Lisa Harris Pantry’s Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Morning Sunshine Breakfast Cookie
Product: Lisa Harris Pantry’s Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Morning Sunshine Breakfast Cookie – $2.75+
I want to thank Cuisine Cube for one of the most epic products ever to arrive in my box. No…this is for real. Because in September, my cube included a cookie. But this cookie was not there for dessert. Nope. It was clearly the item intended for breakfast.
A cookie.
For breakfast.
Being that I am a cookie monster, this totally made my day…my week…my month…perhaps even my year!
And, after running in the New York Marathon and then the Walt Disney World Wine & Dine Half Marathon, I was running out of food in my apartment. And it was a gym morning. And grocery shopping had yet to happen. To much travel time (not time travel, LOL!). Okay, there really isn’t such a thing, but sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day to go to work and get the much-needed grocery shopping done. And this was a morning I was at a loss as to what to have after hitting up the gym.
And then I remembered the cookie I had toted around with me to both New York City and Disney World…just in case I needed something to eat at some point. I never had to break into it on the go…but it was just the thing I needed when I returned home. Go figure.
The Lisa Harris Pantry‘s Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Morning Sunshine Breakfast Cookie is literally what it sounds like: a cookie intended to eat…for breakfast. I love being an adult. HA!
After getting in a good cardio session that morning, I ambled into work and was ready to settle in with something to eat before really beginning my day. This cookie was so convenient. It required no toaster oven, no microwave, and no hassles. All I had to do was open up the wrapper and enjoy. And that’s exactly what I did. The cookie was actually quite large, about the size of a small mason jar lid. And it’s thick too – a perfect drop cookie. I could see the bits of diced apples and the flecks of cinnamon throughout the entire cookie. It looked like a great balance. I also expected these cookies to be hard. But, while they had a crispy-ish outer edge, the center was soft and chewy and amazing. For real. It was, however, very sweet…due in part to the apples, apple flavoring, and the agave. So, I almost wish I had something savory to pair with it because it was borderline almost too sweet. But, it is, after all, a cookie. I thought the flavor was amazing though. I loved seeing the ingredients in the cookie. And I loved the boost of protein that came from the quinoa. As we know, I am always watching my protein intake due to my dietary needs (gluten-free/lactose free/vegetarian). And being so active…protein is a vital part of my diet. So, that was a huge win with me. I loved the texture. It wasn’t dry at all. Had the sweetness been tampered down even slightly, I think it would have been the new breakfast of champions. That being said, I would love to try the other flavor of breakfast cookies that are offered by Lisa Harris Pantry. Because, every day should start with “dessert first.”
So, let’s talk about the ingredients that go into the Lisa Harris Pantry’s Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Morning Sunshine Breakfast Cookie. This flavor cookie is made from organic rice flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, quinoa flour, gluten free rolled oats, agave, egg whites, organic diced apples, lecithin, non gmo canola oil, milled flax seed, xantham gum, cinnamon, natural apple flavoring (whole foods compliant), salt. All ingredients are non-GMO. And this particular cookie is dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, high in fiber, high in protein, and low in sugar. YES…a cookie that is low in sugar.
While on that subject, let’s go ahead and tackle that all-important nutrition information, yes? A serving of Lisa Harris Pantry’s Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Morning Sunshine Breakfast Cookie is one entire cookie. And trust me…these thick and moist cookies are definitely filling. One cookie will give you 245 calories and 8 grams of fat. They are cholesterol free. Each cookie has 69 mg sodium and 11 grams of sugar. In addition, you will be getting filled up with 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein! These are definitely hunger satisfying, naturally energizing and perfect for any time of the day, not just breakfast. But the slow-release carbohydrates will definitely keep you going for hours without even the slightest bit of hunger.
I didn’t believe for a moment that a cookie could fill me up, particularly on a gym morning when I tend to be ravenous. But it did. If it weren’t for the sweetness, I think this cookie would be the perfect way to start the day. I mean, who doesn’t like dessert for breakfast? I definitely want to check out the other gluten-free options (not all of the products at Lisa Harris Pantry are gluten free) now. And without Cuisine Cube, I never would have even know these existed!
Another great product brought into my life thanks to Cuisine Cube!
Lisa Harris Pantry’s Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Morning Sunshine Breakfast Cookie
Be Our Guest – Fantastyland – Magic Kingdom, Orlando, Florida
Restaurant: Be Our Guest – Fantasyland – Magic Kingdom, Disney World
It’s probably one of the hardest reservations to get at Disney World at this time. One of the newest restaurants at the theme park itself, Magic Kingdom opened the Be Our Guest Restaurant in Fantasyland. And yes, just as the name suggests, the basic theme of this restaurant is Beauty and the Beast.This means, should I ever take my neice Kaytlynn to Disney World…this is where we would eat!
We didn’t get the much coveted dinner reservation, however, my Disney Travel Agent and friend, Karen, managed to snag a spot for a lunch reservation. She added it to our Fast Passes and we were good to go for Sunday lunch.
We had big dinner plans that evening at The Wave, so we opted for a “dessert first” approach to our reservation. In other words…forget the real food…give us something sweet!
One of the reasons I had wanted to get into Be Our Guest was the fact that they had…
…wait for it…
…a GLUTEN-FREE CREAM PUFF!!!!
*cough*
Sorry…I get excited sometimes when it comes to things I love but haven’t been able to eat in years.
The rumors were true, however, so once we got into the Fast Pass line and were ushered up the walk to the restaurant, the hostess handed us each a menu and we perused it. I knew what I was getting. Cathy was torn between getting soup or getting a dessert. As Jenn and I were getting desserts and had declared it “dessert first” day…she eventually let go of the soup thought and went with her choice for a dessert. No duplicates. Actually, normally with the three of us…little duplication ever happens.
We stood in line in this amazing Great Hall, with suits of armor and screens that showed images of the items available on the menu. When we got up to the host, he directed us to stand inside and await the help of someone else, who would then direct us to one of the pay stations. We had wanted to charge these to our cards, but were sent to a kiosk thing instead of the cashier. When we questioned it, we were told it would take a card. Jenn was first…and she wasn’t given any option except her Fast Pass. So…onto the bracelet it went. Cathy and I played around with it, and we did find where we could charge it to a card…except it automatically made us use the Fast Pass. So…yeah…that was confusing, convoluted, and just chaotic.
From there, we turned over our menus and were told to take a seat at any of the tables in any of the rooms. This involved a little bit of investigation. The main room you enter was packed. There was a darker room near the back, that had more of a tavern feel to it. But…it was also packed. So, we moved to the more ballroom-ish room. Plenty of seating in there. We pulled up a booth (and chair) at one of the tables at the back. I was facing the rotating statue of Belle and The Beast dancing. Absolutely…gorgeous.
Cathy and Jenn both got “Adult Cold Fountain Beverages” (aka: SODA!) ($2.99), so while they went to retrieve their drinks from the fountains at the other side of the room, I sat and manned the table. While they were gone, a man came over to check our receipts and wrote down something on a pad. I’m assuming this is how they eventually figure out where to bring our food, instead of playing a game of Marco Polo with each and every customer. They returned and I got up to get my drink. I don’t do soda anymore…so I opted for an “Adult Hot Beverage” (aka: coffee, tea, hot cocoa) ($2.39), and had to go retrieve a cup to get some coffee. Caffeine was necessary. The coffee in this room was out of order, but I was told to just go around the corner to the other room as they have coffee there. So…I did.
Brewed hot coffee. Not fancy. Very basic. But…served it’s purpose.
Finally, we were settled in and taking in the entire place. And then, this gorgeous cart rolled up and Jenn was given her dessert. Yes…just Jenn. She ordered the Éclair à l’Orange ($4.19), which was an éclair with a custard filling with zested orange and finished off with chocolate ganache. Jenn loves chocolate and orange together…so this was a definite win. She was kind enough to wait for Cathy and I to receive our treats before she dove in.
And they did…about 5 minutes later.
Cathy went for the obvious Cathy choice…the Lemon Meringue Cupcake ($4.19). This is a vanilla sponge cake with a lemon custard filling and flamed meringue icing. It just screamed Cathy because…it was lemon. And she loves lemon.
As for me…I went with the item on the menu that I wanted to begin with. It is gluten-free. It has no added sugar. It, my dearest friends, is the Lemon – Raspberry Cream Puff ($4.19). It is exactly what it sounds like. A pastry that is filled with lemon custard and topped off with raspberries. Gorgeous.
With all of our sweet treats now present, we dove in.
Be Our Guest’s Éclair à l’Orange
Let’s start with Jenn. Jenn loved the Éclair à l’Orange. She said it was perfectly orange-y. In fact, it managed to be smooth and light, not heavy like some cream-filled pastries (especially eclairs) tend to be. Her only stipulation…it could have been bigger.
Be Our Guest’s Lemon Meringue Cupcake
Cathy’s Lemon Meringue Cupcake looked like a little, personal, lemon meringue pie. She used her fork to dive in, the cake portion completely encased in this gorgeous paper. It was small…she said almost like two biter. And it wasn’t knock-you-over lemony, but definitely had that bright citrus flavor in each bite. In fact, when I asked her to describe it, all she could say was…”It was lemony!” Uh…yeah…the name tells me that. So…there you have it. It’s lemony!
Now onto the Lemon-Raspberry Cream Puff. I admit. I heard rumors of the gluten-free cream puff and knew…just knew…it had to be mine. So…here it was…this little dough puff in front of me. I took my fork and cut through the crusty pastry, watching it flake away to give way to the gorgeous, yellow, lemon cream inside. I paired it with the cream and raspberries on top…and we’re talking a heavenly, sinful dessert. I loved that this also had no additional sugar in it. I’ve been trying to cut back on the amount of sugar I consume, which isn’t easy because of natural sugars in things I love…like fruits. But, I don’t really count natural sugars. Still, I didn’t think this really needed any additional sugar. It was light…fluffy, and just a dreamy dessert for a girl who last had a cream puff when this gluten-free journey began…and I cheated. And suffered. And that was the end of that. This…was huge to me. I have to agree with both Jenn and Cathy though…the dessert was small. Which is fine…but I just thought for close to $5, there would be a little bit more. Other than that…we devoured the delectable, delicious desserts, and raved about them the entire time.
Be Our Guest’s Lemon – Raspberry Cream Puff (GLUTEN-FREE!!)
Dessert first…achieved.
Being a grown-up is awesome! HA!
So, while I thought the ambiance of the restaurant was killer…like being in the film Beauty and the Beast…it was really chaotic, really loud, and a bit…of a mess when it came to ordering and checking out. But, it was a great way to dine and I am thrilled my friend Karen managed to snag us lunch reservations. The atmosphere at this restaurant is hard to top. But, in a way…it was like eating at a 5 star cafeteria. If you know what I mean.
I was definitely happy to have the chance to dine at Be Our Guest…and I thank them for offering one of the most amazing and fantastic gluten-free desserts I have had in awhile.
I totally broke tradition. I did. I was in New York City to run the TCS New York City Marathon…and so far I had managed really amazing gluten-free pizza the night before the race. Normally, after I race, my friends and I go to a pub to celebrate the occasion.
Not. This. Time.
But, it was of my own doing that we ended up in Harlem just after 6 p.m. on Sunday evening.
How?
Well…since we were going to be in New York City, I thought it might be fun to check out a restaurant that belongs to one of my favorite chefs of all time.
The venue: Red Rooster.
The chef: Marcus Samuelsson.
After all, we were celebrating my finish at the marathon earlier that afternoon. Why not make it special. So, yeah…I broke tradition and decided to forgo the pub for something…a little different. And I have never made a better decision in my life.
Prior to heading to New York City, I had told Cathy that I really wanted to go into Harlem and eat at Red Rooster. She knows how much I adore Marcus Samuelsson. And, honestly, we’re both foodies…she was right there with me. So, she went ahead and called the restaurant and talked to them about reservations on marathon eve. She mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and they said that food for me would not be an issue. With that done, Cathy set up a reservation for 6 p.m., giving me plenty of time to run, shower, walk around, come back and change, and get there with my group of friends. We had reservations for 4 people…me, Cathy, Heather, and my good friend Marisa.
So, that night, I dressed up in this elegant vintage dress…but kept on my recovery compression socks (and wore them with my heels, HA!), and my three friends and I went down to the subway and hopped the train to Harlem. We emerged steps away from Red Rooster. Literally.
And about 10 minutes late. Whoops. But…we got there…before they handed our table away.
We were seated near the kitchen, which was fantastic for me because I could see the people bustling around in there, working hard at the various stations. I loved the feel of Red Rooster…very chic casual. A fun, vibrant, laid back, but classic vibe. It was the kind of place I would want to return to and bring everyone I know…at least once. Totally my style.
Our server, Ryan, came over to greet us. He said that if we had any questions regarding the menu to let him know. I mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian, and he said that wouldn’t be a problem. In fact, he would go and talk to the chef and see what they could do for me. I thanked him and we all studied the different menu options. At one point, I know Cathy was trying to convince Marisa to try the soup with tripe in it, but that wasn’t happening.
Ryan returned, and said that he mentioned that I had run the TCS New York City Marathon and was a gluten-free vegetarian, to which he said the chef would like to create a dish for me. I was thrilled and thanked him for checking.
Glasses of Brotherhood Riesling
With that said, Cathy took one matter into her own hands. We were, after all, celebrating. So, she ordered a bottle of wine for the table. We went with a sweet wine (Heather prefers dry…but she was a good sport), opting for a local Riesling – the 2013 Brotherhood from Washingtonville, New York ($48.00).
We were ready to order, it seemed. Ryan already had mine. He said the chef was going to do up a Vegetable Plate ($21.00) for me. So, I was excited to see what would emerge from the kitchen. Cathy went with Marcus Samuelsson’s signature dish – Helga’s Meatballs, which are served with lingonberries, braised green cabbage, and buttermilk mashed potatoes ($23.00). Heather ordered the Triple-Double Burger, which is served with bacon, jarlesburg, and rooster sauce ($19.00). Marisa did a little picking and choosing, and went with the Upstate Farms Squash Soup, which includes yogurt, honeycrisp apples, and lentils ($12.00) with a side of the Cornbread ($4.00). And, because they sounded good…Heather and I split a side of the Hearth Roasted Brussels Sprouts ($8.00).
Red Rooster Entrees: Helga’s Meatballs, Upstate Farms Squash Soup, and Triple-Double Burger
Ryan went to put or order in and we all got down to talking about New York, about work, about life, about the race, about food, about events…whatever we wanted to talk about. We were in no rush and the restaurant was not rushing us. I loved being able to just drink in the atmosphere.
Just before the food arrived, Ryan returned with our Riesling bottle, pouring a little bit into Cathy’s glass. Cathy lifted the glass and took a sip. And it was love at first taste for her. So he poured some in each of our glasses, and I made sure to keep drinking my water too. No dehydration here.
And then…our entrees arrived, each one settled down in front of us carefully.
The plates…were gorgeous!
Chef Creation: Vegetable Plate – Curried Black Eyed Peas, Charred Broccolini, Berbere Carrots and Parsnips, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
The chef created a fantastic dish for me. In a bowl on my left was Curried Black Eyed Peas. And on the platter beside it…Charred Broccolini, Berbere Carrots and Parsnips, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Oh…I will note, these Brussels Sprouts tasted different than the side that Heather and I were splitting. It was chef magic. And it was a beautiful and gorgeous plate. One that I looked forward to eating.
Let’s start with the Curried Black Eyed Peas. Just…WOW. WOW! So much flavor. Lots going on. And yet…simple. I like to traditionally have black eyed peas on New Years Day…and this is how I would want them this year. For real. Just this incredible depth of flavor with the curry spices. Not hot…just simply bringing out more of the peas themselves. One of the best dishes involving peas of any sort I have ever had in my life. And, trust me, I’ve eaten plenty.
The vegetables that the chef prepared were a delicious and filling treat for me. The broccolini was gorgeously cooked and vibrant green. It had the right amount of crisp to it, yet, still soft and easy to bite through. I love broccolini, and this was just as it should be…simple and delicious. The Brussels Sprouts were roasted to perfection, giving that outer layer some depth of flavor, yet keeping the vegetable itself soft on the inside. Fork tender perfection.
My favorite thing, however, on that plate was the Berbere Carrots and Parsnips. HOLY COW! This side is exactly why I rushed out to a spice store in order to purchase berbere. This spice is awesome. It has this great flavor to it, followed with a little bit of heat at the end. It paired beautifully with this root vegetables. In fact, these were what I saved for my last bite. Completely in love with a plate of vegetables. How amazing! My compliments to the marathoning chef. My meal was sheer perfection.
Red Rooster’s Hearth Roasted Brussels Sprouts
And I know you’re wondering about the Hearth Roasted Brussels Sprouts that Heather and I split, right? Of course you are! These were different from the ones that were on my plate. These sprouts had this amazing char to them, but also hit up with a bit of a lemon or citrus flavor. Sprinkled on top were macadamia nuts. It was a combination that I hadn’t had before with Brussels sprouts…and I liked it.
But, wait…there is more!
Because when we celebrate we get dessert too! We were handed the menus so we could peruse the options. Ryan was taking care of another party at that moment, so I asked the new server about gluten-free options. She highly recommended The Green Apple Viking Delight ($11.00). I was game. Heather actually ended up doing that too. Leave it to the Scandinavian Minnesotans to order something with the word “viking” in it. HA! Cathy knew she wanted to have cheesecake in New York City, so her choice was the obvious one…Vanilla Cheesecake, served with yogurt, a granola crumble and pomegranate sorbet ($11.00). Marisa went for the signature dessert of the restaurant, the Red Rooster Doughnuts, which are filled with sweet potato and coated in cinnamon and sugar ($12.00). It came with an icing to dip them in as well.
Red Rooster’s Vanilla Cheesecake and Red Rooster Doughnuts
Red Rooster’s Green Apple Viking Delight
Desserts arrived shortly after and…yeah…we were quite happy with our choices. I thought The Green Apple Viking Delight was like a cold crème brûlée. It was a green apple sorbet set on top of a white chocolate fennel cream. On the side was chopped apple and fennel. And a little tuile was set on top, giving it a little crunch and texture. I was totally in love with the flavors, even though I wasn’t completely certain, at first, that they would work. They complimented each other perfectly and each bite was a burst of sweetness, with a bit of richness from the white chocolate. Divine.
Cathy loved her cheesecake (it looked deconstructed…so cool!) and Marisa was more than pleased with the doughnuts. Needless to say…we are girls. Desserts are awesome. But these…these took awesome up to the next level. Which I guess is phenomenal. Or, in the culinary world, a sweet note to end the night on.
We left the restaurant completely satisfied with the meal. The ambiance of Red Rooster was like no other restaurant that I have been in to date. A live jazz band had started to play during our desserts and we really just took a moment to not only savor the food, but savor the experience as well.
I have been a Marcus Samuelsson fan for years…being able to eat at his restaurant was a dream come true. Having a dish created for me, and having a careful and very caring staff made it unforgettable. I was congratulated so many times on finishing the marathon. It was an amazing day, but that night really just sealed it as one of the best days of my life. Good race…good friends…good food…good times.
Me, dressed as Venellope von Schweetz, at the staging area of the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon – Orlando, Florida
Race: Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon
Place: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Date: November 8, 2014
Time:1:50:09
I’m starting to think I angered the running gods somewhere along the way this year.
Seriously.
Because before I go any further, let me start with these two words for you:
BROKEN TOE!
You read that right. My first night at Disney World this time around…and what do I do? I BREAK A FREAKIN’ TOE! And you know, broken toe stories never really are a good story…because they always just happen randomly and in such a stupid and simple manner. For me…climbing into the shower at my resort. No joke. Jammed it on the tub. Yeah…
So…running gods and goddesses…whatever it is…I apologize. Please, please show me some mercy from here on out…
*COUGH*
That being said…not even a week removed from the New York City Marathon and I find myself up in Columbus, Ohio. Yes…this journey starts in Columbus, because my roomie and I were taking our good friend, Jenn, with us to Walt Disney World this time around. And, believe it or not, it was cheaper to drive up to Columbus and fly out of there on Friday morning than it was to do it from Louisville. Worked out in the end. The three of us could now travel together. YAY!! But…this also meant a very early morning after a night spent on the road to get there. We didn’t get in too late, but we didn’t want to stay up too late either, as our ride would be coming in between 4:15 a.m. and 4:20 a.m. Friday morning. Our flight out was at 6:30 a.m. Early flight…nonstop…meant…in to Disney early. WOOT! Jenn’s dad came and got us, drove us to the Columbus Airport, and dropped us off. Cathy and I checked our bags…Jenn carried hers on…and we went through security. Our first stop…Starbucks. Caffeine was needed for sure at this hour. And I had a tall soy salted caramel mocha calling my name. With coffees in hand, we settled in at our gate and just started discussing the plans for that day.
And…it ran smoothly. We boarded the plane on time and were in the air without any sort of delay. This was a new thing for me. And, believe it or not, our flight team got us in to Orlando a full 20 minutes early. HELLO! This is my happy dance. Cathy went to get the rental car while Jenn and I waited for luggage. The bags came through really quickly, actually, so Jenn and I headed out the way we were directed for rental cars and ended up at the Enterprise kiosk outside. Cathy was inside. Figures. So, she had to come to us. The representative took us out to the midsize cars and pointed out the Prius, as we are accustomed to Toyota vehicles as both Jenn and I own Toyotas. We were sold. Hello amazing as mileage!! Car acquired, we were now setting out to make our required Publix stop, to pick up some fruit, snacks, and some water. Jenn and I also replenished our protein bar stores. I am glad we did this, because I ate my way through all of mine this trip. After that, we headed to the resort and got checked in at…where else?…Port Orleans Riverside.
Yes. Again. Why change up the resort when we love this one so much. I mean…it’s one of my favorite Disney Princess’ place…Tiana, of course! And I know the layout and the rooms (or so I thought, HA!). We got our room…which was…a maze to find. Opposite end of the elevator, all the way around by the pool…second floor. We just had to do some exploring to find it. But, heh, we managed. We settled into the room for a moment…Jenn cooling off by the air conditioner, while I got out my tiara (requirement at Disney…because they call me Princess if I wear it…and I LOVE being called Princess). I had to get my waiver in order to pick up my race packet at the expo. And we grabbed a snack prior to heading out for the day.
First up…the expo. And thankfully, the resorts on Disney property run shuttles to the event. The expo was held at the ESPN Wild World of Sports Complex. Just like it normally is. Well, it was for the Dopey Challenge anyway. Love this venue. It’s really easy to navigate now…but at first it was slightly confusing.
The most amazing thing happened with this race though. In New York City, I met running legend Kathrine Switzer. When she ran the Boston Marathon, she was the now famous Bib 261. Well, my bib number at the Disney Wine & Dine was…261. Having this race bib number has been a dream of mine…Disney Magic made it happen! I love surprises like that. As I was one of the lower numbers, I had virtually no line to stand in. This is usually the case with Disney races for me. I was going to be in Corral A, which anyone with the numbers between 21-500 will be in. They gave me my commemorative pin, which I ordered ahead of time, and then sent me across the way to the actual expo, where I would pick up my t-shirt.
I avoided the vendors upon entering and made my way over to the area in the back for my t-shirts. Not too many people were in line for a women’s small either, so I stepped up and handed my bib over to the lady at the counter. She looked at it as she tore the t-shirt tab off and said, “WOW! You’re the lowest number I’ve seen…how fast can you run a half marathon?” I told her my fastest time and she asked if I was going to try to beat it here. I told her, in my mind, I’d love to, but I had just run a marathon on Sunday, so it wasn’t likely. The body was still recovering. I said I intended to have some fun and just enjoy it. And take pictures with characters this time around. Next time… She laughed and handed me my shirt. Time to shop!
I really intended not to purchase anything. Just look. But…heh…that didn’t work out as planned. I didn’t get a BondiBand here either, for the record. My mojo is off. My usual customs aren’t happening. ACK! But I didn’t see a booth, honestly. Cathy found me the race specific equivalent though in the Official Merchandise area…so we went with that. It would do. One thing I did do, however, was visit the Garmin booth and ended up getting a watch I could wear so I didn’t have to wear my Garmin running watch if I needed to know what time it was. After all, I was at Disney World and I was NOT going to live on my cell phone. Nope! This was vacation! With that purchase…I said I wasn’t allowed to spend any more money…so I avoided the Newton booth and tried to ignore all the cute running clothes. I made it out of there with only that purchase and a wine glass (Disney Wine & Dine…get it!) from Official Merchandise. I did well!
We wrapped things up and took the shuttle back to our resort to drop off our bags. Then…with no pausing, we were back out and this time hopping the regular shuttle bus to take us to Animal Kingdom, our park of choice for our first day there. We had things planned…like Jenn and I were going to ride Expedition Everest, the roller coaster there in Animal Kingdom. We did. And it was epic fun. It was nice to have a ride buddy this time around, as Cathy refuses to do any of those rides…because she somehow became less fun at amusement parks between when we first went to Disney in February 2013…to today. BUT…before any attractions or rides…we needed more coffee…and a snack. So…I hit up the allergy friendly Gardens Kiosk in the park for some hummus and vegetables and Cathy and Jenn grabbed some fries at a restaurant there. We noshed and then…went to grab the infamous COFFEE!! You see, Animal Kingdom has this one place that serves up this fantastic iced coffee in either a French Vanilla or Mocha flavor. I have always done, and will always do, the French Vanilla. But it tastes like a light milkshake. Seriously. It is the best thing ever. My favorite coffee at any Disney park. And…I might be addicted to it. With coffee now acquired and caffeine hitting the system…we had the roller coaster to do and the Kilimanjaro Safari. LOVE dong the safari at Animal Kingdom because the guides are fun, the animals are RIGHT THERE…and it’s just a nice way to relax and see some wild animals. LOVED it. While there, we also did the “It’s Tough To Be A Bug” show and rode on Dinosaur. By the time we wrapped things up, we were running just a tiny bit late to the shuttle to get to the Animal Kingdom Lodge…home of our traditional first meal at Disney World feast…Sanaa.
Sanaa is African food that sort of borrows from the flavors of India. Can you see why I love eating here so much? After talking with the chef, I ended up getting the Vegetarian Sampler, which is Basmati Rice and the choice of two of five of their vegetarian entrees. I went with the Chickpea Wat and the Seasonal Greens and Tomatoes. It was…beyond fantastic as always. For the record, Cathy ordered the Lamb Shank and Jenn got the Slow Cooked Dinner Sampler, which was Basmati Rice with a choice of two of the five plate offerings. She went with Butter Chicken and Goan Seafood Curry. We ended up splitting the dessert…as usual…we ordered the Seasonal Kulfi, which was pumpkin this time. And it was delicious. The couple next to us made conversation with us the entire time, and he ended up getting the trio of desserts, which included the kulfi that we were raving about. He took a bite and his wife said, “That was your sex face.” Hilarity ensued. Anyway, with dinner wrapped up, we had a full day and we knew the race was the following night, so we headed back to the resort to take our turn through the shower and get some much needed sleep.
Broken toe…*sigh*
And this…is where it all went down. I was first up to shower, so I went into the bathroom and got the water going. And as I was climbing into the bathtub…BAM…jammed my foot on the edge of the tub. Hard. And bad. I doubled over for about a minute before toughing it up and finishing the shower. After I was dressed, I hobbled out and pointed to my foot. “I think I broke a toe!” Cathy and Jenn looked up at me with big eyes and Cathy said, “SERIOUSLY!?” It was confirmed the next morning…when I woke up to find it swollen and a pretty shade of black-ish purple.
*SIGH*
Being proactive, we decided to use the athletic tape that we brought with us (because my feet are delicate things and I apparently need to wrap the hell out of them these days) and Cathy taped my broken toe (the 4th one)…to the middle toe. And that was how I managed to get through a full day at Hollywood Studios. For real. Being that the race started at 10 p.m., today was going to be a bit strange for me…because…I had to eat backwards. I also was not going to be having gluten-free pizza prior to this race. Night races…they screw everything up. So, we were having a character breakfast at Cape May (Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Donald, FTW!). And this was going to be our biggest meal of the day. Honestly. The chef came out to talk to me and she ended up making me GLUTEN FREE MICKEY WAFFLES!! These are a requirement when I go to Disney World and Disneyland. I have to have them at least once. I paired that up with scrambled eggs for protein and a big heaping bowl of fruit. Because…it was there and really delicious! And that was breakfast. Off to Hollywood Studios. Cathy had somehow managed to get the times wrong for the fast passes we had for both the Aerosmith Rock ‘N Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror. But, we begged and pleaded and after being treated like children, Jenn and I were allowed on our thrill rides that Cathy refuses to even try. We also did Star Tours (always fun!) and Muppet Vision 3-D. LOVE THE MUPPETS. We had some time, so we headed over to The Magic of Disney Animation and sat in on one of the drawing classes, where we were taught how to draw Donald Duck this time. This made me happy…I hadn’t done a Donald Duck before. My lunch was my protein bar and a clementine, which I ate on the go. And after we wrapped up everything…we went back to the hotel, because I had a race to get dressed for…and to get to…broken toe or not.
I actually took the tape off my toes for the race, fearing blisters. We also had weather moving in (even though I was told on numerous occasions that Orlando didn’t have rain for months!). So…yeah…there was that. I was dressing up as Vanellope von Schweetz from Wreck it Ralph this time around. Why? Because Vanellope is awesome. HA! A co-worker of mine even sewed the top for me and it looked fantastic. I was pretty excited about the costume. Not so happy with my toe. And definitely not happy about the impending rain. But, you just suck it up cupcake and get it done. Right? Right! So, I got dressed, and went ahead and ate my cereal (treating my dinner as how I would eat on a race morning…because I was eating backwards all day!). Cathy put all the little candy bits in my hair and I packed a set of dry clothes (but not shoes) for after the race…just in case. The best part about Wine & Dine is the after party in Epcot. You get to try foods and drinks from different countries. And included in the race bag is a $10 gift card to put towards those purchases and samples. So, dinner for Cathy and Jenn was going to be tasting around the world. For me…probably a protein bar because there isn’t too much there for a gluten-free vegetarian. But…I figured I would take in the experience.
So, I grabbed the banana we purchased at the grocery store when we got there on Friday and we headed out to the shuttle to take us to the start of the race, which would be near the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The staging area was mostly in the grass, and it started to sprinkle a bit. The first thing we did was head to information to figure out the best way for Cathy and Jenn to get from the start to the finish. They were told, especially since I was a Corral A runner, that they needed to leave and get a shuttle before I started the race. So…after dancing around and helping me put a garbage bag over my head to keep my body warm as the wind picked up and the weather started to roll in…they gave me hugs…I was told that the “power of Dean compels me” and not to “pants my poop.” TRADITION! And they were gone. So…I just sort of plopped myself down somewhere and tried to stay warm. I ate my banana. I watched people expend a lot of energy by jumping and dancing…and it was fun!! But soon…it was time to get in those corrals. And I made the short hike from the staging area to the corrals, moving all the way up to Corral A.
One thing I loved was seeing so many people in this corral in costume. Disney race or not, a lot of times the higher up corrals don’t get into the Disney spirit. I have always and will always costume for Disney races. They are Disney races. If you run Disney for time, you’re missing the point! I stayed in the black garbage bag until after the wheelchair racers were sent off. The elite runners and Corral A were then moved up to the start line. I shed it then…and that’s when it started to rain. Lightly at first. So, when they sent us off with the fireworks and all…it was like a spring shower. But soon after that first mile, where I met a fellow runner who had just done New York City in that horrible, awful, crazy wind…the rain started to pick up. And then…it was just…a downpour.
The first three miles of this race are done on the highway…and this race also embraces the most hills of any Disney race I have run yet at Disney World. But…after New York City…these didn’t seem too bad. Not really. After the 5K mark, we come into Animal Kingdom. Running through the parks is the best part because you get to have the park employees cheer you on. That and this is normally a key place to snap pictures with characters. The problem was…with the downpour…many of the characters weren’t out. BUMMER! But, you go on. We run around the Tree of Life just after Mile 4 and then duck outside of the park before hitting 5 Miles.
The rain was relentless and my shoes were full of water. The good thing was, my feet were so cold and numb that I couldn’t tell if my toe was hurting or not at this point. But, I knew it was hindering me. There just comes a point where you just can’t do anything about it…so you just stop worrying about it. The next few miles were back on the roads, part of the path we ran for the Disney World Marathon. I recognized it. I was about halfway through and running down the street parallel to those just getting started. On the opposite side of the highway…the later corrals were just getting underway. And we got a lot of cheers from them as we went on.
It’s around Mile 10 that we get filtered into Hollywood Studios. Great park to run through. It was decorated for Christmas and everything was lit up. This has great scenes to run past and the support there is nothing but phenomenal from the cast members. Honestly. Despite running in the shadow of the Tower of Terror and through the various lots that they feature, my absolute favorite part of Hollywood Studios involved disco balls and the Costuming Tunnel in the Backlot. Honestly…I loved looking through the windows, while disco balls are sending lights everywhere in this small tunnel, and seeing people pressing and prepping the costumes for the following day. It was spectacular. I wanted to stop and linger…because…well…it was dry in there…and…IT WAS FLIPPIN’ COOL! But, I was nearing the end of the race and the after party and two very soggy spectators awaited my arrival at that finish line.
Onward.
Out of Hollywood Studios and onto the slick and slippery boardwalk, which runs past the Disney Yacht Club and Disney Beach Club Resorts. Even with the hard rain and cool air, people staying there still came out to cheer. I love the vibe I get at every Disney race. But the electricity through these last two miles was fantastic. Honestly.
From the Boardwalk we took a turn through Epcot, past the giant ball, and out into the parking lot. I know this finish area well, trust me. Around the corner and BAM…there was the finish line. I pressed hard to that finish line, ignoring my foot and toe, just wanting to get over that mat. And I cleared it, soaking wet and dripping with rain and pure determination and stubbornness. Broken toe…check. Half marathon…check. BEAST MODE, BABY!
As I recieved my medal and my mylar blanket, I saw Cathy and Jenn waving to me from the bleachers. They were as wet as I was. They started down while I got the finisher’s photo, some water, and, of course, the goodie box that RunDisney hands you at the end of every race, filled with goodies like Skittles, Clif Bars, Craisins, Fruit Snacks, and Tortilla Chips with a Cheese spread. I wasn’t ready for food. What I was ready for was getting out of the chute and meeting up with my friends. I sipped on some water and went to where I was directed to exit.
There they were. Cathy came up to me and gave me a hug. Jenn came over to do the same and said, “You can tell I love you…” LOL!! I really do have amazing friends. And I give a lot of props and love to the spectators and volunteers who stood or sat out in that downpour for as long as they did.
But now…it was time to check out the after party, which meant an uncrowded spin around the World Showcase with some tasting portions of food at the different country booths and kiosks. But first…I was freezing…and I wanted hot tea. We got that immediately and set out to see what each country had to offer. If something sounded good…devour. If not…move on. I probably should have changed clothes, but at that point, it was still raining, so I didn’t see the point.
Cathy tried foods from 7 countries: Mexico, Singapore, China, Brazil, Belgium, France, Canada. Jenn tried food from China, Brazil, and France. Me…I had tea. And after stopping at France, I decided I REALLY needed to be in dry clothes. I was shaking more than walking. And since it was just an intermittent drizzle, I figured it was the best time to get out of my cold, wet costume and into my long pants and running jacket.
Me, in dry clothes, after walking the World Showcase and enjoying the after party at Epcot after the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon
BEST FEELING EVER!
I was dry and now…warm. I also ate one of my protein bars to help with recovery. And we finished up the World Showcase that night and called it a morning. Because by the time we got on the shuttle and returned to the hotel, it was 2:35 a.m. And we all still had to shower. I went first, making it quick. Then Jenn. Then Cathy. We didn’t have any reason to be up early the following morning, so we slept in until 9:30-ish. It was Magic Kingdom day that day…which meant Dole Whip for dessert that night. We ended up having Dole Whip for breakfast the following morning before hitting up Epcot on our last day there.
I even randomly was found by my friend Michele, who also did the half marathon. She found me in Morocco of all places. HA! And we ended up talking about a lot of things for awhile, before she and her group moved on to try more foods from the showcase, and we went to continue on around the other way, killing time before dinner that night.
So, my official results for the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon are that I finished with an official time of 1:50:09. ON A BROKEN TOE! IN THE POURING RAIN! I was 418/11,941 overall. I was the 97/7928 woman to cross the finish line. And I was 15/1442 in my division to finish. Disney Magic. Had to be. Not my best half marathon by a long shot, but given the circumstances…just…amazing to me.
Now, really, I need to show some mercy on my poor foot and toe. Time to heal.
Once again, Disney…you were expensive…but totally worth every bit of money I poured into you for those 4 days I was there. Despite not having the characters out on the course for much of the race, I have every desire to come back and do this one again. This time…without the downpour and preferably without the broken toe.
Disney…as always…you are my happy place. Thanks for another great race (and another great reason to dress up in costume to run!).
Product – Candy Tree Organic Raspberry Twists – $3.19+
So…I’ve been savoring a product that I received in my first ever Cuisine Cube (May 2014)…for good reason. You see…I love sweets. No surprise. I mean, I’m all about eating healthy and all that, but I believe treats are a welcome part of life. And without treating yourself every now and again, you will go insane and be no fun at all. This is why I believe in dessert after dinner. Moderation is key, of course, but…I think your day of eating should end with a treat, be it fruit, a piece of candy, ice cream, a cookie, a brownie, or a slice of cake. You’ve earned it. Even if it’s just a bite.
Well…having just signed up for my monthly cube of gluten-free goodness, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I, of course, had read about Cuisine Cube before actually choosing to sign up for the delivery service…but knew next to nothing about what would all be involved. What is involved is that, every month, a delicious box of gluten-free goodies arrives, spanning the entire spectrum of meals. One breakfast item, a snack item, a lunch item, a dinner item, a dessert item, and then…every now and again…a bonus.
In May 2014’s cube…there was a bonus. This one included…
CANDY!
Yes…I am an athlete…but I’m also a real person…and I like candy as much as my 7 nieces and nephews do. However, when I had to go gluten-free three years ago…certain candies that I loved were now off the table, as it were. One such favorite treat was…Twizzlers. Not only did Twizzlers make mouths happy throughout my childhood and…yes…even my adult life…but I loved them. Simple flavored licorice (only the red…not a fan of black licorice at all!)…fat free…chewy…delicious. Something so simple and yet…so fundamentally iconic. Makes mouths happy, indeed. But…Celiac disease happened…and Twizzlers became only a fond, distant memory.
Until…May 2014. Inside my Cuisine Cube that month was…this little pouch of little organic licorice twists. The brand was Candy Tree. I’d never heard of them before but now I wanted to marry them. Hey…sometimes it’s the little things in life that bring the most joy. I vowed I was going to eat them and relive all my Twizzler moments. I put them in my snack drawer…and thought about opening them on countless occasions and then…I just…didn’t want to. I didn’t want to fall in love with them and not be able to have them again.
But, after not really wanting to make anything for dessert tonight, and not feeling cookies (shock!)…I wanted something light. And, then I remembered the licorice twists in my drawer. The package held two servings…perfect for my roommate and I to split between us.
Candy Tree was actually founded in 1984 by two parents who were concerned with what their seven children were eating. They began to cook up lollipops, toffees, licorice and hard candies, all made with organic ingredients and using an organic corn malt as a base. They then would flavor these treats with real fruit and organic apple juice. These treats are made in Holland, with strict precautions being taken so that there is no gluten contamination. So…you are literally getting something to satisfy your licorice craving without all the bad stuff.
And…tonight…I opened up the little plastic pouch and split the Candy Tree Organic Raspberry Licorice Twists between myself and my roomie. Moment of truth.
I don’t remember much about Twizzlers, as it has been three years since I’ve had them…but I do remember them being really soft and chewy. The Candy Tree Organic Raspberry Licorice Twists…are not as soft and chewy. My roommate, who literally just had Twizzlers on Friday, said the same thing. They are a little tougher than licorice twists she’s used to…but the flavor was amazing. You would be hard pressed to believe that these organic licorice twists have no added sugar at all. None. Everything comes from the real fruits and fruit juices that help to create these. While these were a little tougher than I normally would like licorice…I just want to say…I WAS EATING LICORICE!! So, I didn’t care that they had a little bite to them. They were packed with great flavor and they were sweet without being over-the-top sugary sweet. In fact…I ate through my serving in what is probably record time. You try not having something you love for three years and then having something that is the gluten-free equivalent in your grasp and see how long it lasts. HA!
So, let’s discuss what the Candy Tree Organic Raspberry Twists are actually made from, shall we? These licorice twists are made with organic corn syrup, organic rice flour, organic rice starch, organic apple juice, organic concentrated fruit juice: raspberry (3%), organic flavor: raspberry, citric acid. This product is gluten-free, wheat-free, milk/casein free, soy free, and organic.
As far as nutrition goes, a serving size of the Candy Tree Organic Raspberry Twists is 40 grams (or 1/2 of the package). There are two servings per package. A serving will provide you with 140 calories. These are completely fat free. One serving also will give you 19 grams of your daily sugar intake. A serving has no fiber and only 1 gram of protein. So, it isn’t filling. It’s candy. A treat. Enjoy it.
So…while they weren’t the highly processed (thank goodness!) Twizzlers I grew up eating, they were very delicious. It was a very nice throwback to a candy I used to devour at every waking moment. These were a great, organic, no sugar-added treat that I would be more than happy to eat all over again. Thank you, Cuisine Cube, for introducing this fantastic candy treat to me.
Sometimes…it’s fun to ignore those magical CSA bin vegetables and go off the beaten path. Besides, while I love having fresh and local produce delivered to my door, I also love the fun and buzz of the local’s farmer’s market. And that’s exactly what my roommate and I did this week. While we have some great bin ingredients, there was an amazing recipe in the October 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times…and the only ingredient I currently had in the home was the couscous.
Don’t panic. This is gluten-free couscous that came in my Cuisine Cube this month. I was pretty stoked about that and really wanted to use it right away. So, that same day as I was flipping through the Vegetarian Times magazine (that had also just arrived)…one dish stood out, as it utilized couscous. When Cathy read the magazine after me, she also spotted it. So, that Saturday morning, we went out to a large farmer’s market in Louisville and picked up the necessary ingredients to make this dish.
I prepped most of it last night, so today, the only thing I needed to do to complete the dish was slice and grill the eggplant. Simple…
Recipe: Grilled Eggplant with Gluten Free Couscous and Greek Yogurt Dressing
Grilled Eggplant with Gluten Free Couscous and Greek Yogurt Dressing
2 small Italian eggplants, each but on the bias into 6 slices
Directions:
To make the salad: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in couscous. Cover pan, remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cool for 10 minutes.
Stir 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds and remaining ingredients into couscous, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Chill for 1 hour, or overnight.
To make the dressing: Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
To make eggplant: Preheat grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Whisk together oil and mint in a small bowl. Brush eggplant slices with mint oil and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Grill slices 4 minutes per side, or until tender and nicely grill-marked.
Divide salad among plates. Top each serving with 3 eggplant slices, 1 tablespoon of remaining pomegranate seeds, and 2 tablespoons of the dressing.
Serve any remaining dressing on the side.
~*~*~
I made only one minor change. Instead of making the mint oil, I instead added a hit of cayenne pepper, cumin, and garlic powder to the olive oil instead, then brushed that over each slice of eggplant and grilled it. It worked out perfectly. And the mint dressing is so light and fresh that it really just brings everything together on the plate. I highly recommend this hot and cold salad. It’s simple and easy and beyond delicious for sure! I can’t wait to make it again.
Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix
Product: Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix – $10.99
I want to give another quick shout-out to my friend (all the way back through middle school!), Rebecca Fifield, who not only is just an all-around fantastic person, but is also a consultant for Tastefully Simple. She was kind enough to send me a batch of the original four gluten-free mixes that Tastefully Simple were putting out on the market. I have one more to go, and this one isn’t one of them.
The product I am reviewing today, the Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix, actually is part of their second round of gluten-free mix offerings, which also brought about a Gluten-Free Coconut Lime Cake Mix. Actually, I am just now realizing that Tastefully Simple sneaked out two more mixes while I wasn’t looking…a Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix and a Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Pancake Mix. I think I know what I’ll be ordering soon!
Anyway…when Tastefully Simple first released second round of products (Coconut Lime Cake Mix and the Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix), I was determined to buy at least one of them. I would have purchased both, except I was already planning on buying more of the Gluten-Free Beer Bread Mix. Hey…that stuff is awesome. So after a little back and forth with myself…I finally chose the Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix for this time around.
And last night…I baked it up.
One of the things that makes Tastefully Simple products so appealing is how…simple…they are to make. Normally, they require the addition of 2-3 items, all of which get stirred together and then popped into the oven to bake. Seriously…that easy. I love something that won’t take up too much of my time in the kitchen. Let’s face it…I may love to cook and bake, but I’m a busy girl and I value my time.
As it was, the Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix only requires 2 cups of chopped apples (and, hey, my CSA bin gave me apples this week!), 2 eggs (or egg replacer if you are vegan), and 1 cup of chopped walnuts (which are optional, but I always add nuts!). So, I poured the mix into a mixing bowl, chopped up two large Gala apples, broke two eggs into the bowl, and then added the walnuts. I stirred the contents until everything was combined and no powdery mix remained in the bowl. This took a couple of minutes because the only liquid in the bowl came from the two eggs, and for a moment I didn’t think it was going to come together. I will never doubt again, because it all mixed in beautifully. I poured the batter into a greased baking pan and threw it into the oven to bake. This normally takes about 45-55 minutes. Surprisingly, my old oven perfectly baked the cake in 45 minutes.
Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix (baked and fresh from the oven)
First of all, the Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake smells AMAZING as it is baking. We’re in the midst of September, and autumn is coming. This made my entire apartment smell like fall. For real! When it came out of the oven, it took everything in my power to let it cool down before I sliced it up and tried it for myself. I’m not good with self control, but somehow…I managed.
The end result?! One of the most fantastic, moist, and flavorful cakes I have ever had. This is no joke. Not one bit. The apples provide a nice hit of sweetness and texture. The top of the cake gets this nice crust on it, which crumbles as you slice into it. It was a beautiful thing. And the cake itself…aside from being moist, this cake tastes like a flavorful and delicious coffee cake. It has this rich flavor to it, with the cinnamon adding a sweet spice to it that I love and my taste buds crave. I was so surprised with how moist this cake was. I was a bit concerned about it, but I should have known to trust Tastefully Simple. I might be addicted to this cake. Self control is definitely being exercised as I have an entire cake now. It sure does taste like autumn around here.
So, let’s take a look at the ingredients. The Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix is made from sugar, rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, sodium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, salt, cinnamon, and xanthan gum. It is cholesterol free, gluten free and kosher.
The Tastefully Simple Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Cake Mix isn’t bad for a cake. Remember though, this is for the mix only, but even after everything is added in, the calories and fat all stay in check. A serving of the mix is 1/4 cup, and the mix itself makes 9 servings. This serving will give you 190 calories. It is fat-free and cholesterol free (until you add the eggs, of course!). The mix has only 260 mg sodium and a whopping 29 grams of sugar. But…it’s cake. It’s going to be sugary! The mix itself has no fiber and only 1 gram of protein.
Not bad at all for nutrition of a cake, that’s for sure. I honestly was so pleasantly surprised by this cake. I think it’s going to become a pantry staple in my apartment. Because…wow…I am beyond impressed.
Now, I know you’re dying to try it! You must be. And you should be. So, head over to Rebecca Fifield‘s page and place an order. I promise…you won’t be disappointed.
A slice of Tastefully Simple Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Cake (serving size)
It was two weekends ago that I was walking around the Indiana State Fairgrounds at the Living Without Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest. I had such a great time going up to the various booths, some from big name and well-known gluten-free companies and corporations. And then…some of the booths belonged to local businesses…bakeries and sauce makers and the like. It was an amazing variety and a great time. I had a blast talking to the various vendors, from local and nationally acclaimed businesses and finding out more about their products and/or company.
One booth that I dropped by was BeeFree Gluten Free Bakery, based out of Noblesville, Indiana. The bakery is owned and operated by Jennifer Wiese, the mother of four teenage boys, the eldest of which is on the autism spectrum. She attended an autism conference a few years ago where she learned about the benefits of a gluten-free and casein free diet in helping to alleviate some of the behavioral issues associated with autism. With a limited amount of good gluten-free and casein free food in Nobelsville, and an 8-year-old with limited patience for being asked to give up some of his favorite foods, Weise decided to get creative. With the assistance of her mother, they eventually were able to put together a winning combination of rice, tapioca, coconut, and potato flours, with corn starch, as a base for her baking.
In the end, the diet had positive effects on her son. And Weise wanted her son to be able to eat at social events, often meaning she had to bake a cake or pizza to be offered alongside the glutinous one that everyone else was eating. When people started complimenting Weise on how good her creations were, she began to get asked to bake for their parties.
With the demand there, Weise decided that starting a business was the next step. So, in 2010, BeeFree Gluten Free Bakery opened. Weise rented out kitchen space in a restaurant after hours and would start baking. After a year, she realized she couldn’t keep up with her orders and grow the business like she wanted to, so she rented a bakery and started producing her baked creations on a larger scale. This meant she could do her baking in the morning while the equipment was freshly sanitized and there wasn’t any wheat flour wafting around the air.
Today, Weise’s entire family has gone gluten-free. Now that Weise has more time freed up for working on business, she is interested in getting BeeFree Gluten Free Bakery carried more widely across the region and expanding her line. She recently even developed a cereal for people on the Paleo Diet, which tends to avoid grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar and processed oils.
So…here the bakery was, participating in a huge gluten-free expo. As I strolled up to the table, they were offering samples of their Warrior Mix (which is a cereal). But, for sale, I noticed one lonely loaf on the table…and it caught my attention for one reason – it was LEMON!
I love, love, LOVE lemon flavored things. And so does my roommate. Which, I immediately pointed the loaf out to Cathy and she nodded her head. I spoke to the guy behind the counter and said that I’d love to take the Lemon Loaf off their hands. He picked it up and informed me it was the last one they had. WOOT! Good timing. Cathy passed over the $3.00 they were asking and we walked away with something lemon and delicious looking.
Upon returning home from our day in Indianapolis, Cathy and I sorted out our stash of free goodies and the items we bought, including ones that needed to be refrigerated. The BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf went into the refrigerator. I had every intention of busting into it before today…but we were working hard on polishing off the banana bread I had prepared from the mix I reviewed a couple of weeks ago. And then…we were heading out of town, and taking my own gluten-free zucchini bread loaves with me to my parents home. So…with all of that finally gone…this morning’s after-gym breakfast had to be simple…and I had nothing. NOTHING. Until I recalled…the BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf. Breakfast…was served.
That morning, before we left for the gym, I pulled out the Lemon Loaf and opened it up. The serving size was 1/4 of the loaf, so I cut it in half, then cut that half in half…so that my roommate and I each had a serving. I immediately noted the gorgeous lemon yellow color of the loaf. However, I was a bit uncertain about the white layer of thick icing on the top. I’m not big on frosting or icing…and the sheer amount of it was a bit…overwhelming. But…I placed the slices into a container and we were off to face the cardio machines.
After going to the gym this morning, we hiked over to the office and I removed the two slices (or half of the loaf) from the cooler I bring on gym mornings. I placed each slice on a plate and gave it a small warming (about 15 seconds) in the microwave before handing off one slice to Cathy and settling in at my desk with the other.
I cut through the top part, getting the huge chunk of icing with a little bit of the loaf. I took a taste…and aside from the sweetness of the lemon-flavored icing…the loaf itself was moist, rich, sweet, sour, and just plain…delicious! Yes…delicious. I ended up breaking the icing away and cutting it up so that I could get smaller bits of it with each bite instead of having it just sitting on top. Because…there was a lot of it. By breaking it up like that, it definitely gave the loaf more depth as I got a bit of icing with a bit of bread with each bite. Otherwise, I’d just get the icing and it was far too sugary sweet for a breakfast. More like a dessert. Maybe that’s what this was meant for. Dessert for breakfast…it happens. But…with the volume of icing, it was best eaten this way. Trust me.
I was rather impressed with the texture, taste, density, and flavor that came in the BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf. It was light, and airy, not dense and heavy. Like I said, my only complaint is that the ratio of loaf to icing was…way off, in my opinion. It was a little overwhelming with that thick layer of icing on top, but I made it work. Truth is, the loaf would have been just as delicious even without the icing. And probably would make it feel like less of a dessert too. But, to each their own, and this is truly just a personal preference.
The BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf is made from sugar, organic enriched rice milk, corn oil, eggs, white rice flour, tapioca flour, corn starch, organic lemon juice, organic lemon peel, coconut flour, potato flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and sea salt.
As for nutrition, a serving of the the BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf is 1/4 of the loaf. In this serving, you will be consuming 250 calories and 11 grams of fat. You will also be consuming 125 mg sodium and 22 grams of sugar. And finally, you will be taking in 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein. It isn’t filling…but it is one sweet treat in the morning.
I love supporting a local business, so I was excited to tear into my BeeFree Gluten Free Lemon Loaf this morning. Fantastic flavor and just the right amount of lemon. For my own tastes, I find the amount of icing a bit of overkill, but it does add great flavor to the loaf. I was one happy lemon lover this morning. And this loaf gets another eating on Thursday. Already anticipating.
When it comes to food, there are certain cuisines that I absolutely love. Seriously. From Italian to Indian to Greek and more…there is something about the various tastes, seasonings, and textures of each different type of food that just awakens my palate every time.
One such cuisine that I love to eat, but haven’t had much of it in the past…oh…8 years…is Cajun!
YUM!
I love Cajun food, and not just because it famously is known to be spicy. I mean, we all know that I like it hot and spicy…but there is something so comforting and simplistic, even when the dish is anything but easy. As a vegetarian, a lot of Cajun food doesn’t fall into my diet. As a Celiac…it makes it even harder. We have a couple of small chain Cajun places around here, but they aren’t making the real deal. I forgot just what I was missing up until Saturday afternoon, when Cathy and I followed up our Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest with a lunch date with our good friend, Greg.
As you guys know, Greg can be quite particular about the places and foods that he eats. Well, for years now he has been raving about the food at a local Cajun place called Papa Roux. And he always pointed out that this particular place had plenty of vegetarian options…as well as gluten-free. While we are in Indianapolis quite often, we never seem to be there at a decent time to actually go to Papa Roux. So, we default to a personal favorite – Cheeseburger in Paradise.
But…NOT. THIS. TIME.
I was excited to try out Papa Roux. With all that Greg had talked it up to be, I was happy that he decided that would be our place to meet and eat that day. Cathy and I arrived just as Greg had pulled in. So we had good timing. Papa Roux may not look like much from the outside, but don’t let the dive atmosphere turn you off or away. Go inside. And you’re in for a treat.
Upon entering, you are greeted at the counter where you place your order. I had to look at the options for me, and finally decided that I was going to get the Spicy Tomato Creole ($8.00). I ordered an unsweetened iced tea with that (that’s free, by the way!) and then let Cathy get her order in. Cathy opted for the Chicken Po-Boy ($9.00) with a handcrafted lemonade to drink ($2.00). And Greg went for the Spicy Bean Chili ($8.00) with an unsweetened iced tea as well. You pay there, put a name on the order, and go find a table.
At the table, you get to choose your sides. This was exciting. You can choose as many as you want and as often as you want. When you dine-in at Papa Roux…the unlimited sides are free and unlimited. Honestly. I knew my creole was going to be spicy, so I went with something soothing and refreshing. Applesauce. Greg got the Coleslaw and something else, which I don’t recall. And Cathy opted for the Red Beans and Rice.
Our drinks arrived and we were invited to sign the autograph wall. Yes…the walls inside Papa Roux are covered in signatures. It’s a really cool, very nice touch. So, both Cathy and I added our signatures to the graffiti. And, after a little bit of a wait (they cook to order!), our food was soon arriving.
The first thing I noticed…Cathy’s Chicken Po-Boy was bigger than her head. She said she’d be lucky to make a dent in it. But after she pulled it apart, ate the chicken with the spicy mustard and coleslaw mixed in and not much of the bread, she managed a bit more than expected. The star was the stuff inside, not the giant, thick bread, for sure! Greg let me try the chili that he ordered, as he had raved about it for as long as he’s raved about the restaurant itself. He said it wasn’t as spicy as usual, and I had to agree…because my Spicy Tomato Creole was spicier than his chili.
So…how was the Spicy Tomato Creole? Spicy!! And that’s a good thing. It had this nice, rich flavor…like an amazing marinara, with a kick. The heat was perfect…for me. Some might have said it was too much, but I didn’t find it to overwhelm or completely kill my palate. Nope. This was amazing. Before I was a vegetarian, my mom would make a fantastic shrimp creole for Thanksgiving each year…so the creole definitely caught my attention. I loved the chunks of tomato and onion that were throughout, lending a bit of texture. And the spice definitely didn’t overwhelm but I wasn’t underwhelmed either. It said “spicy” in the title, so I wanted spicy. And it delivered, for sure. I was impressed. The stew, itself, came with small servings of rice that were dished on the side…just the right amount. The applesauce was delicious too…not sure if they make it, but the cool, soothing nature of it was a nice compliment to the spicy creole stew I was devouring.
We were all quite happy with the food, the prices, and the experience overall. I can see why Greg raves about Papa Roux all the time. I already want to go back and try more of their gluten-free and vegetarian stews. Really fell in love with the place. The atmosphere is great. The service is good. And the food…beyond fantastic. And any reservations I might have had about just how gluten-free the food was going to be was put to rest when the person who took our order at the counter asked if it was a dietary preference or an allergy. YES! A place that truly gets it.
Thank you, Greg…for finally getting us to Papa Roux to try the amazing food and take in the place in person…instead of through your mouthwatering stories of what you’ve had there. Thank you, Papa Roux, for giving me a safe, delicious, and spicy meal that day. It was just what I needed.
Product: Breads From Anna Gluten Free Banana Bread Mix – $7.49+
I don’t remember where I first heard about Breads From Anna bread mixes…but I discovered it one day at work. I remember messaging my friend, Jenn, on Twitter because the store locator showed that her local natural foods store, The Raisin Rack, carried these mixes. She said that the next time she made it over there, she’d check.
Well, it just so happened that the next time she was over there…I happened to be with her. And my roommate happened to be in a generous mood as far as the food budget, because she handed me a basket and told me to fill it up!
I did. And, lo and behold, in one of the aisles with a bunch of gluten-free baking mixes…I found Breads From Anna bread mixes. Lots and lots of them. The hard part was finally choosing which one to try first. While I love pumpkin bread…in the end I went with the Gluten Free Banana Bread Mix.
Normally I make my own bread, but I have never, ever had a gluten-free banana bread come out right. I figured it was time to call in some help in the form of a mix. When in doubt…try the experts. How did I know that Anna would be an expert? I didn’t. But I had heard things. Good things. And as a celiac and type 1 diabetic, she wanted to make bread that tastes like bread (not cardboard), and as a trained chef, she was able to put her skills to the test and created safe, allergen-free products that would have superb flavor, texture, and taste. When her non-celiac brother first tried her bread…he said it tasted like bread. That was all she needed. Breads From Anna grew from there.
Regardless of what I heard and the creator’s promise on the side of the box…with me…it just has to be baked and tested. Making the batter was easy. After preheating the oven and greasing one bread loaf pan, I mixed together the eggs, the oil, and the 3 bananas, which I had pureed in the food processor. In went the bread mix, and once that was well blended, I went ahead and folded in the optional chopped nuts. Because banana bread plays nicely with nuts. Into the loaf pan and then into the oven for one hour.
Yes. One hour. One hour of sheer torture because after about 20 minutes, you get that amazing banana bread smell wafting out of the kitchen. I was literally doing my hand weight routine and trying really heard not to drool. The aroma was beyond enticing. I peaked into the oven about halfway through and the loaf had risen and puffed up gorgeously and was turning this fantastic golden color. I wasn’t sure it needed the remaining 30 minutes, but kept it in the oven regardless…hoping for the best this time around. When the timer went off, I pulled it from the oven and set it on a cooling rack to now cool in the pan for an hour.
Sweet torture!
But…well worth the wait. After an hour…to the exact moment, I made my way back into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and you better believe I carved a slice out of it. My roommate, who is non-celiac and a bread connoisseur, was my ultimate test. I handed her a slice of the still warm gluten-free banana bread and waited for her to take a bite. She absolutely loved it. My turn.
Moist. Light. Definitely delivering on the flavor, the texture, and the overall feel of banana bread. This bread isn’t heavy and dense. It isn’t overly banana. It’s moist, but without being wet. It’s perfection. Honest to goodness bread goodness. I wish I could claim I made this from scratch. This loaf of bread puffed up to this gorgeous loaf with a nice golden outer crust. Inside, you get this fantastic banana and walnut flavor. And this loaf does bake up big. Like…better than any other bread I have made, whether from scratch or from a mix. Never before has it turned out like this one did. I’m hooked. I want to buy all the Breads From Anna Mixes and just get into that kitchen and test them all out.
Totally worth it.
So, down to the science of things. The Breads From Anna Gluten Free Banana Bread Mix is made from powdered honey, tapioca starch, arrowroot, millet four, potato starch, chia flour, chickpea flour, pinto bean flour, navy bean flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, xanthan gum, and sea salt. This bread mix is gluten-free, yeast-free, corn-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free and rice-free. For a bread that is yeast free…it sure did rise up beautifully. This mix is also kosher parve and non-GMO.
Nutritionally speaking, the Breads From Anna Gluten Free Banana Bread Mix contains 14 servings. One serving of the mix on its own is 80 calories. The mix is fat free and cholesterol free. Just the dry ingredients alone, you will be taking in 270 mg sodium and 9 grams of sugar. In addition, you will be consuming 2 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein.
I. AM. IN. LOVE.
With a bread mix. Thank you, Anna Sobaski…for creating this fantastic mix to make gluten-free baking, which is an art and science all itself, easy for someone like me. This bread is one of the best I have ever cooked up in my kitchen. I am happily, happily noshing away on this delicious loaf. And with all the flavor, texture and taste of “real” banana bread…no one would have a clue that they were eating gluten-free.
The Celiathlete 