Today pretty much marks the halfway point of the year. And what did I accomplish on my three mile hard training run this morning? 500 miles this year. Exactly.
500 MILES!
I hit my goal. Already!
I really wanted to make the last three miles count. Seriously. So I was very glad that it fell on a training day when a hard run was required. This meant more speed, more inclines, more power. And it meant that these last 3 miles toward my goal of 500 for the year would mean a little more at the end of it.
So I really worked it. I made every moment of this run count. I ran at a harder rate, getting my heart pumping, working for each mile. And in the end I couldn’t be happier with the results. Yes…inclines and speed work are tough. But hitting that goal made it all worth it.
I am in a steady training schedule for my next half marathon, which hits in September. So, I’m back to a strict schedule on my runs. And after that, I have one more half marathon in mid-October to run. I’ve been contemplating a fifth one this year and have it narrowed down to two. One is up in Indianapolis (again), while the other one is closer to home…here in Louisville.
Additionally, I have a bunch of races I haven’t signed up for which I need to. Perhaps that’s how I’ll spend my break today at the office.
With races in the works, looks like downtime isn’t in my future. But that’s okay. I like it like that. Hell, I’m the girl who goes on vacation and keeps on training. This is how you know you love to run. I don’t have to convince myself to lace up my shoes. I don’t have to talk all bad ass about my running (because I am not a bad ass runner). I don’t have to comment about how great a run feels. I just run for the love of it. I finally found something in this life that I love. And the best part is…I don’t have to be good at it. I just have to keep my passion for it. The key is to run smart. If I hurt or ache…I take a day off or run slow. If it’s hot…I run early or late. If it’s hot on a workday, I keep the run short and I listen to my body. That’s the key to any run…listen to your body. If you go out too hard, too fast, do too much when your body isn’t ready for it…you get injured.
I know. It happened to me last year in the race I’m running on Saturday in Frankfort, Kentucky. Trust me…no runner wants to be sidelined for months with a stress fracture in the foot and runners knee that just won’t get better. But it happened. And I limped and hobbled my way through June, July, and August before I was able to get back into running. And it sucked. Far better to run smart than to do yourself damage. It saves on medical bills…and a lot of unhappiness.
I’ve learned a lot in the time I’ve been running and I’ve learned to set feasible, reasonable goals. With that said, my goal on Saturday is to run a good race. Am I aiming for a specific time? Yep. I came in last year (on injury!) at 45 minutes. I want to beat that. But, it’s going to be warmer this Saturday, so we’ll see how it goes. The most important thing is that I go out there and have a good run…and more importantly…have fun doing it.
So…with these 500 miles behind me…time to set a new goal.
Me crossing the finish line of the Minneapolis Half Marathon – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Race: Minneapolis Half Marathon
Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Date: June 3, 2012
Time: 1:58:28
Oh yes…you read that right. My first ever sub-2 hour half marathon. It was my goal to do that once this year in the four half marathon’s I am signed up to run in (with a possible 5th one in the works). And then I go and do it on my second one for the year. This has been a fantastic running season. And I couldn’t be more proud of this finish.
If something was going to go wrong leading into this race…it was bound to happen. I’m not being dramatic. Bear with me.
On Monday, after I went for a run, my roommate and I went into work (yes…on Memorial Day when everyone else had the day off) and put in six long, hard hours to get into a good spot as we were only working a half day on Thursday before taking off to Minnesota. For lunch, we got Chick-Fil-A. Don’t get on my case yet. As a vegetarian, I got a large fruit cup and a medium order of waffle fries. I’ve done that before, and been fine. But something (we’re guessing some accidental gluten contamination in what is usually gluten-free fries) made me feel under the weather for five days…including travel days. I worked through it and no one was the wiser, but I felt awful. And now…Chick-Fil-A makes me more than a little nervous when it comes to eating on the go. Ugh. Gluten intolerance sucks.
Add on top of that the flight delays from hell. We got to the airport in Louisville in good time, thanks to my co-worker and teammate, Kayla, who was kind enough to take us there. After breezing through security and getting to our gate…our flight is delayed? Why? Because we are flying through O’Hare in Chicago…and all flights were grounded due to very bad weather. AH!
Then, the second leg of our flights from Chicago to Minneapolis gets cancelled!! Good thing my roommate checked our flight status while we were waiting and went to get it sorted if possible. Yep. Flight was cancelled and we were now given two of the remaining three seats on the flight out of O’Hare to Minneapolis…at 8:15 p.m. Better than nothing. I text my Aunt Jan to let her know of our change in arrival time. And the long wait begins. Then, we board and fly to Chicago. Upon arrival we now have a five hour layover. So we walk around the terminals for a bit. Then get some dinner (I grabbed a salad and a gluten-free peanut butter cookie from CIBO and my roomie got a delicious sandwich from Frontera). We eat. We get some caffeine into our system. We buy some Garrett Popcorn. We munch. We wander. We get to our gate. We are moved to another gate. We finally board and we are off to Minneapolis. Arrival time…10:00 p.m. And Jan is there to pick us up.
Friday rolls around and we’re off hanging with Jan and my cousin Natalie. We hit up the Mall of America. It’s a good time. Except Grandpa, my road hero himself, is starting to feel under the weather. So, now we’re doing what we can to ensure that he gets to feeling better.
Saturday rolls in and I head to the race expo that morning to grab my packet and see what all is going on at the expo. This is a very small expo. Tiny. So, it takes a grand total of 15 minutes to do everything, and that included waiting in line at The Depot Hotel in downtown Minneapolis to get the packet. I go through the lines, get my bib, timing chip, t-shirt, and check out the few vendors that are there. And then…we leave to hit up a record store and grab some lunch. That afternoon…the rest of the family arrives (my mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law, and two little nephews). All the cousins come over for dinner and we aim for an early bed time…which doesn’t exactly happen…but we tried.
Now, all afternoon I had been trying to get out of my family who might be coming out for the race. I knew my roommate and my aunt were a lock. But no one else for sure. And I was really bummed out about that. So, when Sunday morning rolled around and I hauled myself off my air mattress to get changed and ready for the race, I was still bummed. I headed upstairs to eat some cereal and get a banana to go. And up the stairs comes…my dad!! I ran over and hugged him. I was so happy to have him coming out to the race. Especially since my reason for running a half marathon in Minneapolis, my grandpa, was sick and couldn’t make it out to the event.
We headed into downtown Minneapolis and attempted to find the lot we had pre-paid for parking at. We managed, but all the gates were still down. Yes…on an event morning. We used the call box to get this information, but some marathon runners (the marathon started an hour before the half marathon) were in a hurry to get to the start and swiped their credit card so we went and parked on their dime. We ambled out of the car and toward the starting point. The are had the pace markers up and we walked by, seeing a lot of marathon runners stretching and getting ready to start. Since we still had a good amount of time…we headed to Caribou Coffee for…coffee and some breakfast. I got a Vanilla Northern Lite Cooler and ate my banana. Then made use of their indoor plumbing by using the bathroom. And while we were taking turns, I answered their chalkboard question…Who Do You Run For? My answer – “My Running Hero – My Grandpa!”
The marathon was getting ready to kick off, so we all headed out to the starting line to cheer them on. The National Anthem was sung and soon, they were off. This was the first time I got to be a spectator at a race. So it was a lot of fun shouting at the runners and getting them off to a good start. Once they passed, we crossed the street and I started to stretch out.
Heather, Me, and Cathy after the Minneapolis Half Marathon – Minneapolis, Minnesota
And that is when Heather, my bestie since third grade, showed up. Now, Heather is becoming a pro at being at my important races. She was at my first half marathon in Chicago too…which is where she was living at the time. Now in Minnesota, her arrival at the race really brightened my day. Yeah, I was very bummed about grandpa…but I had other friends and family who were turning up to cheer me on. And that meant the world to me!
I stretched and talked and talked and stretched…and soon I noticed the corals filling up. So, I gave hugs to everyone and they all wished me luck and I headed off alone to choose my pace group. I opted for the 9:00 pace, figuring that was as good a place as any to start. I also happened to be in the first wave they sent off.
I had some fun talking to some of the people I was near. Some were anxiously searching for the pacer, as they wanted to run near them so they knew they were on target. Some were running their first race ever. Some chose this as their first half marathon. Some were pros at this. Some were discussing the hills on the course. And others just plugged into their iPod’s and focused on the run ahead.
The National Anthem was sung once more and then…moments later…we were off.
I could hear my family and friends cheering for me as I crossed the start line. I flashed my signature peace sign and just told myself to pace myself. Why? Because I tend to go out way too fast and then suffer in the end. I knew that this course was going to provide some hills and I wanted my energy for them. So…I did what I could and kept a good pace. In fact, I somehow missed the mile marker for the first mile. Because, before I knew it…I was coming up on Mile 2. It was a great morning to run. A little warmer than I liked…and it was only going to heat up more, but it felt good to be out there. The spirit of the race was fantastic. People were scattered along the course. There were spectators and people cheering and holding signs everywhere along the way. Just after Mile 3, we doubled back and headed back along the river front.
And for the first time ever…I got the thrill of a lifetime at the halfway mark. I spotted my dad and my aunt on the side shouting and cheering as I passed. Yep. They met me halfway. And just a little more up the way…Heather and Cathy were there. And they were screaming for me. They were awesome. All four of them. Best spectator moment ever. Nothing gives you a second wind more than seeing your peeps cheering for you halfway through a 13.1 mile race. It felt great.
And then…the second half of the race kicked in. It was really starting to warm up now, but I was wearing my new race tank, and it was keeping me cool. I was carrying a water bottle with me. Unfortunately, and lesson learned, I had flavored water in it…which wasn’t settling well in my stomach now. But, it was hydration. So I sipped at it as needed. There had been hills here and there…and awesome people on them to tell you that you were almost at the top and to keep pushing. My speed slowed down now. I lost the pacer I had been keeping up with the entire time prior to that. But the heat was getting me…and so was that flavored water. Blech.
Top it off with the hills and I was just fighting for each step I was taking at this point. I felt off. My great pace was lagging. And I was just starting to feel the effects of the stressful week. I was going to push through though. And I did. And that wall was broken through, especially at Mile 9.5, where the turnaround happened again and I was now on the last couple of miles to the finish. When I hit Mile 10…I knew it was only a 5K from there on and I was still making pretty decent time…despite the slow down. I got out my Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks (citrus flavored) to put something in my stomach. The citrus, while delicious, wasn’t a good choice on a day when flavored water was churning my stomach. But I needed the energy. From now on…I might go with the Sports Beans. Anyway…I gave the eat and run a go and continued on to Mile 11. Another mile down. Then another. Soon after Mile 12…a hill loomed. I knew it was coming because I had looked at the elevation map. It wasn’t going to be as hard as the one I hit around Mile 7…but my legs had carried me up and down hills all morning. By Mile 12, they’re ready for a rest. But I powered up it as best as my legs would allow. And then…the home stretch.
My iPod was playing Rob Thomas and Santana’s “Smooth.” And if you haven’t seen the video for Marathon Thoughts…you won’t understand why this was appropriate. I could hear the announcer. I knew I was close. Around a corner I came and there it was…the finish. I picked up speed. I even passed some people. I totally chicked a guy who was making his way to the finish by passing him on the double. I saw my dad, Jan, Heather and Cathy. Cathy was screaming at me about a new PR. I could see I was under 2 hours…and I bolted across that finish line.
Aunt Jan, Me, and my Dad after the Minneapolis Half Marathon – Minneapolis, Minnesota
As I made my way down to the end of the finish area, I was handed my finisher’s medal, a bag of snacks, some water…and I waited until I could spot my cheering section. They found me in no time and I shouted “THANK YOU, ROB THOMAS!” Cathy got it. No one else did. Again…watch Marathon thoughts. You’ll understand. Soon after, I was on my back with my feet up, laughing, talking, and discussing the race. According to my Garmin…I ran 13.2 miles from start to finish. So, let’s hear it for that extra 0.1 mile. WOOT! I was just elated. My first ever sub-2 hour half marathon. I was aiming to do that in Hershey, Pennsylvania in October. But I tore it out in Minneapolis…for Grandpa…who was there in spirit and doing himself some good by staying home and resting.
I ate my Picky Bar (by Lauren Fleshman…good carbs/protein ratio) and downed my protein shake. Water followed…and I downed two bottles on the walk back to the car. We parted ways here. Cathy and I headed off with Heather. We were going by her house. I was going to shower. And then we were heading out to a pub for lunch. My dad and Jan gave me hugs and I promised I would see them when I returned after lunch.
This race, for me, was a mixed bag of emotions. I am still working on getting my pace figured out…and how to properly fuel by body on these long runs. I loved having my dad there. I loved having my aunt, my roommate, and Heather there to cheer me on. I experienced the high of reaching one of my goals, finishing a half marathon in under 2 hours.
But…I was very sad not to have grandpa there to be a part of the experience. But…there will be other races. And, as I said before…he was there in spirit. It was best that he stayed home to rest and get better. I know that. And I’m glad he did just that. With that in mind, I think I was meant to set that PR at this race. For Grandpa. Just like my headband said.
Official results of the Minneapolis Half Marathon are that I finished in 1:58:28. I was 828/2779 finishers overall. WOOHOO! I was 366/1773 women to cross the finish. And I was 79/356 people in my division. I couldn’t be happier with these results.
You know what? Grandpa is pretty damn proud of me too!
Product: WOW Baking Company Peanut Butter Cookie – $1.50+
It was bound to happen at some time.
I thought I was well prepared for the inevitable, but then…the longer delays began to happen and my gluten-free snacks I packed disappeared sooner than I anticipated.
Airports are difficult enough to navigate when it comes to food choices. Add being a gluten-free vegetarian on top of it and it can be nigh on impossible to find something to eat at times.
Thankfully, that wasn’t the case (completely) at Chicago O’Hare. I was stuck there for five hours. Prior to that, I was delayed getting out of Louisville. And as I had intended to eat lunch at O’Hare, the delay meant I was hungry. I had packed a breakfast bar and some raisins in case, and they were consumed along with an expensive fruit cup prior to boarding the delayed flight. Hey…you can’t change the weather.
After delays, a cancelled flight, and then a new flight, five hours later, I knew lunch at O’Hare was now going to become dinner at O’Hare. And so…it had to be. Originally, my roommate and I thought to splurge a little and sit down to eat at either Wolfgang Puck or Macaroni Grill. But upon inquiring about gluten-free vegetarian options and being told I could have a salad (overpriced, of course), we decided instead to just grab something else and sit in the food court to eat. Save some money.
Thankfully, O’Hare has these little shops called CIBO Gourmet Market, which carry foods that are appropriate for vegans, vegetarians, the gluten-free, and meat options as well in the form of deli sandwiches and salads. I stopped in to take a look around and opted to grab one of their Strawberry Fields Salads (a mix of greens, strawberries, walnuts, and feta cheese). My roommate was convinced that wouldn’t be enough to hold me, so I ended up reaching for a WOW Baking Company Peanut Butter Cookie to enjoy post-salad. I admit, I still paid an arm and a leg for my meal, but it wound up being cheaper than the sit-down places in the end.
So…with the salad eaten, my roommate and I split the cookie for dessert. Let me tell you…WOW Baking Company makes one terrific and delicious gluten-free peanut butter cookie. It was like biting into a fresh peanut butter cookie. Honestly. It had that crisp outside for the initial bite, but each chew was soft and delicious.
Even better…the ingredient list had nothing funky or strange listed on it. The WOW Baking Company Web site even indicates that their cookies are made from all natural ingredients without the use of any preservatives. This means you can’t just hang onto the cookies or they will lose their freshness. I bought this at the airport and it was really, really fresh tasting. Their peanut butter cookie is made with natural, crunchy peanut butter, lending it a bit of crunch throughout. Epically delicious. I was WOW-ed. No really. I remember finishing a bite, looking at my roommate and saying, “Damn…these are good.” Peanut butter cookies bring a bit of salty-sweet to the taste buds and mine totally appreciated the taste and texture of these!
These cookies are available in some retail locations including Fresh Market and Whole Foods. You can check their Web site for stores in your area that may carry these delicious cookies. Remember…one cookie is two servings, so eat half and save the rest for later…or share with a friend. It’s tempting not to, but it’s all about portions, friends.
Want a delicious cookie that is free of gluten and wheat? I highly recommend trying the cookie options that WOW Baking Company bakes up. It’s magic in cookie form. And now…I’m hooked.
Can you believe it? I hardly can…but it’s all been possible because of the hard work I’ve been pouring into each run I take.
I’m in training. Again. Actually, it seems like I never really stopped training. I went from a half marathon in Indianapolis at the beginning of May to another one, this time in Minneapolis, on Sunday, June 3. It wasn’t the best planning, I know, but it was how the cards were dealt. Imagine my surprise when I plugged the new race info into my iPod app and already was up to having to run 8 miles on a long run. Craziness. But…the life of a runner is never boring.
As my training has progressed to this, the second of four…maybe five, half marathons for the year, I’ve covered a lot of road. I’ve dealt with minor set-backs (injuries) and I’ve struggled with finding things that I can handle eating while running (I still have yet to master that!). On top of that, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet to fit my restrictive dietary needs (I’m a gluten-free vegetarian!) and not dropping pounds has been an even more epic battle. Making sure I get enough protein…an even bigger battle.
But that’s a different story.
Yesterday, I was out on my last easy training run before the half marathon on Sunday. And in those short 2 miles I covered, I rolled over the 450 mile mark. This leaves me with less than 50 more miles to cover until I reach the goal I set in January. Hmmm…I think it’s time to up the mileage! I can’t believe I’ve reached the goal so quickly. Considering that in January I was bummed out for getting a slow start, my training schedule has certainly made up for it. I am so happy my feet can still carry me miles down the road at whatever pace I feel I want to maintain.
Today, I head to the airport to fly to Minneapolis, Minnesota. I’m running in the Minneapolis Half Marathon on Sunday, June 3. The weather looks like it will be perfect for running. Ideal. And…even better…my grandpa is going to be there. He’s the one who inspired me to put on running shoes and hit the road and the fact that he will be at the race means so much to me. I look forward to crossing that finish line and giving my family and friends hugs and just reveling in the moment that he was there to see it happen.
I’ve been so ready to make this trip. And now that it’s here…I’m ready to get running.
Perhaps that’s the taper talking…but this race on Saturday means the world to me. I’m ready to run it the best I can.
We’re heading into summer and if this spring is any indication of how warm it’s going to be, frozen treats are going to be the thing this year. And it doesn’t have to be fattening or all about ice cream either.
I actually blame Pinterest for this recipe. That’s how I came across it. The page I linked to on there credits Martha Stewart with the original recipe. so I guess we’ll give credit there.
The fun thing about these popsicles is that you can mix and match juice, fruits, etc. to make it to your taste and what you like. The recipe I am sharing is the combination I used. Feel free to throw in watermelon or mango or papaya or blueberry or raspberry or whatever your fruit-loving heart desires. I also used Trop50 Red Orange Juice as opposed to the original recipe’s white grape juice. The white grape juice makes a very clear mold whereas the Trop50 gave everything a red tint. But it all worked out.
Freeze up some and give these a try!
Recipe: Fruit Salad Ice Pops
Fruit Salad Ice Pops
Servings: 8 Time: Prep 15 minutes; Freeze 6 hours
Ingredients:
4 ounces strawberries, hulled and halved ( 3/4 cup)
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
1-1/2 to 2 cups Trop50 Red Orange Juice
Directions:
Arrange some of each fruit in eight 3-ounce ice-pop molds, making sure pieces fit very snugly.
Pour enough juice into each mold to just cover fruit.
Insert ice-pop sticks and freeze until solid, 6 hours (or up to 2 weeks).
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These tasted like a Fuzzy Navel (minus the alcohol) to be honest. They were really, really good. I want to try them again with some different fruits and see what comes of them. I might even try it with lemonade as the juice for the pop itself. The possibilities are endless. So get creative…get some fruit…and get freezing!
The motto that I live by is that if it has strawberries…it wins. I mean, strawberries are the perfect fruit and they aren’t in season too long. So, while they are in season…it’s best to utilize them as best you can. Always remember, though, strawberries are one of the dirty dozen and should always be bought organic.
I ran across this recipe for strawberry risotto (yes…you read that right…strawberry risotto) at Whole Foods. I knew immediately that I needed to make it. But first…strawberries had to come in season. They finally are and I am so glad I tested this recipe out. It’s sweet, berry and citrus goodness. And the way I make it (yes…I altered the recipe)…low calorie too!
With that in mind, give this sweet risotto a try. I loved it.
4-1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup zero calorie baking sweetener (I used Truvia)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter (I used Earth Balance)
1 cup Arborio Rice
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 cup canned light coconut milk (I used Native Forest Organic Light Coconut Milk)
1 quart strawberries (3 sliced, remaining chopped)
Directions:
Heat milk, sugar and vanilla until just simmering in a medium pot over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and keep hot.
Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat.
Add rice and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and toasted, about 2 minutes.
Add orange zest and juice and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add about 1 cup of the milk mixture and continue to simmer, vigorously stirring often, until almost absorbed, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
Repeat process until all of the milk mixture has been incorporated and rice is thick and creamy, about 30 minutes.
Remove pot from the heat and stir in coconut milk; set aside for 5 minutes.
Spoon chopped strawberries into the bottom of small bowls, top with risotto, garnish with sliced strawberries and serve.
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I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of this recipe, but it should have been no surprise that I loved it. One sweet bite after the next. The original recipe calls for 2% milk and regular coconut milk, plus regular sugar and butter. But I wanted to keep it dairy-free so I made my own substitutions. This also cut the calorie count down by half without compromising the flavor. Go ahead…you know you want to give this a shot. It’s fantastic hot, but it can be served cold too.
Product: Katz Gluten-Free Marble Cake – $5.19; Sample Pack – cost of shipping (varies per state)
Nothing quite like a little slice of cake to start off your day, right? Right.
That’s what happened this morning because I’m attempting to clear some space in the freezer so I can make some vegan ice cream this hot summer season. One thing that remained in my freezer from the Katz Gluten-Free Sampler Pack were my four slices of bread and the slice of Marble Cake. So, my breakfast included bread and cake. Mmmm…carbo-heaven.
So…what was it like to have my gluten-free cake and eat it too?
Well…it was…okay.
Yes…just okay.
Katz Gluten-Free Marble Cake
I thought this cake was a little lacking in flavor. Most marble cakes are a punch to the teeth of a rich, buttery flavor and a deep chocolate mix. But this…was just bland. It definitely had a bit of chocolate flavor going for it, but the yellow part was just not cutting it. It didn’t balance. It didn’t spark my taste buds and make me just want to rave over it.
Was it bad? Not at all. It just wasn’t cake perfection for me. I think had I maybe warmed this up, or topped it off with something like caramel, Cool Whip, chocolate sauce, ice cream…something…it would have been a little more impressive. As it was, however, it was moist. It didn’t crumble when I sliced it in half (because my roommate got to have half of everything in the sampler pack). It was a bit heavy in texture though. And I know that’s the case with some cakes that aren’t gluten-free…but I like a light cake. I want fluffy, bounce back after you press your fork to it cakes. This…was moist enough…but definitely heavier than I like.
I’m very picky when it comes to baked goods. I admit it. I bake a lot. So, I expect nothing but the best when I get a baked good. This wasn’t Katz’s best, but it wasn’t horrible either. I didn’t dislike it…but I wouldn’t set out to order it if given the option. It just didn’t have that wow factor I want in a dessert. Had the flavor been a little more…there…I think this would have knocked my socks off.
If you like cake, I say try it. Top it off with something. Warm it up. But I wouldn’t just take it from the freezer, let it thaw, and dive in like I did. Overall…it was good…just not amazing. And Katz has a lot of amazing products. This one…was just shy of the mark.
So, it finally happened today. I got tired of fumbling around in the freezer and working around the sample pack of gluten-free goodness that I got from Katz Gluten-Free awhile back…so I decided my roommate and I would feast on the five remaining items for breakfast today.
What remained was a slice of the Gluten-Free Marble Cake (I’ll get to that next blog…) and a variety of breads, all thinly sliced and ready for sampling. So, before heading out for my long run this morning, I placed them all on the counter to thaw. When I returned home, they were perfection.
Once my roommate dragged herself out of bed, I switched on the oven and began to unwrap the four varieties of bread to lightly toast and see what we thought of them. In the Katz Gluten-Free Sampler Pack, the four varieties of bread included were: Whole Grain Bread, Wholesome Bread, Sliced Challah Bread, and White Bread. I placed all of them on a cookie sheet and lightly toasted them in the oven before dressing them up with either strawberry cream cheese (à la Laughing Cow) or a little vegan buttery spread and some cinnamon and sugar.
So…let’s start at the top:
Katz Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread, Wholesome Bread, Sliced Challah Bread, and White Bread
Whole Grain Bread: Katz bills their Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread as a great source of protein that is not only wholesome, but delicious. They do recommend toasting the bread to bring out the maximum level of taste and crispiness. I can understand that. This slice of bread is made up of fiber, sorghum flour, whole grains and brown rice. I think this variety would have been less impressive if it weren’t toasted. However, when I did toast it up, it lightly crisped, enough to become sturdy enough to support a schmear of strawberry cream cheese (and a couple strawberries). I think, had I not toasted (though the little plastic wrap it was in instructed me to) the texture would have been off completely. So, if you like to toast your bread up before making a sandwich, this one might be for you. Truthfully, it was one of the ones I wasn’t as impressed with.
Wholesome Bread: What exactly is in Katz Gluten-Free Wholesome Bread? According to the ingredients – fava bean, garbanzo bean, teff, chia seed, flax seed, and honey. Again, this one came with instructions to lightly toast it to bring out the best flavor possible. I think toasting it also lightened this up. This was the heavier of the four slices of bread and the one I was least impressed with. Maybe I just don’t think beans belong as a bread ingredient. Call me crazy. Even the strawberry cream cheese and berries on top failed to impress me. It wasn’t bad…it just wasn’t as good as the others. I couldn’t imagine eating this one untoasted. Way too heavy and dense.
Sliced Challah Bread: Katz Gluten-Free Sliced Challah Bread was one of my favorite in the sampler. It is soft and fluffy right out of the freezer. No need to toast it (although I did for cinnamon-sugar dusting purposes). Very light. Not dense. And even better…fantastically delicious. This bread is made up of a gluten-free flour mix, water, eggs, palm oil, brown sugar, honey, xanthan gum, dry yeast, salt, flax seed, and apple cider vinegar. What emerges is one of the most amazing slices of gluten-free bread in the world. Honestly. I brushed this one with some vegan margarine and a dash of cinnamon-sugar and it was perfection. It was slightly sweet, which worked well with the cinnamon-sugar topping. While mine was toasted, this would have been just as amazing without it. Two gluten-free thumbs way up.
White Bread: Believe it or not, I, someone who prefers any other gluten-free bread to a gluten-free white bread, loved the slice of Katz Gluten-Free White Bread that I got in the sampler. It had a slightly sweeter taste than the Sliced Challah Bread. Again, this one didn’t need to be toasted up to correct any strangeness with the texture or feel of it. I lightly toasted it however, because I was making cinnamon toast with it. And it was freakin’ fantastic. Very soft and light, delicious. This variety of bread is made with a gluten-free flour mix, water, canola oil, eggs, honey, salt, xanthan gum, and dry yeast. The result is a sweet, light, delicious bread that would be perfect for sandwiches, French toast, or whatever your gluten-free bread-loving heart desires. This was so yummy, especially with the light toasting with a vegan margarine and a sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar. Yum yum!
So, it really was a mixed bag when it came to the bread samples that I was sent. I know one of the biggest things people will notice is how small the bread slices are. I find this to be a common thing with gluten-free breads, so it rarely makes me bat an eyelash these days. But, it is sad to put it up against a regular sandwich and you feel like you are only getting half.
But…the long and the short of it is…I liked two of the four breads I was sent. None of them were horrible, but two were just off on texture, taste, and density for me. I just didn’t fall in love with the Whole Grain Bread and the Wholesome Bread. However, the Sliced Challah Bread and the White Bread won me over hands down. These were both soft and light, and didn’t need to be toasted to enhance their flavor or texture. I like that. When you can simply pull something out of the freezer and take it for what it is…that means the product is perfect. And those two breads were perfect.
I am quite fond of other breads, so ordering these from Katz is probably not in the cards, but the samples were awesome to have to see what other options were out there. Then again…that Sliced Challah Bread might have to come my way sometime soon.
Some good…some not so good…but nothing bad. Katz Gluten-Free still has it.
Katz Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread, Wholesome Bread, Sliced Challah Bread and White Bread
Erewhon Gluten-Free Organic Crispy Brown Rice Cereal with Mixed Berries
Product: Erewhon Gluten-Free Organic Crispy Brown Rice Cereal with Mixed Berries – $4.89+
Fruit makes me happy. So…so happy!
I mean, you hand me a pint or two of berries and you would think you just handed me the entire world. This is how much I adore fruit. All fruit. Any fruit. Juicy, ripe, and amazing.
So, how does freeze dried fruit translate in a crispy rice cereal? Well…not to bad to be honest!
My breakfast this morning – Erewhon Gluten-Free Organic Brown Rice Cereal with Mixed Berries.
I was actually a little skeptical, despite the amazing flavor that I experienced with Erewhon’s Strawberry Crisp cereal back when I was visiting Denver, Colorado. You would think I wouldn’t have my doubts, but when little Rice Krispies are being poured out of a box and little dried-up berries are tumbling out amongst them, I started to second-guess my choice. I mean, the only reason I bought this cereal was that it was on clearance at the grocery store (hoping that’s not an omen that they are shrinking their gluten-free selection…).
But, this morning, it was my breakfast before I went to the gym and got my sweat on. So I was hoping that it would be delicious and satisfying…and hold me through the workout. You know what…an hour and fifteen minutes later and it had. Of course, once I stopped I was so ready to eat, but the cereal did it’s job.
So…let’s talk some more about this cereal.
Erewhon Gluten-Free Organic Crispy Brown Rice Cereal with Mixed Berries is a fruity burst of flavor in your mouth. Like Rice Krispies? Good. You’ll like these then. They don’t snap, crackle, or pop when you pour milk (or unsweetened almond milk, in my case) over them, but they are packed with amazing, delicious flavor and the freeze dried berries just come to life when they are swimming in a sea of milk.
Erewhon basically takes whole grains of US grown organic brown rice and toast them up to get them nice and crunchy. They are glazed with honey and brown rice syrup and then combined with freeze dried strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Mmmm…berries…mixed berries at that, means that the flavor potential is out of this world. And here…it really is.
If you are a berry fanatic like myself, then this cereal is going to excite your taste buds and make you one happy breakfast eater all at the same time. It’s a gluten-free deliciously fruity treat, spoonful-for-spoonful, first thing in the morning. After all…when strawberries are involved…it wins.
Cheese crackers used to be the go-to snack for every cheese lover. I mean, who hasn’t opened up a box of Cheez-It’s and just grabbed a handful to snack on? Everyone has done it.
Unfortunately, for the gluten-free…the cheese cracker craving isn’t so easily quelled. Granted, the market out there is littered with a variety of gluten-free crackers to try. I just haven’t had any that have come close to reminding me of the glory days of those ‘I don’t know why they are this shade of orange or why I’m addicted to them but I can’t stop eating them” cheese cracker by the handful snacking kind of days.
Then…I hit up Big Lots one day during one of their 20% off everything sales. And on a shelf with a lot of snacks and food items that are from Europe, my roommate spotted a box labeled Cheese Smarts. Right there on the front it clearly stated GLUTEN FREE. Could it really be?
Oh…it was true…so a couple of flavors made their way into my shopping basket.
The first one up was the Cheese Smarts Parmesan Cracker. These little baked snack crackers hail from Greece. A serving is 12 crackers, which will only set you back 90 calories for the day. Compared to Cheez-It’s (150 calories) and Cheese Nips (150 calories), that’s not such a bad deal at all. So, for a snack cracker, nutritionally standing, not too bad. But…how do they taste?
Well, they are quite crunchy…but I think much of that has to do with the fact that they are baked. I’ll take that over the alternative any day. As for the actual flavor of them…well…if you ever have had Cheez-It’s or Cheese Nips…that is exactly what they taste like. No joke. They have that cheesy flavor that is just sort of…mysteriously there. Cheese Smarts, however, bake real cheese into the cracker. So, while they look like the poor man’s Cheez-It…they are actually nutritionally superior…and probably manufactured better overall. Rules in Europe regarding food are far stricter, sadly, than here in the United States.
Are they blow-me-over delicious? Nope. Are they a suitable snack for the afternoon munchies? Of course. They satisfy the need for that salty, crunchy snack without setting you back too much in the nutrition factor. And…with them tasting so much like the brands I grew up with but can no longer eat due to food intolerance, well, a handful of these will certainly do in a pinch.
Are they the best gluten-free cracker out there? No. Hardly. Far from it. But they are surprisingly good. Would I buy them again? Eh…maybe. But I have certainly tasted better gluten-free cheese crackers. But these definitely fit a bit better into the budget.
All-in-all…enjoyable, smart, cheese snacking…for a budget. If you’re looking for snack greatness…these crackers aren’t for you.
The Celiathlete 