Restaurant: Patachou On The Park, Indianapolis, Indiana
What’s my favorite meal of the day?
That’s right, friend’s. It’s breakfast! I love, love, love breakfast.
So, on the morning after my half marathon, I woke up in Indianapolis and was ready for a good breakfast. Cathy had done some research on great places to grab either breakfast or brunch that would have some options for me and stumbled across Patachou On The Park via Find Me Gluten Free. It had some really great reviews, so we decided that we would give this place a try before checking out of the hotel and making our way home.
We were there right when they opened on Sunday morning at 8 a.m. We entered and were told to take a seat wherever we liked. We chose a corner table with a long bench on one side that shared with other tables along that line, and a chair on the other. We settled in with the menu and soon or waitress came over to see what we wanted to eat. She said that they had a self-serve coffee bar if that was what we wanted, but both Cathy and I chose to get some caffeine through Diet Coke ($1.95…and served in the can) and water.
While she was there, we mentioned that I was medically gluten-free and she asked about the level of my intolerance just so she could be clear. We went over the restrictions with her and she seemed confident that they could provide a safe meal for me. And mentioned that they did serve Udi’s Gluten-Free Bread. Do you know what this meant? This meant that I didn’t have to just have an omelet. Now, I love a good omelet, but it seems like that’s always my go-to and these brunch places, as most don’t have gluten-free bread, gluten-free pancakes, gluten-free waffles, or gluten-free anything besides eggs. So, this was a nice change of pace.
That being the case, when it came time to order, both Cathy and I opted to go with the Broken Yolk Sandwiches, as they were items we couldn’t just get anywhere else. Omelets we could do anywhere with the fixings that were offered…but these were different. What is a Broken Yolk Sandwich? It’s two fried eggs, served runny unless you request otherwise, topped with whatever option you choose from the menu on the bread of choice. They have quite a list of them.
Cathy chose to get the Broken Yolk Sandwich with Bacon ($10.25), which consisted of two fried eggs, cheddar cheese and Indiana
bacon. For her toast, she chose sourdough…a fantastic choice for a breakfast sandwich.
As for me, I went with the plain Broken Yolk Sandwich ($9.75), which consists of two fried eggs and cheddar cheese. Naturally, I ordered mine on gluten-free bread (+$1.50). It was really the only one that was vegetarian without removing ingredients from the sandwich, which could mess with the integrity of the flavor. I was okay with this though. It sounded delicious.
Both Cathy and I opted for the fruit bowl as our side instead of a small salad. After all…who does salad for breakfast?
Shortly after the orders went in, our waitress was coming to the table with our plates of food. I must admit…the plates look fantastic. The sandwich looked amazing and filling. And it was.
The gluten-free bread that they use at Patachou On The Park is Udi’s Gluten-Free Bread. I hate that they charge more for gluten-free bread. There are so many places that graciously just offer it without the up-charge, but I, as a gluten-free consumer knows that gluten-free bread costs more than regular breads so…that’s why the up-charge is often there. It just…sucks.
Not quite sure how to eat it, I opted for the fork and knife approach. With the runny eggs, I knew it would be messy, and this actually proved to be a good option. Cathy was actually able to pick hers up to eat. Sourdough is a much sturdier bread than gluten-free bread and while mine ended up soggy, hers held together really well.
So, if you eat here…I recommend fork and knife for the gluten-free Broken Yolk Sandwich option. Trust me. It’s the best way to eat it. Each bite was awesome. Egg, bread, cheese…three of my favorite things. And not one bite lacked any of this. I even was able to give mine a little kick with a dash of Sriracha, because I love heat with my eggs regardless of how I am eating them. It was a really great combination.
As for the fruit bowl, there was quite the variety. Very ripe and sweet pineapple, peeled oranges (I appreciated this as most places leave the peel on and it’s just awkward), strawberries, blueberries, grapes. All perfectly sweet and at the right level of ripeness. I liked it. I love it when my fruit is ripe.
Overall…the food was great…it tasted fantastic. It was fresh, made in house with local products, and really delicious. My one problem with Patachou on the Park was the price. The two breakfast sandwiches and the Diet Coke cans set us back nearly $30. For breakfast!!! Now, I’ve spent that kind of money at breakfast/brunch places, but I typically get potatoes with my meal in addition to the fruit and the egg dish. So, do be prepared to pay a lot for your meal here. The food is great, so it is worth the price, but it did give me a bit of sticker shock.
It was definitely worth the visit to give the food a try, but I think next time I’ll seek out somewhere with more affordable prices and equally as good food. They exist all over Indianapolis. I wasn’t at all disappointed with the food…just the cost.
But…you do get what you pay for. And I did get good food. Bottom line…that’s the important thing.
Patachou On The Park’s Broken Yolk Sandwich on Gluten-Free Bread
I almost backed out of going to this amazing Mexican restaurant on account of not feeling well due to dehydration brought on from a red flagged half marathon that morning. I wasn’t feeling good all day and I wasn’t sure how well my stomach would handle Mexican food being fed to it after the abuse I put it through just to get through the race.
In the end, however, I am glad I decided to go. And for the record…I actually was hungry when I stepped into the restaurant with my roomie and actually could smell the authentic Mexican cuisine as other diners enjoyed their meals. Yeah…Cathy made a good choice when she set up reservations for this restaurant prior to the race.
What made her choose this over say…the place up the way with gluten-free pizza? The answer was quite simple. Adobo Grill in Indianapolis had rave reviews on Find Me Gluten Free’s Web site. And with that sort of piece of mind, we both knew that this would at least be a decent dining experience if nothing else. The food, my friends, aside from the safety and the way gluten-free options were handled, was the highlight.
Upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted by a hostess who took us to a nice booth in a dimly lit dining room. The entire restaurant was decorated in warm colors, reds and oranges especially, which are said to stimulate appetite. It was working. I was…for the first time all day…actually a little hungry. We were left menus and our server came to our table to pour us some water and see if we wanted anything else to drink. As I still felt dehydrated, I stuck purely with the water. So did Cathy.
Then, we mentioned that I was medically gluten-free and the waiter said he would take my menu and return with one specifically for me. Yes…their gluten-free menu. I absolutely love when places have menus specifically for those who need to eat gluten-free. It really puts my mind to ease to some extent. What was even better was that this menu had more than just a few selections on them and many of the options were vegetarian.
Happy dance of joy. The waiter gave me another moment to look over the options and I finally made my decision.
Adobo Grill’s Guacamole (prepared table side)
First of all, both Cathy and I decided to split an appetizer of the Guacamole ($7.99). What makes this guacamole a must-have is that it is prepared table side. Yes. It is made right before your very eyes. You see everything that goes into it. No need to question how it is made or anything. And it was so much fun to see the woman roll the cart over with all the makings and a stone bowl. She asked us how hot we wanted our guacamole. Cathy said I like hot and she likes mild, so we’d settle on a medium. The very gracious server nodded and began the art of table side guacamole preparation. The best part was at the end, when she speedily sliced an avocado in half, hit the pit with the knife to remove it, then scooped it into the bowl with the rest of the fixings and…mashed it all together. Then it was set on the table and we were left with our chips and ready to enjoy. I spooned up a helping onto my plate and took a bite.
Rich. Creamy. Packed with flavor. I loved the hit of lime juice which would follow up each bite. It was one of the more delicious guacamoles that I have eaten. I didn’t find it to pack any heat at all, which was good for Cathy…but I do like a bit of heat with mine. But that was not an issue as the flavors were all there and none of them overpowered the rest. I could taste everything. I loved the chunkiness of the texture and how amazing it tasted when it all came together. Love at first bite.
Adobo Grill’s Enchiladas de Calabaza
For my entree, I chose the Enchiladas de Calabaza ($14.99). It’s their vegetarian enchilada option on the menu. Enchiladas just sounded like the perfect meal that night. And now that my stomach wasn’t feeling so…blah…I was ready for something of actual sustenance. The Enchiladas de Calabaza are corn tortillas packed with roasted butternut squash & mushrooms and then coated in creamy tomatillo salsa with cheese & red onion on top. Sour cream usually accompanies this, but I’ve never been a fan so I asked that they not include it. It came with a side of black beans. A large serving of black beans to be exact. But, I figured after the race…the protein was much needed.
Yummy. No. Really, really yummy! What I loved about this enchilada was the various flavors that came out of each bite. The butternut squash was sweet, but paired so well with the umami, earthly flavors of the mushrooms. The sauce, the corn, the onion…the pico de gallo and the cheese all brought it together. And when I would scoop up a bite with some of the seasoned and creamy black beans…it was magic. Honestly. I loved the fantastic, savory flavors that would emerge with each bite. I was in love with this meal and devoured it all. Dehydration and upset stomach be damned…this was fantastic food, bite-for-bite, and I was hungry for more.
For the record, Cathy enjoyed her Enchiladas de Mariscos, which are enchiladas filled with shrimp, tilapia, grilled peppers, corn and cheese and basted in fresh corn-chipotle salsa. She also nixed the sour cream, but it came with the pico de gallo, a side of Mexican rice and a side of black beans ($14.99)
Well…I was actually quite full, but figured I needed something to celebrate with. So when our server returned, Cathy and I inquired as to what would be gluten-free on the dessert menu. The server said the Chocolate Tamal would be without the cookie/cake part. But he would check on the rest. When he returned, he said the Flan was gluten-free and Ice Cream was gluten-free.
Instead of sharing a dessert, Cathy and I decided we’d each order one. I got the Flan ($4.99), which is a traditional vanilla custard with caramel sauce. Cathy got the Chocolate Tamal ($5.99), which we thought would be done gluten-free, but it came out regular for her. So I didn’t get to sample it. But it looked fantastic…sort of a chocolate cake/cookie wrapped like a tamale and served with vanilla bean ice cream, chocolate sauce and dried cranberries.
This was the first time I ever had Flan. And I was really impressed with it. It felt light, despite being a custard. The caramel sauce didn’t take away from the vanilla flavor. It was used as more of a topping and garnish than anything. And…there was a strawberry on top…which, naturally I saved for the very last bite. I was full when I finished eating. Stuffed, really. But I found this meal to be well worth going to that extreme. I don’t eat like that often, but my appetite was back with a vengeance and it was time to really celebrate getting through that difficult race.
Sure…the meal was pricey. But we were eating in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. It’s going to be pricey. The important thing was I was able to eat there without feeling ill afterwards. They took my gluten intolerance very seriously and provided me with a fantastic, safe dinner. And after the rough day I had, it was just what I needed. I felt full, but great as I meandered out the door after dinner and back to the hotel.
Would I return to Adobo Grill next time I’m in Indianapolis? In a heartbeat. Highly recommended for those who can’t have gluten…and for those who can. As both my roomie and I enjoyed our meals and raved about them the entire time we were eating. Authentic Mexican food done authentically right and to perfection. Yeah…I’d eat there again. No problem.
Me crossing the finish line of the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon – Indianapolis, Indiana
Race: Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon
Place: Indianapolis, Indiana
Date: September 1, 2012
Time: 2:05:28
Let me start off by saying that this was one of the most difficult half marathons I have ever participated in. It had nothing to do with the course (which was wonderfully flat). Nor the number of people.
What made this race so difficult was the conditions it was run under.
The Good: It didn’t rain on us. In fact, the rain that the remnants of Isaac was supposed to bring pretty much stayed in Illinois until around 6 p.m. that evening. And even then, it was a passing downpour that was gone. So, my shoes live to see another race. YAY.
The Bad: This race began under a RED flag. For those of you who are new to running or are unfamiliar with the flag system on race day…let me sum this up:
Green Flag: Low risk. If the Green Flag is displayed – Go, Go, Go.
Yellow Flag: Moderate risk. If the Yellow Flag is displayed – The heat index is at a point where runners/walkers should slow their pace if they are sensitive to the heat. Participants should be aware of their hydration level.
Red Flag: High risk. If the Red Flag is displayed – Participants should be aware that heat illness is possible and should slow down and increase their hydration. If they are sensitive to heat or humidity, they should not run.
Black Flag: Extreme risk. If the Black Flag is displayed – Runners should slow to a walk and walkers should walk very slowly. Stop, rest, seek shade.
So, while the rain held off, the weather conditions weren’t exactly ideal for a half marathon.
The Ugly: Running on a healing torn plantar fascia. Also, running in 90% humidity. Let me tell you…this sucks!! Imagine running and trying to breathe through a wet towel. Welcome to my Saturday morning race. I promise you…this didn’t feel good and it literally took me out afterwards. I’ll get to that later…
For now…we start at the beginning…which was Friday evening at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Indianapolis. Getting there wasn’t a problem, despite not being able to leave early from work. As long as I got there before the race expo closed, I was golden. It felt like a very near thing…but there isn’t much that you can do when more than half your office is already off and both myself and my roommate were pretty much the only people on our respective teams there. So…yeah…meh. The important thing is I got there in time for packet pick-up, which was what needed to happen.
Now, this race is only in its second year, so it is really small compared to most other half marathons I run in. I think the original count for pre-registers for the half marathon was 1799 as of Friday afternoon when I left the office to head to Indianapolis. This does make it the smallest half marathon I have run. But, that’s rather respectable for a second year race. However, I was kind of bummed about the race expo. It just…was a whole lot of nothing. Granted, everything that was promised on the Web site was there, I just thought it was going to be bigger. The expo was spread out over the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Hyatt Regency, but what it consisted of were some vendors in with packet pick-up, then a few scattered tables outside of the giant ballroom that was in. Then on the third floor, a couple other races and vendors were promoting their respective races/merchandise. And…that was it. There were manicures being done and some massages, but that had pretty much wrapped up by the time I had gotten there anyway from the Louisville area.
With that said and done…Cathy and I headed over to Noodles & Company for dinner. We got it to go, opting to head back to the room, put our feet up and relax some while we ate. Now…with me being gluten-free, Noodles & Company pretty much has one thing I can eat. The Pad Thai. Fine. Except I couldn’t get a protein on it. The tofu isn’t gluten-free. And I’m a vegetarian, so the chicken, shrimp, steak or meatballs. So…I was protein-less when it came to dinner, which actually bummed me out…but what can you do? At least it had 76 grams of carbohydrates. And to compensate for not getting a protein, I got a small bowl of strawberries to enjoy as well. And that was dinner. So, very light on the protein, but good on the carbs. It was something at least.
Of course, after eating I was restless and kind of wanted a dessert. So, we headed through the skywalk to the Circle Center Mall. We wandered around for a bit and then stumbled into Godiva. I got an Extra Dark Chocolate Truffle and that was my treat pre-race. Cathy got a truffle as well, then found a place that sold Diet Mt. Dew in the bottle so she could have some caffeine in the morning.
We went back to the hotel to unwind, relax, and catch up on the weather. At that time, they were still predicting heavy rains to make it into the Indianapolis area and completely soak the city for much of Saturday. Meh. So, I decided to lay out my race clothes for the following day. I decided on a pair of shorts and a bra top. Less fabric meant less to weigh me down in the rain. With that done, I set out my race number, safety pins, headband, shoes, socks, and ponytail holders nearby…and called it a night.
And it was a restless night. But I never sleep well the night before a race. Especially when I’m away from home. I just get restless and think too much or worry over things (in this case…Hurricane Isaac).
The alarm went off at 5:40 a.m., but I had already gotten up and gotten dressed. This was more of Cathy’s wake-up alarm, because I was already in my race clothes and just curled up in bed…waiting for her to figure out it was time to wake up. She actually got out of bed faster than I anticipated, so I set to getting myself fed to fuel up for the morning. This meant a bowl of Envirokidz Gluten-Free Amazon Frosted Flakes (eaten dry) and a banana with Justin’s Almond Butter for some potassium and protein. This is my typical pre-big-race meal. I now my tummy can handle it as long as I eat it an hour before I run. Which…was definitely manageable. Cathy ate her breakfast as well and downed her Diet. Mt. Dew to help her wake up. Then, I went to brush my teeth, pull my hair up, get my Garmin and my Road ID on, put on my headband, lace up my shoes, and then go and have Cathy pin my number on.
Problem. My race bib was bigger than my bra top. HAHA! Story of my life. I was going to put on my tank, but then figured I’d just wear my skirt and pin it to the front of that. So, I changed from short to skirt…which I was okay with…because there was no rain falling from the sky yet and it looked like it would at least be out of the area for the duration of the race. So, that wardrobe change wouldn’t affect anything at all. Now that I had a place for my race bib, I was pinned up and ready to run. Cathy grabbed my sign, again because there was no rain, and we headed down to the lobby of the Hyatt.
Plenty of women were milling about, eating, stretching, taking, getting coffee…whatever it was they felt needed to be done. We walked through and found a semi-vacant area where I managed to get some minimal stretching done before Cathy was telling me we should move outside. So…out the doors we went and headed toward where the start line was going to be.
And it was then that the announcement was made that due to the high humidity, the race would begin under a red flag so runners should not aim to set any new PRs or the like on this race. We were told to run smart and to stay safe. And if the flag was changed to black, we were given instructions on what to do and how to proceed. Well, I’ve run races under green and yellow flag conditions. This was my first red flagged one. With the conditions, we were also told that much of the non-essentials had been removed from the course. There were still water stops and volunteers there, but some of the signage and the like had been removed for safety purposes. This also meant the original corralled start by pace wasn’t not happening. Instead, once the road was closed down just before the race, all the women in the half marathon moved up toward the start line (which had a lot of wire strung out over it to register and start bib chip timing), with no sense as to pace. It was just a gaggle of women, of varying speeds, intermingled and strewn out across the road.
Cathy had given me a good luck hug and moved on toward the starting area to prepare for the start. The National Anthem was sung, beautifully, by a group of women (fitting as this is an all-women race). And then…we were all pretty much unprepared but suddenly we were on the run. The blowhorn went off and we all made our dash across the starting line and began our journey through the streets of Indianapolis. Just women…all on a mission.
I was told about 15 minutes after our start the Indianapolis Women’s 5K Race went off without a problem.
But…I was running the half marathon. And due to the fact that I was coming back from a bad, bad injury (a torn plantar fascia in my left foot that literally left me immobile without the aid of crutches for two weeks), I had promised my podiatrist that I wouldn’t break any land speed records. My foot felt great that morning, but I didn’t want to press my luck. I started off at a good pace…probably a little faster than I intended, and that was when the sheer weight of the humidity hit. I wasn’t even a half a mile into the race and I was already drenched. I could tell then this was going to be a difficult one. I just didn’t know how difficult until I got further into it.
The first couple miles I maintained a normal race pace for me, so I had to actually tell myself to slow down. It was early and I still had a lot of race left. I hit the 5K mark at what would be a slow 5K for me, so my reminder did work. I was already starting to really feel what running in high humidity does to the body. I was really feeling tired. It wasn’t fatigue from not sleeping well. I’ve gotten the same or less amount of sleep prior to all my other half marathons. This was the soul-sucking, energy-sapping humidity and it was really giving me a fight. At mile 5, I had to crack open my Sports Beans and take a few with some water (I carry my own water bottle). This helped a little. I felt a little more energized the next few miles. Mind you, I have never had to break into my Sports Beans so early in a race. I normally hit them up around Mile 10. But that wasn’t happening. I needed a boost because I was really feeling like I was losing energy and fast.
It was about at Mile 5 I decided to walk a water stop and take in some cold water the volunteers were handing out. I haven’t walked a water stop since I ran the Chicago Half Marathon a year ago. But given the humid conditions, the fact that I was trying to recover from a bad injury, and that cold water sounded better than the lukewarm stuff now in my bottle, I walked the stop. I drank a little of it, then poured the rest of it over my head. Which was fine, except it loosened one of my ear buds. And then I couldn’t get it back in. So, I just tucked it into my bra strap and carried on with only one ear bud in and my music still going to keep me company on the road. I figured I could attempt to tuck it back into my ear further up the way. Problem was, when I tried…I noticed that the actual cushion on my Yurbuds was now missing, so putting it back in my ear wasn’t happening. GRRR. Oh well…
I noticed a lot of women who were slowing down and walking more than usual at these races. But the humidity was causing a lot of problems with hydration and stomach issues. Many women were getting stomach cramps. Some were not able to keep anything down. Some just needed to use one of the port-a-potties along the course. The gist of this is…we were fighting. All of us doing this race were literally at war with the humidity…and it was starting to win.
At Mile 8, a volunteer on a bike came riding the other way telling all the women running by to make sure they stopped and got water at that water stop. I decided she was right and I should do that. I was already fighting to lift my legs again, so I figured another drink of cold water would refresh me. I poured the rest over my head again and carried on.
Two more miles ticked by…and the race was getting harder and harder. This course was very flat. But the humidity was unrelenting and many women who were being cheered on by their friends/family members along the course were declaring that they didn’t feel to great, despite insistent compliments from their loved ones that they looked great. Around Mile 10, I was heading toward the crest of a very minor incline and on the corner, a man was standing there shouting down the hill at one of the women who had chosen to walk for a moment. In this sort of weather, under a red flag, that is to be expected. He was just harassing her, telling her that she needed to run, that this was a run not a walk, and it was just plain mean. A man walking the other way shouted at him and said, “Hey! Be nice! They’ve come a long way.” The heckler replied, “Fine, I’ll be nice. Run. RUN!” Grrr. I just wanted to smack him upside the head…but I didn’t want to expend any of my energy on him and focused on the last 3.1 miles. That was all that remained. A 5K.
Longest 5K ever. And at some point in the early part of it, my other ear bud refused to remain in my ear, so it was done without music to motivate me through. Let me tell you…it was a struggle. I glanced at my Garmin at one point and saw my pace at 11:54, which I have never run at. That is like…amazingly slow for me. But each step felt like a battle I was losing. I got out my Sports Beans again, though they didn’t even sound appetizing, and downed a few more with some of the water left in my water bottle. By Mile 11, I was doing a little better. Mile 12…I was starting to see more spectators and the extra encouragement always helps on a hard race.
It was also at this point we were rounding a corner to head toward the finish in White River State Park and we were directed around where some Barbeque Festival was going on. Let me tell you…after running in 90% humidity and feeling like (I’m not going to candy-coat this, friends) shit, the last thing I wanted to smell was charring meat. I mean, aside from being a vegetarian, it was pretty much stomach-churning at that point. But, I pressed on and came around a corner, seeing the entrance for White River State Park. I was almost there.
I think it was sheer stubbornness that got me across that finish line in the time I managed. I figured I’d finish more around my first half marathon time (Chicago 2011 – 2:20:51), but with Cathy cheering me on near the finish line, and tons of spectators just making some noise, I pressed on. The announcer said my name as I crossed…and that was that. Race done. I got my race chip deactivated and headed into runner’s services, where I was given my finisher’s medal, a beautiful rose, a bottle of water, and a banana. I waved at Cathy and set my stuff down to get my finisher’s photo taken in front of a backdrop, then continued on to where Cathy was waiting for me. She gave me a hug and we moved away to give other finisher’s and families/friends space to locate each other.
The massage tent was just up the way. So I cracked open my bottle of water, took a few sips, and headed over to get signed in. I was told to head into Line 3, which I did. Cathy dug out my protein shake and then hurried to go check the unofficial finishing times. While she was gone, I was chatting with the woman ahead of me about the race and we both thought the humidity was just enough to do anyone in.
And as Cathy returned…I handed her my protein shake, which I managed a couple of sips from and said it wasn’t sitting well in my stomach. A moment later, I looked over at her and told her I felt really light headed. She told me to lay down and put my feet up in the air. Which I did…and that helped. A lot. After a couple moments, I felt better and got back up. This lasted for a few minutes, and then I was feeling light headed and seeing a lot of black in my vision. So, I laid back down and got my feet elevated again, and remained that way until it was my turn for the massage chair. As my legs were feeling heavy, I asked to have them worked on, which my masseuse did to perfection. She was very nice and kept me talking about running, racing, and other such things. I felt so much better afterwards, drank some water and called my mom and dad as the unofficial results had posted my time.
I meandered back to the hotel with Cathy where I ducked into the bathroom to shower off. Thank God for that hotel stay for another day. I needed a cool shower to really bring me back to life. I took my time…just let the sweat (or liquid awesome) just wash away. I got out of the shower, dried off, and dressed for the rest of the day, which involved sushi for lunch, a visit to the Indiana State Museum, more sushi, rest, and then dinner at The Adobo Grill. For much of the visit to the museum, I felt awful. I managed to get through the three floors of displays and the like and it was only when we were in the gift store that I told Cathy I was ready to leave. I wasn’t feeling good. It was dehydration. Because when I got back up to the room, I got my large bottle of smart water and began drinking that…and I was feeling revived. The second round of vegetarian sushi was an added pick-me-up as well.
So…I managed to make it through to the finish, though the humidity kicked my butt in the process…and honestly almost did me in. But I made it through to the finish and recovered the rest of the weekend.
Official result for the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon are that I finished in 2:05:28. I was 236/1416 finishers overall. And I was 46/254 women in my division. Fighting back from injury, walking water stops, and battling the weather made this a bittersweet finish. It’s my second slowest half marathon time…but I felt like I fought for every second of it. And I couldn’t be happier with these results. Sure, part of me wonders what I might have managed had the humidity been better or even walked the water stops…despite having an injury…I think I could have set a new PR. But this was not the race for that. Not under these conditions. And I’m okay with that. I overcame a lot to get to this race and I overcame more to get through it.
And for that…I feel like a winner.
Me conquering my injury, my doubts, and the humidity at the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon.
Well, I was hoping and praying and dreaming of a nice day for the Indianapolis Women’s Half Marathon on Saturday morning. But it seems Hurricane Isaac has other plans for the race. So, as much as I was hoping to stall any chance of me running a half marathon in the rain…it seems like this will not be the case. It is going to happen…on Saturday.
Am I worried about it? Nah. I mean, yeah running for 13.1 miles in the rain isn’t my idea of a great time…but I do love to run in the rain. Hurricane weather, however, I’m not too sure of.
As it is, they are predicting winds up to 7 mph and about 6 inches of rain in Indianapolis. That’s a whole heap of rain.
So, if I like to run in the rain…why the blog?
Because…I just got new running shoes not too long ago. And, sadly, running in the rain shortens the life of shoes by…a lot. So, the hard-earned money I put into those new kicks…is about to be shot. I will do my best to get them dried out as soon as possible. This means I’ll probably be grabbing a newspaper at the hotel and getting the inserts out of them as soon as possible.
As of now, the race is set to go off as planned. However, if there is lightning…there will be a delay of the start of the race.
I trained so hard to get back to running in time for this race. I’ll run it rain or shine. And I know I’ll have a blast doing it. This race means a lot to me because I had to really fight my way back from injury…taking baby steps…working with the most amazing podiatrist ever…and taking a hit on my training…but it’s been worth it. And I want this race to be good. Even if Hurricane Isaac drenches me from head to foot. Even if it means I have to go buy new shoes when all is said and done. The fact that a month ago I couldn’t walk…but in two days I’ll be heading out for a wild, wet, crazy 13.1 with 1799 other women in the streets of Indianapolis.
Amy I ready for this? Yeah. As ready as I can be and ready to shine as best as I can given the circumstances. No new PR will be set on this race. I have to run this one smart so as not to injure myself again. My podiatrist was kind enough to get me to this race I owe him the respect of following through on my promise to run this one easy.
Jolly Llama Banana Coconut Real Fruit Sorbet Squeezups
Product: Jolly Llama Banana Coconut Real Fruit Sorbet Squeezeups – $4.99+
I’m going to be honest…what really caught my eye at the natural food store with this product was the name: Jolly Llama. Why? Well, my roommate, Cathy, is nicknamed Llama, so it sort of stood up and waved as if to say, “Take me home!” The only flavor lurking in the freezer section was banana coconut. Now…I’m nuts over banana…but coconut…it usually needs to be mixed in with something before I can truly enjoy it. I figured…it’s a frozen goodie…I’ll deal.
Besides…the company that makes them is named Jolly Llama.
Banana Coconut just happens to be one of the newest flavors in the Jolly Llama line-up of real fruit sorbet squeezeups. Other flavors include mango, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, and the other new flavor on the block – peach. All of these fruity frozen goodies are fat free, save for the banana coconut, which has naturally occurring fat in the fresh ingredients.
Oh…yes…there is that little bit too. Every ingredient that goes into these sorbet squeezeups are made with only the healthiest, highest quality ingredients. It’s the belief of the founder, Scott Jacobson, that desserts don’t have to be loaded down with ingredients that are unhealthy or not up-to-par. A quick inspection of the ingredients in the banana coconut variety shows this. You don’t question anything listed on the box. Natural. And that’s how I like my treats.
Jolly Llama Banana Coconut Real Fruit Sorbet Squeezeup
In addition, these frozen goodies from Jolly Llama are allergen free, fat free (save for the naturally occurring fat in the banana coconut), dairy free, non-GMO certified, kosher, and have no artificial ingredients. How can you go wrong with that?
Well, tonight I found out that there really isn’t a way to go wrong with that combination. When I opened up this pack after dinner tonight for dessert, my roommate and I were both a little nervous. Not because we didn’t think it was a good product. It was the flavor we had. With no other option, and neither of us too big of a fan of coconut…we weren’t quite sure what to expect.
Let me tell you this…expect the best because that’s what these sorbet squeezeups deliver. Honestly. The banana coconut version tastes like a frozen banana. It was so delicious. I was in pure heaven, as bananas are one of my favorite fruits out there. The coconut isn’t even really in the flavor at all. This is made to perfection too. It’s cold without freezing your entire mouth off. This means you can easily bite into it without setting off those sensitive teeth. Love that.
If you are a big fruit lover…I highly recommend checking out your grocer’s freezer section for Jolly Llama. I found mine at our natural food store, but I’ve also seen them at Whole Foods. So, that is a good place to start. And, honestly, when your dessert is made from fresh fruit and sugar levels come from the fruits and the evaporated cane juice…well it makes your dessert or treat feel that much better for you. I say indulge in these and try every flavor possible. I hope to find more flavors to try…but I’ll never, ever turn down one of the banana coconut ones. Very delicious. For the record…there are four in a box. So…savor…and enjoy.
Jolly Llama Banana Coconut Real Fruit Sorbet Squeezeup
Galaxy National Foods Mozzarella Flavor Rice Shreds
Product: Galaxy National Foods Mozzarella Flavor Rice Shreds – $4.69+
Normally, when it comes to non-dairy cheese, I don’t reach for the rice-based variety that are out there. I normally go for Daiya or Veggie Shreds. However…on this occasion, I specifically needed non-dairy mozzarella for a recipe…and the only variety the store I was in had was Galaxy National Foods Mozzarella Flavor Rice Shreds.
So, what’s the difference between Rice Shreds and Veggie Shreds (both made by Galaxy National Foods)? The answer is simple. Veggie Shreds are soy-based. Rice Shreds are rice-based. See…it really is that simple.
I was actually a bit unhappy when I had to buy these, but I didn’t want to make another stop when I was out grocery shopping. I already go to enough stores as it is and I was making a conscious effort to not do that for once. So, I went with what was on hand and just hoped for the best.
Tonight, I cooked up some gluten-free, vegetarian meatballs in a tomato sauce to put on gluten-free sandwich bread…and I decided to break out the Rice Shreds and see how they went with my homemade veggie “meat”ball sammie.
I tasted a pinch of the Mozzarella Flavor Rice Shreds on their own. And, surprisingly enough, I found they tasted a lot more like mozzarella cheese than I expected. So, that was a good start. With a little sprinkling of the rice shreds onto my vegetarian sandwich, I tossed it into the microwave for 30 seconds, not expecting much of a melt to happen.
I was presently surprised when the microwave beeped and I removed the plate. The cheese had actually melted down. Better than Daiya and Veggie Shreds. I was impressed. And it tasted really good. Sometimes the non-dairy variety can have a bit of a plastic flavor to them. But not these. These were soft, and flavorful. I was beyond impressed.
What’s more, these are a fantastic source of calcium and contain no cholesterol, trans fat or lactose. YAY! I’d even be willing to say I’d try the other flavors available in the Rice Shreds line. And actually might even try the Rice Slices to see how they compare to the Veggie Slices I use in my gluten-free grilled cheese.
Yeah…I was pretty surprised and quite happily impressed. I can’t wait to top off a pizza with these!
A vegetarian “meat”ball sandwich topped with Mozzarella Flavor Rice Shreds
Instead, however, you find something so much better. Instead of loading up on 11 grams of sugar in the morning (which is what you’ll do with Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes), try something that tastes just as good, if not better than the original with a fraction of the sugar content.
Thanks to Nature’s Path Envirokidz Line, those sugary-sweet cereals made by the big corporation are getting a run for their money. Envirokidz version of Frosted Flakes are simply called Amazon Frosted Flakes. Instead of being made with milled corn, sugar, salt and malt flavoring…this variety offers a lot of the same flavor with better ingredients and better nutritional standings.
Envirokidz Amazon Frosted Flakes are made from organic corn meal, organic evaporated cane juice and salt. That’s it. The sugar content in this cereal is only 6 grams per 3/4 cup serving. That’s 5 grams less sugar than the same size serving of Frosted Flakes. I love good cereal but I don’t like to be powered by high sugar content. What Envirokidz Amazon Frosted Flakes does is pack all the amazing flavor of Frosted Flakes into a gluten-free cereal. I might even like it better. Granted, it has been since I was a kid since I really sat down to a bowl of Frosted Flakes, but I remember really liking them. When I had to go gluten-free, I had to give up a lot of the cereals I used to eat or might have gone back to eating…and was left with the gluten-free line-up in grocery stores.
Envirokidz does it right every time. With no extra additives or preservatives, what you are getting is the purest form of the cereal. Nothing unnecessary. I also loved that I left this cereal to swim in a bath of unsweetened almond milk while I finished cutting up a peach this morning and when I finally took my first bite, the texture and crunch were there. They didn’t get soggy and leave me with a bowl full of mush flakes. This made me beyond happy.
The sweetness of the cereal is brought out by the evaporated cane juice. It isn’t too much, but it doesn’t leave you reaching for a sweetener either. It’s perfection in a box. I found the taste and texture to be a complete win.
Gluten-free breakfast cereal doesn’t have to taste like cardboard. Nor do you always just have to stick with Chex. What Nature’s Path has done with the Envirokidz line is make amazing, healthy cereals that are free of gluten and just as delicious as the corporate counterparts of my childhood. In some cases, such as this one…even better.
You know…it’s the law of averages. You find a product that you absolutely love…but it isn’t available in any store near you nor does the company Web site provide a way of ordering it. In fact, while Jennies site has plenty on their infamous macaroons, the baked goodies such as the pound cake minis are mentioned…but follow the link and you are told that there are no products to list in that category.
But…they do exist. The mere fact that I have them in my pantry is proof enough. However, in order to get my hands on these, I had to go through Milwaukee. I was in town and stopped off at the Gluten-Free Trading Company and they happened to have Jennies pound cake minis on their shelves, in both classic and marble flavors. Both varieties are Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Peanut-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Casein-Free, Trans Fat-Free and Kosher Pareve.
Well, the classic variety was way better than I ever even anticipated. Those savory hints of vanilla, mixed with a light, sweet taste of pound cake. It was hard to keep myself to just one individual cake (I did though…because 130 calories per cake and 4.5 grams of fat isn’t bad…but you can overdo it easily.
So, I was ready to give the other box a shot soon after I worked through the classic variety. Jennies Gluten-Free Marble Pound Cake Minis are just like their classic sisters…except it’s vanilla and chocolate cake swirled together. It smelled just as amazing as the regular ones when I opened up the individual packet…that amazing vanilla scent just wafting out to greet me and prep my senses for my dessert.
As I did with the classic minis, I gave the marble ones I little warming in the microwave before topping it off with Fat Free Cool Whip and fresh strawberries. Mmmm. And just as I did with the classic, I fell in love with these at first bite.
Jennies Gluten-Free Mable Pound Cake Mini
Maybe it’s the addition of the chocolate, but these taste sweeter than the classic. They do not look as perfectly swirled as they do on the box, but all the flavors are there. The chocolate and vanilla combination is a winning one, any way you slice it, and these individual cakes bring that flavor balance together in one personal-size treat.
I love, once again, how these are both taste-wise and texturally. They aren’t dry or dense. In fact, these are rather light and quite soft. I love how as my fork glides through it, the cake crumbles perfectly with each bite. It holds any topping without growing soggy. But it also has that perfect lightness to it. It isn’t hard at all. Quite soft on the inside. Very reminiscent of strawberry shortcake the way I do mine up. Except…swirled with chocolate.
And we all know…chocolate make things awesome. I don’t know if I can taste the actual chocolate in these, but I definitely detected a bit more sweetness. And that’s fine. Everything else remained as perfect and amazing as the classic version I originally tried.
So, if the people who run Jennies Gluten-Free Bakery would get these up on their Web site…I would love to place some orders. Until then…I guess if I happen to be in Milwaukee…I’ll get my fix there.
These are certainly a delicious treat though…and one that should be savored and tried.
Jennies Gluten-Free Marble Pound Cake Minis topped with Fat Free Cool Whip and fresh strawberries
It’s weird. I have a lot of recipes for pound cake, but I’m never attempted to actually make one. However, I used to eat pound cake whenever it was served somewhere. Especially with some Cool Whip and fresh berries. There was no better way to eat it.
Then gluten-free happened…
But all is not lost, pound cake aficionados. Jennies, the makers of those infamous macaroons you might have heard about (that are Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Peanut-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Casein-Free, Trans Fat-Free and Kosher Pareve) has created another treat, individual-size, and shelf-stable, that is also all of those things listed above…but baked into a delicious pound cake.
These little minis come individually wrapped inside a box of five. You can eat them straight out of the package, but when am I to do that? Like I said, my favorite way to eat pound cake was topped with Cool Whip and fresh berries. In this case…strawberries. Yum!
The first thing I noticed was the reminiscent aroma of vanilla from the moment you pull apart the plastic to however you like to eat it. It smells fantastic. I gave mine a quick warm in the microwave for a couple of seconds. By warming it up for a moment, that amazing aroma just begins to permeate the kitchen. It definitely wakes up your taste buds. After topping it, I slid my fork through it and it crumbled perfectly. One bite and I had everything I wanted…cake, topping, fruit. Perfection.
Jennies Gluten-Free Pound Cake Mini
The taste and texture…awesome. The vanilla really shines in these. And even more, these just taste and feel so much lighter than regular pound cake. I loved that. It was a nice change of pace, since most gluten-free baked goods often are or feel heavier and more dense. Not these. These were pure perfection with every bite.
My one problem with these is…I can’t find them anywhere. I managed to locate these at the The Gluten-Free Trading Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin when I was up there for a race. That being said now that I know I like them…should I ever want more, I’ll have to order from the Gluten-Free Trading Company as opposed to Jennies. The company Web site has these listed, but nowhere to get further information on them or even purchase them. Which is sad…because they are so good.
But…at least they can be found online…albeit it does take a little hunting and searching to do. I don’t know if I would order these online, but I do know that when I am in Milwaukee next…one of the items I choose to bring home from The Gluten-Free Trading Company will be these delicious little cakes.
Really, really good!
Jennies Gluten-Free Pound Cake Mini topped with Fat Free Cool Whip and fresh strawberries
One of my favorite eggplant dishes has to be Eggplant Parmesan. I loved ordering it at restaurants and it never would disappoint me. And then…gluten-free happened. And things had to change.
In a word…I didn’t eat it anymore…despite being a great vegetarian dish to go to when out and about. Not only is it normally served with pasta, but breadcrumbs coat the eggplant. *sigh*
But, when I received an eggplant in my CSA bin this past week, my roommate really made a push for me to make a gluten-free Eggplant Parmesan. I agreed, as we just happened to have some gluten-free corn flake crumbs to bread the eggplant in. So that was actually doable. The problem was…I am not big on fried foods, so I wanted this to be baked. It’s healthier that way anyway. But I also didn’t want to spend a fortune on other ingredients to incorporate into it.
Thankfully, there is this great book I bought called Gluten-Free on a Shoestring. It’s by Nicole Hunn and it is fantastic for these little cooking dilemmas. Even better…there is a Baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe in this book. And that’s what got me the meal I absolutely wanted to make. And I already had everything on hand in my kitchen.
1 large or 2 medium eggplants, peeled and sliced in 3/4-inch thick rounds
2-3 cups gluten-free breadcrumbs (I used Southern Homestyle Corn Flake Crumbs)
2 extra-large eggs, beaten with 1/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond milk) and 1/4 cup water
2-3 cups tomato sauce (I used Dave’s Gourmet Organic Roasted Garlic & Sweet Basil Pasta Sauce)
10-12 ounces grated mozzarella cheese (more if you like)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
Place the egg mixture in a wide, flat dish; place the breadcrumbs in another.
Place one slice of raw eggplant in the egg mixture, invert it to coat the other side, and allow the excess to drip off.
Next, press both sides of the eggplant firmly into the breadcrumbs and transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining slices of eggplant, arranging them 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake until soft to the touch and golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip the slices so they brown evenly on both sides.
While the eggplant is baking, grease a 9 x 12-inch baking dish with unsalted butter and spoon just enough tomato sauce into the pan to cover the bottom with a thin layer. Once the eggplant is done baking, remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the eggplant to cool for 5 minutes, or even less. This allows the eggplant to become somewhat firm. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Place one layer of eggplant over the layer of tomato sauce, cover each slice with sauce, and top generously with grated cheese. Continue with another layer of eggplant slices, sauce and grated cheese, followed by one more layer (if eggplant is small…my eggplant was big so I made big, single slices and didn’t layer).
Place the baking dish in the center of the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
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Like I said…my eggplant was massive so I made individual slices of eggplant, which were placed over sauce, then sauced and cheesed according to the recipe. No layering with this style of eggplant. But let me tell you…the results were awesome. The eggplant was firm, but soft and the corn flake “breading” crisped up perfectly. I even reheated the extra slices the next night for dinner and it was just as good as the original night I pulled it out of the oven.
I will totally make this again in a heartbeat. And maybe next time layer some eggplant and cheese. I guess it all depends on the size of the eggplant I get delivered to my door.
Go ahead…try it. It’s easy, delicious, and done on a budget!
The Celiathlete 