Rudi’s Gluten-Free is on a mission…a mission that will greatly impact as well as benefit the gluten-free community. Their mission is seeking out what millions of gluten-free sandwiches have been missing since the age of gluten-free products – a soft and fluffy texture reminiscent of regular bread. Trust me…we’ve all missed that sensation, that texture, that taste…
Well, look no further. Rudi’s Gluten-Free has launched a new line of softer and fluffier Gluten-Free Sandwich Breads. Yes…you read that right. SOFT AND FLUFFY!
Your eyes are not deceiving you! However, Rudi’s Gluten-Free needs your help in finding the bread through a Missing Soft & Fluffy $1,000 Reward Sweepstakes and Lost & Found Facebook campaign. It’s only with your help, dearest readers, that Rudi’s can find what has been missing from gluten-free bread – that amazing soft and fluffy texture. Your sandwiches will never be the same…only better.
You detectives and seekers who stumble across Soft & Fluffy can text “FOUND” to 304-52-RUDIS for a chance to claim a $1,000 reward. To help spread the word, fans of Rudi’s Gluten-Free can share Missing Soft & Fluffy notices on their Facebook wall. And to prove they’re assisting in the search, fans can share photos on the whereabouts of Soft & Fluffy (hiding in the toaster, the freezer, etc.) and as a reward will be entered to win weekly prizes, such as a Garmin GPS, Nikon CoolPix camera, soft and fluffy bathrobes, or a Rudi’s Gluten-Free T-shirt. But, remember, fans do have to post their detective photos each week to be eligible for that week’s prize. And everyone who participates will be rewarded with a $2 off coupon for the new “Soft and Fluffy” Gluten-Free bread products from Rudi’s.
But…wait…there is more!
My friends at Rudi’s Gluten-Free have given me the opportunity to provide one of you, dear readers, with a prize package of deliciousness and fun valued at $100 in return for helping spread the word about the new Rudi’s Gluten-Free Soft & Fluffy Sandwich Bread! Yep…a giveaway! This amazing prize package includes:
Tools For Finding Soft and Fluffy Giveaway
That prize package is loaded with goodness:
Compass
Field Notebook
Organic Trail Mix
Peter Rabbit Organic Fruit Snacks
Kelty Backpack
Stainless Steel Water Bottle
How amazing is that prize package? Rudi’s Gluten-Free is going all out and giving you all the tools you will need to seek out and devour their new line of Soft & Fluffy Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread.
To enter for your chance to win, all you have to do is post a comment on my blog, telling me your favorite sandwich or food to make with sandwich bread. That’s all. The winner will be randomly chosen and will receive their prize package by mail.
So, what are you waiting for? This amazing prize package could be yours! Enter today!
The Really Great Food Company Gluten-Free Spinach Cheese Biscuit Mix
Product: The Really Great Food Company Gluten-Free Spinach Cheese Biscuit Mix – $6.19+
You know…when a gluten-free company goes all out and calls itself The Really Great Food Company, well, they better be able to back up that claim. That being said, I had never heard of said company prior to a little visit to Milwaukee and a stop inside the Gluten-Free Trading Company. If you are ever in Milwaukee, do stop in. It’s a completely gluten-free grocery store. And it is awesome!!
Anyway, on my second visit there in two days, I was stocking up on more goodies for the gluten-free pantry at home and came across a few mixes that were produced by The Really Great Food Company. Huh. I was actually intrigued because this was something I couldn’t get where I lived.
After toiling over which product to try, my roommate and I finally decided that the Spinach and Cheese Biscuit mix sounded like it could be an epic win (or an epic fail), so we went with that. Purchase made. And a lot of products to go through in my pantry prior to this one meant…it sat…and sat…and sat. Until last night.
You see…our workout schedule runs so that we go to the gym every other day. Well, this week it just happens to be a Monday, Wednesday, Friday sort of week. And after hitting up the gym, we head to our office and I nuke something I brought (homemade or otherwise) for us to feast on because by then we are truly starving. Since this mix was getting close to expiration, this is what I mixed up and baked up for post-workout brekkies this week.
Now, the box itself says that it only makes 9 biscuits. Heh. I managed to get 13 out of it. And as these are not made in traditional biscuit methods (not drop biscuits or cooked up in a pan), but rather made in muffin tins…they seem more like a roll than a biscuit…but this is just me nitpicking every little detail.
The Really Great Food Company Gluten-Free Spinach Cheese Biscuit Mix (mixed and prepped with cheese and spinach)
Making these was super easy. In a bowl, I beat together 2 eggs, some canola oil, and some unsweetened almond milk. From there, I the mix itself and beat that in as well. Then, the spinach, chopped cheddar cheese, and shredded Parmesan cheese all got folded into the mix. The resulting mixture was then placed into muffin tins and baked in a 375°F oven for about 27 minutes.
Now, if possible, I do try to bake an extra item of the new product I am trying out…just in case it isn’t any good. Because, after a hard workout, the last thing you want to find out is that your breakfast is nasty. Not good. That being said, I put it to the test, as always, with my roommate. I gave her the 13th biscuit and eagerly awaited her reaction.
“Pretty good.”
Hmmm…pretty good is not what I strive for when I bake something up. But she wasn’t spitting it out making obscene facial expressions, so…pretty good would have to do. The rest of the biscuits/rolls were put into containers and prepped for our three gym days this week.
After hitting the gym this morning, we arrived very hungry at the office. I set to the task of getting our breakfasts ready. Here was the first snag. Apparently I needed to spray down the muffin papers I baked them in because I found that the wrappers stuck to the product itself. Booo. But, this wouldn’t be the first time I encountered that…so I set to work, carefully peeling and making sure I was getting mostly paper and not mostly biscuit. Once I accomplished that task, it was a simple reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Good to go.
When I asked my roomie her thoughts on the biscuits, she said, “I like the cheese.”
Again…not very helpful or useful for my blog…so…here’s my rundown…
The Really Great Food Company knows how to make biscuits! Honestly. What shocked me most was that, despite being filled with chunks of cheddar cheese and slices of spinach, these biscuits aren’t dense in the slightest. They are light and airy. And the Parmesan cheese that was added to the batter melted down into the biscuits as they baked, giving each bite a cheesy flavor. Get a bite with a chunk of cheddar and it’s like cheese nirvana in your mouth. Light…fluffy…and delicious. I couldn’t stop eating mine. I had two biscuits for breakfast and they were devoured faster than I’ve eaten anything on a gym day. Every bite just tasted amazing. From the spinach to the cheese to the light batter itself, this biscuit was gluten-free perfection.
My only regret now is that I can’t find this brand around here. Thankfully, they do have a Web site and you can order their products online. And, trust me, I think I may do that…see what else they offer and if it lives up to the standard these biscuits have now set.
Gluten-free doesn’t have to mean heavy, dense breads. Nope. The Really Great Food Company proved once and for all that even something as simple as a biscuit/roll can have a light, airy texture and tons of flavor. I’m really, really hooked. The hard part now will be saving them specifically for gym days.
It may sound cheesy (heh heh…see what I did there?) but these biscuits truly are a gluten-free culinary work of art. If you can find the mix…purchase it and bake it. If you can order it online, I encourage you to do so. I was beyond impressed.
I was wowed!
The Really Great Food Company Spinach Cheese Biscuits
Me crossing the finish line of the Frostbite 5K – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: Frostbite 5K
Place: Louisville, KY
Date: January 12, 2013
Time:23:45
I ended my racing season last year with a new PR…and in return, I began my 2013 season with a new PR. How’s that for symmetry?
Needless to say…I shocked myself with that time. I honestly did.
The night leading up to the race was, as usual, restless. I wasn’t thinking about running…I just was having a difficult time staying asleep. This actually has been happening most nights these days and I don’t really have a reason for it. It just…is. So, when my alarm was set to go off at 6:00 a.m., I was already awake and dressed.
My running outfit of choice for this race…is not what you would expect from a race called the Frostbite 5K. It was to be 61 degrees at the start of the race…so I was dressed in a new running skirt and a singlet for the run. Knowing that this was taking place in Cherokee Park, I donned my “Beat The Hill” BondiBand and laced up my shoes. On went my Road ID and my Garmin. I was ready…and tired.
And I hate being tired on race day.
My roomie’s alarm went off at 7:00 a.m. I had cereal prepped for each of us for breakfast and had a Lärabar Über for us to split about 40 minutes before I took off on the run so I wouldn’t be starving at the start or in the middle of the run. Nothing messes with your concentration more than hunger pangs. We were out the door in record time for us and heading over the river to Cherokee Park to hopefully find decent parking and hit up packet pick-up.
Well, the parking thing was a bust. Despite arriving over an hour prior to the start of the race, we were parked all the way up a winding hill near the rugby field in the park. It was a hike down to packet pick-up, where I received my race bib, my safety pins, and the long sleeve tech shirt I got for being one of the first 1000 to sign up for the run. Awesome. And then…the hike back up to the car followed to put the t-shirt away, tuck away our bags, and get pinned up. Not so awesome. But, we managed. I looked at it as a warm up if nothing else.
Pinned up and now ready for the run, Cathy and I braved the descent down the hill once more and decided to take a walk up the road. We thought it would be okay, as it seemed the police already closed the park. But, alas, it was not. The police moved their vehicles and traffic began to flow through once more. So, we headed back to where the start line was being set up, found a spot for her to position herself for the race, and I started a few minor stretches.
At some point, we did split the Lärabar…and thankfully it was quite tasty. We ran into Tammy and Paul Marvin, who we happen to find at most of the races we go to, not just in Louisville, but also in Hershey, Pennsylvania and New Albany, Indiana. Love friendly, familiar faces. We always have a nice conversation with them and it’s always nice to greet them, wave, and wish them luck. It seems to be a good omen to see them at the race. And they say they always look for my sign, which is awesome too!
I got in a little more stretching and then shed my hoodie before finishing that up. It was then that I thought I felt some sprinkles of rain on my arms. I asked the roomie if she felt it…but said she didn’t. I swore I could still feel it…but maybe I was mistaken. She gave me a hug and wished me luck and I went to join the slew of people lining behind the start line, which also doubled as the finish line, for the race. I got my iPod Nano tucked into the pocket of my shirt and found a good spot to stand when the rain came.
Yep. Another wet race, it seemed, was upon us. I sighed, removed my earbuds and walked my iPod back to where Cathy was standing, handing it over as I won’t run in the rain with it without my waterproof arm band to tuck it in. And I wasn’t expecting rain this early (nor were any of the other runners) so I didn’t have it with me. With the rain coming down in a light drizzle, I headed back to where I was standing and sandwiched my way between a couple of people for the spot I had originally staked out as my own.
It was here, in the rain, just before the start of the race, that I bonded with a few runners over the weather. Most of us had endured the Reindeer Romp in the pouring rain and now, it seemed, we were about to undertake the same sort of weather in the second race of the Polar Bear Grand Prix. Joy.
And as the race was started off with a “On your mark…get set…GO!” shouted from River City Races director (who didn’t have her bullhorn that morning), we all took off in the drizzle past the rugby field and the people standing around to cheer everyone on and headed for the first turn, which would immediately take us up the “never-ending” hill…Baringer Hill (known by all who go there as Dog Hill or Dog Walk Hill). It was actually nice to have that out of the way so early, believe it or not. My legs were fresh so I could push myself a little more without tiring out my legs too soon in the run. It was about here that the rain completely stopped.
Go figure.
With that said, it was down a hill, then around the corner on the Scenic Loop to head up the other major hill in Cherokee Park, the one that leads up to Hogan’s Fountain. No problem. It was still early in the race. Not even 2 miles in, so my legs were feeling good. I felt like I was moving at a slower pace than usual, but I was feeling okay. I was moving. I was passing some people and keeping up with others that I sort of tagged to attempt to keep in my sights.
Down another hill and through the park we ran. I know the Scenic Loop like the back of my hand. It was interesting starting at a different point, but my legs know this terrain. I run it often with my fun run group and sometimes on Saturday or Sunday when my roommate and I feel like getting out and moving. I’ll do my long training runs there and she goes for a walk. I was feeling good. Still not feeling like I was moving swiftly, but I knew I was tired…so I wasn’t going to push too much.
Then, it was down a side road. Here was the 2 mile mark and I watched as a woman in front of me began to walk. Another runner, who had started at the front of the pack, shouted at her to keep going…she was almost there. It is always nice to hear that sort of encouragement. And the woman who began walking began to run again. At least for a little while. She returned to walking and I passed her and her encourager before we hit the turn around point. With that done, it was back down the road on the other side, and finally back out to the scenic loop.
This was the home stretch. I knew the rugby field was about .3 miles away, so I began to run a little bit harder…as much as I dared. I never want to be one of those people who push too much and come short at the finish. I want to be someone who tries as hard as I can…pushes as much as I dare…and come out as best as I can.
And wouldn’t you know it…I hit Mile 3 and pushed on for the last .14 miles of the race, coming across the finish line and catching sight of the clock just as I did so. I paused my Garmin and moved out of the way of the runners who were behind me. My roommate hurried over going, “You just ran sub-24 minutes!” She was right. I saw it when I crossed the finish line on the clock and my Garmin told the same story.
What in the world? I honestly didn’t feel like I was moving that swiftly. And, as I try to maintain these days, while I run with my Garmin, I try not to look at it during a race, less I obsess over my time and totally add unnecessary pressure. I suddenly couldn’t stop smiling. I didn’t care about anything else…I just ran my first 5K in under 24 minutes. That never happened before. And I was pretty damn proud of myself for finally achieving that. A lot of early morning runs, time at the gym, yoga, and core work went into making that possible, I am certain.
With the race field being as big as it was, we weren’t completely sure that I placed, but decided to hang around for the awards ceremony regardless. I grabbed a banana and some water and we went for a short stroll down one of the paved trails at Cherokee, before turning around and heading back.
Me with my 2nd place age division medal at the Frostbite 5K – Louisville, Kentucky
As we found a clear spot to stand, and while we were just sort of talking, two local runners came over. Dawn was the first to introduce herself. She said she read my blog. This, actually, made me really happy. She introduced me to Matthew, who was with her, and who I had previously met as we ran together in the Mile2Mile run from the BlueMile store at the Summit to the one in the Highlands. It was nice to stand around and talk with people prior to awards.
Once the final walker came in…it was award ceremony time. We stood around and clapped for every name called for the overall winners as well as the age division winners. One girl in the 20-24 age division limped up to get her award and them limped away. I’ve been there, done that, and made a sad face as it happens. Here’s to a speedy recovery.
And then…something surprising happened. My division was up and first place was called. Then, for second place…I hear my name. Oh. My. God. I placed third in the Reindeer Romp and now second at the Frostbite 5K. I couldn’t believe it. Cathy, Dawn, and Matthew all cheered, which made me grin like a loon when I went up to accept my medal. I had already been all smiles for my new PR…but now I was all smiles even more…because with the field as large as it was, I honestly didn’t think I placed at this race.
I love surprising myself.
So, as it stands, the official results of the Frostbite 5K are that I finished in 23:45, which is my new PR for a 5K race. SO stoked! Especially since this was done on hills (thankfully early) and while dead tired from a restless night. That being said, I was 132/1020 finishers overall. NICE! I was the 20/539 women finishers. And, as I mentioned, I was 2/74 in my division! I am still so surprised by these results I feel like I need to pinch myself to convince myself I’m not dreaming. Once more, I can honestly say all the hard work and dedication I’ve been putting into my training runs and running in general is paying off. I am improving.
And here’s to hoping that the trend continues. As it stands, as far as the Polar Bear Grand Prix overall results so far, before the final race, the Snowman Shuffle, I am holding 3rd place in the Overall Female Open Winners category. While this is exciting, I am trying not to dwell on it less I put so much pressure on myself I set myself up for failure. My goal for the Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler is to go out there and have fun and just run it as best as I can. Winning awards isn’t why I do this. I do this simply because I love it.
Who can argue with a snack that tastes like a classic summer dessert? You won’t find a lot of people complaining about that. Least of all me. As we all know…I love dessert. Love it. I could skip a meal if it mean a bigger dessert (that would be the trade-off). Of course, getting dessert isn’t easy for the gluten-free vegetarian…so I take what I can get.
With that in mind…I found myself awake on a race morning, having just eaten my cereal and knowing that I was going to need a little more closer to race time to see me through the race. If I don’t fuel about 30-40 minutes before a 5K, I normally find my stomach growling at the start of the race or halfway through. Nothing can throw you off your running mojo like hunger in the middle of a run. And with a 5K race, GU and Sports Beans are a bit excessive. It’s 3.1 miles…it’s not a half marathon.
That being said, I tend to come prepared for such things with my snack bars and protein bars. This particular morning, I found myself busting open a box of Lärabar Über that I picked up at the grocery store on Manager’s Special. I mean…the Über line is completely all natural, gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, have no added preservatives, fillers, colorings, and no added sulfites.
LOVE that.
So, about 40 minutes before I was to start off on this 5K jaunt Saturday morning, I broke out my fuel, being my Lärabar Cherry Cobbler Über. My roomie (who was up and there to cheer me on) decided we would split it. So, I broke it in half and she took a bite. Being that she’s not big on cherry anything, the fact that she kept eating it was a good sign.
Lärabar Über Cherry Cobble
My turn.
Oh. Yeah.
This fruit and nut bar is hearty, made with chunks of fruit and nuts, rather than having it all ground together like the standard Lärabars. I love being able to see the full bits of dried cherries, raisins, and dates mixed with the almonds, cashews, and pecans. I love the rich flavor that the brown rice syrup, the salt, and the honey bring to the bar itself. When you take a bite of this bar, you actually get the illusion that you are eating an actual cherry cobbler. That’s exactly what it tasted like. And with the blend of fruit and nuts, nothing is too overpowering. Nothing at all. It is a nice balance of sweet and salty and one that settled perfectly into my stomach before a hard run on hilly roads.
I love how nutritious these bars are as well. Despite tasting like a dessert, the Lärabar Cherry Cobbler Über bar will only set you back 190 calories and 12 grams of fat, most of which is provided in the healthy form from the nuts. This particular variety offers of 14 grams of protein and no cholesterol. Yeah! Despite the addition of salt, the brown rice syrup, the dried fruits and the nuts, there is only 135 mg of sodium in each bar. That’s amazing. And while this does have 12 grams of sugar, I’m relatively certain that mostly comes from the dried fruits that are used and the brown rice syrup and honey that help bind the bar together.
In the end, what you have is a tasty bar that actually satisfies your hunger, keeps you going, and is nutritionally sound. And…it tastes like dessert. What could be better?
This race was the first race of 2012. Following suit…it is also my first race in my 2013 race season. It’s the Frostbite 5K…the second race in Louisville’s very own three race series – the Polar Bear Grand Prix. Oh…and it runs this morning.
While this race does take place in the hilly world of Cherokee Park, the start and finish are not up at Hogan’s Fountain as usual. This always throws me off because I’m so used to the Cherokee Park 5Ks starting and finishing there…I know when to expect hills when we start from there. But for this race, we start and finish at the rugby field…which is somewhere in the middle of the park. Therefore, while we start off going uphill, at least our finish is more downhill instead of uphill as usual. It’s different. Nothing wrong with different.
For the second year in a row, the unseasonably warm weather has rolled into the Louisville area. Nothing wrong with that. I won’t complain. I love good weather on race day. And as long as the rain holds off until after I run, it will be the perfect morning for a race. The Weather Channel (or as my roomie and I call it – The Lying Channel) has the current temperature at 9 a.m. (start time for the race) as being 61°F.
Yep. 61° for the Frostbite 5K. I’m thinking they may need to rename this race in the future should this trend continue.
For the time…I won’t complain. I’ll embrace the milder weather and go out there and run as best I can. The goal…to simply enjoy the run. Nothing more.
But a little luck and good thoughts is always welcome…
It’s the night before a race…so you know what that means, right?
Pizza!
Except…not today. I didn’t have anything in my apartment to work pizza into the equation…so I had to break with my pizza before a race tradition and come up with something I could make with items I did have on hand. Well, today is the day my CSA bin was delivered and one of the items nestled inside was beautiful rainbow chard.
It was from there…and the fact that I keep polenta on hand in my pantry…that I threw together this recipe for a later than usual dinner. It was delicious and relatively easy to make. As I am lactose intolerant, I substituted the ricotta cheese for silken tofu and used Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese.
The rest of the recipe is from Epicurious…but I really enjoyed it with my substitutions. So delicious.
Recipe: Baked Polenta with Rainbow Chard and Cheese
1 pound rainbow chard, thick stems and ribs removed, leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal) or yellow cornmeal
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese (I used Nosoya Silken Tofu)
2 large eggs
2 cups coarsely grated low-fat mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces) (I used Daiya mozzarella shreds)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Lightly oil 2-quart glass baking dish. Heat oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper, then chard; cover and cook until chard is tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Uncover; stir until any excess liquid in skillet evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, bring 3 1/2 cups water and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan. Gradually stir polenta into boiling water. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Whisk ricotta and eggs in bowl; whisk in 1 cup hot polenta. Stir ricotta mixture into polenta in saucepan.
Spread half of polenta mixture in baking dish. Spread half of chard mixture over. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Repeat layering with remaining polenta, chard, and cheese.
Bake until puffed and brown on top, about 45 minutes.
Cool 30 minutes.
~*~*~
You would never be able to tell that this recipe was made with tofu instead of ricotta cheese, and with vegan cheese over regular. The onions, chard, and garlic mixture is delicious. And the polenta made a delicious, creamy addition once it was cooked up. I loved this and am so happy that I have another 3 days worth of it. YUMMY!
Best part…each serving has 259 calories. That’s it! Amazing. Delicious. And quite satisfying. I served this with a salad made up from fresh produce, also from my CSA bin. This recipe does take some time to cook…but the end result is worth it. I would make this again in a heartbeat.
Now…we’ll see how this does when it comes to my race day performance.
I might be sorry I skipped out on pizza…but this was definitely a huge, tasty, epic dinner win!
Product: 479° Popcorn Fleur de Sel Caramel – $3.99+
Okay…I copped out on a review prior to this one…mostly out of sheer terror of the product and the fact that I threw it away immediately after tasting it. And yes…it was the 479° Popcorn brand. That flavor was Black Truffle & White Cheddar. While the white cheddar was delicious the truffle was overpowering. Perhaps my taste buds aren’t “posh and sophisticated” enough for that flavor combination. But it didn’t taste good at all.
So, the next snack up for the afternoon munchies at work was the other 479° Popcorn I purchased while out grocery shopping one day. This one – Fleur de Sel Caramel.
Salted Caramel. How can it go wrong?
It can’t. That’s the best part.
According to 479° Popcorn, Fleur de Sel is harvested by hand from salt evaporation ponds on the coast of Brittany, France. These natural salt crystals are delicate and flaky, with a subtle hint of oceanic flavor. That being said, 479° Popcorn takes organic popcorn, coats it in a buttery caramel and then tops it off with a sprinkle of Fleur de Sel.
What comes of this combination? The classic sweet and salty combination that salted caramel brings to anything it is added to. And on popcorn, it’s like a sophisticated caramel corn. Honestly. The organic popcorn is light and airy. The buttery caramel that drenches each kernel isn’t too heavy or overpowering. In fact, it’s the right amount. And there at the end…the finishing touch…is the Fleur de Sel.
Magic in every bite. And trust me…you’ll want to keep eating these. One is never enough.
Thankfully, a serving size is 1 cup. And as far as nutrition facts go…this is actually a surprisingly healthy choice.
479° Popcorn’s Fleur de Sel Caramel flavor contains 100 calories per 1 cup serving. Each serving has 4 grams of fat (not bad for caramel corn!), 160 mg sodium, and 13 grams of sugar. That is definitely a bit higher on the sugar content than I would like for an afternoon snack…but it’s caramel corn. It’s going to have more sugar in it than regular corn. Call it a treat, savor each bite, and don’t worry about sugar for a few moments.
I am a huge fan of salted caramel goodies as it is…but this is just an amazing snack. Far better than the Black Truffle and White Cheddar flavor I tried just moments before this. And, wow…am I ever glad I did that. I couldn’t imagine being at work, biting into that popcorn and immediately having to spit it out in my garbage can. Thankfully, my roomie and I tried a piece beforehand…and moved on to the epic deliciousness of the Fleur de Sel variety.
With the elegant and fanciful flavor of the Fleur de Sel Caramel popcorn, you’re treating your taste buds to something special. Trust me…they will thank you for it.
I’m already craving more!
If you love caramel corn or are a huge fan of salted caramel goodies…this Fleur de Sel Caramel popcorn from 479° Popcorn is well worth snacking on. SO GOOD!
Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal
Product: Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal – $5.19+
Oatmeal.
It has been my go-to, inexpensive, gluten-free lunch of choice since I was told by my doctor to go gluten-free. Sure, not all brands are inexpensive, but when compared to the price of gluten-free bread…gluten-free condiments…oh…and those pesky rising costs of fresh fruits and vegetables…oatmeal is the way to go.
Besides…it’s hearty. And, more often than not, delicious.
Well, awhile back a local grocery store I frequent suddenly had a massive closeout on items in their gluten-free section. Fearing that I was about to lose my gluten-free shelves of goodness, I stocked up on items that I loved and a couple items I had been meaning to try, and just hadn’t talked myself into it.
One of the items in the latter category was the Gluten-Free Apples & Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal from Eco-Planet.
Today was the day that I busted this out of the pantry to take to work and enjoy at lunch. At least…I hoped I was going to enjoy it. I had high hopes because Eco-Planet is the very same company that is putting out Gluten-Free Toaster Pastries (yes…gluten-free Pop Tarts!). I wanted it to be good. I hoped it would be good.
Individual packet of Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal
Before we get to that, however, how about a little information on the product itself? The gluten-free instant oatmeal from Eco-Planet is definitely one of the more nutritious finds out there. It is composed of seven whole grains, including whole oats, buckwheat, sorghum, brown rice, puffed amaranth, quinoa and millet. Each packet of oatmeal contains 500 mg of Omega 3.
Not only that, one serving (which is one pouch) is only 150 calories! That’s awesome. Each serving contains only 3 grams of fat and 10 grams of sugar. Not bad for a hot cereal, yes? And for me, as a gluten-free, vegetarian…who is also an athlete…the 4 grams of protein is a sweet addition to every spoonful.
So…now to the nitty-gritty of this review…the actual review.
Making the cereal up at work is super easy. Empty the pouch into a bowl and add 1/2 cup of water (or milk…but I use water). Stir and then microwave for 1-1/2 minutes to 2 minutes. Remove from microwave…and enjoy!
I tend to forget that the microwave at the office is much stronger than the one I have at home…so when I put this in for 2 minutes, it turned out a bit thicker than I normally enjoy my hot cereal…but it wasn’t bad. The taste…well…surprisingly good. I mean, like most oatmeal, it isn’t much to look at…but one bite…and I knew that this was a good thing. I didn’t need to break out the back-up lunch plan today. Nope. The oatmeal was thick, hearty, and seasoned well with dried apples and that spicy hint of cinnamon. Yummy!
I was pleasantly surprised with the texture, flavor, and quality of Eco-Planet’s Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal. I would love to try the Maple and Brown Sugar one next if I can find it somewhere. I am very impressed with the way the company chooses ingredients, makes sure they maintain the integrity of the gluten-free product, and in the end, put out a product that is amazing and delicious.
I’m hooked and ready for more!
Eco-Planet Gluten-Free Apples and Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal (prepared)
I’m not one to set a goal and take it lightly. I’m a fighter. A pursuer. A doer.
So, imagine my chagrin after declaring my 2013 running goal of running 1300 miles…and then heading out of town for the New Year…to be met with snow, ice, and roads that were not safe to run on while I was out of town. It was still December at that point…but running in place (or sprinting around the island) in my friend’s kitchen was even worse than running on a treadmill.
FOR REAL!
But…my dedication to the Runner’s World Run Streak and REDD (Run Every Day in December) meant…I ran. Even if it was running in place for 50 minutes to hit what would be 5 miles…all to simply get that run in.
Winter sucks. I dislike winter. I dislike it with a passion. The cold weather is hard on my skin…and definitely not easy to get out in and run. Oh, I’ll do it…I just don’t like doing it. And if the roads are trecherous…it means the outdoor run has to move indoors. This would normally mean a treadmill at the gym…but being out of town meant no gym.
So…my first run of January was done in my friend’s kitchen. My second run…on a treadmill. My third…I almost went outside for. But the 19 degree weather turned me back around and pushed me back into the warm cloak of my apartment. I also woke up with a migraine that day…so I endured my job at the office and then went over to the gym to pound out half of my required training run that day.
BLAH!
But this morning, I told myself to SUCK IT UP, CUPCAKE! So…I layered up the running clothes. Put on my reflective gear and blinking lights. And I headed outside for my first official outdoor run of the year. 4 miles. As it’s an early morning run, I stick close to home, so this is a 3-time out and back…but it gives me my mileage. The darkness is a bit of a challenge, but I do have a light clamped onto my hat. And the cold…well…it sometimes leaves me gasping for air…but it feels so good to actually move while running.
While I understand the need for cold weather, I am already looking forward to Spring. These cold mornings are doing a number on me. But I am going to do my best, on the mornings where it is tolerable, to take my run outside. Because, when it comes down to it…that’s where I love to run.
Here’s to one week of working toward my goal. Ten miles 4 days into it the year…not a great start…but not bad either! Given the circumstances, that is…
The first time I ever had one of Schär’s amazing products, I was in Los Angeles, California. One of my besties, Tawn, came down from Fresno and when I walked in the house, we hugged, we hugged more…and she looked at me and said, “I have gifts for you!” What she brought out of her luggage was a thinkThin bar and one of Schär’s Chocolate Hazelnut Bars.
I, naturally, ate them when I needed a snack or was at a restaurant where there were no real options for me. That being said…I didn’t blog about the gift snacks…because I devoured them before I took pictures of them.
Well, I remedied that already with the thinkThin bar…but the Schär wafer treat had yet to see it’s day in the blog spotlight.
Tonight…that changes.
During a major gluten-free closeout at my local grocery store, the entire section it seemed was on sale. So, while out grocery shopping that night, we piled our cart full of everything that was marked down and on closeout, fearing that the gluten-free section was being taken away from us…or shrinking. That wasn’t the case. I think they were moving out old stock to make room for a lot of new stock and new items. We didn’t know that at the time though.
One of the items that were tossed into the cart of gluten-free madness was a package of the Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bars.
Memories of my time in Los Angeles crept back to me immediately. Happy, happy memories. But, other products had to be used up before I got to these…and so…they sat…and waited.
But today was the big unveiling of the Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bars. I couldn’t really recall what they tasted like anymore. That trip to California happened over two years ago. I remembered finding them delicious though, so I wasn’t too concerned about taking this item to work for my afternoon snack without a backup plan.
Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar (individual)
I had been anticipating my 3 p.m. snack most of the day. Every time I opened my desk drawer, the Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar was sitting there…tempting me. But…I behaved and waited until the appropriate time. But once the clock struck 3 p.m., all bets were off!
First of all, I love how this is the actual size of a candy bar. The picture on the cover shows a treat that resembles those little wafer cookies (the ones that come in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry that you devour as a child). So, already this bar is like that…but on steroids. After splitting it in half, and taking the required picture for the blog, I took my first bite.
Oh. My. Gluten. Free. God.
Rich. Decadent. Light. Fantastic. Heaven in chocolate-covered wafer form. One bite and I knew this was a treat to be savored.
It tasted like the awesomeness that would emerge should a KitKat Bar mate with a Ferrero Rocher. Honestly. It was more of a dessert than a snack when it came down to it. That’s not knocking the bar in the slightest. It was melt-in-your-mouth awesome from the first bite to the last. I let my teammate, Andrea, try some and she also loved it. She’s very picky…especially with gluten-free foods…but this one only garnered compliments. My roomie also tried a little portion of it…and she too enjoyed it.
Really…it’s a decadent mid-day pick-me-up…or a sweet treat when you are craving something rich, smooth, and chocolatey. The wafer crackers are thin and lend a slight crunch. The hazelnut cream is the perfect amount to lend its flavor without overpowering the rest of the bar. And the milk chocolate that surrounds this treat…exceptional. Schär managed to find the perfect balance between snack and dessert. This was definitely a decadent mid-afternoon snack.
It’s also not the healthiest option I’ve ever brought with me for that 3:00 p.m. munchie attack. One Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar packs 200 calories and 12 grams of fat. Like I said…It’s much more like a dessert than a snack. And perhaps that’s how these should be treated. But, at least these are made with recognizable ingredients, have no preservatives, no gluten, no wheat, and no eggs.
Super smooth. Super rich. Super delicious!
Super Schär does it again…wrapping up hazelnut goodness in a simple chocolate coating. The results…sweet chocolate-coated wafer nirvana.
Mmmmm…it tastes as good as it sounds!
Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar (unwrapped and split open)
The Celiathlete 