Product: Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Rice Pasta and Cheddar – $1.99
Rice Pasta and Cheddar?! WTF?! Let’s call it what it is, shall we? Trader Joe’s very own gluten-free macaroni and cheese. Mmmmm…I love, love, love macaroni and cheese. When I went gluten-free…I had to create a new way to make it from scratch. And the options out there on the market were…pretty much limited to Annie’s.
But then my area got a Trader Joe’s. And while walking the crowded aisles one afternoon, my roomie and I stumbled across boxes of Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Rice Pasta and Cheddar (which honestly is macaroni and cheese…I promise!). Well, it was such a great bargain that we snatched up a box to try.
Prior to this as far as gluten-free-in-a-box-mac-n-cheeses goes, my only exposure has been Annie’s Rice Macaroni and Cheese. And it was good. Especially for nights you don’t have time to shred up your own cheese, cook up noodles, make a white sauce with gluten-free flour and ingredients and bake for 45 minutes. Let’s face it…some night’s you’re just HUNGRY!
Preparing the macaroni and cheese was similar to the way I had to make the Annie’s version as well. Boil water. Add pasta. Allow to cook for 10-12 minutes. While noodles are boiling away, make cheese sauce. Put 1/4 cup of milk (I used unsweetened almond milk) into a measuring cup, then mix in the cheese powder until it is well mixed and you have a cheese soup of sorts in the cup.
Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Rice Pasta (cooked)
Drain the pasta, return to pan, and pour over the cheese sauce. Stir until well blended.
Now, I have been told the sauce is actually thicker when you use a higher fat milk. No doubt. But I am lactose intolerant, and unsweetened almond milk was what I had on hand. Guess what? It works great.
Now, Trader Joe’s gluten-free macaroni and cheese is not the cheesiest, nor does it come in fun shapes. That’s okay because this product doesn’t need that sort of gimmick. Sure, it’s not Velveeta…but it doesn’t need to be. The cheese sauce you whip up is perfect to mix in. If you like your cheese thicker…add some shredded cheddar and give it a good stir. There you go.
What I can say is that when I compared it to Annie’s Gluten-Free Macaroni & Cheese…Trader Joe’s tasted better. How about that? It’s a fraction of the price too. LOVE IT!! It was cheesy goodness in every bite. The noodles didn’t fall apart after cooking, despite constant stirring. And they held up when the sauce was poured over it and blended in. The texture was great. And there was no need to add anything to the sauce. Mac and cheese perfection from a simple box. My roomie loved it and she doesn’t have to eat gluten-free. I mean…loved it. Especially how cheesy it turned out. And I didn’t even add cheese. Just the cheese powder/almond milk mix.
Trader Joe’s…you make a gluten-free life worth living. Thank you for adding this simple product to this busy girl’s life. I’d rather make it from scratch…but this makes those mac and cheese cravings simple and easy to fill. No long waits. Just 12 minutes to cook the noodles and viola…dinner is served.
If you live near a Trader Joe’s…and even if gluten-free isn’t your thing…try it. You’ll fall in love with it. And I guarantee you it’s far better than anything Kraft serves you from a box.
Let’s here it for the power of Hodgson Mill. I have to hand it to this company. When they set out to put out a line of gluten-free products, they really worked hard to get it right. I’ve pretty much enjoyed everything in the Hodgson Mill gluten-free line. I might still be on the fence with the apple cinnamon muffin mix…but for the most part, this company has far exceeded my expectations when it comes to its gluten-free products.
I happened upon a box of Hodgson Mills Gluten-Free Bread Mix at the grocery store awhile back. It was on the Manager’s Special table. The top of the box had been taped together, but the contents inside were not touched nor opened. In fact, the box hadn’t been opened either. It just got a little crunched in shipping. And that’s what happens at my grocery store when that happens. So, with everything still sealed and safely contained, I figured I’d pick it up and give it a go.
That was a very long while ago. And with the expiration date looming, my roommate did a full gluten decontamination on my bread maker to make it a dedicated gluten-free bread maker and I got back into baking bread again. I tried a mix from Pamela’s Products and it turned out really well. Let me tell you…I had a lot of doubts with Hodgson Mills Gluten-Free Bread Mix from the start.
But…looks can be deceiving.
Starting from the original way to make the bread. This involved melting down 1/4 cup of butter while warming up some milk (I used my unsweetened almond milk) to 110 degrees on the stove. Then…once the milk is at the temperature (SO glad I got that kitchen thermometer!), you combine it with the melted butter, two room temperature eggs, and 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar. Mix these contents together and pour into the bread maker. Then add the dry mix and place the yeast packet’s contents on top. Since I do not have a bread maker with a gluten-free setting, I set it for Basic, Medium Crust, and let it run.
At first, the mix was a gooey, oozy, porridge looking mess. I wasn’t impressed at all. No clean dough ball that was being kneaded by the hook. Just a glop of bread mix goo. I was having my doubts, but I let it play on. I mean…why not at this point? I never should have doubted. Within the last hour of baking, the loaf was taking shape. And within 30 minutes of being done, my apartment smelled amazing and the crust was browning to golden perfection. I was beginning to feel better about the situation. The timer ran out and out came a perfect loaf of gluten-free bread.
I allowed it to cool before giving it a slice (because we had to try it, you know…just in case it only looked impressive!). It sliced beautifully. And the crust was a crispy brown delicious coating to soft white bread on the inside. I was already a happy girl. I sliced the end piece in half and my roommate and I gave it a taste. It was really good. It tasted like freshly baked bread. So, that was a good thing. The loaf definitely felt heavy, but the slices of bread weren’t dense or heavy tasting at all.
Tonight, I sprayed a slice with olive oil and seasoned it with garlic powder and salt. I placed it into the oven to lightly toast and out came another round of gluten-free toasted goodness. Seriously. It toasted up so well. The crust got crispy and the inside was now a light golden brown but still soft, but toasted. It was amazing to pair with my gluten-free macaroni and cheese, let me tell you!
Hodgson Mill has a large variety of whole grain bread mixes on the market. So, I should have known to trust this mix as it was baking in the bread maker. This gluten-free variety is formulated with brown rice grain and is composed of a variety of flours including garbanzo bean flour, corn starch, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, fava flour, rice starch, and then some seasonings. It is actually a fantastic option for anyone with a gluten intolerance.
Trust me. I usually can’t have bread so when I do I’m going to be honest with you. It’s really, really good. And so far…this has certainly baked up my favorite yet. SO good.
And don’t worry if you don’t have a bread maker…the box comes with directions for oven baking as well. Gluten-free bread baked right in the comfort of your own kitchen. Takes all the guess work out of whether it’s safe or not. Not only is this mix made on dedicated equipment…it is completely safe. So bake up some fresh bread at home tonight. It can be back on the menu…and you can take credit for it.
Thanks for not letting me down, Hodgson Mill. I love you from the bottom of my gluten-free heart!
A loaf of bread made with Hodgson Mill Gluten-Free Bread Mix and baked in a bread machine
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal
Product: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal – $4.89+
The name should say it all, right?
I mean, when your product has “Mighty Tasty” in the name, you best deliver on that promise! Bob’s Red Mill does…sort of.
I actually probably never would have purchased this on my own. In fact, I am the owner of two sample packs that I got at the Gluten-Free Expo in Birmingham, Alabama. I just had not gotten around to making them. But that changed this morning.
The cereal itself isn’t difficult to prepare. It’s a simple blend of brown rice, corn, buckwheat, and sorghum. I was making enough for two people…myself and my roommate…so I used halved the recipe that was on the product itself. That wasn’t difficult in the least. Place water and a dash of salt in a saucepan…bring to boil. Add cereal. Immediately turn down heat and stir in until well blended. Cover and allow to cook, stirring occasionally. I did exactly as it asked and what emerged at the end of 10 minutes was a healthy serving of hot cereal…resembling grits.
Thankfully, I had it in my head to make something to put into it. I have organic fresh strawberries in my fridge, so I sliced them up, added them to water, zero calorie baking sweetener, and some cornstarch and made a strawberry compote to pour over the top of it. I added some walnuts as a garnish.
The cereal on its own would have been beyond bland. But with the addition of the sweet berry compote and the dash of nuttiness from the walnuts…it wasn’t too bad. I’ve never been a fan of grits, so the immediate texture took some getting used to…but it wasn’t bad. And, wow, was it ever filling. It kept well while I ate the other portion of my breakfast, so it didn’t clump up or become inedible within moments of being off the heat. That is a good thing.
This hot cereal is loaded with fiber and nutrients that help you stay full and give you energy. As an endurance athlete…this is very important for me. A serving is only 150 calories, so it won’t take up your entire morning of calories either. Love that. Since oats can be tricky for someone who is gluten-free, this is a nice option to have. I do recommend adding something to the cereal though instead of eating it as it is from the pan. Both my roommate and I polished off our bowls this morning quite contentedly…after the first few bites.
If texture of food is an issue or if you don’t like hot cereal, this might not be for you. Bob’s Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal is a good, filling, morning meal. Mighty Tasty on it’s own…I don’t think so. So get creative…add what sounds good…touch it up as you feel is appropriate. And fill up on breakfast again.
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal (prepared), topped with a fresh strawberry compote and walnuts
Product: Garden of Eatin’ Red Hot Blues Tortilla Chips – $3.99+
I knew there was something special about these chips when I gave one to my roommate before I even sampled them. I was waiting for the inevitable scrunching up of the face and waving the hands before her mouth declaring that they were too hot for her. That’s the usual way it rolls in the apartment. But not this time.
When I opened up the bag of Garden of Eatin’ Red Hot Blues and handed her one of the blue tortilla chips dusted in paprika, cayenne pepper, and other spices she took a bite…then finished it off. Then immediately made grabby hands for another. I was shocked. Her reasoning? She said they tasted like the, once again discontinued, Pizza Supreme Doritos. Huh.
Since I was packing them up for my snack at work the following day, I wasn’t going to try one. But now I was intrigued. So I went ahead and took a chip to try. And sure enough…that’s exactly what they tasted like. Even better, despite the “Red Hot” description in their names, these tortilla trips hardly turn up the heat on your palate. They do have a mild kick to them, but I wouldn’t classify them as red hot at all. The flavoring is quite mild for me and it didn’t bother my heat-weary roommate either. So, take that for what you will.
These blue tortilla chips are made from organic blue corn. In addition, the chips are dusted with spices and seasonings that create a very pleasing flavor. Honestly. If my roommate can eat them, anyone can. She doesn’t handle anything with any sort of ‘heat’ to it very well. But these more than impressed her. As this is one of the gluten-free snacks in the house, they belong to me, but I promised next time we were shopping for snacks for her, she could get one too. Never mind that they are gluten-free. I love it when chips are.
The Garden of Eatin’ line of chips is pretty easy to find. I’ve stumbled across them not just in specialty stores, but also at my local grocery store. So, just keep your eyes peeled for them.
A serving of these delightfully flavorful tortilla chips is 15 chips (or 28 grams if you weigh out servings like me). That will only set you back 140 calories and 7 grams of fat for the day. Not bad considering these are chips. Even better…you don’t have to have a dip for these chips. The seasoning does, in fact, make you think that you are munching on higher quality Doritos. And I’ll take that any day.
A lot of chips on the market are gluten-free…but don’t carry a lable. Therefore, I don’t buy them. Because Garden of Eatin’ does label their chips, these were quick to come home with me. And I’m very glad they did. One of the best tortilla chips I have had. Honestly. Pardon me while I indulge a little in snack time…
Red hot crunchy goodness…bite-for-bite. Go ahead…bet you can’t eat just one!
Pamela’s Products Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Product: Pamela’s Products Dark Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Cookies – $4.39+
Dark chocolate. It’s my weakness. Well, one of them anyway. But if you throw a chocolate option at me…I have never really been in love with white chocolate and milk chocolate just doesn’t really cut it. When it comes to chocolate…I like it dark.
Confession time. This isn’t the first time I’ve eaten these gluten-free cookies from Pamela’s Products. In fact…these were the first gluten-free cookies I bought from the store to eat. I just didn’t have my blog up and running like the machine it is today. And this never was included. Silly me.
To remedy that…I bought a box of these cookies again (darn!). Every delicious product deserve a blog praising it up and down. And when it comes to flavor and texture, Pamela’s Products has this in the bag. The products this company puts out are beyond fantastic. And when it comes to incorporating dark chocolate and organic products into a cookie, well Pamela’s does it up in decadent, delicious, dark chocolate, chunky, perfection. Because when it comes to rich chocolate flavor…these cookies deliver.
The right amount of sweetness combined with rich chunks of organic chocolate in a dark chocolate cookie satisfy any chocolate craving and every sweet tooth. Any more and it would be too much. But, really, I just want to settle in with a glass of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, dunk, and savor. But they are good eaten as a cookie should be as well. The sweet, rich chocolate flavor tingles every taste bud and just really satisfies that chocolate hankering. It’s the ideal treat…any time of the day.
Just blogging about it makes me want to raid my pantry for another one.
So, indulge. A serving is 2 cookies and it only sets you back 170 calories. It’s a treat. And we’re all allowed a sweet treat every now and again, right?
Whether you are gluten-free or not, these cookies will satisfy that chocolate lover in you…hands down. The best chocolate cookie on the market.
Product: Udi’s Gluten-Free Foods Au Naturel Granola – $6.49+
Eat This Not That named one of Udi’s gluten-free granola the worst granola on the market. For real. THIS granola from Udi’s Gluten-Free Foods…is not that granola.
I actually never would have bought Udi’s gluten-free granola…because Eat This Not That scared me. But…given that this pack was on the Manager’s Special table at my local grocery store, and it was not the kind that was hailed as the absolute worst granola on the market, I decided to give it a go. So, I purchased the pouch…and it sat in my pantry…and sat in my pantry…and sat.
I don’t know why I had to convince myself to give this granola a go. But after a lot of sitting, I was determined to give it a fair shake. So…to the grocery store I went for fresh organic strawberries and some Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt. My infamous breakfast parfaits were making a comeback this week and my featured crunch…would be Udi’s granola.
The next morning, I assembled my parfait…granola on the bottom, Greek yogurt, more granola, strawberries, Greek yogurt, granola, strawberries, Greek yogurt, a drizzle of honey, granola, top off with a strawberry. My non- gluten-free roommate would be enjoying one as well, so I was really interested in her opinion. But…she loved it. And, one of the biggest shockers ever…even liked the Greek yogurt.
I, naturally, had to test out the granola on its own. The Udi’s Gluten-Free Au Naturel Granola is a clean, crisp granola. Honestly. It has a light caramelized flavor that brings out just enough sweetness without overpowering the gluten-free oats themselves. Local Colorado honey (Udi’s is based in Denver) is the source of the sweetness in the oats themselves. The granola isn’t sticky or heavy. In fact, it has this lightness about it that only something that goes au naturel would.
That brings me to the ingredients and nutrition. The ingredients list is uncluttered and simple – gluten-free oats, honey, canola oil. As for the nutrition…this one isn’t bad when it comes to granola. A serving size is 1/4 cup. In that serving, you get 120 calories, only 4 grams of fat, and the sugars…are down at 7 grams. That’s impressive. Most granola is loaded with sugar. When paired with the Greek yogurt, the 3 grams of protein gets an added boost. And the crunch and flavor is fantastic.
I don’t know why I let this sit for so long. But as far as granola goes on the market, this truly is one of the best ones out there. So eat it on its own, pair it with yogurt, or add it to a recipe. However you like to serve it…Udi’s Gluten-Free Au Naturel Granola is one of the finest offerings on the market for the gluten-free…and beyond.
I am a believer.
Breakfast parfait featuring Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt, fresh strawberries, and Udi’s Gluten-Free Foods Au Naturel Granola
Picky Bars are my new favorite bar of choice when it comes to my intensive training days for my runs. I have you to thank for bringing these allergy-friendly bars into my life. You…and the running store I purchased them at in St. Louis, Missouri. I am completely over-the-moon with not only the texture and flavor but the overall nutrition these bars provide. Most are laden with sugar and it sort of kills the whole ‘healthy’ aspect of the workout in the first place.
After my first sub-2 hour half marathon, I refueled with the Nutless Wonder Picky Bar. But this time…I had the only other one I had purchased of the limited selection the running store carried (which were…the two varieties I bought). It was the original.
Lauren’s Mega Nuts Picky Bar.
It was Saturday morning and I was preparing myself to head out for a long run. That morning, I ate my cereal and needed to find something to give me some carbohydrates and protein. My option…Lauren’s Mega Nuts Picky Bar. I hate half of it with my cereal and saved the rest of it for post-run.
I absolutely loved the flavor and texture of this bar. It is a generous mix of organic dates, organic peanut butter, raw honey, organic rice cereal, rice protein, organic apricots, cranberries, organic almonds, organic pumpkin seeds, organic walnuts, pistachios, organic cashews, chocolate chips, cinnamon, kosher salt, and canola and sunflower oil. Recognize every ingredient? Yep…me too. And that makes me enjoy these bars even more. Too often, protein and energy bars are chemicals and preservatives. But not Picky Bars. Picky Bars contain real food and provide real nutrition. Don’t believe me? It’s all in the science.
Picky Bars clock in at 198 calories, 7 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, and 28 carbs. What this provides is the ideal ratio of calories to protein (4:1) which helps with recovery and maximizes the absorption of nutrients. And these are packed with a powerhouse of good stuff. Peanut butter, fruits, nuts…all of it mashed together to create this perfect little protein bar…that I love…and will have to order because none of the running stores in my area carry it.
You can literally taste the ingredients in these. The nuts, the fruits, the chocolate chips…they are all evident. And they all work together. I loved not only the taste but how this little bar could help me recover better from a long weekend run. Even more…it seems this bar was designed for me. Both dairy-free and gluten-free…this bar ideally fits into my often challenging diet. Being a vegetarian doesn’t make getting the right amount of protein easy when I’m running 10 or more miles. That’s a lot of protein to take in. This is a step in the right direction.
So, yes, Lauren Fleshman…my hat is off to you. My long run days are far more delicious now that these bars have entered into my life. So…thank you for providing something that the allergic athlete can eat…when most other protein/energy bars out on the market are off limits. Delicious. Nutritious. Science.
You know…it is so tough to maintain good athletic health at times and properly fuel pre- and post-race or run. Here’s why. A lot of those protein bars that athletes swear by…have gluten and/or dairy in them. Yep. And that just won’t work for this girl.
Enter to the scene Lauren Fleshman, US champion runner. She was down with an injury and set out to create a gluten-free and dairy-free energy bar for her husband to take on his long bike rides. The one key…it had to taste good.
What emerged from this initial idea, and after lots of trial-and-error, were Picky Bars.
I don’t actually have these in my area. I bought these when I was in St. Louis and stopped in at a running store. They had them on the counter and I admit…I was totally intrigued.
The basic concept that Lauren came up with was that she wanted the 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ration. In addition, she wanted slow releasing carbs for level blood sugar, minimal soy content, and healthy fats making up 25% of the calories. Oh…and it had to taste good too.
Picky Bars were the result of that brainstorm and the downtime she had from injury. And they come in a variety of flavors. I decided to use mine as a post-run fuel after running in the Minneapolis Half Marathon on June 3. After crossing the finish line in my first ever sub-2 hour half marathon, I downed a gluten-free/vegan protein shake and then tore into my first of two Picky Bars I bought in St. Louis.
I chose the Nutless Wonder because I was going to be in a house with children in it with nut allergies. And in case they had stumbled upon my stash, I wanted to make sure that they would be safe. Thankfully, it was just a precaution and the kids were good about staying upstairs. Now, after my half marathon…I was starving. And I brought along an energy bar last half marathon and ended up throwing it away.
Not the case with my Nutless Wonder Picky Bar. I actually downed this bar faster than anticipated. I happily tore into the package and began to chow down. It tasted great. And it should. There is nothing in these bars that I don’t recognize. The Nutless Wonder is a simple blend of organic dates, organic sunflower butter, raw honey, organic rice cereal, rice protein, organic apricots, cranberries, organic pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, semisweet chocolate chips, cinnamon, kosher salt and a mix of canola and sunflower oil. Yes…that’s it. Recognize everything? I do. And that really puts my mind to ease.
Even better…I enjoyed it bite-for-bite. These are really good. So, I think I might be making an online order just so I can have some here for my long run mornings and the like. And each bar clocks in at under 200 calories so I don’t feel like I’m going stupid on the calories either, despite having just done a long run. I appreciate that.
If you can find these in your area and you are an athlete who needs to fuel properly pre- and post- activity…I recommend Picky Bars. They are the perfect way to properly fuel your body with a perfect ratio of carbs to protein. Oh…and they taste fantastic. Find them. Order them. Enjoy them.
Me with my silver medal for taking 2nd in my division at the Activate America 5 Miler – Frankfort, Kentucky
Race: Activate America 5-Mile Run/2-Mile Walk
Place: Frankfort, Kentucky
Date: June 16, 2012
Time: 40:15
Ah…the Activate America 5Miler. I remember this race so well from the year prior to this one. As I mentioned in my previous blog, it was the scene of my stress fracture and runner’s knee injuries that put me out of running not just in June, but also July and much of August too. It took many doctor and hospital and specialist visits to get me back on my feet in time for two 5Ks and a half marathon in Chicago on September 11, 2011.
So, needless to say…I was more than a little nervous about this race. I told myself I wasn’t going to dwell on it. I wasn’t even going to think about it when I was out there running. I was simply going to run the course and be zen.
And…I set a goal that I only shared with my roomie. It remained unspoken until now. Last year, I finished the Activate America 5-Mile Run in 45:07. That’s pretty damn speedy, you know? So, I wasn’t sure how I would fair this year. But my goal was to come in at 42 minutes. That, I figured, seemed like a good goal to have. Shave three minutes off. Golden.
Being that this race was in Frankfort, Kentucky, it meant another early morning to rise, prepare, get something in my stomach, hydrate, and get in the car to head to Frankfort. It’s not as much of a drive as say…Indianapolis…but it still requires a bit of a haul from where I live. So…my roommate and I piled our stuff into the car and away we went. The drive was easy and we reached Frankfort an hour before race time. Perfect. I pulled out my thinkThin bar from my race bag and ate it as we walked toward the State Capitol, where the race started and where packet pick-up was being held on the steps.
The place was already buzzing. I went and got my packet, which included a nice tech shirt. And, since I ran all three races in the Frankfort Trifecta, I was given a horseshoe as well. It’s Kentucky, folks.
I got pinned up and began to stretch out, taking in the view from the steps of the State Capitol. I looked around to see if I recognized anyone. And I let my nerves play out by constantly milling about and finding new ways to stretch out my legs. Before long, people were lining up in front of the start line.
It was a humid morning. Already 72 degrees at the start of the race. I was in a bra top and some shorts. I didn’t want to get too hot so I went with minimal clothing for this one. I’m very glad I did. We lined up by pace. I was somewhere near the front of the pack, but there wasn’t much space between pace groups. I turned on my watch to find its satellites, which it did, relatively quickly, and was futzing with my iPod when I hear the start gun go off. No warning. We were off.
I got my music going. I started my watch as I crossed the start line…and I was on the road to rematch with the Activate America 5 Mile Run.
I was so absorbed in the run that I actually was surprised when I rounded a corner and there was the marker for the first mile. One down. Four to go. We were running through downtown Frankfort at this point…a route I know rather well as most races down there follow it. This was the easy part. Minor hills, save for the one when you double back and head back toward the Capitol before branching off and taking the long road down to the turn-around point before coming back to the finish (which was also the start). Did you get all that?
*cough*
Anyway, back to the race. As we’re running through downtown and heading toward the street that takes us up the hill and toward the Capitol (also Mile 2), I discovered the first problem. We were running into the walkers. They were walking one way…we were running the other. And we were having a difficult time traversing each other. A walker wouldn’t want to give way to the runner. And the runner is on a mission to win, or beat a personal time, or to reach a goal. So that crossing there wasn’t awesome at all. But…we managed. Somehow.
Mile 2 was right as we reached the road that we now got to run down for over a mile and a half before turning around and coming back. This road is pretty empty. Not much there. You head under an parking deck and it’s just road out ahead of you, a few scattered buildings, some businesses, and a dog that chased a couple runners. Thankfully not me. It was a big dog and I’m terrified of big dogs. But the runners just ahead of me got it chasing, barking, and nipping at their heels. YIKES! The dog broke off and ran towards me, past me, and that was the last I saw of it. By now, Mile 3 had passed and I knew the turnaround was coming up. I was doing good. Making good time. Keeping my pace pretty well, despite some inclines and the like. It was hard…especially in that heat. But I was doing better than I anticipated.
Just as Mile 4 was coming up, there was one of the two water stations (the other one was before Mile 2). I grabbed a water bottle, took a few refreshing sips as I ran, then decided there was a better use for that water. And over my head it went. The cold water felt awesome. Last mile. And a lady who ran by me and a couple runners even encouraged us, “Come on runners! Last mile!” And she was off. I never have that sort of energy at the end of a race. I admire people who do. That’s the next thing I need to work on once I get used to hill repeats.
The last mile was sheer willpower. I knew when I saw that parking deck that I was getting closer. And when I rounded a corner, I could see the hill (YES! YOU FINISH ON A HILL!) that led up to the finish line. I poured on my speed last year, despite injury, to finish strong. I did it again here.
I could see Cathy at the finish, waving my sign and cheering me on. I ran fast…then a little bit faster. My legs were straining but I was going. And after I crossed, I stopped my Garmin. I didn’t even glance at it. I moved out of the way and attempted to catch my breath. Cathy found me, told me to go get some water and we moved out of the finish line area. Before turning to head to where the water was, I took a look at my Garmin. It said 40:15. If that was right, I shaved 5 minutes off my previous year’s finish time. I even beat the goal I set for myself. I wasn’t just happy. I was surprised, elated, and thirsty! Oh…and this year…no injuries. Even better.
I went and got some water then we climbed the stairs of the Capitol to take a seat. They were going to hand out awards and we usually stay for that. The announcer eventually said that results were being posted, so I got up to see if I was listed somewhere. Sure enough…I was. In fact, I came in 2nd in my age division. WOOHOO! Granted, the person who won my age division ran the race a full 7 minutes faster than me, so…I have room for improvement.
The official results of the Activate America 5 Mile Run/2 Mile Walk are that I finished in 40:15. I was 63/265 finishers overall and was 2/22 people in my division. These results were completely unexpected…but I am very proud of them.
What’s more is the results for the entire Frankfort Trifecta were tallied and posted. And I came in 5th for the Overall Women’s Open Division (ages 18-39). I was beat out for 4th place…by 2 seconds. TWO SECONDS! Ah well. I’ll take 5th place. That’s pretty awesome considering I’ve only been running for about a year and a half now.
This was a great race series and I am definitely going to run it again. Each race gives just enough of a challenge to keep it interesting. And…I love running in Frankfort.
And…for those of you keeping track…yes…soon after the awards were handed out, a storm rolled in and pelted Frankfort, Kentucky. So the streak remains. If I run in Frankfort…it rains.
Thank you, Frankfort, Kentucky, for your Frankfort Trifecta Run/Walk Series. I enjoyed being a part of all three races this year. Maybe I can win back those two seconds next year.
Food Should Taste Good Barbeque Sweet Potato Chips
Product: Food Should Taste Good Barbeque Sweet Potato Chips – $3.29+
One of the first gluten-free chips I ever ate and fell in love with were from Food Should Taste Good. I was in Los Angeles a year ago and we were picking out snacks for a pig-out in front of the television and just be four crazy girls night with my besties. That, by the way, is an official night…for any ladies who get together after four long years of being apart. Reunions make the best excuses to cut loose…even with food.
The flavor I selected…Sweet Potato. Why? Because I love sweet potatoes. Any way you cook them…I’m in love with them.
So, flash-forward to almost a year later and a couple more Food Should Taste Good chips under my gluten-free foodie belt. I’m in Denver, Colorado visiting a good friend and checking out a convention. Snacks and food are necessary, so we go grocery shopping. And the roomie spots…something we have never seen before. A new product from Food Should Taste Good. And they involve sweet potato chips.
The mystery product – Food Should Taste Good’s Barbeque Sweet Potato Chips.
Now, I love a good barbeque chip as much as the next person. But, these were the first sweet potato chips I have ever seen in that flavor. We didn’t need them…but we bought them. And they sat there the entire time we were gone, because we bought too much food (our usual problem). So, I packed them in my carry-on for the plane trip back to Louisville, and they survived. At home…other foods expired sooner, so these got pushed to the back of the pantry.
Until this week.
I cracked open the bag this week to begin taking them to work with me as my afternoon snack. The barbeque scent the moment I opened the bag made me smile. They smelled fantastic. So, I could only hope that they tasted as good as they smelled. That afternoon, I happily opened up my serving size (about 14 chips or 28 grams if you prefer to go by weight…and I do). One crunchy bite…and I had to pause to contemplate the flavor.
In the end, the consensus was that I liked them. A lot. I just had to get my taste buds to register all the flavors. There were a lot of them packed into each bite. The sweet potato base is one flavor all itself. The fact that these chips are kettle cooked already makes them a sweeter variety of chip. And then, top it off with the smokey bite of molasses, tomato, and spices to give it that barbeque flavor. That’s a lot for the palate to comprehend at times. But once it gets it…you’ll find yourself popping these one after the other (which is why it is important to dole out that serving size and put the big bag up).
Food Should Taste Good gets another stamp of approval from me. These chips contain no preservatives, are gluten-free, kosher, cholesterol free, trans-fat free, low in fat, and low in sodium. A serving will set you back 150 calories and 8 grams of fat. Not great, but for chips…that’s really damn good. And just the flavors alone are enough to make this snack worth it in the end.
I support companies that do great things with their products. The pride that Food Should Taste Good puts into each bag of their variety of chips is evident. I have fallen in love with another one of their products. And this one is sweet, savory, and spicy all in one. If that isn’t food love…I don’t know what is.
The Celiathlete 