I attempted to make dinner rolls back when I first went gluten-free. The problem? They just came out way too dense. Super, duper heavy. I wasn’t a fan…but my roommate and I ate them with our breakfast (usually making egg sandwiches out of them) or with our dinner…doing what we could to make them lighter. Or at least…not feel so dense.
And I attempted cheddar biscuits using Gluten-Free Bisquick once with a non-gluten-free friend of mine…and they were dense. My mom attempted to do it for Christmas Eve so I could enjoy bread with everyone. My dad was the guinea pig…and he said they were too chewy. They were definitely dense and heavy…and not up to par. My mom ended up making a regular batch for everyone else and I consumed two of the ones that she attempted gluten-free.
Dinner rolls were turning out to be an epic gluten-free fail.
But…over the New Year, I was heading to Ohio to hang with my friend Jenn. And one of the trips we planned was to head to Dayton, Ohio…for the sole purpose of hitting up Sinfully Gluten Free. You see…I love their Cinnamon Rolls (which they only have on Saturdays) and Jenn is a huge fan of their Lemon Bars (yes…and Jenn doesn’t even have to eat gluten-free!)…so I called ahead to make sure they had 4 trays of them on hand for me. I didn’t want to make the trip and be disappointed by ending up walking away without any cinnamon rolls. Well, the snow started the night before and continued through much of the next morning…delaying the journey to Dayton. But…we eventually dug out the car and made our way onto the slick roads for our road trip to Dayton.
By the time we got there…it was lunch time. Lunch was now going to be part of the fun at Sinfully Gluten Free. I had mentioned that I put in an order for Cinnamon Rolls, but that I would get it after I ate lunch. So, we all ordered lunch, settled in to eat, then made our purchases afterwards.
However…it just so happened that there were these table rolls in the pastry case. And now I was intrigued. The original plan for that evening was gluten-free stuffed shells…and I thought some dinner rolls might go well with it. So, I also picked up a bag of those along with the 4 trays of cinnamon rolls I had ordered the night before. Jenn…well…she bought them out of every lemon bar they had in the place. We are gluten-free rockstars, friends!
Sinfully Gluten Free Table Rolls
With the later lunch, however, we weren’t hungry enough for the gluten-free stuffed shells. I didn’t want to freeze the table rolls, because when I pulled them out of the bag at home, I realized how soft and light they were. I hadn’t held a gluten-free dinner roll that was light yet. I wanted to definitely eat these before they had to see a refrigerator or freezer. So, after a little thinking of something light to do for dinner…we settled on table rolls with scrambled eggs.
Once the eggs were in the pan, I gave the table rolls a little warm-up in the microwave. This took their soft and light texture to a warm version of it. With a schmear of butter…it would be the perfect compliment to…any meal, really…but that night…it was scrambled eggs.
I wanted to eat part of the roll without the butter to start with. Just to see what it tasted like. First of all, these heated up so well. I think they would have also done well with a slight toasting in the oven…but the microwave warmed them through and gave them that fresh out of the oven feel. I loved that. They were still very light and steam rolled back as I tore into mine and took a bite.
Light. Fluffy. Soft. Chewy. They were dinner roll perfection. Put one of these down in front of someone who wasn’t aware that they were gluten-free and I guarantee that you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Honestly. These were not dense at all. I wish I knew the secret to making gluten-free dinner rolls that didn’t feel and taste so heavy. These were light as a feather and delicious. And they complimented the eggs perfectly. I gave part of mine a small pad of butter and topped it with a bit of the scrambled egg…and it was a match made in heaven.
These rolls would compliment any dinner to be sure. They are the perfect bite of gluten-free bread. No feeling like you’re eating an entire loaf. These were light to the touch and just plain light in texture. And the taste…phenomenal.
Sinfully Gluten Free is sinful in the respect that everything they put out is a delicious bite…and just sheer gluten-free magic. I hope to purchase more dinner rolls from them next time I’m in town because I was highly impressed.
How do they make them so light and fluffy? I may never find out…but thankfully Sinfully Gluten Free bakes them up that way…so that even the gluten-free community can enjoy a good dinner roll every now and again!
YUM!
Sinfully Gluten Free Table Rolls with Scrambled Eggs
Giant donut balls of caramel goodness. There is no other way to describe the new donuts from Katz Gluten Free. Honestly.
Now…I was a little weary about purchasing one of the filled donuts from Katz Gluten Free. I have yet to try the custard donuts or the jelly donuts. While they both look fantastic…I’ve heard that the filling is actually a bit skimpy in them. It is probably the biggest complaint I have heard regarding the filled donuts.
But…when I saw the announcement for the new Caramel Donuts from Katz Gluten Free come over my e-mail, I didn’t even hesitate to order them. I love caramel…so this just sounded fantastic from the instant I read about it. Drool-worthy even. My spontaneous purchase, I hoped, would pay off.
The donuts arrived two days later and into the freezer they went. Until this weekend. Because my friend Jenn is just as much of a caramel connoisseur as I am. So, when I was heading to her place for the New Year, I promised donuts. And so…the other morning, Jenn, Cathy and I each had one full donut and 1/3 of a donut to ourselves.
I let the donuts thaw overnight on the counter in the container. Then, when we were ready for breakfast…into the microwave they went. A 15 second warmup. It was enough to just give them that fresh-from-the-oven effect. Honestly. The caramel oozed from each donut. No skimping on the filling here.
But the best part…the powdered donut that surrounded the donut. I mean, the caramel was good and all, but the cakey donut that surrounded the filling was the true star. I love the powdered donut from Katz Gluten Free anyway…so it was no surprise that this was my favorite part of this breakfast treat.
Would I purchase these again…probably. But I much prefer the gluten-free powdered donuts and the cinnamon donuts over the filled. But the oozy caramel was definitely not skimped on in these. So, for those of you who are gluten-free (or even if you aren’t…both Jenn & Cathy are not gluten-free…but love these donuts as much as me!)…these donuts are amazing and tasty…and are definitely not lacking in the filling.
Oh…and they are tasty too.
Mmmm…gluten-free donuts that are amazing. Thank you…again…Katz Gluten Free!!
It was the night before Christmas and my mom and I were settling in to plan a vegetarian and gluten-free entreé option for me (the only vegetarian in the family) and a possible side for everyone else at Christmas dinner. We had meant to do planning long before then…but we both lead very busy lives and we had a lot of other stuff to do when I flew into town for the holidays.
So, the night before the big day, we found ourselves at Earth Fare in Birmingham, Alabama…picking up the necessities for the recipe we finally decided on. The original recipe was from Manifest Vegan, and it involved the use of maitake mushrooms. But…only my mom and I like mushrooms in the family, so we put our heads together to come up with a replacement. Our solution: zucchini.
That settled, we hit up the grocery store and purchased all the necessary items, including RP’s Fresh Gluten-Free Fettuccine noodles. I fell in love with RP’s fresh gluten-free pasta very recently and no other pasta would do for Christmas. With the ingredients purchased…we were ready to start cooking up a variation of this vegan pasta dish for Christmas. And we did just that on Christmas morning…and finished up in enough time to pack up everything and head to my sister’s house.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Zucchini Fettuccine in a Vegan Cream Sauce
Gluten-Free Zucchini Fettuccine in a Vegan Cream Sauce
16 ounces, brown rice fettuccine style pasta (I used RP’s Gluten Free Fettuccine)
3-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick cinnamon or 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
10 ounces zucchini, chopped
3 finely diced carrots
3/4 cup white wine
1-1/2 cups full fat coconut milk
1 cup (salted) vegetable broth
2 tablespoons superfine brown rice flour
Chopped chives for garnish
Salt to taste
Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Douse pasta with 3 tablespoons olive oil and then add sea salt.
In large pan, combine leeks, thyme, garlic, cinnamon, zucchini, and carrots with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and sauté until golden on edges. Add the white wine and cook over medium low heat until much of the liquid has dissolved. Stir in coconut milk and vegetable broth and let cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching.
Whisk in 2 tablespoons superfine brown rice flour and let cook until thickened, stirring often with a spoon, about 7 minutes. Combine with pasta and salt to taste, if needed. Top with fresh chives before serving.
~*~*~
The pasta was quite a popular dish at Christmas dinner. No one even knew it was vegan and gluten-free…except for the fact that I could eat it. LOVE that. And everyone tried it…and loved it. Let me tell you…the item that really makes this dish pop is that addition of cinnamon. It was amazing. I can’t wait to make this again.
Go ahead and try it. And if you love mushrooms like me…go ahead and keep the maitake mushrooms. When I make this at home for myself and my roommate…I’ll do it with the mushrooms. Mmmm…I kind of want this for dinner this week now…
I started off with the original. Just a touch of sea salt and I had in my possession a snack chip made from rice flour and adzuki beans. Yes…you read that right…adzuki beans. And what did I make of these? That they were phenomenal. Like…better tasting Doritos. And much healthier option at that than what preservatives and unnatural ingredients go into Doritos.
So, this time I was quite excited to dive into the bag of Boulder Canyon’s Rice and Adzuki Bean Chipotle Cheese flavored chips. I mean…a little extra spice is always. Combine it with the addition of cheese…and yeah…it’s winning.
That being said, after I scooped up a serving of these chips to haul to the office with me, I couldn’t wait to dive into them and really test them out. I mean, the original flavor had been mind-blowing delicious…so these had to be yummy-amazing right?
ABSOLUTELY!
That afternoon, when my 3:00 snack time rolled around, I pulled out my container which had a 1 ounce serving (or around 20 chips), and took up my first chip. One bite…and I was even happier with these than I was the original. Oddly enough, the fact that these tasted more like Cool Ranch Doritos (despite having cheese in them) was amazing. Cool Ranch was always my favorite. I was hooked. Love at first bite.
The texture and flavor with each of these was fantastic. And one serving only set me back 140 calories and 7 grams of fat. Not too shabby for a snack trip. In addition, with the inclusion of adzuki beans in the ingredients, these chips give 2 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. I loved these and was quite sad when I got down to the bottom of my serving and had no more to nosh on.
Would I buy these again? In a heartbeat. Without a moment of hesitation. YUM YUM YUMMY!
Looking for a healthier option for a snack chip, I would definitely direct you to find Boulder Canyon’s Rice and Adzuki Bean Chipotle Cheese snack chips. I promise…these are not just a healthier snack chip option…but delicious too.
Well…about this time last year I set what I thought was a lofty goal for 2012…to run 500 miles. And I had that in the books by the middle of the year. I had a silent goal to, perhaps, make 1200 miles in 2012, but with the injury that took me out of running for 2 weeks, it doesn’t look like I’ll make it. I’ll be off by…just under 100 miles. It kind of makes me sad, but it sure did make setting a goal for 2013 easier than anticipated.
And here it is:
In 2013, I intend to run 1300 miles.
There…I said it…and all of you are witnesses.
I think this is a little lofty…but I am hopefully going to be training for my first marathon…so mileage will be increasing at the start of the year when I put my training program into my phone and begin really looking ahead to the goal of going 26.2 miles this year. I am nervous…and excited all at once. And I love it.
I am also setting another goal…and that is to run 2013 injury free. This one may or may not come into fruition. I mean, accidents happen. Injuries happen. But I’m going to really focus on being a healthier, better runner. I’m going to make better choices when it comes to my runs and really listen to my body. I want to make this racing season a great one, with no DNS’ (Did Not Start) statuses and I hope to maintain my record of never having a DNF (Did Not Finish).
When all is said and done…goals are good to set…but the key to my running successes…the reason I can do this in brutal heat and bone-chilling cold…is that I truly love it. So, above all else, I hope that 2013 teaches me how to love this sport even more than I do. I have a good feeling that this is going to be a good year.
Me crossing the finish line of the Santa Hustle Half Marathon – Indianapolis, Indiana
Race: Santa Hustle Half Marathon
Place: Indianapolis, IN
Date: December 16, 2012
Time:1:47:48
Oh…yes. You totally read that time right. And let me tell you…my finish at that time was as much a shock to me as it may be to you reading this. Because…let’s face it. When it comes to long distances I am not fast…but I can (under good conditions) normally endure and still have some kick at the end. So finishing a sub-1:50:00 half marathon was a huge freakin’ deal for me.
But I am once again getting ahead of myself. It is always best to start at the beginning.
And that, my dearest friends, starts on Saturday…the day before the race.
It was going to be one busy day, I figured. I woke up that morning and did an easy 1 mile run down and back from my apartment. Why did I run the day before a race? Normally I wouldn’t have…but I’m doing this Runner’s World Run Streak thing where I run at last a mile every day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. And I haven’t broken the streak yet. I wasn’t going to let my taper be the death of it. So I promised only 1 mile (normally I say that’s not worth lacing up shoes for and push out 2 miles…but not on race weekend) and took it easy on my legs.
With that done, I came home, changed, and packed up my run bag and my duffle for an overnight stay and then worked on putting everything into my running bag. Now…here was the thing. I wasn’t exactly sure how to even pack for this freakin’ half marathon. And here’s why…
The weather was awesome that weekend. A little chill in the air due to a strong wind, but not too bad for mid-December. And the Weather Channel was predicting clear skies the morning of the race…with a high of 54 degrees that day. That’s relatively warm for a December morning, yes? The only hitch…was going to be the strong 14+ mph winds on race morning. Hmmm…
I decided winter compression tights weren’t needed and left them behind. I was going to be receiving a shirt to wear during the run itself. So…the big question mark was what I was going to wear on my lower half. I packed a few options…my capris and two running skirts. As I had been having a little bit of an issue as of late with a very sore and tight left calf muscle, Friday night I ventured over to one of the local running stores and was sized for, and purchased, my first pair of compression socks.
Normally it’s not a good idea to try out new items of clothing on a race, particularly a long one like a half marathon…but I didn’t really have a choice this time. It was going to happen. So, the compression socks were packed, along with my other normal running socks in case I put the compression ones on and hated them. You never know! I packed my GU pack and some Sports Beans, my water bottle, and a headband for the race. Made sure my shoes were ready. And my roommate and I packed up the car and headed to Indianapolis.
From experience, we have learned the value of staying in the city the night before a big race. While Indianapolis is only a 2 hour drive, this saved a 4 a.m. wake-up to drive from our home to the race, find parking, and get totally stressed out (and perhaps show up late) as is what happened the year prior to this one when I was running in the Santa Hustle 5K in Indianapolis (the half marathon was added this year!). So, we decided to splurge and stay at the host hotel…the J.W. Marriott. The deal runners were offered on rooms couldn’t be beat. Besides, I’m a Marriott Rewards Member…might as well use it.
So, we made the easy drive this year the day before and checked into the hotel. Our room was awesome. We were on the 15th floor and were overlooking White River State Park, which just happened to be the start and finish point for the half marathon the following morning. Awesome. A room with a view. And what a beautiful view it was too. We hauled our bags up to the room and settled in briefly before heading back out to hit up the expo, which was actually at the J.W. Marriott in one of their expo spaces.
I have to say…as of late I have been quite disappointed with the race expos that I’ve been hitting up prior to half marathons. There has been next to nothing at quite a few of the last race expos that I’ve hit. Suck. Well, this one had to be one of the smallest (the Louisville Sports Commission being the absolute worst this year) with only a few vendors and races in attendance trying to vie for our dollars and our participation. So, it took me under 5 minutes to walk in, get my race packet and head out. With this being a race run in various cities, I sort of expected a little more…so I was disappointed.
I left with my packet, my tech shirt, and all of my money, and headed back up to the room. We were supposed to meet up for my traditional gluten-free pizza pre-race meal at Harry & Izzy’s with our friend Greg…but we still had plenty of time before that happened. So, we decided to hit the streets and do some shopping. Cathy and I hit up Hard Rock Café for a new pin for my collection. We then went over to Monument Circle and checked out the Civil War exhibit that was free to the public. That was pretty cool. And then we still had hours to kill, so we went to the mall and walked around some before deciding it would be okay just to go hang out in the room. It was getting a little chilly out and relaxing sounded like a good idea. I was supposed to be resting my legs…and here I was using them for all I was worth.
That’s typical me.
We did receive a call from Greg saying he was going to head to Harry & Izzy’s…so we headed out ourselves. Got to the restaurant, got seated (after about 4 attempts prior to that with tables not being ready as we were there between the lunch and dinner turnover). With a table now provided, we were handed menus and left to wait for Greg. He showed up soon after and before we knew it…we were feasting on delicious food, having great conversation, talking about plans…and even enjoying dessert. My gluten-free pizza, in case you were wondering, was topped with caramelized onion and mushroom…and it was delicious. I followed it up with lemon sorbet. Mmmmm.
We said our goodbyes and Greg, who was heading out of town the following morning, wished me luck on the race. We departed back to the hotel where we watched a couple of cooking shows and I got my clothes out for the next morning…opting for capris…although I would continue to go back and forth on that even the following morning. We turned in at a decent time…and I had a rather good sleep, only waking up a couple times to check the clock. Finally, with only an hour before my alarm was set to go off, I got up and went ahead and got changed into my racing clothes. With the wind still a factor, I chose the capris still, then climbed back into bed to just rest until the alarm went off.
When it did, Cathy was up to get ready and I was getting us the first part of our morning breakfast that day. I had Corn Chex with me and Cathy had a granola bar. We ate those and lazed about in the hotel, watching the Weather Channel. I also made sure Cathy taped up my feet as my podiatrist had shown her. I wasn’t about to run 13.1 miles without my feet properly supported. I think he would have had a conniption. With that done…I looked at the temperatures again…looked at the capris…really thought about putting on a running skirt…then decided, once again, that the wind would be chilly so capris would be the way to go. That decision made, I began to slip into my compression socks for the very first time.
Now fully suited up…and with an hour to go to race time, I ate my banana, strapped on my fuel belt with my water and my GU pack and Sports Beans, and down to White River State Park we went. It was a brisk morning due to the wind, but not bad temperature-wise. And the walk made for a great warmup. That being said, the first thing Cathy and I noticed when we set foot on the bricks at White River State Park was how slippery they were. Super slippery. We made our way over the bridge and to the pace corral that I was choosing to run in, which this time was an 8 minute mile. Ambitious, perhaps…but that’s where I put myself. It was still rather sparse as far as runners go, but it was still at least 30 minutes before go time.
I did some stretches in the corral area, getting a kick out of some of the 5K runner/walker outfits. There was a guy dressed up as Santa pushing a cart that was done up to look like a chimney. Which…is awesome. And one couple made their jog stroller up to look like a sleigh. Some people get really creative. I did notice, however, that many of the serious half marathoners opted out of the Santa tech shirt and were just in regular running gear. It’s too bad…because these are the people who did come in first and it would have been nice to have the winners in the official race shirt. I mean, they don’t require you to wear the shirt, hat and beard, but at least wear the shirt. It’s all in the name of fun. I mean…this is the Santa Hustle after all.
With race time getting close, the announcer, a local Indianapolis DJ began going over some course information. At one point he said that there was only one water station between Mile 7 & Mile 8…but he meant GU station. And…he pronounced it G-U instead of like “goo.” We runners all laughed and said, “He’s not a runner.” It was funny. With all the safety precautions out of the way, they moved the corrals up…and we were getting prepped to head on out. And just as quickly as we had moved up…we were sent on our way…at exactly 9:00 a.m. How’s that for timing?
I took the first part of the race easy as far as getting out of the park. The bricks were very slick and the last thing I wanted to do was take a header into the pavement. Either way you slice it…that doesn’t sound like fun. And to be injured so early in a race would not due for me. Nope, nope, nope. So…I ran with my head here…meaning I took an easier pace…made sure my footing was sure…and once I hit the asphalt of West New York Street, I was free to pace myself as I pleased. Mile 1 was just ahead at that point and I was right in line with a runner who was definitely trying too hard too soon. His arms were swinging hard and he was just pushing with all his might. I wanted to say, “Dude…it’s only the first mile…chill!” But, I just ran my race.
By Mile 2 however, I was cursing my decision to wear capris. I warm up…fast. And now I was burning up in my long sleeve tech shirt, my compression socks and my capri pants. In fact, every bit of skin, save my face and my hands was completely covered. And it was in the mid-50s out as far as temperature went. I ran in races in much cooler temps in running skirts and short sleeve shirts (or even a singlet at one) and here I am covered head-to-toe. I should have known better. Yeah…I wasn’t happy. As I came into Mile 3, the sun was coming up and I knew we were going to warm up. I pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes and just did what I came to do…run.
The first half of the course was fairly simple and relatively flat. There were a few small inclines, but nothing more than running over a bridge or the like. I didn’t stop at the water stations as I had my own water and often had to remind myself to drink it. The first candy stop on this race (the Santa Hustle Race Series offers candy and cookie stops in addition to water stops) showed up between Mile 4 and 5 and I ignored it. Running is no time for candy…and I wasn’t sure I could eat it anyway. Nor would I want to eat candy with so many miles still ahead of me. I think a lot of runners were bypassing the candy, actually. I mean…when you’re going 13.1 miles…chocolate might not sit right and why take the risk of not finishing due to a candy stop? Not this girl. Nope.
I made my usual internal marking of the halfway point as I ran through 6.55 miles. I normally do this just so I know that I’m halfway there. I’m doing good. I’m getting there. As I came into Mile 7, there was a Cookie Stop, which I again ignored and kept on going. The GU station was also here. I thought about grabbing some GU, but I had yet to even touch the one pack that I had on me. I need to get better about fueling on the run. I tend to ignore it because I feel good…and I wonder how much better I might do if I actually fueled properly. And with my goal to run a marathon next year coming, I need to seriously work on that. I might be able to run a half marathon on cereal and a banana…but a marathon…I’m thinking…NO! Anyway, I passed it up and here was where the race sort of merged with a bike race that was going on. I’m not kidding.
There was a race official that directed runners to stay to the right and as we are running toward this massive hill (and probably the only massive hill in Indianapolis), bikes come zipping up past us on the other side of the dividing tape. Bikers hop off their bikes to run up this muddy incline as we runners take the road, around the bend, and up…up…up. Oh. My. God. Having a hill like this so late in the race is just plain evil. But…I crested it. Got a comment about my determination from the officer blocking the road at the top, which made me smile…and away I went. Not downhill. Not really. Minor. Nothing compared to the incline I just climbed. But, it wasn’t up…so that was nice. Just past Mile 8 a child was sitting on the ground and his dad was there. The boy was clutching at his leg, so I think he may have stumbled. The dad was on his cell phone, probably trying to get one of the ambulances on the course to head that way. They seemed to have the situation managed…so I kept on going.
The next couple of miles felt relatively easy. At Mile 10 I told myself all I had left was a 5K, and only then did I glance at my watch. I was making good time. Really, REALLY good time. Like…better than the Hershey Half Marathon time. If I could at least maintain my pace…I could possibly set a new PR for a half marathon. So…I pushed on, passing up another of the candy stops and making my way back toward White River State Park. The run was starting to feel harder now…I think the hill took a lot out of my legs. But…onward ever onward. Just after Mile 11, I was back in White River State Park, making my way down the sidewalks and into the last couple of miles. And here was where some issues cropped up. I noticed I was passing quite a few people who were walking. I glanced quickly as I passed and noted they were wearing the red bib numbers of the 5K runners/walkers. So, here we have half marathoners coming in at the same time as the 5K walkers. YIKES!
I dodged who I could on the narrow paths and started into my final mile. The last cookie stop was easily passed up. I was tasting the finish line now. As long as I could get through the obstacles of walkers, who would spread out across the entire path, making it hard for the half marathoners running for time to get through and pass, I was doing good. I did the best I could in the space I was offered. I even high-fived a little girl who held up her hand, and I rarely do that. But…this was all about having some fun and I was in my last mile!
I started over the bridge at White River State Park, seeing the race photographers and flashing a peace sign and a smile. Then, onward because I now knew just how close the finish line was. I wasn’t sure Cathy would be able to spot me in the runners/walkers coming in, but she did. She was waving my sign and shouting at me as I dodged some more 5K walkers and crossed that finish line. I had noted the time when I crossed and when I paused my Garmin, I had to look again. I was a good 3 minutes under my previous half marathon PR. REALLY? Because this race felt a lot more difficult than Hershey. But…that’s what it said. I received my Finisher’s Medal and began looking for my roomie in the throng of people at the finish.
Me celebrating my new PR at the Santa Hustle Half Marathon – Indianapolis, Indiana
Cathy came running over…”WAS THAT 13.1? WAS THAT 13.1?” I showed her my Garmin to indicate that it truly was. And we both just screamed. I made my way through the recovery area, picked up some water and a banana, and went to get my finisher’s photo taken. Then…I found Cathy…got a hug…and was handed my protein shake. I downed it and began the walk back to the J.W. Marriott so that I could hit up the shower, pack up, and head out to lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise, where I would get a delicious gluten-free veggie burger of some sort. I couldn’t wait.
The official results of the Santa Hustle Half Marathon are that I finished in 1:47:48, a brand new PR for a half marathon. That is how you end a racing season, my friends! YAY! I was 138/941 finishers overall. I was shocked to find out that I also placed THIRD (3/76) in my division. I placed in a division at a half marathon!! I was so excited and pleased. Of course, by the time I figured this out I was already done eating lunch and the race had packed up. I drove back to the park though, just in case. The volunteers with the race were still there packing up, but said that the post-race stuff was already loaded up, but that they would mail me my award. I was okay with that.
And so…there is a crazy year or running races in the books. And I went out on a very high note. Nothing like rounding up a year of racing with a new PR on a half marathon. That being said, I did e-mail the race organizers about the problems with the finish and the half marathon runners and 5K walkers coming in around the same time. So, maybe that is something they can improve on next year. For now, I’m still smiling about this finish. Awesome!
My next half marathon is in February…and I’m already training hard for it.
Product: The Swiss Colony Gluten-Free Chocoláno Cookies – $19.95
It was a huge surprise to me one day when I received an additional Swiss Colony catalog in the mail. Now, I used to order Swiss Colony stuff all the time. From cheeses to chocolates, they are one of the best go-to resources for tasty treats for loved ones and friends…or even for yourself. When the gluten intolerance happened, however…I had to bid adieu to Swiss Colony…at least for myself. And then…I received a little sunshine in the mail when a sugar-free and gluten-free catalog showed up.
Now, they didn’t have everything listed in the gluten-free portion of the catalog. Nope. They actually had listed the cheesecakes, which, while they look fantastic…were definitely overpriced. Yikes.
I mean, I’m used to paying a pretty penny for gluten-free goodies, but a $50 cheesecake is not what I’d like to spend my money on. I’m sure they are delicious and really, really good…but…alas…I do live in a budget.
Well, as I normally do at the holiday time, I was surfing through Swiss Colony’s Web site for a couple of purchases for friends and family members. And I came across their gluten-free section on there. I figured I’d give it another look. The cheesecakes were there…and some of the 123 Gluten-Free box mixes you can find at stores for a variety of baking needs. And then there were cookies…and brownies…ooooh…
I sent the link over to my roomie to take a look. And she immediately goes, “Are those gluten-free Milano cookies?”
Sure enough, there on the page were what Swiss Colony was billing as Gluten-Free Chocoláno Cookies…and they definitely resembled the infamous Milano cookies I used to be able to eat. As it was the holiday season, it was definitely time to treat myself, so I ordered some of the Chocoláno Cookies and hoped for the best.
Well, yesterday they arrived. Just in time too, because I needed something new for dessert in the apartment. These would be perfect. Well, I tore into the box at the office and was actually pleasantly surprised by how many were in the container. I was expecting a small box…as that’s normally what happens. But this came in one that said there were 16 servings (although I think there are more than 16 cookies in there). It was a very welcome surprise. I was just getting giddy thinking about diving into these after I ate my dinner and before I got to work on some gluten-free vegan baking that needed to be done.
Well, dessert time came and I opened up the plastic container and pulled out two cookies. One for myself…one for my roommate. She was the first to take a bite. I asked what she thought and she said…”Is good.” Which I never really know if that means it is good or…eh…I’ve had better. So, I took my own taste to decide for myself.
At first bite…they hardly taste like anything. I can definitely taste the rice flour in the cookies. And they do have that buttery lightness to them, which I love. The chocolate cream in the middle, however, is awesome. It really kicks the cookie up a notch. And then, once you finish that bite…that flavor lingers and…that’s when that Milano cookie flavor hits. It was very reminiscent of the cookies I used to enjoy. The thing was, that flavor didn’t hit until the very end. It was bizarre. But…all-in-all…a delicious cookie in the end.
The serving size is one cookie…and like I said, there are definitely more than 16 cookies in that container. They are tasty, sweet, and won’t fill you up. I love that about them. In addition, they only have 100 calories per cookie, which isn’t bad for something cream-filled. The outer cookies have a great crunch to them, yet still are smooth and soft. And the cream will definitely win you over. As with everything chocolate that Swiss Colony does…the chocolate is sublime.
I really want to congratulate Swiss Colony on adding a selection of gluten-free treats to their growing catalog. It definitely made my holidays a little merrier…and much tastier.
If you miss Milano cookies…these are definitely worth a try. They aren’t exact…but…wow…if they aren’t close.
I’m going to be the first to admit it. When I pulled out this box from the pantry to take to work with me as my lunch today, I was more than a little nervous about it. At first, I thought nothing of it. But the more I looked at the box, the more I thought this spontaneous gluten-free sale item might have not been the wisest choice while out grocery shopping. And the only reason I think that is that it sort of makes a reference to grits. And I do not like grits.
So…yeah…wasn’t too sure about this one.
But that’s what happens when I get caught up in the moment of a great gluten-free sale. When items get marked down or put on closeout, I snatch them up as fast as I can. Sometimes I think twice about them…but not this time. My local grocery store was having a closeout on their entire gluten-free section. And that made me think that they were getting rid of it. Thankfully, they didn’t…they were going to expand it and were moving things off the shelf. But…it put the fear of a gluten-free-less pantry into my head and I just started grabbing whatever was marked down on closeout and throwing it in my cart.
Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal was one such item. And today…was the moment of truth…
It wasn’t…horrible. It wasn’t what I was used to either. And I think that might have been part of the problem. The texture was actually nothing like grits…more like oatmeal. I’m okay with that. I always eat oatmeal for lunch. In fact, I was so concerned with the texture that I caramelized some apples up this morning to reheat and add to the cereal…and that’s what I did when lunch time hit. I settled in at my desk at work with a hot, steaming bowl of the Gluten Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal and took a bite.
It wasn’t sweet at all…and that was what I missed. While I’m not a fan of loading things down with sugar, even with the caramelized apples it was just bland. I went to add some sugar to it…and it was just not a good idea. It actually made the flavor a bit worse. So, I stuck it out, figuring tomorrow I’d try again, maybe with different fruits and some brown sugar or maple syrup to sweeten it. It wasn’t horrible…it just needs some additional work to get it to where I like it.
So, I’ll try it again tomorrow…with different fruit and something to sweeten it up. It was the texture I had been worried about originally…but that wasn’t the problem with this one. It was the flavor, or lack thereof, despite my attempts to make it taste a little sweeter through the use of fruit and additional sweetener.
I guess only time will tell when I give this another shot with a different fruit and a different sweetener. All in all…not bad…but not my favorite. It’s…edible at least.
Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Buckwheat Creamy Hot Cereal (with caramelized apples)
Angie’s Artisan Treats Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt Holidrizzle Kettle Corn
Product: Angie’s Artisan Treats Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt Holidrizzle Kettle Corn – $4.99+
Okay…it doesn’t get much better than this:
Popcorn.
Dark chocolate.
Salt.
What this provides is this amazing salty-sweet blend that is one of my favorite tastes ever. I guess that’s why I love chocolate covered (gluten-free) pretzels so much. Salty-sweet is my favorite thing because it honestly is the best of both worlds. Why choose when you can have both?
I had never heard of Angie’s Artisan Treats until my friend Shana posted a picture of the bag of Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt Holidrizzle Kettle Corn on Facebook. I was immediately intrigued. In fact, I was immediately craving. I asked her one simple question – is it gluten-free? Her response: YES! And she said she found it at Target, so when I was at Target a couple days later…I hunted and found it on the end cap. I grabbed the last two bags.
And then…the time just never seemed right to open it up. I mean…who really needs to make time for dark chocolate drizzled popcorn? But I have an air popper and that’s usually what I do for popcorn at night. Until last night…when I spent a majority of the evening baking up requested Triple Chocolate Mint Truffle Blossom cookies for my roommate (per her request) and had no counter space in order to set up the air popper. Her suggestion: why not eat the popcorn we bought at Target?
Brilliant!!
So, that evening, I dished up 1-2/3 cup of popcorn for each of us (yes…I do actually measure this out!) and served it up with our nightly cup of tea. As I settled in for the evening, I picked up one piece of popcorn, perfectly drizzled with dark chocolate, and took my first bite.
OH. MY. GOD.
If heaven was made of popcorn, then it would surely taste like this. So delicious. I love the sweetness of the dark chocolate and how it plays with the soft texture and the saltiness of the popcorn. It doesn’t feel heavy at all. In fact, the entire snack seems very light as you eat it. And yeah…it’s pretty damn amazing.
Angie’s Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt Holidrizzle Kettle Corn only has 13o calories per serving and will set you back 6 grams of fat. That isn’t too bad. These are all natural, gluten-free, contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. No artificial sweeteners are used in this popcorn either. This snack is a great source of whole grains and is non-GMO!
The best part is…it is super delicious…perfect for a snack to satisfy every craving and flavor you might have. I am so glad my friend Shana posted this on Facebook or I might have gone the rest of my life without this snack in my life.
Dark chocolate sea salt popcorn…how sweet it is!!
Angie’s Artisan Treats Dark Chocolatier Sea Salt Holidrizzle Kettle Corn
The Celiathlete 