Tofu – The Celiathlete

May 5, 2019

Mercy Health Glass City Marathon – Toledo, OH (April 28, 2019)

Me after finishing the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon – Toledo, Ohio

Race: Mercy Health Glass City Marathon

Place: Toledo, OH

Date: April 28, 2019

Time: 3:38:46

After a really good shakeout run using Glass City’s Savage 5K as just that (and somehow placing in my age group), I spent the rest of Saturday in my hotel room. Sitting on my bed. Feet up. Eating. Blogging. Watching television. Not out walking around Toledo. Not hanging out at the expo. Off my feet. Foam rolling. Stretching. All of it.

I was really taking this prep seriously! I didn’t actually leave the room until about 4 pm…when Cathy and I headed into Toledo to hit up Organic Bliss Deli & Bakery for dinner. We had looked at a few places in Toledo, but it is so hard to gauge how safe some places are, and some reviews on places I had been looking at weren’t so good on my Find Me Gluten Free app. We were going to do my new favorite thing before a major race – sushi…but Toledo’s only safe sushi place only had the a vegetable roll, cucumber roll, or avocado roll for vegan options. BOOOO! I am lucky to have Dragon King’s Daughter for my vegan sushi needs in Louisville/New Albany. As we were driving up to Toledo, my fellow Celiac blogger and Instagram friend, Margaret, was on her way down to Columbus for the Gluten Free Allergy Free Fest and posted about Organic Bliss. They closed at 5 pm, so we went early and got there to figure out what we wanted for dinner. And, of course, we would get a box of goodies to go back to the hotel with us.

9D076FBB-74E9-4AEC-B90F-E8D7A2D80FAB — My Gluten Free Caribbean Avocado Sandwich with a Chickpea Salad from Organic Bliss Deli & Bakery in Toledo, Ohio

The people there were very kind and gave us some time to look over the menu, and we finally came to our conclusions…Cathy went ahead and got the BLT with Chips. And I went with the Gluten Free Caribbean Avocado Sandwich (avocado, romaine, spinach, tomato, cucumber, black beans, papaya poppyseed dressing). I got that with a side of the Chickpea Salad. And then we boxed up some treats: A Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake, an Almond Scone, a Cranberry Orange Scone, a Cinnamon Roll, and the Peanut Butter Quinoa Bar. We paid and went and took a seat in the corner while meals were prepared and brought out to us.

All my baked goodies I took back to the hotel with me from Toledo, Ohio

Sandwiches before a race are a good back-up it seems. And this sandwich was AMAZING. I loved it. And the Chickpea Salad was the perfect side. Got some carbs, protein, healthy fats…perfection. They were trying to get ready to close, so the floors were being swept and people were coming in for last minute purchases. We finished up and headed out to go back to the hotel for the night. And you better believe Cathy and I split that Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcake for dessert back at the hotel.

I went ahead and posted on my Instagram feed the motivation, the drive, and the reason I was running the following day: my mom. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer back in January, just after the New Year. It was a shock to my family and one that none of us were prepared for. Right now, she is going through chemo, keeping her spirits high and her thoughts positive. What a warrior. This race, save for a couple of miles, was to honor her. Mile 1, my roommate claimed. Mile 26, my friend Natalie claimed, And Mile 10 was in memory of my friend Tina’s daughter, Kinsley, who died in her sleep at the age of 10 a couple of days before I left for Toledo. I would carry these honors with me respectively on the race course.

58383928_10100536246845921_2808722051089563648_o — My mom – she’s a warrior!

I did one last round of stretching and foam rolling while watching Guy’s Grocery Games on Food Network…and got an onslaught of uplifiting and motivational gifs from my coach. I do love my coach. He has been amazing, even when training went slightly off the rails when I busted up my knees. The gifs made me laugh. And he threw in a Game of Thrones reference, so that was winning. But, soon it was time to turn in for the night. I set two different alarms. One for me to get up and take my medicine and use the bathroom…and then go back to bed. And then one for Cathy…which would be when I would get up and get dressed. No surprise…I couldn’t sleep well. And I shut off my first alarm before it even went off. Tried to climb back into bed and wait for the other alarm, but then my mind wouldn’t shut off. So, I got up and did my PT stretches for my hips…and then went ahead and started to get ready. By the time the second alarm went off, I was pretty much dressed and ready to head out the door. So, while Cathy got ready, I started prepping my hydration vest bladder with 1 liter of water, grabbed my Maurten gels to use as additional fuel on the run, and put on my clothes I would shed prior to the race.

Because up in Toledo…it was 41 degrees on race morning, but with the windchill, it was in the real feel was in the low 30s. They had been predicting snow…but thankfully that didn’t happen. I had, thankfully, packed some clothes that I could wear over my race gear (and a back up short sleeve shirt since a tank top was the original plan for this race), so I felt like I was good in the wardrobe department. I was glad I had the clothing to give to Cathy before I got into the corral, because I was cold in that wind.

We left the hotel early. Like 5:45-ish early. And we made the 20 minute drive to the University of Toledo, where we found a lot to park in. And then…then was the walk to the start. It was slightly drizzly, but Cathy had purchased some trash bags at Kroger so, we both donned them and set out down the sidewalk to get to the start. It was a pretty big walk, but it was a good way to warm up for sure. If you know Cathy’s history with directions, you will understand that I kept checking with her to make sure that she was on track to getting us to the start line, especially when random runners who were walking near us would veer off and we’d continue on…into the land of empty sidewalks and roads. But, we turned at an intersection and I could hear the tunes of the start line, and they just so happened to be playing my theme song for this year, Panic! at the Disco’s “High Hopes.” It was a good sign.

This was not the start line that I expected for a spring marathon. Wet, cold and windy!

We went to find a spot for Cathy to stand for the start of the race and just sort of made that base camp. I stood behind her to break her from the wind. We took a few photos. I looked miserable. I was miserable. Spring marathons were not meant to be spent freezing. At least, not in my opinion. I drank my bottle of UCAN with 30 minutes to go and eventually, with about 10, shed my extra layers, save the trash bag, got a hug from Cathy, and headed to Corral B.

It was here in Corral B that I set out on my mission to find the 3;35 pacers. The Web site had two of them listed, but as I hunted for the tiny yellow signs the marathon pacers held, I just couldn’t find any in my corral. So, I went up to one of the half marathon pacers and asked him where the marathon pacers were. He said that they should be in here…and asked which group I was looking for. I said, “The 3:35.” And he told me that there was no 3:35, only 3:30 and 3:40 and to find and line up with the 3:40 so that I start slow. I was determined not to melt down or let this mentally get to me. The National Anthem was about to be sung, and after that, I gave one last look around my corral for pacers….shed my trash bag, and decided I was going to have to pace myself this time.

That’s a scary thought right? But that was how it was going to be. Corral took off and I saw the bobbing of the yellow pacer signs up there. So…one more chance to check for them in my corral. No luck. None. Deep breath. We were moved up toward the start line. Waited two minutes. And then…we were off.

Just before Mile 4 in the Glass City Marathon

I reeled it in immediately. Normally that race start is intense and the adrenaline is rushing and you just GO. You bolt it out and find some space, but it uses up valuable energy, and I had been given a plan to follow, and while I couldn’t see the first 5 miles through with the pacer as the plan said, I wasn’t going to blow it up by going out too fast too soon. I could hold it together and hold back. Five miles. I had this. My coach wanted me to be around an 8:12-8:10 pace for these miles. I did the best I could, and while a few of them were slightly fast, the last two were just slightly slower (not by much) than that pace. Just before Mile 4, Cathy had found a spot on the side of the road to cheer. It was amazing. Cowbell and all with a crowd. I will say this, for being a smaller race, I never felt like I wasn’t supported out there. Going into Mile 4 was a huge example of this. Lots of people, even in the damp cold, just there to cheer on the runners. It was great.

From Mile 6-15, I was supposed to maintain a slightly faster pace, not sprinting, not going too fast, but hitting those high 8’s. And I managed this. Holy crap, I was doing it. And I felt good. I didn’t feel like I needed anything, and technically with UCAN, I didn’t…but I didn’t want to run out of steam, and I have always been told to fuel early and often. So, I took my first Maurten gel at Mile 6. Here we were guided through some neighborhoods, and people were down at the end of their driveways cheering. Our bibs had names on them, so they would shout out your name and some encouragement as you went by. Loved that. While big races are all fine and good, this was the feel of a big race without all that big race stuff.

Me heading into the finish line of the Glass City Marathon

It was actually just before Mile 10 that the half and the full marathons split. This was clearly marked with big gates for the runners to go through. The half marathon runners turned left, while we continued on. This did bring the number of people around down some. But, again, I never, ever felt like I was running alone. At Mile 10, I fueled again (remember, early and often) and then I did give a point up to the sky and said Kinsley’s name. She gave me some wings on that mile.

It is just before Mile 11 that the marathon course enters Wildwood Preserve Metropark. We would actually run through this park twice on the course, but, trust me, it didn’t really feel repetitive. The open streets we had been running on narrowed to a running/biking path, but it was paved and beautiful. There were race volunteers out there, handing out water at the two water stops that were inside the park. There was a band playing as well at some point. On the first pass through the park, somewhere after Mile 12, we are sent to the right to run out onto the streets again. I fueled again at Mile 14, and pressed on, still feeling strong and confident. It was somewhere in Mile 16 that I caught up with the 3:40 pacers.

WHAT?!

Yep…the 3:40 pacer. I shook this off, figuring that it was fine. The problem was, I joined up with them as we were sent to run on the shoulder of a road, and in a pace group, that made for some tight, tight quarters. This made my split at this mile much slower than I would have liked, but I was afraid of clipping runners ahead of me, or being clipped by runners near me. This happened twice, if you recall, when I started with a pace group at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon back in November. When I had an opening, I did pass and get ahead, able to stretch my legs back out and pick it back up. I didn’t panic. Not at all. I just found my own pace again and was happy to not be in that pack anymore. I had some breathing room and it took that anxiety away. I fueled again at Mile 18 and just kept on going.

Just before Mile 20, we re-enter the park again, from a different entrance and make our way back through that path. It was here that we have to navigate a small bit of an incline. And it was here, that my legs slowed down and just wouldn’t pick it back up. The final 10K…where I wanted to just maintain and keep going strong. A tiny little bump in the elevation took the speed away from me. I felt like I was picking it back up, but I wasn’t. I truly wasn’t. This time as we go to exit, if it’s your second loop, you turn left, and now you’re heading back out toward the university. I still felt good, I just couldn’t find any sort of speed at this point. We are still on this paved trail, and runners were scattered, but we were strong. The 3:40 pacer passed me again. And I didn’t fret or sweat it. I did shed my gloves around Mile 22. My hands were getting really hot finally. And I was close. I also took my last gel at this point. Fuel for the final four miles.

Me crossing the finish line of the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon – Toledo, Ohio

There were some really perky and happy ladies running a friend in for his last few miles, who were fresh and really uplifting. It was nice that they came by me because they definitely helpful in that stretch. Around Mile 25, you can pretty much see the school. You know that finish line is on the field of the football stadium, and you know…you really are almost there. People are cheering. Shouting your name. Encouraging you. Telling you how good you look. How fast you look. That you’re doing amazing. I still felt good. I still felt confident and strong. I knew I wasn’t getting the BQ I had been training for, but I hadn’t glanced at clocks or my watch for time…just my pace. I never peeked at it if it wasn’t buzzing at me for a mile lap. I hit the turns to take the chute into the 26th mile…and then it was on to the stadium. The crowd was amazing. Loud. Screaming. I saw Cathy as my name was announced and I kicked as much as I could toward that finish line. Crossing it…with my hands up. I paused my Garmin and took a look at the time.

3:38.

I was just off of my BQ time by 3 minutes and off my goal time by 5 minutes. I was so close. I didn’t get my goal, but I was incredibly happy and proud. I hadn’t hit the 3:30’s in a marathon since 2013, where I did it twice. Both BQ times. I was elated. I cried. Cathy came over after I got my Mylar and my medal and gave me a hug. I told her I needed to put my feet up so we went over to the field and I laid down in the sunlight and propped my legs up on her.

Eventually, I decided that I did, in fact, need to move. So, we headed out of the stadium to the runner finish area. Here we collected my commemorative glass mug (you get it upon finishing), and went to the food tent. I couldn’t eat anything, but poor Cathy was starving so she had my beer and pizza tickets, so I let her claim those. I was feeling lightheaded, so I went to sit down and shiver in my Mylar.

C7F25354-DBEF-40D7-81F1-8AB9C23D8D86 — My Spicy Ginger Tofu & Ancient Grains bowl from Corelife Eatery

Cathy and just shown up when my Instagram friend, Scooby (who had a fantastic day as the 3:15 pacer) wandered by. I called him over and we chatted for a minute, but he had just snagged some pizza and I didn’t want it to get cold…so we congratulated each other and I let him go. Cathy had two beers to try. The first one she hated, the other one she sipped on until I decided I was ready to go get warm with a hot shower at the hotel while she went to get me some coffee from Bigbee Coffee. The walk to the car felt longer than it probably was, mostly because my body was tired and a little sore from the effort that day. I eventually foam rolled, stretched, and went to get dinner at Corelife Eatery before seeing Avengers: Endgame that night (the theater was advertised as having reclining seats – it didn’t…and by the end, I knew I had made a big mistake). It was a good day, and I am still basking in my accomplishment. I think, next time, I’ll get it.

F3BF5B7A-71B8-4F30-BEE3-7AE41FC799BD — Nothing is impossible. Keep on dreaming! Glass City Marathon Finisher!!

So, the official results of the Mercy Health Glass City Marathon are that I finished in 3:38:46, making it officially my third fastest marathon and the first one back in the 3:30s since 2013. HOLLA! Stoked. I was 408/1278 finishers overall. I was 108/527 female finishes. And I was 30/96 in my age group! How amazing is that. I felt good and strong the entire time, never letting any self-doubt or negative talk enter my head. I was focused on the race at hand and the people I was running it to honor. Marathon #15…done. Now to find the perfect fall marathon to make the next attempt on that Boston Qualifying dream.

Remember…training rarely is linear…race day can throw so many factors at you…trust the process and remain focused on your own race that day. You never know what you are capable of until you try.

February 11, 2018

Restaurant Review: Pho Ba Luu – Louisville, KY

Restaurant: Pho Ba Luu – Louisville, Kentucky

Brace yourselves, friends…

I’m finally getting back to restaurant reviews. I have been so busy as of late that I’ve been skipping these important reviews both locally and when I travel. And that is stopping…as of now.

I made a promise to be better about updating my blog, and, by God, I’m going to stick to it.

So…I have the pleasure of being friends with some amazing people who just happen to be foodies! And…they seem to be as excited about trying different places around town as I am. And that…means LOTS of fun trying out new places with good people who aren’t afraid to be honest and outgoing.

Being a foodie is fun.

While I have my favorite places here in Louisville, some great new places have moved in and opened up. And one of those places is Pho Ba Luu, in Butchertown. Pho Ba Luu, as my can probably guess, serves Saigon Street Food. Think the obvious pho…in addition to rice bowls, banh mi sandwiches, as well as rice bowls.

As I tend to do when I am going to new restaurants, I contacted them to find out if I, being a Celiac and vegetarian, could eat anything there. Jessica Mach e-mailed me back and let me know exactly what was safe for me. All the pho bowls, by the way, are gluten free. Just don’t get the hoisin sauce. The spring rolls are also safe…and they offer gluten-free soy sauce as well. The staff was INCREDIBLY knowledgeable too after we visited and placed our order. So…bit shout-out for those, who like me, have food allergies and intolerances and need a little extra care at restaurants.

So…four foodies drove into Butchertown specifically for some Vietnamese food. And, let me tell you, there were some high standards to be met. Paul is actually part Vietnamese and his wife, Melissa and he actually have had street food in Vietnam. They actually ordered first. Paul got the Chicken Pho ($10) and Chicken Spring Rolls ($5) for his dinner. Melissa ordered the Chicken Pho ($10…because it doesn’t change…LOL!) and the Shrimp Spring Rolls ($5). They each also ordered the Iced Vietnamese Coffee ($5), which I want to try next time because it looked AMAZING! It’s happening.

Cathy (that’s the roomie, in case you are new to the blog or have forgotten during my hiatus on reviews) decided to go all meaty and gluten-y since she doesn’t get that at home. She ordered the Beef Pho ($11) with the Seafood & Pork Crispy Rolls ($6). I may get asked…maybe not…but in case…the Seafood & Pork Crispy Rolls were crispy rolls stuffed with shrimp, pork, crabmeat, onion and vegetables and is served with a fish sauce. So that’s for all of you non-vegetarian/vegan gluten eaters out there! She’s got your back!

As for me…I ordered the Vegetarian Pho ($10) with the Vegetarian Spring Rolls ($5). The spring rolls are normally served with a Plum Sauce, but as I noted gluten-free at the order, they brought me gluten free soy sauce instead.

Let me say this…the four of us are already discussing going back next Friday to celebrate Tet (the Vietnamese New Year) this coming week. Not. Even. Joking.

Because when it comes to good food…I don’t make those kinds of jokes.

So…here’s the run-down from what I was devouring last night. I’ll start with the spring rolls. The Vegetarian Spring Rolls are basic fried tofu with sauteed vegetables and glass noodles wrapped in rice paper. They looked fantastic. They tasted phenomenal. The gluten-free soy sauce was the perfect touch. I love spring rolls as it is…these were some of the best I have had. And that’s no exaggeration. They are simple…but they bring the flavor and the textures just all worked.

But, of course , the star of the Vietnamese Food scene last night…was the Pho!! First of all…the bowls are pretty big and we all had another meal’s worth left over after dining last night. No joke. Hey…it meant we had lunch today. So…be aware that there is a LOT of volume in these bowls. The Vegetarian Pho has sauteed tofu and vegetables in a vegetable broth. You get a little baggie of all the add-in goodies…like bean sprouts, jalapenos, and the like. I poured them all in. I added a good helping of Sriracha. And once I was done with my Spring Rolls…in went the remaining gluten-free soy sauce.

FLAVOR!! That’s all I can say. The broth had amazing flavor as it was. The tofu and vegeatlbes…they brought extra goodness to the party. The carrots still had some crisp to them. The tofu was savory and soft and just…done to perfection. The add-ins brought a little more spice…a little more texture…a little more yumminess to an already yummy situation. I was in love and I managed to not splash myself with anything as I ate the noodles with chopsticks and slurped up that broth with the spoon.

This gluten-free vegetarian loved every bit of the meal last night. And I think my partners in street food would agree. Cathy loved the Beef Pho and her Crispy Spring Rolls. While she does like spring rolls, she LOVED the crispy rolls. I think she will never NOT get those. The beef finished up cooking in the hot broth when it was delivered to the table and after she sorted out the jalapenos to both Paul and I from her bag of goodies…she was all in. And loving in!

Pho Ba Luu Chicken Pho and Shrimp Spring Rolls

And my Chicken Pho eaters…they were quite content with their bowls too. They seriously raved about the flavor and I believe they even said it came very close to the street food they had in Vietnam. So…there it is. OH…and Melissa highly recommends the Iced Vietnamese Coffee. She got two of them last night if that tells you anything!! The Chicken Spring Rolls & Shrimp Spring Rolls disappeared as quickly as my Vegetarian ones.

Any way you slice it…we loved everything we ate here.

Pho sho!

Yeah…I went there. I can’t help myself sometimes!!

So…anytime I get to eat a big bowl of pho without having any reaction to it because everyone who works there made sure my food was safe and perfect…gets many return visits from me. I can’t wait to go back.

And…for the record…they have a Gluten Free Apple Pie ($6)…that we were all too full to try…but we may have to get it next time and split it among us. Because…dessert is very important to me.

Special shout-out again to Jessica Mach for answering my e-mails when I inquired and helping me navigate the menu without any trouble at all.

If you are in the Louisville area or are coming to Louisville, Kentucky, and love or want to try Vietnamese food…I can’t speak highly enough of Pho Ba Luu. People with food allergies…welcome…and taken care of. I call that winning!

See you next week!

sailormooneats

May 5, 2017November 11, 2017

Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon – Louisville, KY (April 29, 2017)

522 — Me heading into the finish line of the KDF miniMarathon – Louisville, Kentucky

Race: Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon

Place: Louisville, Kentucky

Date: April 29, 2017

Time: 1:43:12

This was it. This was the terminus of my job as a 2016-2017 #KDFMarathon/miniMarathon Race Ambassador. And it was race day. RACE DAY!! I love race day!

And, trust me, it took me a lot of sweat and tears to be able to get to that start line. Because if you had asked me in January, when my hip flexor froze up, if I would have been able to run it…I wouldn’t have been too sure. As it was, I had to drop from the full to the half…so there was that.

I wanted to be stubborn and just do it. I’m not a newbie to marathons. I have run 11 of them total, but I also haven’t really been able to train for one since I ran the Charleston Marathon in January 2015. Boston was a bust. And Kauai…well…it didn’t exactly boost my self-esteem and “can-do” marathon mentality.

I wasn’t ready for a full. Two months of training lost to a paralyzed hip flexor…and a very cautious and slow build-up in mileage put me at my first double digit run (10 miles) exactly one month before race day. To press on and do the full would have been a fool’s errand.

I’ve learned to be a little more patient with myself and allow myself to heal and train right. So, the miniMarathon it was. You win some…you lose some. I did manage to run most of the Disney World Star Wars Dark Side Marathon on Sunday. It was steamy and humid…and for the last 5 miles, I was run/walking. It was okay. These days I worry more about running smart than that finish time. When it’s hot and the race is flagged (and…for the record, both the Dark Side Half & KDF were yellow flagged due to humidity)…you just run it the best you can without putting yourself at risk for heatstroke or worse.

expoambassadors — My Ambassador Crew at the KDF Marathon Expo: Paul, Me, Amy, and Jack

My second half marathon in the same week was starting off well. I only ran one time in between to two races. I didn’t need more. Wednesday morning, I hit up 4 very easy miles and called it a week. And on Thursday, I left work early to meet up with Jack, Paul and Amy (3 others in my Ambassador family) to volunteer at the expo as a greeter. I convinced quite a lot of my friends to come to the expo that day…both local and from out of town. And it was hopping! It was great seeing everyone and helping people out when they had questions. I was feeling good and confident. And being able to hang with other ambassadors and just be relaxed and help others relax…and drink free wine samples…it was actually what I needed. I was feeling good.

northendcurrysaute — Curry Sauté with Tofu from North End Cafe in Louisville, KY

Friday I spent most of the day sitting at work…which is not something I normally do, but my coach had decided to have me aim for a 1:40 half on Saturday, so I really wanted to do right by my legs and my body. And, that evening, I went to the Galt House and picked up fellow Marathon Maniac, and good friend, Michael, to have a pre-race dinner. Normally, I would just cook an Annie May’s Sweet Café gluten-free/vegan pizza at home and call it a day, but I had wanted to meet up with Michael. We ended up at North End Cafe. He had the Lemonade Blueberry Pancakes, and I got the Curry Sauté with Tofu for dinner. As I have been to races where safe gluten-free pizza isn’t always readily available, I have played around some with my night before meal ritual. But nothing works like gluten-free pizza.

After we dropped Michael back off at the hotel and went home, I finished making up the “Finish Line Lemon Blossoms” for my friends. After my PT exercises and some foam rolling…I called it a night. I set my traditional 2 alarms for the race, but didn’t bother to get up in enough time to squeeze in my PT stuff…because it was going to be storming or raining in the morning. I figured I skipped them at Disney…I could supplement my walk to the start line for the warmups and I’d be ready to go.

And at 5 am…the 7:30 am start was delayed. For half an hour.

This definitely made the morning slightly easier. I was already dressed and had my hair up and everything, so I got to sit and relax a little longer…savor my breakfast…that sort of thing. Dread the humidity. Because…it was humid. And the sun wasn’t even up yet. In fact, the rain only served to make it steamier. I was having anxiety over the humidity the night before, texting my coach about my push for a 1:40 and how the humidity might slaughter that attempt…especially since I was in my “uniform” of the Ambassador shirt (which had sleeves). I’m not a fan of racing in sleeves unless it’s cold. When it’s hot…it’s a simple bra top or a tank. So this was going to be a new experience too. I figured if it got too unbearable, I could shed the shirt and then attempt to wriggle back into it before the finish line.

So…delay #1 was in the works.

The official KDFMarathon Ambassador photo was going to now be taken at 7:30…so we headed that way and actually got down to Slugger Field (and the parking lot) at around 7 a.m. This gave me time for one of my efficient and essential power naps!! I got my nap on good!! With about 10 minutes to go, I got a text from my running partner, Matthew, saying that he was at the statue in front of Slugger Field, so I got up and headed that way.

statueambassadors — Danielle, Tonya, Me, Leah, Paul, and Jamie pre-race delay #2!

A few more ambassadors were gathered, but the whole team wasn’t there yet. This has been a thing in all these months. Races and such, we never quite managed to get everyone in a photo together. #goals

Anyway…no sooner had the photos been taken, I snagged my pre-race fuel (a simple banana!) and downed it while talking to Matthew, Natalie, and my fellow Ambassadors, who were hanging for a moment.

And then…another delay.

Race start was now set for 8:30. And I had now eaten my banana a whole hour before the start, rather than half an hour. Roll with it. I wasn’t planning on exerting myself before the race so I figured I’d be fine. We all started to make our way toward the corrals regardless (it wasn’t even raining!), when we were told to take cover. My group ducked under the cover of the Old National Bank near the race start with a crowd of other runners and passed the time just chatting away. Even my running coach and her crew joined us under there. It was sort of a nervous energy, but a positive energy at that point.

Cathy left shortly after we got up there, because she likes getting a good spot at the start line and the finish line. So, she gathered up my rain jacket (which had been keeping Natalie warm) and went to go find her spot, telling me she’d be on the right at the start and on the left at the finish.

With the 8:30 a.m. start time coming up, we opted to head out of the shelter to get to the corrals. And no sooner had we stepped out from under the bank building and down the steps…

Delay #3. Race start was now 9:00 a.m.

My group and I decided we would duck into the bank building and rest our legs by sitting on the floor there instead of standing around outside. It was more comfortable out of the humidity, regardless. With race start happening soon, we decided to make a last ditch move for the port-a-potties for those who needed them. I didn’t. I drank a ton of water the day before, but on race morning, I keep it light so I don’t have to pee. I did tell my friends that I would hold their stuff for them though. As we were heading out, the doors to the bank building seemed to be giving people some trouble. We stepped out though for our mission.

On the way to the toilets, my amazing friend, Kelsie, spotted me. Matthew and I gave her a hug and we stood around and talked for a brief moment. Then we went on so I could hold gear. I should mention that my fellow Ambassador and friend, Tonya, had gone on ahead of us too. I had her plastic bag for race start should rain happen. But we still had NO rain. Just delays. After everyone cycled through, we started back toward the bank for a few more moments of sitting down and resting before…hopefully, a real start.

trappedinthebank And this is where we discover that the people (Tonya was now included) that were inside the bank building were now TRAPPED inside the bank building. Apparently, the Old National Bank’s doors were timed to lock at a certain time. And…guess what…they were locked. Runners were trapped inside with 15 or so minutes to go before the race start. I walked up to the window and Tonya was front-and-center.

Tonya had texted my phone, which Cathy had at this point, so Cathy sprang into action when the S.O.S. came through, alerting some officers, who wrangled up fire department and security to, hopefully, get the runners out. With like…only 10 minutes to spare…this happened. Thank goodness.

So…with no further delays and an announcement being made that 9:00 a.m. was go-time for real…everyone started to get to their corrals. Matthew and I ducked into Corral C to start making our way forward to A. We ducked under rope flags and everything to move forward in our corral. I spotted Greg, from Frankfort, Kentucky, who was pacing the 1:50 half marathon group. I said hi and he asked if I was running with him because he thought I was up in Tim’s group (that would be the 1:40 group). I said that Linda (our coach) had said that all plans were out the window with the delays and to just go have fun, but I was moving up.

And we did. Almost to the front. Like…we were behind the elite line. We saw elite bibs. Elite bibs have no corral letter on them.

Matthew and I decided we were out of our league up there and he spotted Tim’s pacing group…so we decided to move back. A bit.

496 — Kelsie, Me, and Matthew heading out of the Start of the KDF miniMarathon

And we found Kelsie again. So…this was perfect. I was starting the race off with friends…it was going to be a good time. Despite the fact that I was now starving. And it was humid.

Did I mention that I was starving?

I had fueled for an 8 a.m. start. I think my corral (Corral A) went off at 9:15 a.m. That banana was LONG gone. And I didn’t want to hit up my mid-race nutrition, because I needed that after Mile 6. I looked at Matthew and Kelsie and I said…”AND…now I’m starving.” They were too.

Everyone was.

My coach was right…everything was a mess now…it was best just to go and have some fun.

Matthew and I decided we would attempt to at least keep Tim (remember…that’s the 1:40 pacer) in our sites. The starting gun went off…and the three of us took off. I don’t know where we dropped Kelsie, but she was doing this race right. No watch. No goals save to finish. I want to do that more. Just run how I feel and for fun. What a freeing feeling that has to be!

Matthew and I pounded out the first four miles pretty much together. The rain poured down on us shortly after the start and I looked at him and said, “We SO would have been done by now!” Soaked from humidity, rain, and exertion, we pressed on. Matthew commented that he felt like he couldn’t catch his breath. The air was heavy with humidity, so I totally knew how he felt.

I lost him after a turn. I thought he might have gone on ahead.

As we hit Mile 5…I did 2 things. I slowed for a moment to pull the KDF Marathon Race Ambassador shirt off so I could cool down. This happened just as I heard, “There’s Karen.” So I waived, tucked my Ambassador shirt into my fuel belt…and then I fueled. A whole mile early. Because my legs were starting to resist my determination to keep going. Everything was a cluster now.

Tim and the rest of the 1:40 group were still in site…but not really within distance to catch now. And my body was not feeling the pace. I told myself to hang on through Churchill Downs. So…for at least 3 more miles. I could suffer for that long, right?

I managed. My pace dropped little-by-little until I rounded the corner at the split…hit Mile 9…and took a walk at the water station. I carry my own water with me on half marathons and marathons. Usually if it’s a double-digit run, I have water and fuel with me. I didn’t care. I hit that water stop, I slowed. I took a cup from a lovely volunteer. I took a sip. The rest went on over my head. It cooled me down…and I made myself start running again.

From here on out…it was down to running smart…not running fast. Since any attempts to hit a certain time goal went away with the 90 minute delays…now it was just about crossing that finish line. I didn’t care how long it took me…I was down to the last 5 miles regardless. I managed to make water stops the rest of the way toward the finish…even when I said I would keep running and no more walking…if I needed to throw water over my head…I did it. And, as I found out in Disney, that really works.

It did, however, work better at Disney…when I wasn’t under-fueled and also dying from the humidity. At about Mile 11, I had caught up to Pete, a guy who ran with Matthew and I a couple of times before the Norton Sports Health Training Program kicked in and before I was injured. I had to slow again for one last shower of water, so he got too far ahead of me again. I had to slow to walk and water myself for about 3 more times before I knew that finish line was close. This was my Dark Side Half Marathon all over again. But worse. My splits were hitting in the 8’s…which I never touched (despite walk breaks) at Disney.

I felt…miserable.

But I am nothing if not persistent.

I could taste that finish line. And it wasn’t far. I could hear the announcer. I could see Slugger Field. That meant…it was just around the corner.

And there it was…the turn!!

I never put the Ambassador shirt back on. I had it tucked in my belt…but to stop to wriggle back into it might mean I wouldn’t start again.

525 — Me crossing the finish line of the KDF miniMarathon

I took the turn. And while I didn’t feel like moving any faster, I attempted to pick up my pace. That finish line was in site…all I had to do was run over it. I focused on that line alone. I heard Cathy screaming on the sideline…and I ran down the stretch and passed under the arch.

DONE.

I was…done. I also felt like crap.

But Dan spotted me at the finish line and called out my name over the bullhorn. HA!

I continued down the line, slowly, trying to catch my breath and cool down. The medals were right ahead, so as I strolled that way, Cathy caught up to me at the fence. She told me my official finish time, which I couldn’t believe, given how slow my pace had gotten as the morning went on and the miles progressed. We attempted to formulate a meeting place after I would go through the official finish photo area and the place where they store food and chocolate milk and Powerade. And as we were discussing…Paul from the Ambassadors came in. Then another running partner of mine, Ron, was in. And then…Matthew. I hadn’t moved except to go and congratulate Paul. I found Ron. And Matthew somehow slipped by me, but Cathy found him and he was at the fence when I returned.

We all managed to make our way to the runner reunion area, grabbing snacks along the way. As I emerged…with banana and chips (I have never seen Cathy so happy to see a bag of chips in my hand), I actually reconnected with Kelsie…who gave that finish line her famous kick and brought it in strong. I really need her to teach me where she finds that late energy because I’m usually dying at the finish line. She needed to head out, so after a photo, she left and Ron went to claim his free beer. Cathy told me to take my phone and see if I could catch more of the 30 people I was tracking while she went to get the bags out of the car that had my clothes to change into and a cooler with food and a big bottle of water. Tonya came in but texted to say she was in medical. And Amy came in. I never found her in the crowd. I did find former co-workers from IU Southeast, Dana & Graham, after they finished. So that was cool!

537 — Finisher of the KDF miniMarathon – Louisville, Kentucky (note the tucked Ambassador shirt)

Cathy and I were camped out under the overpass for the rest of the day. When my phone told me one of my people were in…I’d attempt to go find them. I mostly succeeded. I only missed a few. I caught Natalie, who I really wanted to find above all, as it was her first marathon, and she was having Siri hit me up for motivation as she made her way to that finish line. She did great! I also did distribute Lemon Blossoms. They were very well received. My friend Jack even picked me up when I handed him a whole container. And he had just run a marathon.

I thought everyone was in at that point…but I was wrong. But that is a long, complicated, and amazing story all its own.

So, the official results of the Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon are that I finished in 1:43:12. That, mind you, is almost exactly 2 minutes slower than my time last year. MEH! That being said, I wasn’t expecting to hit 1:43 at all after the walking began, so I’ll gladly take this. Given the conditions, I’m beyond happy with this result. I was 403/8737 finishers overall. I was 85/5010 female finishers. And I was 15/794 finishers in my division. Given that I had just raced a humid half marathon on Sunday…walked Disney World the rest of Sunday and all of Monday…traveled home…worked overtime…worked the expo…and then ran again in the humidity…I exceeded all expectations I had. Honestly. There were fewer runners this year (by about 2000) in the mini…but my stats improved on every single category…despite running slower. I count that as a win too!

Here’s my takeaway…

I came into this event at first meeting with a group of strangers at the KDF Marathon Headquarters. I found a great group of supportive, amazing, inspiring people who are like family to me now. So many friendships were formed in this year’s KDF Ambassador group. I was so fortunate to have been able to be a part of it. I may not have signed up the most people for the race, but I went to events…I promoted the race…I even went to the training runs (even on the coldest mornings) when I couldn’t run and encouraged others…cheered…high fived…and walked. The marathon slipped away when my training had to wait almost 3 months to even start.

Dropping to the mini was hard…but it was the smartest decision I could have made. I would never have survived the full after a humid Florida race series and the 90 minute delays. With nutrition and scheduling off…this was a blessing in disguise.

The delays have taught me a lot about being a bit more prepared for whatever race morning might throw my way.

I saw so many people finish. I helped a few out when they needed help. I hugged so many of my sweaty friends. I saw people set goals…and whether they crushed them or fell short…they completed what the started. And that, friends, is what the spirit of race day is all about.

My time as a KDF Marathon Ambassador is coming to a close, but the memories, friends, emotions, and moments that I now carry with me…those will last a lifetime.

kdfambassadorgroup — My new family and friends! What an amazing ride this has been!

January 26, 2017January 26, 2017

Recipe: Cauliflower Fried “Rice”

I won’t lie…I’m a carb-a-holic. Is that really a thing? Is that a word? Doesn’t matter. Carbs make me happy. Gluten-free bread, pasta, donuts, muffins, potatoes, rice…you name it…I love to eat it.

That being said, I’m doing a slight bit of overhauling to my diet this year…aiming to cut back on all those processed carbs (like…bread, pasta, donuts, muffins, etc) and try to replace them with real food…healthier choices…and something that will nourish my body more.

Before I was diagnosed with Celiac…I may have lived at the Chinese buffet at least 2 times a month. I love Chinese food. I always have. But, most of it is not even an option for me these days, unless I make it. I’m Irish…not Chinese. My Chinese food is never as amazing as when…you know…someone who is Chinese makes it.

That being said, I’ve been craving as of late…and I finally decided to cave and give into it. And I got out my skillet on Sunday afternoon and whipped up a healthier version of fried rice, replacing the rice with riced cauliflower. The recipe is below:

Cauliflower Fried “Rice”

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets (or one bag of cauliflower rice)
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup carrots, cubed
2 eggs, beaten (if making vegan, sub in tofu or just leave out)
¼ cup low sodium tamari
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
⅛ tsp. ground ginger
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp green onions, chopped (optional garnish)

Directions:

**Chop head of cauliflower into florets and place in food processor. Pulse until it starts to resemble rice; set aside.

**NOTE: If you want a less-mess, no maintenance way of doing this, go to Trader Joes, Kroger, Target, or pretty much ANY grocery store these days and they have bags of already riced cauliflower in their produce section and even in the freezer section. I do this…because food processors are a pain to clean! So, skip the first step if you cheat and get the already riced cauliflower. At the end when you add it in with the sauce, cook it until it has softened.

Heat a large wok (or skillet) over medium heat and add 1/4 cup water. Add onion, peas and carrots and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. (Add more water as needed to prevent veggies from sticking).Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and red pepper flakes; set aside.

Slide veggie mixture to one side of the wok and add in the beaten eggs (or tofu…or skip this step if you opted to go without the protein), scrambling until cooked through and then incorporate with the veggies.

Stir in cauliflower “rice” and pour the sauce over top, mixing well. Cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until cauliflower is soft and tender.

Top with green onions, serve and enjoy!

~*~*~

Simple, easy…and yes…super delicious!! Oh…and only 220 calories per serving! You can’t beat that, right? Highly recommended to your Chinese food lovers if you’re looking for a healthier alternative!! Or maybe you just want to try something new!

Either way, it’s an easy recipe with little to do but stir away!! So…no excuses, friends. Get rockin’ that wok!

July 8, 2016

Quick Thoughts From the Week

It was a long, holiday weekend. YAY!! And, as is usual for me over the 4th of July…I was out of town. At a convention. In Indianapolis. Now, normally when I am up in Indy for this convention, my Saturday morning is spent running the Monon Trail. It’s gorgeous. Seriously. I always look forward to it. The past few years (last year I wasn’t able to run at all at this point), I have managed to get out there for my long run of 10-12 or so miles.

monon

But, this past weekend, Saturday’s Monon Trail run wasn’t happening…

MEH.

SO…on Saturday morning, I was down in the fitness center at 6 am…and on a treadmill to do 12 miles that morning. I started easy and worked up a ladder to a comfortable speed and then took it back down. It was mind numbing, despite the music (and to think, I almost left my iPod in my room). But, my training run was done.

And if that wasn’t enough punishment, I got up on Sunday morning to do my shakeout run. I decided to do an easy run for an hour…getting 7.36 miles in during that time.

I was feeling it Saturday and I really felt it Sunday. I hate running on treadmills. They seem to do more damage to me than road running does. I was sore through Wednesday, honestly. I don’t know how people do long distances on these things on a regular basis. My body couldn’t handle it!

giphy (26)

My runs have been suffering since those treadmill runs. The hip was not mad…but not happy either. MEH. Not enough foam rolling in the world. Of course…the epic humidity with air so thick you could cut it with a knife…isn’t helping either.

But, despite the humidity and the fatigue from late nights, I’ve been keeping up with my training runs. Which…is impressive for me. It’s not been easy to get out of bed to just go outside and melt…but…

giphy (27)
…I’ve been getting it done. It hasn’t been pretty…and I’m not always happy with the results on my Garmin, but I’m doing what my body is currently capable of…so, there is that.

OH…and this past week, I got to play around with recipes that I created. I made 6 different recipes…2 pasta dishes, a fusion pizza, a rice dish, a sandwich, and a dessert. I was quite proud of the results…all based off of Peter Cincotti’s recently released EP, Exit 105. Check out these images of the completed dishes…

Top (L-R): Island Spell Pizza (song: Palermo) – Jerk seasoned tofu, topped with onion, bell pepper, pineapple, cheddar cheese, and a Jamaican jerk coleslaw; Missing Sara Sammie (song: What’s Sara Doing?) – sammie layered with sweet potato, hummus, avocado (or guacamole), and kale; Unexpected Beat Tagliatelle (song: Long Way From Home) – tagliatelle pasta in a bechemel sauce and topped with shredded beets, goat cheese, parsley, toasted pine nuts, and toasted bread crumbs

Botton (L-R): Roamin’ Skies Pasta (song: Roman Skies) – my take on the traditional Roman dish – Cacio e Pepe – pasta mixed with butter, black pepper, Pecorino and Parmesan cheeses; Exit 105 Rice-A-Roni (Album Title: Exit 105) – my version of the San Francisco Treat (after all, Exit 105 takes you to the Golden Gate Bridge)…and it has been dubbed my “best rice dish in the history of ever”; Sexy on the Beach Ice Cream (song: Sexy) – a vegan ice cream made from coconut cream, pureed raspberries, pureed pineapple, chambord and vodka…just like the drink Sex on the Beach…

I love getting chefy.

So, aside from a little bit of work stress…that’s what’s going on thus far. Stay tuned as this weekend is going to be amazing. I can tell.

August 17, 2015August 17, 2015

Recipe: Tomato-Miso Soup

If there is one thing that I love almost as much as breakfast…it’s soup. I am a soup junkie. I will eat soup at any time of the year…even in the summer. I think it can be the most perfect meal. And, when made right, it can be quite good for you too.

I bought some white miso paste a few weeks ago to use in an eggplant recipe and had quite a bit still left over in the fridge. I was interested in what I might be able to make with it…and that’s when Food & Wine Magazine sent through one of their recipe e-mails, and this one was timely, indeed.

This Tomato-Miso Soup both light and hearty…and definitely healthy. It became one of my favorite lunches I have brought to work thus far. And it’s made from real ingredients…which makes it even better. The flavor is earthy and sweet…bringing this fantastic balance. And the star…the shiitake mushrooms.

Recipe: Tomato-Miso Soup

Servings: 6
Time: 10 minutes; Cook 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 1/2 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup light miso paste (shiro)
1 teaspoon soy sauce (I used reduced sodium tamari)
3/4 pound soft tofu, cut into 1-inch dice
3 large scallions, thinly sliced
6 small to medium radishes, thinly sliced

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan.

Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Cover and cook over low heat, stirring a few times, until the mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Pour in the water, stir well and bring to a boil.

Add the tomatoes, cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.

Whisk in the miso and soy sauce and return to a simmer.

Add the tofu and simmer for 2 minutes.

Ladle into bowls, garnish with the scallions and radishes and serve.

~*~*~

I loved everything there was about this soup. There were so many textures, and this bold flavor, thanks to the miso. The radishes and scallions added before eating brought a bit of crunch, while the mushrooms gave this soup a meatiness to it, without any actual meat. I can’t wait to make this one again. If you have a great love of soup and rich flavors without simmering it all day…this is the soup for you.

June 26, 2015

Product Review: Field Roast Original Grain Meat Co. Chao Tomato Cayenne Vegan Cheese Slices

Field Roast The Original Grain Meat Co Chao Tomato Cayenne Vegan Cheese Slices — Field Roast Original Grain Meat Co Chao Tomato Cayenne Vegan Cheese Slices

Product: Field Roast Original Grain Meat Co. Chao Tomato Cayenne Vegan Cheese Slices – $4.99+

I had another “ah-ha!” moment in Whole Foods a few weeks ago. While perusing the vegan cheeses and trying to convince myself not to just settle on another inadequate sliced vegan cheese that just stays a hard lump of…whatever vegan stuff it is made out of…I decided that the next time I needed cheese for my infamous grilled cheese sammies, I was going to get something new. Try something different. Maybe get better results instead of toasted bread with a warm slice of cheese that didn’t melt stuck in the middle.

One could hope.

Here is where not being able to tolerate much dairy is a downfall. Vegan cheese…it just doesn’t melt like the real stuff. But if I eat the real stuff, my stomach hates me for hours and hours. So, I do what is best for me. I get the cheese that doesn’t get creamy and gooey and stretchy when I pull my cheese slices apart. You know, for the sake of my health…it’s the sacrifice I have made.

But it doesn’t mean I’m not disappointed.

So, while I had spotted some new vegan cheese slices at Whole Foods one weekend while grocery shopping, these made by the Field Roast Original Grain meat Co., I was hesitant to take the leap and to actually purchase them. So…I stared longingly at them for the next few weeks until…my roommate surprised me by buying them for me. With them now in my clutches…and safely in my fridge, it was time to bust out some soup and sandwiches for sure! And this past Sunday was the perfect day to do just that.

After a long day on Saturday of hitting up the Farmer’s Market and getting absolutely soaked…before seeing Jurassic World for the second time (we wanted to see Inside Out, but it was sold out) and then hitting up our local professional soccer team match (we are season ticket holders), Sunday was a pretty easy day. Hit the gym in the morning, saw Inside Out, finished grocery shopping, did some meal prep for the week, remembered I was heading out of town in the middle of the week, then cooked up a quick soup and made my infamous grilled cheese sandwich (or…as I call it…toasted cheese!) to go with it.

My roomie had picked up the Field Roast Original Grain Meat Co. Chao Tomato Cayenne Vegan Cheese Slices at Whole Foods as my surprise. She knows I love a bit of spice in everything I eat. So, she chose wisely, for sure! These slices of cheese are a rich and deep orange with speckles of green and red throughout it. They looked amazing and actually felt like the real cheese slices that go atop her grilled cheese sandwich. I used my Earth Balance spread and buttered up each slice of bread before placing it on the griddle and topping each slice with a piece of cheese, real for her, and one of the Chao Tomato Cayenne Vegan Cheese Slices for me. The other slice of bread topped off the sandwich and I was toasting away to a perfect golden brown.

At the start of the grilling process, I noticed that, like with every vegan cheese I have put on a sandwich, the edges weren’t melting. “Here we go, another warmed through slice of cheese that doesn’t really melt.” I was actually feeling let down…betrayed once again by the non-dairy options that are left to people like me. I flipped the sandwiches over, watching the real cheese melt to a perfect stretchy-gooeyness in my roommate’s sandwich. I placed the soup in bowls and got out plates for the sandwiches. I got my roommate’s done first, slicing it in half and carrying her dinner over to her to start feasting on while we polished off another episode of Friends. I went to retrieve mine, slicing it into little triangles and realizing, that despite those corners, the inside was melted. It was warm and melty-gooey. Almost stretchy gooey, but not there. But melty-gooey was a definite improvement.

But the true test would come with the taste. So many vegan cheeses taste like…plastic. Or in the case of Daiya…it tastes like Daiya, which isn’t a bad thing, it just is very distinctive. I have to say, I was surprised when I took my first bite of my toasted cheese that was stuffed with a slice of the Field Roast Original Gran Meat Co. Chao Tomato Cayenne Vegan Cheese. I mean, honestly surprised. No plastic flavor. No fake taste at all. Just a creamy, rich, smooth melted bit of cheese. Forget the unmelted corners of the cheese, the inside of the sandwich is really what counts, and what I found was a delicious, melted center. Something I hadn’t experienced since giving up dairy. The cheese itself was rich in flavor. I could taste the subtle tomato flavor with the hit of spicy cayenne. The green flecks…those are dried bell peppers…and they add a nice touch of sweetness to this cheese as well. I was completely, 100% in love with this cheese. I forgot what melted cheese in a sandwich was like. Now…I was in complete melted cheese heaven…with a flavor kick to boot. One that I could actually taste (Go Veggie Slices, I’m looking at you!)…one that actually tasted real. You don’t know true bliss until you get a vegan grilled cheese that has melted cheese inside. Truly.

Field Roast’s Chao cheese slices are the newest memeber of their vegan food lineup. This cheese is made from a coconut cheese alternative and seasned with a traditionally fermented soybean cured called Chao by the Vietnamese. Hence…the name. As Field Roast loves blending Asian and European heritages, the cheese is a perfect fit.

So what is the Field Roast Original Grain Meat Co. Chao Tomato Cayenne Vegan Cheese Slices made from? Good question. I’m going to tell you. These slices of cheesy goodness are produced with filtered water, coconut oil, modified corn and potato starch, tomato juice, potato starch, fermented chao tofu (soybeans, water, salt, sesame oil, calcium sulfate), sea salt, green and red dried bell peppers, cayenne pepper, natural flavor, olive extract (antioxidant used as a preservative), paprika extract and beta carotene. These slices are free vegan, non-GMO, dairy-free, gluten free, cholesterol free, and free of trans-fats.

As for nutrition, I loved these stats. A serving size is one slice and there are 10 slices per package. One slice will serve up 60 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 4 grams saturated fat (remember…coconut based), 180 mg sodium, 4 carbohydrates, no fiber, no sugars, and no protein. So, not filling…but tasty!!

Definitely going to have to try more of the Field Roast Grain Meat Co Chao Vegan Cheese Slices in the future. These cheese alternatives come in three flavors: Tomato Cayenne, Creamy Original, and Coconut Herb. Yes…I really want to try them all! What a great find!

Gluten Free & Vegan Grilled Cheese Sandwich using Field Roast Original Grain Meat Co. Chao Tomato Cayenne Vegan Cheese Slices

October 19, 2014

Restaurant Review: Moerlein Lager House, Cincinnati, Ohio

Restaurant: Moerlein Lager House, Cincinnati, Ohio

It had been a long day for me. No…really. And, while a part of me was super stoked that I was leaving right from work to drive up to Cincinnati, Ohio, with my roommate, for a concert, another part of me just wanted to curl up under a blanket on the sofa at home. But…there was music to be enjoyed. And she had purchased a set of tickets to see Bastille in Cincinnati awhile back to help cheer me up.

This foot injury has had me pretty down since July…and she thought a surprise and a band I love might just help lift my spirits. It did. but this was a crazy, intense week at work, and my brain was ready to shut down.

Thankfully, that mindset changes when you actually get on the road to an event that you are really looking forward to.

So, at 4 p.m., we departed the office and hit the road up to Cincinnati, Ohio. A couple of days prior, Cathy had made reservations with a place not to far from US Bank Arena (the venue for the show) due to some gluten-free options available on their menu. I love trying out new food places so…WOOHOO! Even better…it had fish and chips readily available for her. YAY! She made the reservations for 6:30 p.m., which would give us some time to hit traffic and get into the city, park, and get to the venue. The last-ditch food option would be Chipotle, if the traffic gods were not with us.

But they were…and we arrived in Cincinnati just before 6 p.m., having only hit some traffic in Covington, Kentucky, just before crossing into Ohio and hitting Cincinnati. We readily found parking and got out, making the short stroll from the parking garage (with it’s $20 event parking!) to the restaurant, which was literally one block up and then over…down toward the river walk. Beautiful night too. Perfect weather.

We walked up the stairs to Moerlein Lager House and stepped inside. There were a few people ahead of us, but most went right to the bar. We stepped up and Cathy mentioned that we were early, because traffic wasn’t as bad as we anticipated…and they were more than happy to sit us down early. Nice. We were shown to a very nice table, somewhere between the rowdy bar and the floor to ceiling windows, which offered a spectacular view of the riverfront. We were given our menus and a menu that had the specials on it, where if any item were ordered off that menu, a donation would go towards a charity. Tempting, but there really wasn’t anything on there for me…and Cathy had her heart set on fish and chips. Our waitress, Kelly, came over to see if we wanted something to drink. We started with water. And when she returned, she asked if we wanted any appetizers or had any questions on the menu. Cathy mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian…and she came over. I think she missed the “vegetarian” part following gluten-free…because she highly recommended the crab cakes. But…hey…she tried. And…working in it’s favor – the restaurant labeled everything V for vegetarian and GF for gluten-free. And wouldn’t you know it…they had a dish that fit both requirements.

Cathy ordered her Fish and Chips ($18.00), which was cod that was battered with their house beer, Hudelphol, and served with a jalapeno tartar sauce, coleslaw, and fries…and decided she’d live dangerously with a non-alcoholic beer (I agree with some friends of mine on this…what’s the point??!), Einbecker ($7.00) to have with her entree.

As for me…I happily placed an order for the Crispy Balsamic Tofu ($17.00). YES! You read that right. This entree was served with a spinach basil risotto and roasted tomatoes, cipoline onions, and wild mushrooms, topped with shaved asparagus and preserved lemon salad. It had actually been a toss-up between that entree, or ordering a few sides and dining on that. Cathy pointed out I could get those sides offered virtually anywhere…but the tofu dish was an original. I agreed…and that’s what I ordered.

Moerlein Lager House's Crispy Balsamic Tofu — Moerlein Lager House’s Crispy Balsamic Tofu

While we waited for food, we discussed the concert…the music…my upcoming marathon…my foot (which to this day still bothers me!)…and the restaurant itself. And, when our food arrived, we were both certainly ready to dive in and devour.

My dish looked beautiful. It was a true culinary work of art. The tofu was sliced on the diagonal, making perfect triangles that had this great crispy coating on the outside. It was all set over this mound of perfectly creamy risotto with the vegetables framing the outside of the dish. Shaves asparagus topped it all off and there was this gorgeous balsamic reduction that was drizzled over the plate. I felt bad slicing into it…but I was hungry, so that moment only lasted briefly.

One bite was all I needed to realize how much I loved this meal. The tofu had this great crispy outside, but inside it was still rich and soft. It was glazed perfectly with the balsamic reduction and the hit of lemon just made it shine. The shaved asparagus was cooked to a perfect al dente and used as not only a garnish, but as a great addition to the roasted vegetables on the plate. The onions were spectacular and the tomatoes were soft and juicy. But the star…the absolute star of this entree was the spinach basil risotto. It was phenomenal. Creamy and rich and packed with great earthy and herby flavors. I was already telling Cathy after one bite that I wanted to recreate this dish at home. She sampled the risotto and understood why. I also had her try the tofu…and she really liked that as well. This dish hit on everything I liked. It had a nice tang to it, but the flavors were simple and real. And I ate the entire thing…possibly in record time.

A dessert menu was brought to our table and after a bit of discussion…and the mention of a Chocolate Creme Brulee ($7.00), Cathy and I decided that we could treat ourselves and split the dessert. Cathy checked with Kelly to make sure the Creme Brulee was gluten-free. She said she thought it was, but would check. It was…and after a small wait, the delicious looking dessert was arriving at our table with two spoons. Holy Moses! This was one spectacular and rich dessert. The burnt sugar on top was fun to crack through, but what it gave way to was this rich and decadent chocolate cream. Cathy described it as high-class pudding. HA! And that’s what it tasted like. It was amazing. And I think once we set the spoons down, Cathy might have licked the bowl a little bit.

Honestly, the service was amazing and I didn’t feel nervous about eating here. The clearly labeled items on the menu helped make it very easy to navigate and to make sure I got what I needed and wanted. And what would be safe for me. Cathy loved her meal, and even enjoyed the jalapeno tartar sauce. She said it was her second favorite tartar sauce she’s had yet. That’s something. The food was outstanding. I mean…it’s not every day I can get a vegetarian dish that is also gluten-free at a restaurant without it being…a salad. So, this was a nice treat, indeed. And one day, when I run the Flying Pig Marathon…you better believe this is the place I’ll be hitting up for dinner.

Thank you, Moerlein Lager House…you exceeded my expectations!

Moerlein Lager House's Chocolate Creme Brulee — Moerlein Lager House’s Chocolate Creme Brulee

November 15, 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free Sweet-and-Sour Tofu with Bok Choy

Bok Choy.

It seems to be a seasonal favorite of my CSA bin as of late. For two weeks in a row, it has been one of the components of my bin. Now, normally I would simply make a stir-fry out of it…but I’ve been attempting to expand on my culinary skills a little. Step a little outside the comfort zone. Do something…different.

I think I accomplished that last night when I cooked up a meal inspired by the blog Big Girls Small Kitchen. I had all the components on hand in my pantry and fridge…including the bok choy and tofu.

What emerged was a fantastic meal that really worked together. I served mine over basmati rice…which I cooked up while I was working on the rest of the dish as well. It was a fantastic meal and not too difficult to create either.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Sweet-and-Sour Tofu with Bok Choy

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients:

6 ounces firm tofu
2 tablespoons flour (I used Better Batter Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour)
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons safflower, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated ginger (I used 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
1 tablespoon grated garlic (3 cloves)
Sriracha
2 bunches baby bok choy, rinsed, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 scallions, white and green parts chopped and separated (I substituted 1/2 a white onion)

Directions:

Cut the tofu into slices about 1 inch thick. Press the water out of the slices, then cut them into 1-inch square cubes. In a baggie or on a wide plate, toss the tofu with the flour and salt until all the pieces have a thin coating.

Mix the lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, sriracha, garlic and ginger in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon water.

In a frying pan, warm the oil. In one layer, brown the tofu (in two batches if your pan is small), about 4 minutes per side.

Return all the tofu to the pan if you browned it in two batches.

Put in the onions and the crunchy part of the bok choy and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the green leaves and cook 1 more minute.

Add the sauce.

Bring the tofu to a boil, then lower the heat and let is simmer until the sauce has reduced and coats the tofu thickly, about 10 minutes.

~*~*~

I was so happy with the way this meal turned out. The tofu was perfectly cooked, the flour giving it this slight texture to it, even after cooking in the sauce. The bok choy and onion, along with the sauce brought this amazing flavor to every component. I loved this sauce. It smelled amazing and it had the perfect balance of sweet and sour…nothing overpowering the other.

This meal is a great source of protein. As I said, I served mine over a serving of basmati rice…and it was delicious. This meal was so easy to put together and cook…perfect for those nights where you don’t want to spend all night in the kitchen cooking up dinner.

November 7, 2013

Product Review: Star Anise Foods Happy Pho – Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Pho Noodle Soup

Star Anise Foods Happy Pho Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Noodle Soup — Star Anise Foods Happy Pho Garlic Goodness – Vietnamese Brown Rice Noodle Soup

Product: Star Anise Foods Happy Pho – Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Pho Noodle Soup – $3.49+

Splurges happen.

For real.

And for me…splurges tend to happen when food is involved. Mainly…grocery shopping. Something catches my eye, peeks my interest, and before you know it, the plan to stick to the already tight budget is out the window and I’m scraping by the rest of the week. But it’s okay…because I have food. Right?

Sure.

Well, a splurge happened this past weekend. I was wandering the aisles of Whole Foods, which already is a dangerous thing, when my roomie spotted these little brown boxes. The words “PHO” caught her attention first. Followed by “GLUTEN-FREE.” Now we’re talking. She’s been wanting to have pho for a long, long while…but…I just don’t know of where to go in Louisville to make that happen for her. Instead…we figured this might be a good way to use up some of the produce and make our own version of a pho. And why not? If you can’t get creative in the kitchen…there’s no point to having one.

The product we spotted was by Star Anise Foods. It’s called Happy Pho, and it comes in three different flavors. We chose the Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Pho Noodle Soup. We figured we’d eventually try them all…if the one we tried was any good. Cathy loves garlic…so I had a feeling that would be the one to start us off.

Instead…with a little refrigerator magic…and a Organic Vegetarian Pho Base by Pacific Natural Foods (which was in my pantry, swear to the culinary gods!), this splurge of a purchase became tonight’s dinner. And tomorrows lunch for that matter.

Let’s talk a little bit about this product though. First of all, Star Anise Foods Happy Pho – Garlic Goodness Vietnamese Brown Rice Pho Noodle Soup is not only gluten-free, but also non-GMO, low in sodium, contains no MSG, made from 100% brown rice with organic green tea, vegan, all natural, made with organic ingredients, fat-free, wheat-free, egg-free, dairy-free, free from artificial colors and preservatives. It’s ALL NATURAL, my little pho babies!!

One serving is 1/2 the packet, which my roommate and I stretched out into 4 meals, so we’re only eating 1/4 of the packet each. Regardless, a regular serving will provide you with 222 calories. A serving only has 190 mg of sodium, which is amazing for a shelf-stable, packaged product. The Garlic Goodness variety of Happy Pho also will has 1 gram sugar, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein. That’s really good!!

To make my pho…I pan fried up some thinly sliced tofu. While the pho starter came to a boil, I added the packet of seasoning that comes with the noodles and allowed it to blend with the pho starter. I then sliced up some bok choy (compliments of my CSA bin) and put it into the broth. Once the tofu was nearing completion, in went the brown rice noodles to soften up in the hot soup base. As the noodles finished up, I poured the tofu in to warm and…dinner was easily served.

And…OMG…was it ever good!! I mean super good. As in I make a mean vegetarian pho thanks to Star Anise Foods and their Happy Pho starter kits. Honestly. I was so happy with the flavor of this noodle soup. The brown rice noodles were a bit gummy, but that tends to be the trend with brown rice noodles. Sadly enough. But…the flavor was there, and the noodles, broth, tofu, and bok choy all married together to make this incredible, flavor-filled meal. The seasoning packet combined with the pho soup base made a perfect base for the vegetables, tofu, and…the noodles. My roommate and I devoured this with chopsticks. Happy girls, we were! Food Yoda, I speak like.

Go to your local Whole Foods…check out their aisle with the Asian foods. If you spot Star Anise Foods Happy Pho kits…buy one. Buy them all. Trust me, they are totally amazing and I intend to pick up more of them, other flavors, and give them a taste as well. This made for a quick, easy, and very delicious (and nutritious) dinner tonight. I was beyond impressed.