The Celiathlete

October 30, 2012

Million Mutt March – Louisville, KY (October 27, 2012)

Me crossing the finish line of the Million Mutt March – Louisville, Kentucky

Race: Million Mutt March 5K

Place: Louisville, Kentucky

Date: October 27, 2012

Time: 24:44

It had been a pretty intense week for me. After churning out my fastest half marathon not even a week earlier, getting in my training runs for next week’s half marathon, traveling, getting caught up on work, and having the weather go from 80 degrees one day to 43 degrees the next…I admit…I was tired.

I also admit that on Saturday morning, the thought of stepping out into the windy, cold morning to go run a race at Cherokee Park was not really thrilling me. I don’t dislike Cherokee Park. I train there a lot with my fun run group at my local running store. The hills make for a nice challenge and definitely help build strength in my legs. But I just wasn’t feeling it that morning. My legs were achy due to the sudden return of cold weather. My original plan to wear one of my running skirts changed before I walked out the door after a quick check of the weather. I know a lot of people who would still venture out in shorts to run. Normally I would too. But not with that wind. I was already cold just sitting around my apartment. So, before my roomie and I headed out, I changed into my capri pants, grabbed a Lärabar, and stepped out into the cold.

Like I said…it wouldn’t have been too bad save for that wind. That’s what made it cold.

We arrived in really good time at Cherokee Park and managed to find parking not too far from the pavilion where packet pick-up was happening. I ran in the Million Mutt March last year too, and one of the best parts of this race is the number of dogs that are brought out. You see, this race benefits our local no-kill animal shelter No Kill Louisville, and not only are adoptable pets brought out, but runners bring their dogs as well. Some dogs even run with their owners. The first dog across the finish line gets an award. It’s a fun race for a good cause. So when I saw I was going to be in town for it, despite the still travel/race weary legs, I had to sign up for it. I wouldn’t miss this one for the world.

Packet pick-up was a breeze. It had just opened up 15 minutes before I arrived and no one was there. Granted, there had been an option to pick up your race packet the previous night at the local Fleet Feet in Louisville, but I wasn’t going to make an extra trip into Louisville only to return the next morning. Not for this race. Packet pick-up at Cherokee Park is never difficult. Go to the pavilion, tell them your name, get race bib and t-shirt. Easy. And that was exactly how it ran. The only difficult part was that the lady at the packet pick-up had to reluctantly remove her mittens (yep…told you it was cold!) in order to flip through the race bibs to find mine.

I was handed my number (28!), asked what size t-shirt I wanted, and wished luck. I thanked them, grabbed four safety pins and went to find where Cathy was standing. I handed her my race bib and she went to pin it on me. This meant I had to unzip my hoodie and be a little chilly for a moment. So…I did.

Before you think I’m wimping out, I understand that I did run a half marathon where the temperature was 43 degrees and I was in short sleeves and a running skirt. But with the wind here,this 43 degrees felt like 37 degrees. And my rule is once it hits the 30s…I don’t do shorts. So, with that rule in play and the temperature feeling like it was in the 30s, I went with capris and my Soft Kitty (from Big Bang Theory) socks. Long sleeve tech shirt and my running jacket. Layers. Layers are my friend in this sort of weather.

I got my number pinned and immediately zipped my jacket back up. We walked my t-shirt back to the car and I debated on whether or not to wear my gloves. I decided, in the end, to skip them. Not sure that was the best choice, but…you know…

We still had about 40 minutes to go until the start of the race, so we ventured back toward where all the activity was. Vendors and pet adoption/rescue places were setting up booths for the event that followed the race. We made a quick circuit of the area, then returned to the little basketball court. I stood there, shivering, looking at the dogs that passed, giggling at some of the costumes they were wearing (some owners dressed up their pooches for the Doggie Costume Contest). I eventually devoured my Lärabar (Peanut Butter Cookie, in case you were wondering) about 30 minutes before the race was to begin. And then, I began to do a few stretches.

When it gets cold, I usually get lazy with the stretching. I don’t want to stand out in the wind and loosen up. I wand to fold my arms across my body and attempt to just stay warm. But that won’t help me in a race, especially with hills, if I pull a muscle. So…I half-assed some stretches, but at least I did it.

Soon, runners, walkers, and pooches were all making their way toward where the start and finish line of the Million Mutt March were set up. A woman wearing a t-shirt walked past declaring that today was her wedding day. I congratulated her and she said that her husband-to-be is afraid she’ll fall on her face and get hurt. We laughed a little at that. Then, I moved to find a spot, actually near the front of the pack for me, to get started. We were given instructions about the course…and then had to part from the start due to one of the shuttle buses arriving. Seriously. The bus went to the drop off point, some cars followed it through, and we got back into our spots and prepared for the start of the race. I hit play on my iPod, saw the small group ahead of me begin to move, and headed for the start. I hit the start button on my Garmin as I crossed the line and was off.

Somewhere in those first few steps at the start line, I made a decision. I run Cherokee Park quite often, so I figured, why not experiment a little with this race. Push a little harder. Yes…tired legs…I said push harder. I could at least try, yes? So, with that decision made, I made for a quick decent down the first hill to the point where it levels off. I tried to keep my hard pace. It wasn’t too difficult. I had an older lady running just slightly ahead of me in a yellow jacket. I used her for the first mile to help me keep my pace up. It was a trick I had read about in numerous books on running and one I was now going to employ. The course veered from the Scenic Loop and headed down one of the roads connected to the park. Mile 1 was now done and I was making good time. I didn’t check my watch, but I heard it beep. I know now…if I don’t focus on my time, I run a better race. Keeping that in mind…that’s how I chose to run this one.

We finally hit the turn around on the road and I looped around, now just behind the woman in the yellow jacket. This part of the course was flat, but I knew some of the worst hills in Cherokee Park were still ahead. My brain was telling me to slow down, my legs were screaming at me to slow down, but I didn’t listen. I had 2 miles to go, and this was a course I ran often and knew well. If anything, even on travel/run-weary legs, I could push this. I could.

As Cathy and I had driven into Cherokee Park, I knew that Mile 2 hit as we began the never-ending climb up what we call Dog Hill, so with that in mind, I went to go ahead and push a bit more, get past the woman in the yellow, and prepare to set my own pace going up that hill. It would be coming up in a few minutes. I went to pass, and she moved over to where I was running and cut me off. WTF?! I moved the other way, and she did it again. How aggravating and very unsportsmanlike.

Fine…if that was the game she was going to play, I’d pass her on the hill.

Or, that was my plan. As we started up Dog Hill, I once again moved to pass her, and she once again slid over in front of me making it impossible to do so. I thought about faking to the left and going right, but while that works in basketball, it doesn’t really work in running. I had heard about, even read about, these types of runners…but this was my first actual encounter with one…and I’ll be honest…she was really pissing me off!

I pushed even harder than usual on the hill now because I really wanted to get past her. But, every time she’d move in front of me and make it impossible. I finally just let her have the lead. No sense killing myself trying to pass when it obviously wasn’t going to happen. I was raging inside. I hit the top of Dog Hill, and now it was down before the last stretch of the race, uphill toward Hogan’s Fountain.

Usually this part of Cherokee Park I run on fresh legs, coming in from Eastern Blvd. from the running store. However, in the 5K runs held here, this is always the last stretch. So, I tried to run this as I would on fresh legs. I really dug deep here, wanting to just go all-out, even on hills, for this run. It was something I had wanted to do in the summer, but the extreme heat didn’t really allow me to throw caution to the wind and just push it at a race to see what I could do. Choosing to do that on a race with hills on tired legs…probably not the best way to go…but…well…the decision was made and I was now less than a mile out from the finish.

As I was nearing the crest of the hill at Hogan’s Fountain, another bus came through. Seriously. A bus. A lot of runners run with headphones in, and the guy and his dog just ahead of the bitch…er…the lady in the yellow jacket…didn’t even hear it coming. He could see the finish line and he was going for it. The director of the race was having a fit when that bus showed up. It even honked at the guy with the dog, but he just kept on trekking.

And while the woman in yellow was distracted by the bus, right there, right at the finish, I blew past her. FINALLY!! And wow…did I ever feel that run. I stopped my Garmin and turned off my music.

Cathy was there at the finish line, waving her hands as I went through. She came over to tell me I set a new PR, but either by a second or…by whatever my Garmin said. My Garmin said 6 seconds. So, only when official results posted would I know for sure. I held up a finger and walked away in an attempt to catch my breath. A table with bananas and water bottles was just up ahead, so I walked that way, taking deep breaths, and finally getting to a point where I could answer.

And the first thing I said was, “I have been trying for most of the race to pass that woman…and I just barely did it.” Yeah…don’t focus on the important thing there, star…bitch first. Oy. But…you know…I’m not normally the competitive type at these things, but the fact that she kept purposefully blocking my attempts to pass just set me off.

I took a drink of water (which I had to get Cathy to open as I couldn’t feel my fingers), and we walked around the little vendor/doggie adoption area. I bought another little race mascot, a little dalmatian in a No Kill Louisville shirt, which I named Frank N. Spot. And I nommed on my banana. We pet a few puppies, met some great dogs, were asked more than once to adopt a pet (if we could…we would), watched the Derby City Disc Dogs preform their frisbee tricks, and then were ready for the awards ceremony.

I knew that I had been the 5th woman across that finish line, so I figured I at least placed in my division somewhere. But as the names were read out for the 30-34 age division…I wasn’t called. I knew that couldn’t be right because the evil blocking woman was one of the grand master winners…so I had to have won something.

After all the awards were handed out, I checked with the race director. Lo and behold, my name had been on the page prior, as had three other people, and the awards were given to those who came in 5th-7th. Whoops. So, without any fanfare at all, I was handed my first place medal for the Million Mutt March age division and sent on my way. My roommate didn’t even take a picture immediately. I had to ask her too. Like I said…no fanfare. Kind of a disappointment for that kind of an error to happen…but these things do happen.

So, the official results of the Million Mutt March 5K are that I finished in 24:44 seconds, my new PR for a 5K race. Not bad for a hilly one, yes? I was 16/161 finishers overall. I was the 5/107 women to cross the finish line. And I was 1/19 in my age division. WOOHOO!!

I loved that I pushed myself on this race to do a little more than I normally do. I didn’t like some of the unsportsmanlike action taken by the woman ahead of me. I loved that in the end I beat her across the finish line. And I loved that my money for this race benefited No Kill Louisville. It was a cold morning, but a good one…and I ran for a great cause. And in the end…that’s what it is all about.

October 28, 2012

Lärabar’s Peanut Butter Cookie just like the real thing…only better

Lärabar Peanut Butter Cookie (snack size)

Product: Lärabar Peanut Butter Cookie – $1.99+

Two of my favorite things – peanut butter and cookies.

I thank Lärabar every time I open one of their bars and experience the promised flavor on the package. The thing is…they do this with simple ingredients…no more than 9 to a bar. The amazing thing is how much they actually taste like what they are setting out to make the bar taste like.

This past weekend, I took along a mini Lärabar to eat about 30 minutes before the start of a 5K race I was running. I have found this to work. Too often I’ve just had cereal before a race and I end up finding myself starving just before the start or at least a mile in. That’s no good. I want to have energy before a race. These…do the trick.

I grabbed three to choose from and ended up going with the Peanut Butter Cookie variety at chow time. I was pretty pscyhed about this one. Why? Well, as I said…peanut butter and cookies are two of my favorite things in life. And here they were…together…in the form of a gluten-free protein bar that I am able to eat.

The Peanut Butter Cookie Lärabar is made up of three ingredients. That’s it. Peanuts, dates, and sea salt. Seriously. The snack size bar contains only 100 calories and 3 grams of protein. It has 6 grams of fat in it, brought to you mostly in part by the peanuts. But that’s a healthy fat and something your body needs regardless.

So now that I’ve given you the nutritional rundown, how exactly did it taste? Moist. Fresh. And soft. And yes…it was just like eating a very soft peanut butter cookie. The flavor was spot-on! Three ingredients…and Lärabar totally delivered on it. This bar was chewy and tasted like it was fresh off a cookie sheet. The best part was the balance of flavor. While I love peanut butter and could totally eat it out of the jar on a spoon (and do that on occasion, LOL!), I didn’t want this to taste like that. And it didn’t. It honestly tasted like a peanut butter cookie. And it was love at first bite. I devoured it faster than I probably should have…but it was delicious and I was hungry. Therefore…nom.

The Peanut Butter Cookie Lärabar is gluten-free, kosher, dairy-free, soy-free, and vegan. It’s also delicious and now one of my current favorites! Looking for a quick bite on-the-go that is good for you, delicious, and like eating dessert without being a dessert? Try the Peanut Butter Cookie Lärabar. You’ll be hooked like me.

I sort of wish I had more…

But…on to the next flavor…

October 25, 2012

Beanitos Black Bean Chipotle BBQ chips a better snack option

Product: Beanitos Black Bean Chipotle BBQ Chips – $3.49+

Okay…I know you’re thinking it…because I thought it too.

Chips…made from beans?! Isn’t that usually reserved for…you know…potatoes, corn, or even rice?

The answer is…yes. And yes.

I was a huge skeptic about Beanitos chips. I admit it. I saw them on the gluten-free shelves at my various grocery stores and natural food stores and immediately turned my nose up at them. While I’m a huge fan of beans, the idea of chips made out of them just didn’t sound…right. At all.

And then I attended a gluten-free tasting fair at one of the natural food stores here in town and one of the samples they had out were Beanitos. Well…free samples are a good way to introduce a skeptic to something with the potential to be epic, yes? I hesitated at the dish…but finally picked up the little tongs and snagged one of the round chips. I turned it over in my hands, then, very tentatively took a bite. And…then another. And then I just popped the rest of it in my mouth. Huh. I hadn’t expected to like them. But…chips made from beans were actually quite tasty.

And for a couple weeks, that’s where I left it. I had tried them. Yes…they were good. But I didn’t purchase any. Probably due to the plethora of snacks I currently had kicking around in my pantry.

Until my local grocery store put almost the entire gluten-free section on closeout. And fearing that I was about to lose my gluten-free aisle…I snatched up everything that was marked down. Beanitos was one of the items on the markdown. So I grabbed a couple of bags. And this week, I opened up the bag to get a serving (1 ounce, or about 10 chips) to take to work with me for my afternoon snack. They were next up as far as snacks in order of expiration dates. The first flavor up was the Chipotle BBQ flavor.

Love. Seriously. Spicy without too much heat. They have a great chipotle and mesquite flavor. They have just enough to bring out the flavor without overwhelming your palate with spice. They were a bit salty, but the sodium level is low on the bag. So, it’s not horrible…just I’m so used to unsalted snacks. I couldn’t stop eating them. So it is a good thing I portion out my snacks because I would have been quite tempted to just devour them all. I also think they would go crazy-good with my homemade guacamole.

Beanitos are completely corn free, gluten free, and potato free. It is all made from beans and rice. And that makes for a heartier texture and a more solid chip. They are high in fiber and protein, which is a nice change. And, in addition, they are cholesterol free, trans fat free, non-GMO, and kosher. A serving is 140 calories and 7 grams of fat. Not bad for a chip. Not bad at all. They come in a bunch of different flavors and all of the chips are vegan except the cheddar cheese flavor. I mean…come on…these chips are made out of protein-packed beans!

Yes, I was a skeptic, but tasting made me a believer. Chips made from beans are actually quite delicious. I can’t wait to dive into another variety of them. I no longer fear Beanitos. I plan to keep them in my pantry!

October 25, 2012

Recipe: Parmesan Baked Potato Halves

You know…it’s because of places like Pinterest that I can find new and exciting ways to fix up some of the produce that comes in my CSA bin every week. Honestly. While working with potatoes isn’t at all difficult, sometimes I can just get accustomed to making them one way and not really branching out from there. I was determined not to just slice these up into cubes and make home fries to go with eggs in the morning.

My organic fingerling potatoes are beautiful, mind you. And back when I first signed up for Pinterest, one of the recipes that I pinned was for Parmesan Baked Potato Halves. Sounded great. And here I was with some fingerling potatoes, ready to see if this recipe was all it was cracked up to be. But you know me…I always take a recipe and twist it up some way. In this case…I added…more cheese and a different flavor at that. In addition to spices as well.

The original recipe comes from Favorite Family Recipes. But below is my take on it.

Recipe: Parmesan Baked Potato Halves

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Bake 45 minutes

Ingredients:

6-9 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
2 tablespoons butter (I used Smart Balance)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup grated Chives & Dill Jack cheese
garlic powder
other seasonings (to personal preference) (I used a touch of crushed red pepper, rosemary, and salt)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt butter and pour into a 8×8 inch pan and spread evenly across the bottom.

Generously sprinkle Parmesan cheese and Chives & Dill Jack cheese and lightly sprinkle other seasonings all over the butter.

Place potato halves face down on the butter and seasonings.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

Enjoy.

~*~*~

My roommate enjoyed her half of this tasty potato dish this morning with some ketchup. As for me…hot sauce was my game. Or, you can serve with whatever dip you choose to enjoy potatoes with…or just plain on their own. They are yummy that way too. It’s a simple recipe that really just takes a little time to bake up. But the cheese melts and crusts against the top and packs a whole bunch of flavor into each bite.

I’m making it again tomorrow morning! Go ahead…try it out. Flavor with whatever cheeses you fancy and whatever spices compliment it. Get creative!

October 25, 2012October 25, 2012

Mrs. Leeper’s takes a leap over the gluten-free pasta competition with Corn Vegetable Radiatore

Product: Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore Pasta – $3.69+

I was standing in Whole Foods last year, around the time I had to go gluten-free, just gazing at the prices on the gluten-free items and trying very hard not to break down into tears…yet again. I was overwhelmed. Having to change my diet so drastically so fast and not really having the means in which to fund said diet was weighing on me.

And then, this angel appeared at my side and just by looking at me could tell that I was in distress. And she said, “I’ve been gluten-free for years…” And she began listing off some of her favorite products for different uses…such as pizzas, breads, and yes…pasta.

At that point, I had only just started experimenting with the brown rice pastas. While I found them to work, they didn’t reheat well and often would turn to mush or get gummy in the process. I recalled this lady in Whole Foods telling me that one of her favorite pastas is Mrs. Leeper’s. I had never heard of Mrs. Leeper’s before…so I made a mental note of it and went on purchasing my brown rice noodles.

Then…I discovered gluten-free corn noodles. And I found out how much better they held up, not just in the initial cooking process, but also reheating leftovers. I was thrilled.

And then, my local grocery store just happened to begin to stock the very pasta brand this woman told me about ages ago. Mrs. Leeper’s. The selection was minimal, but they did have the Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore pasta. So…one day while it was on sale, I picked up a bag of it and put it in my pantry. And then proceeded to use up the other pasta noodles that came before it. Until tonight…when with the Amish cheese I picked up in Pennsylvania…I decided to cook up my mom’s infamous macaroni & cheese (gluten-free style)!

Mrs. Leeper's Corn Vegetable Radiatore Pasta (cooked & drained) — Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore Pasta (cooked & drained)

I had no open pasta noodles so tonight it was time for Mrs. Leeper’s to be put to the test. I opened up the bag and measured out the 6 ounces I needed for the baked macaroni and got a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil. Once it got there, I poured the colorful pasta noodles into the water, gave it a stir, and let it cook for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

It was easy to drain, and I was quite happy to see that none of the noodles stuck together or fell apart. It was a great consistency, very colorful, and would really bring some color to my mom’s recipe. I began to layer up the casserole dish with noodles, onions, broccoli, seasoning, and two types of Amish cheddar cheese. Repeat. And the entire time, I didn’t have mushy noodles to contend with. Even after I poured the white sauce over the top and stirred it all together before putting it in the oven to bake, nothing was falling apart. Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore pasta was rally doing its job and holding up.

And 45 minutes later, I removed the hot, bubbling casserole dish from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes before dishing out two servings – one for myself and one for my roommate. Despite the cooking and then the baking, Mrs. Leepers Corn Vegetable Radiatore pasta really came through in the end. Even better…the texture of it was fantastic. The fun colors is an added incentive, but the look of it is rather unique from other pastas on the market. And it was a lot of fun to see the different colors through the melted cheese in the final dish.

Mrs Leeper’s brand of pasta evolved as a wheat free and gluten-free line of enticing and often colorful rice and corn products for people who seek alternatives to wheat. Using time-honored methods, simple and pure ingredients, and care when it comes to production, Mrs. Leeper’s products have met the demands of a constantly changing marketplace by offering innovative products that focus on integrity, quality and service.

Both my roommate and I agree that Mrs. Leeper’s turned out to be a really good pasta. We’ll see how it does on the reheat tomorrow evening with some of the leftovers, but if it is anything like the corn pasta we have had in the past…it will hold up just fine. Definitely hope to try more pasta options from Mrs. Leeper’s in the near future. Full of yum. And a definite pasta win!

Homemade Gluten-Free Macaroni & Cheese using Mrs. Leeper's Corn Vegetable Radiatore Pasta — Homemade Gluten-Free Macaroni & Cheese using Mrs. Leeper’s Corn Vegetable Radiatore Pasta

October 24, 2012

Local Pennsylvania chain, Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches offers smorgasbord of gluten-free options

Restaurant: Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches, Ephrata, Pennsylvania

I have to once again break my vow to not blog about chains. And why? Because I recently visited a chain restaurant that is only found in Pennsylvania. Much like California’s own In-N-Out Burger, this little sandwich shop is only available regionally. Therefore, I will not be able to find anything like it where I live in Indiana.

Welcome to Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches. This chain began on August 25, 1983, when two friends attending college, Phil Wenger and Isaac Williams, met. After graduating and going in two separate directions (Phil taking a job in sales for a flower wholesaler and Isaac working as a chef in a local restaurant), the two friends began to brainstorm the idea of a deli/restaurant. Isaac provided the knowledge of cooking and his flair for decorating, and created an eclectic interior and a working menu. Phil provided the experience of running a business and his desire to create something that would give back to the community. And with that…Isaac’s Restaurant and Deli was born in the heart of Pennsylvania. Now with 20 restaurants in 6 counties of Pennsylvania, this local chain is providing a delicious menu with a variety of choices in soups, salads, and sandwiches.

So, how did this out-of-towner stumble upon this little chain? The Internet, of course. My roommate was researching possible places to eat after I ran in the Hershey Half Marathon while we were out and about in other areas of Pennsylvania. She came across Isaac’s on Find Me Gluten Free, and it had really great ratings. It also had gluten-free flatbread! Now there was something new and worth checking out, yes?

So, after a very successful run that morning in Hershey, Pennsylvania, my roommate, my friend Jenn, and myself headed out of town toward Ephrata, Pennsylvania. We wanted to stop by the grave of Major Richard D. Winters, best known from Band of Brothers. After the drive out there and the visit to the cemetery, we found that we were ready for lunch. There was actually an Isaac’s in Ephrata. Even better…it wasn’t that far away either. BONUS!

We made our way to the Cloister Shopping Center and pulled in to park. The actual center itself looked a bit sketchy. In fact, Isaac’s was located next to an open (WOW!) Blockbuster Video. I wasn’t feeling too confident about the situation. But, at this point, we were committed. We stepped up to the door, which thankfully had a large-scale version of their menu up. I double-checked the gluten-free option and it was listed…so we stepped inside. As we came in near the Blockbuster Video, we had to walk down a very long hallway in order to get to the restaurant itself. We stepped inside and went to the hostess station in order to be seated.

A table was just clearing up where the three of us could sit, so we were told it would only be a minute. Looks had to be deceiving, because Isaac’s was quite busy. Every table was taken. I glanced around in awe, as it didn’t look like much from the outside. Inside, it was very much like the old diners you are used to seeing in movies. There are crazy decorations and colors throughout the interior. And right next to the hostess stand…the dessert case. The three of us too a moment to ogle the pies and cakes inside…but then were told the table was clean and ready for us to be seated.

We followed the hostess to the booth and got situated. She said our waitress would be right with us and left us to peruse the menu. There were a lot of options to choose from. So much sounded really good. I was having a hard time deciding and I knew both Jenn and Cathy were also eying a few options as well. Our waitress came to our table to get our drink order, and we all stuck with water. She returned and gave us a little more time with the menu. When we were all set…a different waitress came over. Our waitress just got assigned a large party and they wanted to get our order in first. We appreciated that…and so we began to put in our order.

Jenn decided to create her own sandwich. She put salami and provolone on a pretzel roll ($6.99). It came with a side of ranch dressing. And she kept the chips as her side item. Cathy opted to do the half soup-half sandwich combo. She went with a half Mockingbird Sandwich (thinly sliced grilled ham and provolone cheese, topped with tomatoes and onions with mayo on hearty multigrain bread) with a cup of Isaac’s Famous Pepperjack and Tomato Soup. She had that with a side of the Utz Potato Chips ($7.39). As for me, I alerted them that I am a Celiac and was interested in trying the Gluten-Free Larkspur, which consisted of muenster and cheddar cheeses, fresh tomatoes, spinach and sprouts all wrapped up in a gluten-free flatbread and served with ranch dressing, which I was assured was also gluten-free. I ordered the dressing on the side and opted for the baby carrots as my side ($8.04).

I will point out that there is an up-charge for the gluten-free option on the menu. The gluten-free flatbread carries an additional $0.75 charge. Not a problem. After all, most restaurants charge a lot more.

Our orders went in and we had a good amount of time to sit around and chat. I mostly talked about how interested I was in this gluten-free flatbread. After our wait, our meals were brought out to us.

Let me tell you, the sandwich I got was nothing like what I expected. But…it looked fantastic. The gluten-free flatbread was grilled to a beautiful golden color. Inside it was stuffed with spinach, sprouts, and tomatoes. The cheeses were there…but not in overabundance. I appreciated that. And, as I asked, the ranch dressing came in a cup on the side. I was dying to try this out. Pausing only long enough to take a picture for my blog, I picked up the knife and sliced into the sandwich. I took that little wedge, dipped it in the ranch dressing and took a bite.

I died and went to sandwich heaven. The gluten-free flatbread was definitely the star of the show. In fact, what it reminded me of the fried bread that Taco Bell Chalupas were made in. They had a nice crisp outside but were great and soft when you chewed them. I found it to be the perfect compliment to my vegetables inside. And I honestly appreciated that the cheese wasn’t filling the sandwich. It complimented it instead. I gave a piece of the bread to both Cathy and Jenn and even they liked it. I savored every bite, not wanting the sandwich experience to come to an end. But with each bite…my sandwich grew smaller and smaller.

Here’s what I have to say…while it looked like an absolute dive on the outside, inside, Isaac’s is a quirky, fun little soup/sandwich/salad deli establishment. I had a great dining experience there. The waitress wrote in big letters on the order that mine was gluten-free. And the receipt also made mention that it was gluten-free and yes…it was an allergy. These are the little things that someone like me appreciates while eating out. It just puts your mind a little more at ease.

I never knew how much I missed flatbread until I could have it again. And this was a great place to start as far as finding one that had lots of flavor, no strange texture, and was just awesome with every bite. I didn’t even need the dressing…the bread provided a lot of the necessary flavor for a sandwich filled with fresh vegetables. This was love in flatbread sandwich form. And I was one happy gluten-free customer.

If I find myself back up in southeastern Pennsylvania again, I will actively seek out Isaac’s as a safe place for me to eat. Looks can be deceiving as I have come to find out quite often. And in this case…this little dive of a place in a strip mall provided me one of my favorite gluten-free sandwiches to date. The care of the staff at the restaurant and the variety of gluten-free options on the menu was awesome. Totally worth a repeat visit sometime!

Isaac's Gluten-Free Larkspur Sandwich — Isaac’s Gluten-Free Larkspur Sandwich

October 24, 2012October 24, 2012

Brownie Crunch by thinkThin a chocolate and protein packed treat

Product: thinkThin Brownie Crunch High Protein Bar – $1.99+

I had just finished running my fastest half marathon yet. And I was in the land of chocolate. Seriously. It was just after the Hershey Half Marathon. I had downed my protein shake in the recovery area and had returned to the hotel to take a shower. But before doing that, I needed to get some further protein into my body before continuing on with the day.

With me, I had packed a thinkThin High Protein Bar. This flavor was Brownie Crunch. While I liked the Chocolate Fudge well enough, Brownie Crunch sounded even more intriguing. So, after a well run race…I tore into my chocolate-coated protein bar with gusto. I mean, in the land of Hershey’s chocolate…you best be eating some chocolate.

First bite…and it was like biting into a tough chocolate-coated brownie. Honestly. I think it was frozen from being out in the chilly weather that morning, but man…my jaw got tired of chewing it after awhile. The flavor was good. No aftertaste of protein on this one. But, it was very chewy…again, I do think much of that was from being out in 43 degree weather for over 2 hours. But after running 13.1 miles…my jaw really wasn’t feeling the chewing. I powered through it though…and gobbled it up.

As far as protein bars go, thinkThin definitely provides a tasty alternative to the other brands out there. What I love about these, aside from being gluten-free, is the 0 grams of sugar in each bar. Do note, however, that the Brownie Crunch is listed as having 12 grams of sugar alcohol. Aside from that, this protein bar will set you back 230 calories and 8 grams of fat. You will get 20 grams of protein, however, in each bar. And that…is fantastic. Especially for someone like me…who is a gluten-free, vegetarian athlete.

Due to the high value of protein in this bar, it does make for an excellent meal replacement. The fiber content is low, so this would also be a good option pre-workout/run. I don’t know if I can do chocolate before a run, but this might be something to experiment with.

So, of the protein bars I have tried, this has been one of the better ones. The texture was a little tough for me, but again, I don’t know how much of that was exposure to cold air. That being said, the flavor was great and I enjoyed bits of almond that were incorporated into the brownie filling to give it a little crunch. Overall, one of the better ones yet. Still not up to the Peanut Butter ones…but this one I’d buy if none of the others were available.

Looking for a meal replacement bar or a boost of protein for pre- or post-workout? thinkThin is definitely the way to go. Falling in love with their bars one trial at a time.

thinkThin Brownie Crunch High Protein Bar (unwrapped)

October 23, 2012

Hershey Half Marathon – Hershey, PA (October 21, 2012)

Me crossing the finish line of the Hershey Half Marathon – Hershey, Pennsylvania

Race: Hershey Half Marathon

Place: Hershey, Pennsylvania

Date: October 21, 2012

Time: 1:51:37

Ever have one of those races that you just felt good going into? That’s how I felt about the Hershey Half Marathon. After making a stunning comeback from my torn plantar fasciitis in numerous races of varying length, plus having some really great training runs leading into it, I was confident that Hershey was going to provide me with a good race. New PR or not, I was heading to the land of Hershey Chocolate…also known as…one of the best places on Earth.

So, aside from my goal of joining the 50 States Club, why a half marathon in Hershey, Pennsylvania? Running for chocolate, of course. This race, just before Mile 12, hands out a candy bar. No joke. That was what originally caught my attention. It was mentioned on an early date of my roommate’s Food Challenge Desk Calendar. And I immediately knew I had to run it. I also knew this would be a great road trip to include Jenn on, because she is as much a chocoholic as I am. We made plans. Registration opened. And I signed up.

This meant travel. Lots of time in the car. And it all started the Friday before the race on Sunday. Cathy and I worked a half day on Friday and then made our way up to Columbus, Ohio. We crashed at Jenn’s house that night, knowing the realization that we would have to be up crazy early in the morning (5:45 a.m. which I was not happy about) to eat breakfast (I brought homemade gluten-free carrot cake pancakes), get coffee (from Caribou Coffee…because when I am near one I have to have it!), and get on the road for the 7 hour car trip from Columbus to Hershey, Pennsylvania.

The car ride took forever. Honestly. We made a couple of stops along the way for stretching, bathroom, and food. I had to be very careful with my food decisions that Saturday because I didn’t want to consume something with gluten in it the day before I ran 13.1 miles in a race. That would have been disastrous. So, I stuck to products I knew and trusted and were labeled gluten-free for the journey there.

At around 2:30 p.m., we arrived in Hershey, Pennsylvania and had to make our way to Hershey Park and attempt to find the Ice Palace, where packet pick-up and the expo were held. We followed traffic to Hershey Park and then Cathy had her immediate freak-out of normal proportions with the usual, “I don’t know what I’m doing…I don’t think this is right…I don’t want to ask someone else…” But once you get her past that part of the trip, she does better. Well, she had that moment and it passed when we got up to the ticket gate and she inquired with the lady in the booth about packet pickup. She told us to drive all the way around and follow the signs for the Season Ticket Office, and we’d get where we needed to go.

That’s what we did and we were directed into a parking lot, where we did a little hunting for a spot before finally getting out of the car for a little while. It was nice to stretch and move some. We had a little bit of a walk to the Season Ticket Office, which was marked with signs and balloons for the Hershey Half Marathon Packet Pick-up. We entered…and I immediately spotted the booth for BondiBand. I love BondiBand, so I said I would loop back around for it…and focus for the moment on getting my packet, which is truly the most important part.

It was easy. The packet pick-up was done from the first letter of your last name. I went up to the B box and he was able to easily find my name. He pulled out a packet, handed it to me with my shirt and a reusable bag and directed me over to Chip Check, where a woman took the packet, ran it over a scanner, and made sure my name came up and the chip was functioning. It was. And I was Bib No. 400!

With the important stuff now in hand, I was able to walk around the expo. There weren’t too many booths there, honestly. Your local groups, a few vendors, and…BONDIBAND! So, after making one circuit of the small expo, that’s where Cathy, Jenn and I headed. Like I need more BondiBands, right? I can’t help it…these things are great and I wear them on training runs as well as during races. They’ve become part of my running attire and people recognize me because of it. So, after about 45 minutes of searching, Cathy and I narrowed down our choices to four, which she bought for me, and soon…we were heading out of the expo.

With some time to still kill before meeting up with my friend Kathy for dinner at a restaurant with amazing gluten-free Italian food options, we ducked into Hershey World and checked out the prices for activities and hit up the gift shop. Shopping took us a little while, but we wrapped it up and made our way to the resort we were staying at that night. Cathy got us checked in and we took our luggage up to the room and settled in for a little bit until Kathy arrived to give us a tour of Hershey and take us to Piazza Sorrento, our choice for where to have dinner.

Dinner was delicious and hanging out and socializing with Kathy was a lot of fun. But as the night went on…she had to get back home to her family and we had to get ready for yet another early morning for the race. I dug into my luggage and started laying out what I was going to wear that morning of the race, noting that it was going to be a crisp, cold 43 degrees out and I didn’t bring long sleeves, arm warmers, or anything. So, I knew I was going to be cold that following morning. I did bring my running capri pants, but opted for my running skirt regardless of the chill in the air. With all that done, we turned in for the night.

The 5:30 a.m. wake-up call came and I dragged myself out of bed and went to get dressed. I put on my running clothes, got my plantar fasciitis sleeve over my taped feet, then my running socks. My shoes were laced up and I was good to go except for putting the colored hair extensions in my hair and putting it up in ponytails. I managed that, put on my “Will Run for Chocolate” BondiBand I purchased online prior to this race, and headed out to the living room area of the suite. I grabbed a bag of gluten-free cereal and settled in at the table to munch. It wasn’t the usual cereal I would eat, but it was already in a portable container. I had picked it up the weekend prior at a gluten-free expo, so while it would have been better with some almond milk over it…I work with what I have. Both Cathy and Jenn (poor Jenn had been awake since 3:30 a.m.) had their breakfasts as well and we finished up getting ready before heading out the door. I grabbed my banana to consume an hour before the race, filled up my water bottle with SmartWater, and we were off.

I stepped outside into the garage of the resort and immediately knew I was honestly going to be quite cold for the start of the race at least. The wind was quite strong and very frigid. But…I also knew I would arm up as I ran, and a half marathon is quite a distance to go being overdressed. So, I freeze some at the beginning, but don’t have to worry about shedding layers or being too hot during the event.

We drove over to Hershey Park and found a great spot near the end of a row. I didn’t want to get out of the car yet, so I waited for Cathy to futz around with what she needed in the bag she was bringing, what she wanted in the trunk, and whatever else she was futzing with. And when she was finally ready, Jenn and I got out of the semi-warm vehicle and walked toward Hershey Park Stadium. As we were walking, I peeled my banana and began to slowly eat that. We ducked into the brightly lit stadium to take a look around. I got to see the Finish…and knew that was my destination. I just had to get there. The start of the race happened outside of Hershey Park Stadium, but we still had some time. Instead of standing out in the cold, we headed over to where Packet Pick-Up was happening and ducked inside. On our way there, a runner spotted my “Go Karen Go!” sign that Cathy has at every race and she said, “Oh my God, you run in Louisville! I see that sign at every race! You won an award at the Big Hit Quarter Marathon!” I couldn’t believe that the sign was spotted and recognized by someone else up from the Louisville area. How cool! We said hello, wished each other luck, and we went to step into the warm surroundings of the packet pick-up space. It was in here that I began to stretch. And as the crowd began to thin out, I knew race time was getting close. So, sucking it up…I went back outside and made my way over to the starting area.

Me and the Hershey Bar before the start of the Hershey Half Marathon

Being that this is the Hershey Half Marathon, a lot of the Hershey mascots (aka: Candy Bars) were out and roaming around. I spotted the big Hershey Bar and knew I had to have my picture with him. So after a high five, we took a great picture. Jenn and I then hopped into a picture with the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup mascot. Awesome. And, little did I know that the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup was the featured candy. It was on the medal this year! SWEET! Cathy opted to have her picture taken with the Kit Kat Bar. It was pretty epic and so much fun. What a great way to just sort of take the edge off before a race. And, it got me out of my hoodie to acclimate to the cold air sooner than I would have otherwise.

With photos done, and announcements about to be made, Cathy and Jenn gave me good luck hugs, told me they’d see me at the finish, told me to have a great run, and Jenn gave me the best send-off with “Don’t pants your poop!” HAHAHAHA!! Love it. Marathon Thoughts…thank you for that one. I got lined up in the middle of the 8 minute miles and 9 minute miles…my proper spot this time. The race director went up to the podium to give a small speech about the race. I wasn’t aware that this was only the third year the Hershey Half Marathon had run. I thought it had been going on for much longer than that. He went over the rules…like not to take fluids from strangers…look for volunteers in the orange shirts instead. It was great. And then he turned the microphone over to the miracle child from the local Children’s Miracle Network picked to kick off this year’s race. He was so adorable and not shy at all. With much gusto, he got us out and going with a simple “Ready….Set…….GO!”

And so…the race was on. The movement toward the Start was easy and smooth. It took me about a minute to get from where I was corralled to the actual Start gate. So, that wasn’t too bad. I spotted Jenn and Cathy on the other side, flashed a smile and a peace sign…and was off.

Now, prior to the race, I watched the video of the course. It looks pretty flat from the video. But on Thursday night, I started looking up blogs on the Hershey Half Marathon and everyone was talking about how hilly it was. I was determined that they ran a different course than the one I saw. But…nope. They were absolutely right. HILLS! Lots of hills. And not just small rolling hills either. Some of these were pretty good climbs.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The beginning of the race is mildly challenging. The first mile, for me, flew by. Honestly. I was just sort of running at what I deemed to be a good, slower, start time for my run. I want to get better at run easy…push more…finish fast. But I was through the first mile and it felt great. Mile 2 was spent running through Hershey Park itself. That was a lot of fun. I enjoyed seeing the park, the rides that were available, the vendors. Sure, it was tight quarters with all the runners in there, but you make the most of it. You enjoy it. You choose a pace and you just work through it. Quite a few inclines welcomed us inside the park. I did my best to power up them without using too much energy so early on. As we came out of the park, the race hit Mile 3 and off we went to wind through the streets of Hershey, Pennsylvania. With the challenge of the hills I found myself focusing a lot more on the road ahead of me. I didn’t glance at my pace, even when another mile beeped off on my Garmin. I wanted to just run this at what felt comfortable. It had been working for me in the past couple of races…why mess with it and try to rush myself? Miles 4-6 just seemed to fly by because of the hills that greeted the runners. I was so focused on getting safely to the top without expending too much energy, but not slowing down to a crawl either, that before I knew it…I was halfway through the race. I was warmed up. I was feeling good. I was remembering to hydrate when I felt I needed it. Halfway was where the relay teams tagged off, so I got to see some of that happening, which was cool.

Mile 7 took us basically up a hill almost the entire way. But my legs were feeling strong and pushed forward. I was moving at a good pace. Mile 8 – 9 was done through a residential area. The roads narrowed a bit at Mile 8 because we had runners coming up one way, and those going through Mile 9 were coming down the other way. But everyone navigated it well and the neighborhoods were a nice change of scenery. Some of the best crowds were out on these corners. And if they saw your bib…they would shout your name. This was one very awesome crowd.

Miles 10 – 11 felt amazing to me. I hit that 10 mile mark and saw the time clock reading of 1:23:17 and I knew I was far above my normal race pace for this run. My best 10 mile race time was 1:29:33. This race was proving to be one of my best half marathons yet…even with the hills. Normally by Mile 10 I need to refuel with Sports Beans or a GU. But not today. I had energy. I was pushing now because I was only 2 miles from the end.

As I came onto Chocolate Avenue, I was greeted by the volunteers dangling Reeses Nutrageous bars out to runners. It was the Chocolate Aid Station! YAY!! A lot of runners ignored it…but the whole purpose of this race was to get the chocolate bar at Mile 12. This happened just before Mile 12, but I had to take one. I had to. I didn’t eat it, but I carried it with me as I ran up the street lined with Hershey Kisses topped street lights, and back toward Hershey Park. Mile 12 had yet another hill, but I was so close now, I could taste it. I came into the parking lot and started down toward the tram gate to run toward the stadium. Then it was out and around the stadium before coming into it, dashing around a corner…and finding that Finish line. I was rewarded with a Finisher’s Medal almost immediately. That finish was one of my better ones. I immediately spotted Cathy and Jenn in the stands and I was so pumped up from the finish that I was bouncing and pumping my fists. Even more amazing…the chocolate I got at the Chocolate Aid Station didn’t melt. I got my finisher’s photo taken and Cathy said they would meet me at the Results tent.

I made my way there, getting the little cooler of goodies along the way…and some water. I was gifted with another space blanket to help warm me up…and I walked onto the field and over to results. Sadly, my results weren’t up yet to find. However, I did go and get hugs and congratulations from both Jenn and Cathy immediately afterwards. I handed Jenn the Nutrageous bar I picked up at the Chocolate Aid Station and thanked her for coming out after a long trip and sleepless night to sit in the cold and wait for me to finish a race. I was pumped. I was so excited. My best race yet and I was still feeling great!

I got my Arbonne Vegan Chocolate Protein shake out and drank that down while standing around and texting my family. Then I sent the text to my friends. And then…after downing some water…we got into the car to head back to the resort so I could shower and we could head out and do something out of town the rest of the day. This…was one hell of an amazing race. And when all was said and done, I shaved 7 plus minutes off my previous half marathon PR. So a great run and a new PR…despite the hills! YES! All that hard work and training really is paying off. What a fantastic run!

The official results of the Hershey Half Marathon have me finishing in 1:51:37. I was 642/3932 finishers overall. I was 212/2516 women runners to cross the finish line. I was the 634th person to cross in the 25-34 age division. And I placed 77th for people who were 32 to cross the finish line. THRILLED! Ecstatic. Just…so proud of myself for such a well run race. 1/58 in my age division. I set a new PR for a half marathon…and I have my next one, in…2 weeks. No joke. But I am treating that one as a training run due to it being so close to this one.

Being part of the Hershey Half Marathon was so much fun. Pushing myself without knowing it and setting a new PR while here…priceless. Running for chocolate…the best reason to run. Period. I might have to do this one again sometime!

Me striking a pose for a strong finish and new PR at the Hershey Half Marathon

October 23, 2012

Piazza Sorrento a slice of gluten-free Italian heaven in Hershey, Pennsylvania

Restaurant: Piazza Sorrento, Hershey, Pennsylvania

Traveling is one of the hardest things for me to do and find a place that I can trust to serve me food that won’t make me sick. Honestly. It can be quite nerve-wracking. Put on top of that the added pressure of having a half marathon the next day and the last thing you want to do is eat something that might send your GI track into an unhappy rage.

Well, that was the situation this past weekend. I was heading to Hershey, Pennsylvania to run in the Hershey Half Marathon on Sunday morning. My journey began by going to my friend Jenn’s in Ohio, and then she, my roommmate, and I all headed up to Pennsylvania the following morning. Now, Jenn loves me lots and has a gluten-free pantry shelf of stuff we can eat when I am in town. Good friends are awesome! But, here we are on the road! However, because she loves me, she got on Find Me Gluten Free and found a little Italian place in Hershey, Pennsylvania with what looked like an extensive gluten-free menu.

As I have found that my best races so far have been after I have eaten gluten-free pizza, finding a gluten-free Italian place that has not only gluten-free pizza, but pasta, starters, subs, salads, entrees, and yes…desserts…right where I was going to be running a long, big race was probably one of the happiest finds ever. To top it off, a friend of mine didn’t live far from the resort where we were staying, and she just happened to know the owners of this amazing restaurant. So…we all had plans to meet up and go and enjoy a fantastic, safe (for me), Italian meal.

Let me tell you…with my lunch-on-the-go consisting of Chobani yogurt and a KIND bar, I was ready for some real food.

The place that we selected to eat was Piazza Sorrento, located on Briarcrest Square in Hershey. From what we had discovered online, this was a independently run local restaurant, where the owners and staff dedicate themselves to providing the Hershey area with the finest service, food, and wine at a fair and competative price. While striving to keep the history of the dish and region that it stems from intact, they provide regional and classic Italian cuisine using only premium ingredients. Part of that process is by sourcing local ingredients from the local commerce of the Hershey area. I loved that.

What I also loved was the extensive gluten-free menu that came up on their Web site.

After arriving in Hershey and heading over to Hershey Park to pick up my race packet and walk around the little expo that was attached, Jenn, Cathy and myself headed over to Hershey World to see what was going on, what prices were for things we were interested in doing, and to do some preliminary shopping in the gift shop. That took a little bit of time, so when we finished up, we hopped back into the car, checked into our resort, and just sort of relaxed while waiting on Kathy (yes…another one, different spelling) to arrive so she could direct us to the restaurant the four of us would be dining in. She arrived early…and we were okay with that because we were hungry! Heading out, we met up in the garage of the resort, and she offered to drive to show us the sights of the area. A sort of grand tour if you will. But first…food.

We arrived just a little before 5 p.m. at Piazza Sorrento and headed inside. We were greeted by a very friendly hostess who asked if we wanted to dine in the restaurant or the pizza shop. We weren’t aware there was a difference, but we decided on the restaurant in the end. It took only a moment for them to ready a booth for the four of us, and we asked for one gluten-free menu for me. She happily complied, and went and took us to our seat, letting us know that our server, Lydia, would be with us shortly.

Lydia did arrive rather promptly to the table to see what we would like to have to drink. As I was running, I was all about the water. And it seemed everyone else at the table felt that way too. So, water it was. She came back and went over the specials on the menu, noting that since I had a gluten-free menu, to mention what specials were gluten-free…and this included soups. I loved how knowledgeable she was. It really put me at ease. And the fact that I didn’t have to give my, “I’m a Celiac…” speech was a nice change of pace. She went to ready the bread basket and asked me if I would like a gluten-free roll. I was so shocked that it took me a moment to answer. But I answered correctly. “Yes, please.”

Piazza Sorrento's Gluten-Free Roll — Piazza Sorrento’s Gluten-Free Roll

She returned with the bread basket and two plates of herbs for dipping. The one she set down in front of me was the gluten-free one. All we had to do was add the oil. My roll wasn’t out yet, but my dinner guests waited until it was delivered to the table before they dug into the regular bread basked.

This roll looked fantastic. The plate that it was sitting on came with a tag, marking it as one of Piazza Sorrento’s Gluten-Free Options. I love that they have a labeling system. With oil poured onto my herbs, I reached down and tore a hunk of my gluten-free roll off. A little steam rose from it and it smelled amazing. Fresh. Delicious. I took my first bite without the oil and herbs. I wanted to savor the roll and enjoy it on its own first. Really just draw my opinion from the bare bread itself. It was…fantastic. Very light. Very soft. Warm. Fresh. I wanted to devour it and ask for another one. But, I behaved.

And soon, Lydia was at our table preparing to take our orders. Cathy wanted to get one of their House Specialties, so she asked Lydia if she had to recommend one item on the menu…what would it be. Lydia said she couldn’t limit it to one, but she could tell her some of her favorites and house favorites. Which she proceeded to do and then, left Cathy to ponder for the time it took the rest of us to order our meal.

Jenn went with the small order of Crab and Tortellini ($16.00). Kathy opted for the Chicken Piccata ($18.00). Cathy finally decided on the Pappardelle Bolognese ($17.00). As for me…I needed pizza to fuel my run. So after going back and forth between a couple of the vegetarian, gluten-free options (because…yes…there were lots of options), I settled on the Gluten-Free Old World Pizza ($9.00). Lydia went to put our orders in and we had plenty of time to talk about Hershey, the park, the race, and just get caught up on what was going on with whom and why and it was the perfect little get together. Great setting too.

Piazza Sorrento's Gluten-Free Old World Pizza — Piazza Sorrento’s Gluten-Free Old World Pizza

When food arrived at the table it looked absolutely delicious. My pizza was once again marked with one of the slips of paper declaring it to be a Piazza Sorrento Gluten-Free Choice. Food labeling makes me feel at ease. This was the smallest little touch…and yet, it meant the world to me. With our food in front of us, we all just dove right in. Sort of. I had to take pictures and both my phone and my camera were acting up. But…I got it sorted and photographed and then wasted no further time before lifting my first slice of pizza and taking a bite.

The Gluten-Free Old World Pizza from Piazza Sorrento is the classic Old World Style pizza. It is the crust, with a layer of provolone cheese, then topped with tomato sauce and finished off with a sprinkling of Romano cheese and some oregano. I had never tried an Old World-style pizza before and this was one of the House Specialties on the menu…so I figured why not try something I haven’t been able to get anywhere else. I’m glad I did.

The crust on the pizza was a thin crust pizza, probably of a rice flour base. It cooked up crispy…with a little softness to it. So…just right for me. I love a thin crust pizza anyway…always have. Gluten-free pizza crusts are usually quite thin, so this transition has been easy for me. The hard part is finding one that is really fantastic on its own. Piazza Sorrento has a really delicious one. The Gluten-Free Pizzas only come in the 10 inch size, which is pretty normal of any establishment that serves gluten-free pizza. I knew there would be leftovers…meaning my friends and I would have pizza for dinner the following evening…as our resort suite had a fridge and a microwave. SCORE! But I am digressing…

Let’s return to the star of the table at the moment…the food. My friends all really enjoyed their meals. And I happily downed two slices of my Gluten-Free Old World Pizza. The provolone cheese on the bottom was melted to perfection. The sauce over it was packed with flavor. Not bitter at all. The tomato flavor really shined. And the light dusting of Romano and oregano really just topped it off. I probably could have eaten more, but I didn’t want to stuff myself to the max in case…there was room for dessert.

And with us…there normally is. Especially when there are gluten-free options available.

Lydia brought out the dessert tray and went over the what each item was and explained which ones were available as gluten-free. Both Jenn and Kathy opted for the tiramisu (one of the gluten-free options) ($7.00). Cathy went with her favorite Italian dessert…cannoli ($3.50). As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Ricotta Cake ($8.00). It just looked…really yummy.

The Ricotta Cake is basically a very light sponge cake that was drizzled with white vermouth and topped off with Ricotta cheese and fresh fruit. It is one of the favorites among customers…and now I know why. When dessert arrived…I couldn’t wait to dig in. I picked up my fork and slid it easily through the cake. It was like a hot knife going through butter. So creamy. So soft. So moist. I was already anticipating my first bite. And when I took it…I think I melted. Seriously. This had to be the best cake I had ever bitten into. I had to share a bite with my friends. I honestly did. Because it was that amazing. Had Piazza Sorrento been open on Sunday, I probably would have stopped in just for cake. In fact, my friend Jenn had mentioned doing just that because even she fell in love with it at the one bite she had. We both said that it tasted like cannoli in cake form. Honestly…super good. Just melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

After dining there, I tried to e-mail the restaurant to see about getting the recipe…but the e-mail kept bouncing back to me. I finally settled on messaging them on Facebook…but have yet to receive a response.

There is nothing bad I can say about Piazza Sorrento. Honestly it has been one of the best dining experiences I have had, coupled with one of the best meals I have ever eaten. I didn’t need to worry about if the food was going to react poorly with me, especially before such a big race day. I felt confident in the competence of Lydia and the rest of the staff there. And the food was great…and I didn’t get sick at all.

Whoever said that gluten-free was boring and lacked variety and choices hasn’t been through Hershey, Pennsylvania and tried out Piazza Sorrento. I encourage you, whole-heartedly, that if you happen to be in the land of chocolate…or within driving distance, to check out Piazza Sorrento and see for yourself. The gluten-free menu will blow you away, the service and safety the staff take will astound you. But it will be the taste of the food that will make you wish that you had this place in your own hometown. I envy the people who live here…because this has joined the ranks of one of my favorite places to eat. But when you live in Indiana…it means returning won’t happen too often.

Oh…I also encourage you, should you go to eat at Piazza Sorrento, to try the delicious Gluten-Free Ricotta Cake. It’s worth saving room for…or finding room for. Trust me.

Piazza Sorrento's Gluten-Free Ricotta Cake — Piazza Sorrento’s Gluten-Free Ricotta Cake

October 22, 2012

KIND Fruit & Nut Delight a delight to see while on the road

Product: KIND Fruit & Nut Delight Bar – $1.99+

My co-worker and teammate at the office provided me with my first KIND Bar…which I ate without blogging about. Why? Because I didn’t have the resources available to properly document the occasion. And she also provided me with my second KIND Bar…which I also devoured and didn’t take the pictures necessary to blog about it. Silly me.

But, it is because of her that I have discovered this amazing gluten-free snack bar.

So, thank you, Andrea!

As luck would have it, while on my trip to Hershey, Pennsylvania, we stopped off at a travel oasis in Pennsylvania to grab something light to eat for lunch. Well, all of the restaurants that were featured at this place didn’t have anything that I would be able to eat. But, thankfully, the attached gas station had a travel center, which I ducked into and started to glance around to see what they had that I could use as a snack for lunch.

And in with the granola and protein bars…there, shining like a beacon of gluten-free goodness…was the KIND Fruit & Nut Delight bar. And I couldn’t have been more excited to see that than I was just then.

And…this was a flavor I had yet to try! Even better.

The KIND Bar that I found was the Fruit & Nut Delight. This snack bar is a scrumptious mix of healthy mixed nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, peanuts and walnuts) with dried apricots and raisins. It wasn’t the ideal flavor that I would have chosen, but it was all they had. It was also gluten-free, so I figured…yes…this would be my lunch.

The KIND Fruit & Nut Delight Bar sets you back 180 degrees for the entire bar and 11 grams of fat, which seems high, but keep in mind that much of this fat comes from the nuts, which are truly a healthy fat. This bar also provides a 5 gram punch of protein.

And…despite not being a flavor I would have chosen on my own…I loved it. The nuts and fruit, with the addition of gluten-free puffed rice and honey and other seasonings, was a perfect blend of salty and sweet. Everything about this bar was delicious. There was the right amount of flavor with the blend of nuts, and it wasn’t overly salty. True, this bar does contain 11 grams of sugar, which I do find high, but much of that probably stems from the honey and the dried fruit. So, I give that a pass.

I really wanted to feel safe eating my food before the half marathon I was running and I knew that I could trust KIND Bars to deliver a safe, delicious, and relatively healthy gluten-free snack. I wasn’t worried about having a bad reaction to it. It is even labeled as gluten-free. And with all the nuts and the protein hit…quite filling as well.

With every KIND Bar that I try, I fall more and more in love with it as a product. Every flavor has won me over..and this was the very first one I had without some sort of chocolate being involved. And guess what…it’s been my favorite.

Thank goodness for companies that put out gluten-free snack bars that are healthy, delicious, and safe for those of us who just can’t grab a granola bar or a protein bar without checking the ingredients first.

KIND Bar…I tip my hat to you in thanks. And can’t wait to try more of your bars in the future!

KIND Fruit & Nut Delight Bar (unwrapped)