Who says being a gluten-free vegetarian is boring? When you can cook up something as amazing as a cheesesteak sandwich, without even touching any meat…now that’s awesome. And it is possible. And thanks to my stock of gluten-free breads in my freezer, I happened to have gluten-free sub buns at my disposal. And, thanks to my CSA bin, I had all the vegetables already in my home.
Thanks to the wonder that is Pinterest, I stumbled across this recipe and knew, immediately, that I had to make it. As previously stated, I had every ingredient necessary to make it happen. But…I had a few days of using things up and a holiday dinner that had to come first. Thus…this recipe didn’t get made until last night. But, wow…was I ever happy I went ahead, trusted Pinterest, and made it.
The recipe comes from a vegetarian food blog called Oh My Veggies. The original recipe is for four sandwiches, but I had only 2 sub buns and it was just my roommate and I eating…so why make the extra? I just cut it in half. But this is the amazing recipe for you to try as well. Trust me, the meaty portabello mushrooms will make you not even miss the lack of meat in this sandwich.
8 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese (I used Veggie Slices Provolone Flavored vegan cheese)
4 sub rolls, sliced lengthwise (don’t completely cut the top from the bottom, though!) (I used Tina’s Sweet Treats Gluten-Free Sub Buns)
Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes, or until softened and browned. Add wine and increase heat to high. Cook until liquid has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Carefully wipe skillet clean. Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add green pepper and onions; cook until softened, about 5-8 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Return mushrooms to skillet and stir to combine. Top vegetable mixture with cheese slices. Once cheese has melted, remove from heat.
Divide veggie mixture into sub rolls. Wrap each cheesesteak tightly with foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and unwrap carefully.
ENJOY!
~*~*~
Loved these! Absolutely LOVED these from first bite to last. My roommate thought some sort of sauce on them might be good next time. I could see what I could come up with. I loved the way the portabello mushroom cap perfectly mimicked the meat that would normally go inside this sandwich. It was seasoned perfectly, the vegetables were tender and flavorful, and the cheese just sort of topped it all off. All of it melted to perfection inside the gluten-free bun that I used.
I would totally make this again in a heartbeat. Beyond impressed with how delicious and amazing this meal was. If you love a good, hearty sandwich…I totally recommend making these. Totally delicious.
Product: Tina’s Sweet Treats Gluten-Free Sub Buns (2 buns per package) – $5.49
I love Ohio for numerous reasons. One of my best friend’s lives there. Countless other friends live scattered throughout the state. And near the Dayton, Ohio area, I stumbled across a great little grocery store called Dorothy Lane Market. What I found inside made me eager to go back. And though I have yet to do so, the bounty of gluten-free products I purchased the one time I stopped in lives on, thanks to my freezer.
Well, I was surfing Pinterest the other day (shock!) and I ran across a recipe for Portobello Mushroom Cheesesteak Sandwiches. They needed sub sandwich rolls. And…I just happened to have a pair of gluten-free sub sandwich rolls in my freezer thanks to my random stop in at Dorothy Lane Market. If you have never been to Dorothy Lane Market, by the way, and you happen to be going through Ohio…stop. Go. Shop. They have an incredible selection of gluten-free items…including baked goods from local bakeries…and a knowledgeable staff in the gluten-free aisle. I was beyond impressed and ended up stocking up on quite a few things I knew I couldn’t get anywhere else.
And…one such item was Sub Buns from Tina’s Sweet Treats, a gluten-free bakery in Franklin, Ohio. Dorothy Lane Market provides customers with a variety of different items from local businesses that are dedicated gluten-free. I was intrigued. And these really caught my eye. Normally when I make sub sandwiches I use the Schär Sub Sandwich Rolls that are parbaked and just need a toasting in the oven. And I love those. But here was a chance to try something “fresh” and homemade. Not in a facility…but from a bakery. I was truly excited about this.
Well, after the initial purchase, all the fresh baked items found a spot in my freezer. I really had no reason to use them…until a recipe showed up on my Pinterest feed. Knowing that I had every ingredient (including the sub rolls) in my pantry or fridge (thank you CSA bin), I knew these buns were coming out and this recipe was going to get made.
Tina’s Sweet Treats Gluten-Free Sub Bun
When I purchased these rolls, I failed to realize just how massive they were. You are definitely getting your money’s worth, that’s for sure. These rolls are about 2 Schär sub sandwich rolls put together. I sliced each ginormous bun in half, loving how the bread would flake away. Ah, I do love homemade, fresh items. I noticed there was some spring in the texture, which meant it wouldn’t be dry. I approved. So, after cutting both of the dino-sized buns in half, I finished sauteing up my mushrooms, onions, and green peppers, topped them off with vegan provolone cheese, and allowed it to melt. Then, onto the sub sandwich buns the filling went. I wrapped each sandwich in tin foil and placed them on a baking sheet in a warm oven for about 15 minutes.
At the end of the warming period, I removed the sub sandwiches, now toasted all the way through, and unwrapped them. Plating was easy. The bread didn’t fall apart. Nor did it get mushy from any residual juices from the sliced portobello mushroom cap that I sauteed. I was impressed! Really. But the real test was coming up. I needed to find out how these tasted. My roommate was already digging into hers when I settled in, and I asked what she thought. She said they were definitely heavier than the Schär Sub Sandwich Rolls, but that it was good.
So, it was my turn now. One bite. And I was immediately reminded of the sort of flaky gluten-free hamburger bun I get at Cheeseburger in Paradise. That’s exactly what the flavor and texture reminded me of. You could tell it was made in a bakery though. The flavors that each bite imparted was enough to prove that. According to Tina’s Sweet Treats’ Web site, the ingredients that go into these sub buns are rice flour, tapioca flour, egg whites, butter, yeast, xanthan gum, apple cider vinegar, and salt. That’s it. And what emerges, whether toasted in the oven or heated in the microwave is a soft, delicious bun that is flaky and soft and perfect to stuff full of whatever ingredients you crave.
I was very impressed by Tina’s Sweet Treats. My roommate actually prefers the Schär rolls over the bakery’s version of a sub roll. But I could go for either. These buns were very filling, but very good and worked well with the sandwich I created. I would totally try other products from Tina’s Sweet Treats, and hope to next time I stop into a Dorothy Lane Market in Ohio. I was quite happy with the taste, texture, and the way the subs held up to the fillings, and the baking in the oven.
Do your sub sandwiches with something fresh and something tasty. Check out Tina’s Sweet Treats. And if you can’t get to Ohio…they do ship.
Portobello Mushroom Cheesesteak Sandwich made using Tina’s Sweet Treats Gluten-Free Sub Buns
For awhile, I never thought I’d ever enjoy a donut hole again…unless I made them myself, and trust me…donut making is a lot of tedious work. In fact, I bake my donuts in a donut pan. So, there never really is a donut hole. So, therefore, I never thought I’d enjoy another donut hole again. It was one of those things you don’t realize how much you enjoyed eating them…until you no longer can just run to the store or bakery and just buy some.
And then, Katz Gluten Free introduced their line of donut holes. Two flavors – powdered and cinnamon.
I already devoured my container of cinnamon donuts…leaving me with the package of powdered donut holes, which came free with a special offer order that I placed. Katz Gluten Free was kind enough to make sure I had the powdered donut holes in my order as I had previously ordered the cinnamon ones…and I really wanted to try the other kind. What great customer service from a great company! I was impressed.
Well, I haven’t really had a moment to do my scone baking for gym day this week, so I was looking for something that would work. Lo and behold, my freezer held the key to my problem – Katz Gluten Free Powdered Donut Holes. I’d just pair them with a fruit (in this case, naval oranges) and my roomie and I were set after a hard, long cardio workout for a treat for breakfast.
Yesterday was the moment of truth when it came to the Powdered Donut Holes. I got out of the gym and trudged to the office. I simply placed four donut holes onto a plate and gave them a 10 second heat up in the microwave. Serving it with naval orange slices just sort of made it so that I was eating more than just 4 little donut holes.
I brought my roommate hers first. She doesn’t have to eat gluten-free, but she does because I am the cook in the apartment. So I always love to get her take on products. Her favorite gluten-free donuts are Katz Powdered Donuts, so it came as no surprise that she literally devoured the donut holes.
And who doesn’t love donut holes? I do. Let me tell you…the Powdered Sugar Donut Holes from Katz Gluten Free are the best I have had. I know some reviewers have said that they didn’t have enough sugar on them, but I totally disagree. They taste like bite-size versions of the Katz Powdered Sugar Donuts…and is a good and delicious thing. The texture is awesome. It has the right amount of cakey feel to it, without getting too sweet with the dusting of sugar. I loved it. From the first one I popped to the last. I have another round for my roomie and I in the freezer for tomorrow’s after the gym breakfast and I can’t be happier about that. They are fantastic. It would honestly be difficult not to just sit and devour the entire container. This is why I keep them frozen, thaw out the serving as needed, and then give a little warm up to them to give the illusion that they are fresh baked. It works.
It works deliciously well.
I don’t know the particulars of the nutrition information on these. It looks like the label is that of the powdered donuts…so my best guess is that 4 donuts holes (or about 1 ounce) would provide you with 150 calories. That’s awesome. And they really are some of the best donuts I have ever tasted. Yes…EVER. Back before I even had to eat gluten-free.
If that’s not enough of an endorsement for you, I encourage you to hop over to the Katz Gluten Free site and order yourself some of their delectable, delicious donuts. You won’t be sorry.
Now that my stash is almost gone…looks like it’s time for me to place yet another order.
Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta
Product: Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta – $2.99
I was having a minor crisis last night.
For real.
You see, it’s the holidays and every year my adoptive family (aka: my roomie’s family) comes over to the apartment where I prepare a gluten-free meal of some sort and we sit, talk, eat, and eventually I open Christmas gifts from them before I head home to see my family for the holidays. It’s a nice little tradition. Last year, I cooked up a Gluten-Free Tagliatelle with Truffle Butter Sauce. It was a hit. So, I decided to keep with the gluten-free pasta, as most people can’t tell it’s gluten-free…and go from there.
The only difference was that this year this was all happening on a Monday night. This meant that I didn’t have the kind of time to do something fancy and different. So…spaghetti it was. Kind of.
Remember that crisis I spoke about at the top there. Well…this is what it came down to. I thought I had some Gluten-Free Corn Fusilli from Trader Joe’s in my pantry. After all, it was on my pantry list. But…apparently I had used it and didn’t mark it off. Which is not good. I started hunting through the other pastas in my pantry, but none of them would feed around 6 people. I was in full-blown panic mode because I had homemade gluten-free garlic (and cheesy) toasts to cook up in the oven, sauce to do, and I didn’t have a main course.
Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta (cooked)
So…my roommate put on her super-roomie cape and went out to the grocery store to see what she could get for me. She returned a phone call and a few minutes later with the answer to my prayers – Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Corn Pasta Tubetti Rigati.
That’s a mouthful, yes?
Well, it wasn’t my first choice, but I threw it in the pot of boiling water as soon as she walked it into the kitchen and let it cook up, hoping that it would at least be appetizing.
Wasn’t I truly surprised when it finished cooking (it did take longer than the 8-10 minutes advertised on the package, but…this is what we do to hit that perfect al dente, yes?) and I turned it out into the strainer. None of the noodles were flaking or turning to mush. They were a vibrant yellow color (due to being made of corn) and seemed so sturdy, yet soft. I drained the noodles and poured them back into the pot, added the sauce I was warming on the stove to it and gave it a good mix. Once again, the noodles held together without falling into pieces. I was impressed.
I dished up servings for everyone and placed the homemade gluten-free garlic and cheesy toasts on a plate for all to help themselves to. The bowls of pasta were passed out, I joined everyone in the living room, and dinner was officially served.
Tubetti Rigati pasta is small tubular pasta, sort of like macaroni noodles, but without being curved into elbow shapes. Most often it is used in soups, but I wanted to do something other than elbow noodles with pasta sauce on it. That just seemed…wrong…for some reason! What I loved about the Sam Mills Tubetti Rigati was that the sauce would fill the little tubes of pasta and it would be this flavorful bite each time. I actually quite enjoyed the flavor and texture of this corn pasta.
What is even better is the price. Sam Mills pasta is one of the least expensive gluten-free pastas on the market. But don’t be fooled into thinking that the quality suffers because of it. This pasta ranks right up there with my go-to of Trader Joe’s gluten-free corn pastas. It was just really good. No one could tell it was gluten-free…or corn-based for that matter. LOVE that.
Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta is a budget-friendly, high quality choice when it comes to gluten-free pasta. Honestly, I was quite impressed with it. And I would definitely buy it again in a heartbeat.
A serving of Sam Mills Pasta D’oro Gluten-Free Tubetti Rigati Corn Pasta (cooked and sauced)
The Silver Palate San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
Product: The Silver Palate San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce – $5.99+
I blame the Manager’s Specials at the grocery store for impulse purchases of pasta sauce. For one thing, it was $3.00 off the regular price, with the expiration date still a ways off. Secondly, it was clearly marked gluten-free. Key word. And…I have plenty of pasta in my pantry at the moment just begging…begging for me to cook it up.
So, it was with all this in mind that I purchased The Silver Palate’s San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce a couple of weeks ago. It looked fantastic, and the nutrition information was right in line with other pasta sauces that I enjoy…if not better. I figured, why not try something new?
Despite the plethora of pastas in my pantry, I didn’t have a single one that would feet up to 6 people. So, when I was hosting my roommate’s family the other night for Christmas dinner, I was at a loss on what pasta to try out this new sauce on. I finally sent my roommate to the grocery store to find something acceptable, and she returned soon after with some corn pasta. It would do. It served 8.
While the pasta was boiling away on the stove, trying to hit that perfect al dente, I prepped some gluten-free homemade bread. Once it was in the oven, into a saucepan went the San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce. It smelled absolutely fantastic from the moment I opened up the jar.
The Silver Palate San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce (heating on stove top)
Made from tomatoes that are grown in the rich, volcanic soil of the San Marzano region of Italy and the Central Valley of California, this blend of pasta sauce brought about a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. The olive oil helped smooth it out. You could taste the ripeness of the tomatoes. It was bursting with flavor. And the basil was a nice accent. Not little flecks of it here or there, but julianned pieces were throughout the entire sauce. You couldn’t miss the vibrant green, chopped, fresh basil leaves. It was a tasty addition and it really livened up the sauce presentation-wise as well.
Once it was heated, I drained the pasta, put it back in the pan, and then poured the sauce over it. Giving it a good mix, I dished it up for the dinner guests and myself and tucked in for conversation and food.
The verdict on the sauce: YUMMY!!
Considering the last impulse buy pasta sauce was a disappointment, I loved the consistency of this one. It was packed with tomato flavor, but not watery at all. So many marinara sauces get watery, but not this one. It was refreshing and light and just meshed well with the corn pasta. A gluten-free pasta lover’s dream come true. I was highly impressed with this sauce.
Even more impressive is the nutritional value. A serving size of 1/2 cup serves up 70 calories and 4 grams of fat. For a jarred sauce, it is relatively low in sodium, tapping out at 420 mg. I love that the sugar content is quite low and that it provides 3 grams of protein as well. It’s a simple sauce with a fantastic flavor. I really enjoyed it. And, compared to the usual pasta sauce I purchase, this one is a deal as far as price. Even when it’s not marked down or on sale.
Highly impressed with The Silver Palate’s San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce. It definitely has me interested in trying their other varieties and even some other products. Well done!
A serving of gluten-free pasta with The Silver Palate San Marzano Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
I didn’t know they existed until I was wandering down the frozen food aisle of my local Earth Fare grocery store. I was just glancing in and out of the freezers, looking for something…anything…that might catch my eye. Something that might be gluten-free. Maybe. If I prayed really hard and closed my eyes…maybe it would be so.
Or something to that affect…just less dramatic.
The fact of the matter was, I was at the grocery store and as I was searching the aisles, I stumbled across two new flavors of gluten-free ice cream sandwiches from Julie’s. Thrilled? Yes. Ecstatic? Very much. Did I buy them? OF COURSE!
And then…the reality of my overflowing gluten-free pantry hit…and I didn’t get to eat them. Not right away. Not until two nights ago, in fact. Thank goodness there was no freezer burn on them. I would have cried had it been so.
The Cherry Cheesecake Sandwich Cookies are amazing. No…they really are. Picture with me, if you will…two chocolate sandwich cookies (manufactured by Glutenfreeda…so they are gluten-free) that are packed…literally packed full of cherry cheesecake ice cream. If that sounds amazing to you, then let me tell you…this is not a figment of my overactive foodie imagination. No, my friends. This reality was brought to life by Julie’s Organic Ice Cream.
Cherry and chocolate is a fantastic combination as it is, but this ice cream sandwich brings out the best of everything sweet that I love. Cherries…check. Cheesecake…check. Chocolate…check. Ice cream…check. Totally gluten-free too. Which means…I get ice cream sandwiches!!
I had been previously blown away by the taste, texture, and awesomeness of the original (chocolate gluten-free cookies with vanilla ice cream) ice cream sandwiches and the Lemon Yogurt Ice Cream Sandwiches (lemon yogurt between vanilla gluten-free cookies). So, I figured this one had a lot to live up to. But…I have a lot of faith in these products as they have not only impressed me, but impressed my friends who can eat regular ice cream sandwiches. So much that they prefer these instead!
The Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie is a mouthful to say…but it’s a delight to eat. Honestly. I love the way the soft chocolate cookie melts away with the delicious and smooth cherry cheesecake ice cream. Totally wowed by this flavor. The lemon is still my favorite thus far…but this one is a very close second. It was like biting into a cheesecake with a chocolate crust. It brought back so many delicious and amazing memories. I can’t wait to devour the other one waiting for me in the freezer.
As far as sweet, ice-creamy snacks go, the nutrition information on this one isn’t too bad. One ice cream sandwich will set you back 200 calories and 9 grams of fat. That’s not bad for an ice cream sandwich. And, let me tell you, it is worth every creamy, dreamy calorie. For real.
Search high and low for these at your local grocery store…and if you don’t see them, see if the store can order them in. Trust me…you’ll want to take a bite out of these…and then polish it off. It’s hard to eat just one.
All the taste of an apple turnover without the guilt-laden pastry shell. I kid you not.
Welcome to the wonderful new line from Lärabar. In early 2012, Lärabar launched their new line of protein bars – the Über. In four flavors, this product combined sweet and salty flavors of classic desserts and brought them into bar form. No joke.
And after a 10 mile run the other day, I was hungry and needing something to satisfy my stomach while I went to an eye appointment before getting a late lunch. I happened to pick up one of each flavor of the Lärabar Über bars on Manager’s Special at my local grocery store. Super sale on a product that is gluten-free…yeah, I’ll buy that. And since they had an abundance of each flavor on the market, I grabbed one of each. The Über bars are available in Apple Turnover, Bananas Foster, Cherry Cobbler, and Fruit and Nut Roll.
First up, by the scientific method of grabbing the box in front…was the Lärabar Über Apple Turnover Bar.
Lärabar is known for making their products strictly from fruit, nuts, and spices/seasoning. That holds true with the Über bars. In fact, the Apple Turnover variety has 9 ingredients in them. That’s it. And they are all things you could find in your pantry. It’s true. They are composed of walnuts, dried apples, brown rice syrup, raisins, dates, pecans, honey, sea salt, and cinnamon. That’s it. Nothing unrecognizable. Defintiely not made up of chemicals that you’d have to Google to figure out what they were (if you dared!) or something completely unpronounceable and unknown to anyone but a chemist. I love that about Lärabar. What you see is what you get.
The Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar contains only 190 calories for the entire bar. It contains 11 grams of fat, but is very low in sodium (125 mg) and serves up 3 grams of protein. Not too bad, overall.
The best part…the Apple Turnover bar tastes just like an apple turnover would. Seriously! It’s fantastic. The combination of dried fruits, nuts, and seasonings really lend that illusion that you are eating a sinful pastry. But you’re doing it at a fraction of the calories and fat. Honestly, you won’t even miss the flaky, fattening pastry crust. I fell in love with it at first bite. And so did my roommate. We both agreed that the apple flavor is there, without dominating. All of the ingredients get their time to shine, and when they are together…you really feel like you’re sitting down to a fantastic pastry. Just…without the guilt. Love that.
These bars are soft, chewy, and provide a hint of sweet/salty flavor to each bite. Not to mention, the Apple Turnover Über bar is gluten-free, dairy free, soy free, made from all-natural ingredients, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, has no added sulfites and no preservatives, fillers or colorings. It’s wholesome and all natural and for that, I feel confident continuing to purchase products from Lärabar. Not only do they fit my dietary needs, but they are delicious as well.
If you love to indulge in a dessert but want to do so without the guilt, I recommend the Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar. And if you are gluten-free…I also recommend this variety. Honestly, you won’t even miss the pastry crust. Just indulge in the moment and savor every bite.
Me heading to the finish line of the Reindeer Romp 4K – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: Reindeer Romp 4K
Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Date: December 8, 2012
Time:19:02
Welcome to the kick-off race for Louisville’s infamous Polar Bear Grand Prix. I was able to participate in the Grand Prix last year and had a blast running the different races through the winter months (one race in December, one in January, one in February)…and through varying degrees of weather and temperatures.
It looked like that was going to hold true this year for the first race of the series.
The Reindeer Romp 4K is the lowest mileage of all of the races. A 4K race (that’s 2.48 miles…but my GPS had me at 2.55 when I crossed the finish line) that runs the scenic loop of Louisville’s Cherokee Park. We ducked out onto Eastern Parkway though near the end to loop the statue and re-enter the park before heading up toward the finish line.
Yes…up. Remember, Cherokee Park is hilly!
But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves…
On Friday, I was constantly checking the weather forcast. All I knew was that we were supposed to get rained on this weekend. A lot. Yep. Ugh. Now, I do love running in the rain. I run some of my best runs out in the rain. But…I also have a 10 mile run for training to fit in this morning (and it’s supposed to rain!) and I was hoping to return with dry shoes.
Mother nature had other ideas. But…at least it was only 53 degrees out. That at least meant I could wear shorts or a running skirt.
That morning I woke up and heard the rain. I think I might have cussed a little under my breath, but went through my usual routine of getting ready for a race. For the most part. I pulled out my running skirt and one of my short sleeve tech shirts. Decided that I could run this race in cotton socks and got out my green and red striped knee-socks for the holiday spirit. My hair extensions were green and red as well. And, as this is one of my winter races, I opted to wear my new snowflake BondiBand. I was a mish-mash of spring and holiday colors. But…that’s how I roll.
It was still raining after I polished off my breakfast and started to get a change of clothes together in my running bag. I sighed, pulled on my hoodie (so I would have a hood to keep my head dry) and my roommate and I headed out the door to get to Cherokee Park. I never made it to packet pick-up at Fleet Feet Louisville on Friday, so I had to get my packet, my Polar Bear Grand Prix knit cap, and my Reindeer Romp ornament at the race. Which, normally isn’t a problem. We park at the park, I get my gear, we walk it back to the car. No problem.
This morning…there was a problem. The race started at 9:00 a.m. We pulled into Cherokee Park at 8:00 a.m. One hour prior to the race and already the lot near the shelter where packet pick-up was being held was parked up. And all along the side leading down the hill was already parked up as well. No room in the park for the little Corolla. So, my roomie and I circled back through the park and I said we should just go out of the park on Eastern Boulevard and park there. So, we did, finding a spot a good ways up…but at least parked.
This, of course, meant that we now had about a .7 mile walk up hill to get to packet pick-up. It was sprinkling rain, lightly, so it was still a damp hike. I was at least getting warmed up…though not the way I would like. I didn’t want tired legs for sure. As we were hiking up, cars were lining the entire pathway. A traffic cop, who entered the park, got on her loud speaker and alerted drivers they could NOT park there…as it was blocking the flow of traffic and the race came through here. Those who were still at their vehicles moved them.
We reached the top of the hill and headed to the shelter. Off came my hood and I went to go get my race bib, hat, and ornament. I got them without any issue and then had to find my roomie, who had wandered off somewhere in the shelter. She saw me looking for her and waved her arms. Keep in mind, most runners and their families/friends were all under this shelter to keep as dry as they could before the race. I got my number pinned on and stood around for a couple of minutes before getting my stretching done. Between the parking craziness and the hike up, it was 30 minutes until race time. So, it was best to get warmed up now.
With 10 minutes to go to race time, the rain had stopped and I made my way out toward the starting line. It was humid out with a light breeze. Not cold at all. As I found a spot near the front of the corral, I spotted my roommate in Hogan’s Fountain. Of course. I waved and she attempted to snap a picture around a freakishly tall man who wandered into the shot. That always happens!
And then…the skies opened up into a nice downpour.
Oy!
Well, I guess rain is the new cold. Because it was relentless. Before the race even started I was soaked to the skin. Joy…oh, joy!
And then, moments after the rain started, we were off.
I crossed the start line, started my Garmin, and took off down the hill to run a route I know by heart – the Scenic Loop.
There were a lot of runners this year at the race. Much more than last year when I ran it. That was evident. And I felt like I was doing a good job, running. Keep in mind, ever since last week, my left foot has been twinging at me. I think I strained a tendon or something. The fact of the matter is…it doesn’t always like it when I move. So, I was trying to keep that in mind as I was running. But when it didn’t even hurt with each pounding my foot took to the pavement, I figured…why not push some.
Mile 1 ticked off in 7:10. I was moving faster than I thought. And that’s good and bad. That’s good, because I’m teaching myself to be somewhat competitive and actually try to move up to my capabilities during a race. That’s bad because the second part of Cherokee Park is the one with the steep hill ascensions that are definitely no walk in the park (or run, haha) to get over. So, when I hit those…my pace did slow, but not too much. For that, I am proud. I was even passing people on the hills. WOOHOO!! I made it up Dog Walk Hill, feeling the energy I had to put into that in my legs, which were screaming at me. But, it was downhill, out to loop the statue and hit Mile 2 on the way back in. I ran that one in 7:45. And I still had the last hill to conquer.
Normally when I run the Scenic Loop with my fun run group at the local BlueMile store, this hill is the first one we take on. It’s not as steep as Dog Walk Hill…but it does go up. And if a race is run in Cherokee Park, it’s the last hill that takes you up to the finish line. Yes…you do finish going uphill. I’ve run plenty of races in Cherokee Park…but this hill always kills me.
I decided to just give it all I had. I was just under half a mile to the finish line. Push. Get through it. See how you do. So, I began just pumping my legs to get up this incline. I passed a couple of people, including one guy who pulled off and started walking. The woman in reindeer antlers (who passed me at the end) encouraged him by saying “Keep going…you’re almost there!” She was right. I could see the shelter. Hear the crowd at the finish. And there was Hogan’s Fountain. The hill leveled off and I started for that finish line. The woman in antlers passed me up right there at the end, but I finished…and finished as strong as I could manage on my foot and in the driving rain. I paused my Garmin and attempted to catch my breath.
I should note the woman in antlers wasn’t even breathing hard. I shake my fist at her. Runners who can just run a race easy and finish that early frustrate me, because I have to work so hard for it. But…alas…
It was a good, wet, romp in the rain that morning. Cathy came bounding over and I asked if we could get under the shelter so I could at least attempt to start drying off. Note to self: pack a towel in the race bag. Seriously. Do it this time.
We headed under the shelter where most of the other finishers were loading up on water, bananas and apples. I grabbed some water and took a seat on the bench near the snacks. I grabbed a banana and refueled a bit after that run. Cathy thought I might have placed in my division because I was at least in the top 15 women to come in. So, we decided to hang around for awards and see what might come of it.
Now…this literally took forever to get to. We had to wait for all the walkers to come in. And by then, it was still raining, but now a wind had kicked in and I was getting cold. There I was, sitting around in super drenched clothes…
Me with my 3rd place age division medal at the Reindeer Romp – Louisville, Kentucky
I finally asked for my hoodie to at least put around me in an attempt to stay warm. That helped a little. And since she wasn’t using it, my roommate put her hoodie over my legs. It helped…a little. No sooner had that been done, but the race directors came over to hand out awards. They did the overall males first, then all the division winners for the men. So, the females were up last. I shivered through much of the award ceremony. My division was up. And, lo and behold, I took third place! I was actually shocked. While my time was a big improvement on last year’s time…I didn’t really expect to actually place. So proud of that.
So, the official results of the Reindeer Romp 4K are that I finished in 19:02, my new PR for a 4K race. On hills, in rain, with a sore foot, no less! YAY! I was 104/796 finishers overall. My roommate definitely called it by saying I was in the top 15 women to cross. In fact, I was 15/429 women finishers. And, of course, I landed 3/67 in my division! All of this in the driving rain this morning! NICE! I am so proud of my accomplishment on this race, besting last year’s time and even placing in my division. I’m improving as a runner…and I love seeing the results.
So, this morning I have a 10 mile long run to do…before getting some stuff done in town. Then I need to clean up the apartment and prep for a holiday dinner here tomorrow. Lots to do…and only a Sunday morning and afternoon to accomplish it in. Oh, and it’s supposed to rain this morning too…so my long run might be…interesting. But it has to be done as I have a half marathon next Sunday.
Looking forward to the Frostbite 5K in January now! Polar Bear Grand Prix…we are off to a famous start!
(Ticker currently not updating…but I am at 1035.1 miles so far for the year!)
It seems apple pie is everywhere these days. I guess it just comes with the time of year. Apples are always in season, but so many people associate them with the fall/winter. It is, after all, the height of apple cider time. And I do love apple cider. Heck, I just love apples. One of my favorite desserts is apple crisp, after all.
That being said, yesterday was another race morning. Nothing big. No reason to cream an entire protein bar down my throat before the run. Thankfully, I have a bunch of Lärabar mini bars still in my run-snack drawer. And the next one up just happened to be…Apple Pie.
I packed this away in my bag to take with me to eat an hour before the short 4K run. After all, the race wasn’t long…but I knew the cereal I ate when I woke up wouldn’t last through to the 9:00 a.m. start time. I always come prepared with a bar on race days now. There is nothing worse than standing at that starting line and hearing your stomach rumble. Or worse…being halfway through and realizing your cereal has burned off and now…you’re running on fumes. Best to just properly fuel.
So, the Lärabar Apple Pie Mini Bar accompanied on my drive over the river to Louisville, Kentucky and the park that was hosting the run. I actually pulled into the park exactly an hour before the race started. So it was perfect timing. Out came the Lärabar. I unwrapped it and took a small bite.
Okay…it actually does taste like apple pie. I can safely say that because my dessert last week was gluten-free apple pie. Honestly…this was just like having a slice. Really good. Although, even though it tastes like apple pie…it isn’t one of my favorite ones. Maybe it is the underlying hint of cinnamon that just kept creeping into my palate. But, while it was good, some of the others have been far better. But, it can be hit or miss with protein bars. That’s not to say this one wasn’t good. I would eat it again if it were offered to me. I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it. It’s just really not up to par with the other ones that have come before it. (Cashew Cookie is still my absolute favorite!)
So, a little information about this little protein bar. The Lärabar Apple Pie Mini Bar is comprised of of six ingredients. That’s it. These are dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon. I knew there was cinnamon in there. All together, you sort of get this illusion that you are biting into a slice of apple pie…crust and all. The apples really shine. And the cinnamon gives it that warm flavor to it, though I found it a bit overpowering at times. As for the nuts and the raisins and dates…it just lends to that illusion of crust and filling. The texture was soft and yes…this one was delicious, despite not being one of my favorites.
The mini bar offers you 90 calories and 5 grams of fat. It only has 2 grams of protein to it. Not much on that protein, now that I look at it. The full-size bar, however is a bit more. It would set you back 190 calories and 10 grams of fat. With it, you would get 4 grams of protein. But…it is definitely filling and the fiber count (3 grams in the mini; 5 grams in the full-size) is the reason for that.
Again, this was a really good bar, it just wasn’t as amazing as some of the other ones I have eaten. That being said, if you love apple pie…then you will truly love taking a bite into this bar.
It’s the night before a race. You know what that means?
PIZZA NIGHT!
Granted, this is a very, very, very short race in the morning, but…why mess with tradition, right?
In addition to it being pizza night, I just happened to have some gluten-free pizza crusts in the freezer, compliments of Katz Gluten-Free. I could have made my own dough…I actually do have recipes for that…but I was hungry and really just wanted to eat. So, when I got home, I set my roomie to the task of chopping the rainbow chard that came in my CSA bin this past week, while I worked on getting the pizza stone heated and the rest of the ingredients prepped and ready for some pizza.
I got the idea for this recipe from Cate’s World Kitchen, but altered it to fit my dietary needs as well as what I had on hand.
2 individual size gluten-free pizza crusts (though feel free to make your own and do this in larger scale)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 bunch rainbow chard, chopped
zest of half a lemon (I didn’t have lemon on hand, but I had plenty of orange zest…so I used that)
Mozzarella cheese (I used Rice Shreds Mozzarella flavor)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with a pizza stone inside (if you have one).
Heat the oil in a small saucepan with the paprika and chili powder. Simmer on low heat for about two minutes, stirring constantly so the spices don’t burn. Remove from heat.
Heat about 1 tbsp of the paprika oil in a wide skillet. Saute the chard until wilted. Stir in a pinch of salt and the lemon zest.
Brush each individual pizza crust with paprika oil. Sprinkle evenly with chard, then top with mozzarella.
Bake the pizzas on the pizza stone for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
~*~*~
I am thrilled that we have more rainbow chard left and 2 more pizza shells because this was really good. I loved tasting the earthiness of the chard, mixing with the zing of orange zest and the heat from the oil. It was a fantastic mix. And the cheese just added that little bit of saltiness to round it all out. I really enjoyed every bite of this pizza. And trust me…it was going, going, gone!
Give pizza night a colorful veggie flare. And feel free to add your own spin on things. If you prefer to make your own dough, even better. Simply shape the dough and then brush with the paprika oil. It’s that easy. And it truly is a delicious slice of vegetarian pizza.
The Celiathlete 