katz Gluten Free. If you have never tried Katz Gluten Free…get thee to their Web site now and order their sampler pack. It’s a great way to get introduced to their products. And if you don’t think that’s for you…trust me…order the doughnuts. Especially the powdered sugar and cinnamon ones. You can’t go wrong.

The thing is…I have yet to eat something that Katz shipped to me that I haven’t liked. There are some products I have liked better than others, but when it all comes down to it, Katz is honestly the top-of-the-line when it comes to baked goods. And, thanks to the magic of Internet ordering…you can have their amazing products shipped right to your door.

Well, as I said, awhile back I latched on to this deal. And as I was pressed for time, I gave my roomie carte blanche to log onto Katz Gluten Free and to go ahead and pick out some items for us. So…she went for a few of our favorites (hello doughnuts, doughnut holes, English muffins, and pizza crusts) and then put in a few surprises. One of these surprises was none other than…their newly introduced Gluten Free Sponge Cake.

I was elated when I received the box via UPS. But…as it goes in this apartment…there is always something else that needs to move out ahead of the item I’m dying to try. So, for months now, the Katz Gluten Free Sponge Cake has sat in my freezer…just begging me to make something with it. To eat it. To just try it. It was silently vowing not to let me down.

Katz Gluten Free Sponge Cake (unwrapped)

After a very busy winter and spring, the perfect opportunity to dig it out finally came around when our good friend, Greg, had space in his calendar to head this way and visit for the weekend. I had a plan…I’d make gluten-free baked ravioli with my gluten-free cheesy onion pull-apart bread…and then for dessert…I’d whip up some Vegan whipped topping, use some fresh blueberries provided to me by a good friend of mine, and put all of that over some of the Sponge Cake from Katz Gluten Free.

It sounded like a plan to me. Now…time to put it into action.

Dinner went well. The ravioli was a huge hit, but the bread still needs to be paired with the perfect cheese as it tends to get a little lost. But now I’m digressing. The fact was…dessert time was nigh.

While I do love cooking and baking and even just bringing out gluten-free goodies for guests, I always get nervous that they won’t like it. And this was a new product. I had no idea what it would be like. All I knew was that it was made by Katz Gluten Free. And, that was actually a relief. Because, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a trillion times…I TRUST KATZ GLUTEN FREE!!

But…there are just some people you don’t know how they will take to something that they know is gluten-free. There are so many preconceived (and often correct) notions about gluten-free food. And when people are unfamiliar with it, they automatically assume that it will be heavy, dense, and probably taste like cardboard.

Let Katz Gluten Free Sponge Cake prove all of that wrong. It was love at first slice. I mean, despite the fact that this loaf had been chilling in the freezer for months now…after I set it out to thaw, it didn’t dry up, nor did it become hard, brittle, or just fall apart. It was beautifully moist. My knife slid through the cake easily, and I could tell how soft it was with texture. Just like any moist sponge cake, I pressed my fingers against the center and it bounced back. Beautiful.

So…it was passing on texture and looks alone. I mean, beautiful golden crust with a gorgeous creamy white center that was moist, fluffy, soft…and just perfect to gaze upon. But…it was time for dessert. So, I sliced the three of us up a serving and topped it off with some of the vegan whipped topping. Then, fresh blueberries were scattered over the top and voila…dessert was served.

And…oh…it lived up to expectations. One bite and it was like eating a lightened up version of a shortcake. Airy, fresh, and just beautiful. It had this great flavor on top of it all…vanilla with a hit of citrus. It was a fluffy, filling dessert and one that I returned to in the nights following until the entire cake was used up. I even experimented with it slightly on a couple of nights, tossing the slice into the microwave for about 20 seconds and then topping it off with the vegan whip and berries. And, it was like taking a bite out of a freshly baked sponge cake. If you didn’t tell someone this was gluten-free, they would never know. Honestly.

Let’s talk nutrition on this baby, shall we? The Katz Gluten Free Sponge Cake serves 8 people. One sizable slice will serve you up only 90 calories and 4 grams of fat! Loving those numbers so far, aren’t you? In addition, this fluffy cake will provide you with 40 mg of sodium, 7 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. It’s a lightened up version of a regular sponge cake. And I’m loving these nutritional facts. You almost don’t feel guilty about indulging a little.

As for the ingredients used to make this amazing dessert…it’s a combination of Katz Gluten Free Four (a mix of white rice flour, corn flour, and tapioca flour), sugar, eggs, canola oil, orange juice, water, baking powder, xanthan gum, and vanilla. That’s it. And the end result is one of the finest, softest, lightest sponge cakes you will find out there. I’d stack it against any regular sponge cake and still believe this one would come out on top.

Katz Gluten Free puts quality at the head of their business and it honestly shows with their products. I’m proud to say that I would be more than happy to order this from Katz again. And I intend to. In the very, very near future.

Katz Gluten Free Sponge Cake (topped with vegan whipped topping and fresh blueberries)