Were you like me and once upon a time used to be able to eat what everyone else does?
If so, you might recall one of life’s simplest, sweetest, most divine treats – a simple glazed Krispy Kreme donut.
Sure…a donut is a donut, right? Or…you might think that until you have to give them up. Trust me…no matter how healthy you are or how good you are trying to be…everyone appreciates a good donut every now and again.
Problem: when you are gluten-free…a good donut isn’t always easy to come by. Even more difficult…finding one that is reminiscent of the ones you used to be able to savor.
Now…I absolutely love donuts. And I’ve tried out quite a few different gluten-free ones. While the ones in stores are all fine and good…the only brand that has really made me sit up and remember what eating at Dunkin’ Donuts after swim class was really like…has been Katz Gluten Free. Yes, once again I am lifting upon high the fantastic products that Katz Gluten Free puts out on the market. Why? Because they truly are worthy of such high praise. I have yet to find something I have tried that I haven’t liked.
A couple weeks ago, I received an e-mail regarding new products from Katz Gluten Free. One of the items listed was…glazed donuts. So, upon returning to my desk at the office, I went ahead and ordered some…because they looked absolutely scrumptious in the announcement. They arrived two days later and I skipped to the freezer at the office to store them, brought them home and put them in my freezer, then…could hardly wait a week before I was pulling them out to use as breakfast after hitting up the gym.
Yes…hard workout at the gym = gluten-free donut (with some fruit…give me some credit!) for breakfast at the office.
Anyway…I got to the office and went into the kitchen with the donuts. I pulled out a plate and set one in the microwave, giving it a very quick nuke for 10 seconds. With it and some freshly chopped pear from my CSA bin, I took the first one to my roommate at her desk. Then, I returned to the kitchen to repeat the process for me.
As I settled in at my desk, I started on the pear. My roommate came over to show me something and I asked her how the donut was. She lifted her eyebrows, looked at my untouched one, and simply said…”Take a bite.” Who am I to argue when a gluten-free glazed donut is sitting right there waiting for me to devour it.
I lifted it up, drawing in that amazing scent of sugar from the glaze. It smelled like all those donut shops and bakeries that seem to torture me now. I savored that aroma for one moment more…then took my first bite.
WOW! No…honestly…WOW!! While these are definitely not as light and fluffy as the famous Krispy Kreme donuts…these are just as delicious. And I don’t mind the extra definition to the donut. I like that it has a little heft to it. Honestly…these were melt-in-your-mouth-Krispy-Kremeish-fantasticness. Yes…that really is an adjective. Trust me.
I couldn’t believe how much I fell in love with this donut. It was like, the moment I had a bite…I had to have another one. Every donut I ever ate before my diagnosis seemed to pale in comparison. This…was one fantastic glazed donut. And for the first time ever, I lost myself in the taste and texture of this little treat. I don’t even care that the office has Krispy Kreme’s and other donuts on occasion now…because I have Katz Gluten-Free Glazed Donuts. They…are even better, in my opinion.
Dear Katz…if you keep expanding your donut line…I might just love you even more. Especially if they keep getting better and better…like these.
Walden Farms Calorie Free Thousand Island Dressing
Product: Walden Farms Calorie Free Thousand Island Dressing – $4.99+
How good can a product be when it has the bold claim that it has no calories, fat, carbs, gluten, or sugars of any kind? Well…if it’s a product made by Walden Farms…then, as far as I am concerned…it’s going to be good.
Of course, nothing ever compares to the real thing, but as far as these things go, Walden Farms has hit the flavor right on the head. A while back, I gave their Honey Dijon salad dressing a try…and absolutely loved it. It was not as creamy as regular dressing, but the flavor is totally there.
And that was how it was with Walden Farms Calorie Free Thousand Island Dressing. Honestly. While it doesn’t contain all the bits that you usually see in Thousand Island dressing, it tastes just like the dressing I used to pour all over my salads. I found that while it wasn’t as thick as regular salad dressing, it didn’t need to be. What it lacks in body it makes up for in its simple, rich flavor of regular Thousand Island dressing. It was very impressive.
And the best part is…you don’t need to drown your salad in it. The two tablespoon serving size is perfect for the salad. Give it a toss and every bit will get covered with a bit of the dressing. And that is only a good thing. I even let my roomie, who is a Thousand Island dressing freak try it out…and she said it was awesome…and that she missed Thousand Island dressing (the brand she used to get had high fructose corn syrup in it…so we had to move her to something else).
Salads can be healthy again…and you can still have an awesome creamy dressing…that is so allergen friendly and quite delicious too. If you can find Walden Farms products, I encourage you to give it a try. Honestly…the two dressings I have tried have been super delicious and very good. And…guilt free.
Better yet, the dressing is made with natural ingredients, flavors and spices.
I know…this sounds bizarre, even for someone like me…but the fact of the matter was…I had produce that needed to be used up before Friday…and two of the items still staring at me were amazing organic avocados. Now, I could have done my usual standbys with these…guacamole…or put it into a breakfast scramble of sorts.
But why? Why when I run across such interesting and different recipes such as this one, which I pilfered from the blogg Bullfrogs & Bulldogs, and adjusted to make it easier and more time efficient for me…the non-stop busy-body! It’s very nutritious, packing a high protein punch with the quinoa, and the healthy fat of the avocado. Awesome.
So…if you love avocado, love quinoa, and just plain love delicious things…here is a great recipe for you…done up the way I do it. And I’ll even include my recipe for Vegan Sriracha Sour Cream.
Yes…I love you guys that much…
Recipe: Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Avocados
Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Avocado with a Vegan Sriracha Sour Cream
1 tbsp taco seasoning (I crated my own using chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, and garlic powder)
Vegan Sriracha Sour Cream
1/4 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream
2 teaspoons Sriracha
Directions:
Rinse the quinoa well and place it in a sauce pan and toast for about two minutes until the quinoa starts to smell ‘toasty.’ Add one cup of water or vegetable broth and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover. (To get fluffy quinoa, it’s really important to not stir it, just let it be, keeping a close eye on it).
Chop the onion drain the can of Southwest Style Corn. Combine both ingredients in a bowl and mix well with the taco seasoning. Cover and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, uncover, and allow to cool slightly.
Once the quinoa is finished, fluff with a fork and allow it to sit for 15 minutes, until it has cooled slightly. Add it to the vegetable mixture.
Make the sour cream by measuring out 1/4 cup of vegan sour cream and adding the Sriracha to it. Stir it together until well blended.
To assemble the avocados, begin by cutting them in half, removing the skin and the pit.
Scoop about ½ a cup of the quinoa mixture into each avocado, more if you can fit it.
Top it with a little Sriracha Sour Cream and some chopped cilantro and serve.
Enjoy!
~*~*~
Creamy, rich, smooth, amazing, delicious, totally yummy and just plain good! The blend of cool avocado with the slight spice from the quinoa/vegetable mixture as well as the vegan Sriracha sour cream on top is just…perfection. With a healthy does of belly-flattening fats from the avocado and the blast of protein from the quinoa, this makes for one very healthy dish to have for lunch or dinner…or whenever your little heart desires.
I had more than half of the quinoa/veggie mixture left so I sense a run to the grocery store for more avocados in my very near future.
I love spicy food. Love it. I love that little bit of heat that accompanies each bite…and when done right…doesn’t mask the flavor of the food. Yum!
Well, this past weekend, my friend Robert shared a recipe on my Facebook wall that he thought I might enjoy. It was for Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower. And let me tell you…it looked awesome. Seriously! It just so happened that my CSA bin that week had an amazing head of cauliflower in it…and everything else on the list I had in my pantry. Perfect!
And after the winter weather that came through last night, something warm, spicy, and different just sounded appetizing tonight for dinner. So, upon returning home from work…I went to work on my head of cauliflower and preparing this simple, yet really delicious dish. You just need about 25 minutes and dinner is served.
Recipe: Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower
Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower (with a Vegan Ranch Dip)
Mix together the batter ingredients in a small bowl.
Dip the cauliflower in the batter until coated evenly then place on greased baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the batter hardens.
Mix together sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Once the cauliflower are done baking, brush them with the hot sauce mixture and bake again for a few more minutes, until cauliflower is crispy.
Remove from oven. You may want to add a bit more buffalo sauce to taste.
Enjoy!
~*~*~
Oh…this was crazy, stupid good. I mean…so delicious. I was highly impressed. Honestly. I love cauliflower regardless, but this just took it to the next level. This is the second cauliflower recipe that Robert has shared with me, and both times I have been super impressed. I can’t wait to make this again.
Oh, and it’s a super easy recipe too, so that is a bonus. I whipped up a Vegan Ranch Dip to serve with mine, which consisted of:
a few spoonfuls of Trader Joe’s vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1 tablespoon of dried parsley flakes
3 tablespoons of almond milk to thin it out
I just mixed it all together in a bowl and viola…instant buffalo cauliflower dip!
Honestly…if you are looking for a fun and exciting way to serve up veggies…this is the recipe to try!
Does that sum it up enough? I was actually pretty stoked about these great little seaweed chips that I found on Manager’s Special at my local grocery store. I think, now that I’ve had them, that I now know why they were there…
Now, don’t get me wrong…I am a vegetarian sushi loving girl…and as such, I am accustomed to the inclusion of seaweed (nori) in my rolls. I love it when paired with the vegetables and the sushi rice. But on its own…well…
…it tastes like…the ocean floor. Or like orca. I can’t decide which.
This afternoon, I was starving after a quick run on my lunch break at the gym. So, when my 3:00 p.m. snack time hit, I reached into my desk and emerged with the little package of YangBan Sea Veggies. I had actually thought to, perhaps, bring a backup plan in case these didn’t hit the mark on flavor, but I decided against it. It was a healthy little snack…made from seaweed.
And…that’s exactly what it is. In fact, each little chip is just a section of nori, this one dusted with a light coating of sea salt. It looked harmless enough. In fact…I thought…it might even be tasty.
I was wrong. Not a fan. At all. It took a handful of Reeses Pieces and lots of water to get rid of the taste of algae, but…eventually it got there. My palate cleansed, I went and threw away the rest of the bag and vowed to go home and get rid of the hot chili flavor as well. In sushi…I love nori. In snack form…on its own…not so much.
So, if seaweed is your thing…then this might be the snack for you. It’s super healthy…only 35 calories for the little bag. But…I didn’t even take in one since I just couldn’t get past one bite.
Product: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Brownie Mix – $5.99+
Moist. Soft. Delicious.
These aren’t words that normally people would think of when someone says the “dreaded” words gluten-free. And trust me…people can be that finicky when it comes to whether or not they try a dish or not. Believe me…I see it happen every time I bring in food to my office. There are very few people willing to give something a try. It’s sad…because one always hopes that people will at least try something you bring in.
That being said, I have a lot of baking mixes in my pantry and I finally used up the last of my Swiss Colony Chocolano cookies that I ordered before Christmas. (For the record, those are amazing and you totally get more than the 16 cookies they list on the container. Would order those again in a heartbeat!). So…a new dessert was needed for this week.
After a quick consult of my gluten-free pantry list, I noticed that Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Brownie Mix was the next sweet treat up for baking. Now, I’ve had so much luck with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free items that I didn’t even hesitate when it came to making these up. Honestly. Nothing I’ve cooked up from a gluten-free mix from Bob’s Red Mill has done me wrong. Nothing.
And mixing this up was super easy. With my new Kitchenaid handheld mixer, I blended together the mix, warm water, melted margarine, and an egg. It was that simple. And what emerged was a creamy, thick batter just begging to be poured and spread over a greased 9×13 pan. But…there’s more. I could have stopped there, but I have a pantry of goodies as well and I figured why not add some dark and mint morsels to the mix? Minty brownies?! Yes, please! So, I folded in about 1/4 cup of the morsels and then poured the brownies into the pan.
Into my oven these went for about 23 minutes. And when the timer went off, I was fully prepared (as usual) to test it with a toothpick and have to put it back into the oven for another few minutes, check again, and repeat until the toothpick was clean. Except, Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten-Free Brownies were actually done…right on time. My toothpick I inserted right into the center came out clean on the first try.
When I pulled these from the oven, I found that the surface was shiny and they smelled awesome. I let them cool for about 45 minutes and then just had to try one. So, my roomie and I decided to cut a piece and split it.
Verdict: We both stood there with this super-moist, light, soft brownie, chewing slowly, savoring…
This is the best brownie mix I’ve used so far since going gluten-free. Sure, I’ve liked the Hodgson Mill and even the Betty Crocker…but they weren’t as moist and soft and light as how Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten-Free mix baked up. Honestly. I took a bite, feeling the moist crumbs tumble across my tongue and went, “Oh. My. God.” Then…devour mode was switched on. And that was a bite that didn’t even have the added dark and mint morsels!!
My roomie, who can eat any brownie she wants, also declared these as amazing. She loved the taste and texture as much as I did. And that rich, creamy, chocolate flavor was so amazing. It’s rich, without being too much. And the softness of each brownie just makes you crave more. As much as I raved about the previous brownies I made up with gluten-free mixes…they don’t even begin to compare to the way these turned out.
And, for the ultimate test, I took one of these brownies into my teammate at work. She has a very discerning palate, and she took one bite and said that the consistency was perfect. The flavor was awesome. And she enjoyed it as much as the roomie and I did. That, my dear friends, is a huge SCORE!!
Bob’s Red Mill once again for the win.
So what makes these brownies so spectacular, rich, deep and intense? Well, they have a moist, cake-like texture…which I love. I prefer cake brownies to fudge brownies any day. And Bob’s Red Mill uses Ghirardelli cocoa to coax out that rich flavor. Delicious. No wonder they are a decadent treat!
As for nutrition facts…these make 16 brownies…but I found those would be rather large for my liking. I love dessert, but small bites are usually enough. So I managed 24 brownies from my pan. This, naturally, changes the nutrition facts. If you make 24 brownies out of the mix though, your fudgey, moist brownie treat will only set you back 145 calories and 7 grams of fat. Less than that if you don’t add the baking chips to the mix. That’s about perfect for a dessert and you still get a really decent sized square of brownie without it being too much. Let’s face it…dessert comes after a meal…you really just need a couple of bites.
I’m already looking forward to sinking my teeth into another brownie tonight after dinner. These are the gluten-free brownies that dreams are made of. Even if you aren’t gluten-free…you’ll love these. You’d never know the difference. Trust me.
Gluten-Free Brownies with Dark & Mint Chocolate Morsels made with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Brownie Mix
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?
The Celiathlete 