The Celiathlete

February 5, 2012

Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler – Louisville, KY (February 4, 2012)

Reaching the finish line of the Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler - Cherokee Park - Louisville, Kentucky

Race: Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler

Place: Cherokee Park, Louisville, KY

Date: February 4, 2012

Time: 33:17

FINALLY!

Yes…finally! After about a month off from having a race on my calendar, my second race of the year finally arrived. I had been out running every day prior to this, tapering the week of the race to keep my legs in shape, but rested at the same time, and mentally preparing myself for the hilly wonder that is Cherokee Park in Louisville, Kentucky. I swear, that last mile and a half is always straight up hill.

As I mentioned yesterday, I wasn’t feeling the usual bit of excitement that preludes a race. I don’t know if it was other things going on in life, or the usual grumpiness from not being able to clock the miles that I normally would, but I was down. Like, down and out down. So, when the alarm clock went off this morning, I shut it off and had to have a pep talk with myself to get out of bed, get dressed in my running gear, and down a light breakfast.

But, I managed. And, as I had heard that we were likely to get rain today, I thought to wear my older pair of running shoes instead of the new ones. My old pair have seen me through many, many, many wet races. What was one more, right? But, at the moment, no rain was falling. In fact, it was rather dry outside.

Until I polished off my bowl of Cinnamon Chex with a splash of almond/coconut milk.

Then, as if on cue, the running gods joined forces with Mother Nature to make sure that they made up for the gorgeous weather we got to run in back in January for the Frostbite 5K (or race #2 of the Polar Bear Grand Prix). Today, the Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler (the third and final race of the Polar Bear Grand Prix) would be run…in the cold, pouring rain.

Sigh.

Oh well. This is second hat for me.

I decided (thankfully) to wear my running jacket over the tech shirt I had on. I didn’t think it was going to be that cold, so I had on a pair of my shorts. Wow…was I ever surprised. So, if my legs were going to be frozen blocks of ice, at least my torso and arms would be warm. Oh…no gloves either today.

Call me unprepared.

The entire drive to the park, I keep hoping the rain will let up. But it didn’t. So, it was going to be a wet, cold race today. Four miles wasn’t too bad though, so I sucked it up, went and got my bib number and the backpack we got as swag, then hurried back to the car to keep warm for a little bit.

Stretching commenced about twenty minutes before the actual race kicked off. I limbered up and then went to head out to line up at the start with the few runners who ventured that way. As the race got closer to kicking off, the stream of the rest of them joined in. There were a total of 650 finishers at this race. It was one of the smaller ones, probably due to weather.

The race kicked off right on time, and I started off slow. I finally got to a point where I could break away from the pack of runners that were all crowded together and find a good pace. I had my iPod going on my running mix and as I came up on the half mile mark, U2’s “Beautiful Day” began to play. Given that it was in the low 40s and raining, it made me smile. And it really lifted my spirits. I don’t dislike running in the rain. Most of my best times have been accomplished in such weather. I just don’t like doing it if I don’t have to.

Mile 1 ticked off fast. I couldn’t hear my time as I ran by, but I didn’t care. The rain was splashing all over me. The wind was starting to pick up, but I was off and running. Coming up on Mile 2, my hood came down and I just let the rain pour all over me. I was feeling great. And then…the hills hit.

Cherokee Park…your hills will always hinder me until I get more accustomed to running them. (Note to self: Run more hills!) This did slow my pace some as the last 2 miles are pretty much a steady climb. Up. Up. Up. Mile 3 passes. You start to wonder if or when it will ever level off. And you keep thinking…eventually you have to go back down. And then you reach the peak…you see the fountain where the race kicked off. You can see the finish line just ahead. And finally, the terrain levels. I sprinted as fast as I could manage then to the finish line.

And totally blasted my previous 4 mile time by a full 3 minutes 26 seconds! How is that for an improvement?

So, despite the rain, despite the cold, and despite my attitude the day prior…I ran the hell out of this race and I had a lot of fun doing it. Yes…even the dreaded hills.

My roommate met me at the finish line with a towel (bless her!) and my dry hoodie. I got out of my very heavy, very soaked running jacket and hunkered down into the warm (yes, warm…she ran them under the hand driers in the park bathroom) towel and hoodie until I got back to the car.

We went to the local running store, Blue Mile, where they were kind enough to let me use their dressing room to change into dry clothes for the rest of the day. Thank you awesome people at Blue Mile.

I really think all the hard work, dedication, and joy that I find and put into running is really paying off. I am definitely improving speed-wise. I know there will be bad races and bad running days, but I also know that I can overcome them and press on. And, in the end, I’m there to run. That simple!

Thank you, Polar Bear Grand Prix. I had a blast doing my first ever winter runs! See you next year!

February 4, 2012

Liz Lovely adds a little spice and everything nice with gluten-free Ginger Molasses cookies

Product: Liz Lovely Gluten-Free Ginger Molasses Cookies – $3.99

So…here’s the deal.

Ginger has never been my thing. Gingerbread has never wowed me. Ginger flavor has never really appealed to me. So…why then would I buy a ginger molasses cookie?

For the blog, yes? Of course. Oh…and because it was the only kind at my natural food store that I hadn’t had yet (the other being Snickerdoodle). And, because if any company was going to create a cookie using ginger that I might actually enjoy…it was going to be Liz Lovely.

First…the simple part. As with her other gluten-free cookies that I have reviewed, the Ginger Molasses cookie is not only gluten-free, but also vegan. It’s soft, with fantastic texture. Baked with care and love, obviously. These things really do come through in the finished product.

Now…the nitty-gritty.

I actually didn’t dislike this cookie at all. It’s a basic cookie with molasses and crystallized ginger incorporated throughout. One bite and you get the sweetness from the molasses and then the heat from the ginger. It’s a nice pairing, actually. The flavor really good. Ginger still isn’t my thing, but I didn’t immediately get turned off by this cookie. In fact, I savored each bite I took, enjoying the different flavors, the sweet, the heat, all at once in one simple cookie.

Reminder…the serving size is only half of the cookie. For this one, that’s not hard to stick to. But there are some Liz Lovely cookies that would be downright dangerous for me to have around all the time.

As it stands, this is a great cookie if you really enjoy the flavor of ginger. Like I said, it’s not my thing, but this cookie was still fantastic because it found a good balance. One that even someone like me, who dislikes ginger, could enjoy. Now, that’s saying something about these amazing cookies.

Find a local store that carries Liz Lovely products…or order from their Web site online, because these cookies are totally worth it.

What are you waiting for? Treat yourself, you cookie monsters!

Liz Lovely's Gluten-Free Ginger Molasses cookie

February 3, 2012

Building up and breaking down

This week on my designated gym days, I’ve had some pretty amazing runs. I’ve run strong. I’ve run quick. And it’s felt amazing.

On my non-gym days, when I just go for an easy run, the runs have been challenging, but good.

And tomorrow…I race!

And normally, this is an exciting thing and I’m bouncing off walls and it’s all I want to talk about. But today, it’s different. I’m not excited. I’m not thrilled. In fact, I am sort of dreading it. Some of it may be the weather prediction for rain. Not that I haven’t run in rain before. Most of my races have been in downpours. But, perhaps, the combination of cold and wet that’s getting me down. Two things that my body dislikes, especially congruently.

But such is the life of a runner, right? And I know when I get to the race, I’ll get more in the mood for it. I’ve been feeling fantastic about this race all week and then…BAM…Friday hits and it’s like every ounce of excitement and readiness I felt throughout the week leaves and I’m just down and not really feeling it.

I’ve run strong and great this week. Why the sudden blahs?

Well, whatever the case and whatever the weather, I’m going to hit the 4 mile Snowman Shuffle run tomorrow morning and hope for the best.

For now, I’m going to attempt not to let my mood affect my running. Cross your fingers. Wish me luck.

February 3, 2012

Garden Lites gives more delicious bites with Butternut Squash Soufflé

Product: Garden Lites Butternut Squash Soufflé – $3.49+

The soufflé binge continues.

And can you blame me? So many delicious flavors to try; so little time.

Nevermind the fact that these little frozen meals of wonder are vegetarian and gluten-free, meaning – just what I need to eat. With how filling these are, you won’t even believe that they are so low in calories and fat.

Last night, I tried the soufflé that originally caught my eye and drew me to this brand – Butternut Squash.

I love butternut squash. It’s one of my most favorite foods on this planet. Honestly. It’s sweet without being too sweet and it really pairs well with variety of flavors and dishes. So, this really caught my eye. Two of my favorite things: butternut squash and a soufflé. Yum.

As I had another filling lunch at the office yesterday (the leftover vegan chili I made), I was quite happy to come home and prepare another easy, filling meal for my roommate and I. Yep. Soufflé and some sort of Ore Ida product, to be split between the two of us, resulting in a fantastically (and surprisingly) filling dinner for under 300 calories. And it’s so easy.

Garden Lites Butternut Squash Soufflé (frozen)

Out of the freezer came the Butternut Squash Soufflé. The first thing I noticed was how amazing the color was. The other soufflés by Garden Lites tend to be on the white or green color scheme, but this was a brilliant orange and it was a refreshing change of pace. I boshed it into the microwave for the required 4 minutes, let it sit for a minute, and then cut off the plastic and set it for one final minute of heating before I served it up, sliced it in half, and set some oven-crisped Crispy Crowns on each plate to complete the meal.

This smelled absolutely amazing. So, settling down to eat it was quite exciting. Like I said…this was the soufflé I had been looking forward to the most. It was definitely more dense than the other ones (and is the only one to have 180 calories instead of 140 calories). But, it is made of just butternut squash and eggs. So, yes…it would be a little heavier. One bite, and the rich, sweet taste of the butternut squash hits the palate and yeah…it’s pretty amazing. I enjoyed the way it just melted in your mouth. I was only eating half of the soufflé (because I thought there was more than 1 to a box, so my roommate and I have been splitting them), but it was just right. I think the entire thing would have been too rich. Full of flavor without adding anything to it, low in sodium, decadent, and straight out of the freezer.

How easy is that?

Surprisingly, this wasn’t my favorite out of the bunch like I had assumed it would be. That still is held by the Roasted Vegetable Soufflé. I wasn’t disappointed with this one at all, as it is definitely packed with sweet, rich flavor, but I think the lack of other flavors to round it out and break it up, makes it a little more of a challenge. Garden Lites does a fine job with their frozen soufflés and I wouldn’t change this one for the world, but being the butternut squash fiend that I am, I was surprised that this one didn’t light my fire more than others that came before it. But…that being said, I enjoyed every bite of this one, savoring it, and finding that butternut squash really is one of the best foods on this planet.

Remember, Garden Lites has given me a link to a coupon to share with all of you so you can go and try these products as well. I’ve found them at my natural food stores as well as in Whole Foods…and more recently at my liquor store in their frozen food section. So take a look. Use the coupon. Try these out and enjoy them as much as I am.

Five down…one to go!

February 2, 2012

Recipe: Gluten-Free Five Cheese Lasagna with a Butternut Squash Sauce

Going gluten-free doesn’t mean you have to give up those pasta dishes that you love. You just have to make sure you find the ingredients that you can eat. And with the gluten-free market booming, that’s not a problem.

One thing I do love is cheese! While at Whole Foods one day, I spotted something called Lemon Ricotta cheese at their cheese counter. I wanted it. And then, when I went to make the lasagna, it was gone. I was told by the nice people working there that it was now out of season. So, I was bummed. But decided to make the most of my cheese obsession anyway.

And I paired it with Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Squash Pastas Sauce…which was a nice, sweet, rich kick that really complimented the variety of cheeses sandwiched between gluten-free lasagna noodles.

Here’s my recipe!

Recipe: Gluten-Free Five Cheese Lasagna with a Butternut Squash Sauce

Ingredients:

9 gluten-free lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions (I used Tinkyáda Brown Rice Lasagna Noodles)
15 oz part skim ricotta cheese
4 oz mascarpone cheese (I used Whole Foods as it is vegetarian)
4 oz goat cheese (I used Capriole)
3 oz fresh mozzarella medallions (I used Whole Foods as it is vegetarian)
1.5 cups freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 jar of Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mixture of ricotta, mascarpone, goat cheese, shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, and dried herbs

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions.

While pasta cooks, in a medium bowl, mix together ricotta, mascarpone, goat cheese, and 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Add dried herbs and mix with a spoon until herbs and cheeses are blended.

Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water.

In an 8×8 baking dish, spread 1/3 cup of Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce on the bottom. Place three lasagna noodles in the pan. Top with cheese mixture, spreading gently over noodles. Carefully pull apart fresh mozzarella medallions and sprinkle over cheese mixture. Cover with more sauce then add the next layer of noodles. Repeat this process.

Five cheese mixture layred over gluten-free lasagna noodles

Once final noodles are placed over a layer of cheese and sauce, cover with the remainder of the Butternut Squash sauce. Then pull apart more of the fresh mozzarella medallions and drop over the top layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2-cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top of the lasagna.

Place lasagna in the oven for 35 minutes or until cheese begins to lightly brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Gluten-Free Five Cheese Lasagna topped with Butternut Squash Sauce & cheese (pre-bake)

~*~*~

This lasagna is a delicious mass of melted cheese and fantastic flavor thanks to Dave’s Gourmet Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce. If you can’t find that particular sauce, any tomato sauce will do, but this really brought out all the variety of flavors incorporated into the dish.

Love lasagna? Well, I promise…you’ll love this!

February 2, 2012

Happily bite into Garden Lites Spinach Soufflé

Product: Garden Lites Spinach Soufflé – $3.49+

Round four of the soufflé splurge continues.

So far, all the previous ones have been quite delicious, some more than others. Tonight, since it was the chili cook-off at the office lunch (I provided gluten-free, vegan chili), an easy and light dinner was the plan. So, into the freezer I went for another soufflé.

Tonight, the random reach-and-grab brought out the Spinach Soufflé. This product was quite reminiscent of the Roasted Vegetable Soufflé with its rich, deep green color. Once again, the heating of it was easy. A delicious, light meal (or mini-meal) is warmed and ready in just about 6 minutes. Again, since I didn’t realize only one came in the box, my roommate and I split this and served it with a side of Ore Ida Crispy Crowns.

What I loved about the Spinach Soufflé was not just the color. It had a great taste, that brought it up to my second favorite soufflé to date. Along with freshly chopped spinach, this soufflé incorporates onion, cauliflower and potato to its flavor, along with the addition of natural spices and flavors. Egg whites are what gives it the light, airy texture. Mixed together and heated in the microwave…and it’s an easy, healthy, fantastic mini-meal for those days you aren’t super hungry but need something for dinner so you don’t just eat half a gluten-free chocolate cake (don’t judge…it happens).

Garden Lites has really hit it on the mark with these amazing soufflé meals. I love how light and low calorie they are. Less than 2g of fat per serving too. Can’t go wrong with that. And, above all, they taste fantastic. Each one has a distinct flavor, and they all definitely taste of the key vegetable that they highlight. Nothing overwhelms the star of each dish.

I really thought the Spinach Soufflé had great texture and flavor. I rank it right behind the Roasted Vegetable…so it holds second place. With only two more to go in the line-up, I’m curious to see how the rest measure up. But, if nothing else, I can already tell they will taste amazing.

Look for these delicious, light, healthy meals at your grocery store and give them a try. Soufflés aren’t just for restaurants anymore!

February 2, 2012

Are you coconuts? Almond Breeze introduces Almond/Coconut milk hybrid

Blue Diamond Breeze Unsweetened Almondmilk Coconutmilk Blend

Product: Blue Diamond Breeze Unsweetened Almondmilk Coconutmilk – $3.99+

So…here is the long and the short of it.

Okay…just kidding. Just the short of it.

I love both almond milk and coconut milk. Honestly. They pair well with a variety of things and when you can’t handle dairy, well, they rule! I can’t say I love one more than the other, just that I love them each for different reasons.

So, one day while I was mulling around in the natural foods section of my local grocery store, I looked up and spotted a new product from the makers of the best unsweetened almond milk on the market – Blue Diamond Breeze Unsweetened Almondmilk Coconutmilk Blend. Best of both worlds, yes?

Yes!

Without adding unnecessary sugar, this blend provides the natural sweetness of the almonds with a splash of coconut flavor, creating a smooth, creamy, rich taste that actually blends perfectly. I admit…I was a skeptic despite the obvious awesomeness of the combined flavors, but once again, Almond Breeze proved that they know what they are doing when it comes to their products.

I’ve enjoyed this product each morning poured over my bowl of cereal. At only 45 calories per serving, it’s definitely worth indulging in. And for those who are lactose intolerant, like myself, a delicious alternative to dairy. I bet this would be amazing to bake with. Might have to try that.

So, if you love almond milk and you love coconut milk…why choose between them? Why take sides? Enjoy both easily with this amazing hybrid from Almond Breeze. Check for it in your grocery store. If it’s not there yet…give it time. It will be.

February 2, 2012

Annie’s berry own vegan (and gluten-free) fruit snacks hop into my life

Annie's Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks (Summer Strawberry & Berry Patch)

Product: Annie’s Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks (Strawberry & Berry Patch) – $2.50+/box

One thing that I have truly missed since becoming a vegetarian are gummy products. You know…your typical, run-of-the-mill gummy bears and fruit snacks. Okay, so those are filled with dyes and chemicals and all that stuff…but they are delicious, right? Of course!

Then, I ran across these delightfully vegan, gluten-free, organic, free of artificial coloring, made with real fruit juice snacks from Annie’s Organic. Oh…yes…I was eager to try these.

I actually picked these up during the sell-off of Halloween candy (hence the witch’s hat on the giant bag) because they were on sale. You know me and gluten-free (and vegetarian/vegan) products being on sale. Couldn’t pass these up because I had been meaning to try them out. Now, I had the opportunity, without buying a big box of them with the possibility of them tasting horrible and me not wanting to finish off the box.

Annie's Organic Fruit Snacks (Summer Strawberry & Berry Patch)

No worries here. With Annie’s Organic products, I’ve only been impressed. And this was another of those times. This bulk bag comes with a mix of Summer Strawberry and Berry Patch flavor varieties. The Summer Strawberry pouches contain strawberry flavored bunny-shaped snacks. Yummy! The Berry Patch variety contains raspberry, strawberry and and cherry flavored bunnies. A lot of vegan gummies taste reminiscent of cough syrup. So…when I popped one of these in my mouth and was met with a great berry flavor, I was impressed. Not only that, these fruit snacks aren’t tough to chew, nor do they get stuck in your teeth.

And I think they would be perfect to stick in my pouch when I go for long runs to help fuel my runs. They are delicious, full of natural ingredients, and really fun. I mean…they are shaped like bunnies. I might be a woman in my 30s, but I can admire a cute food when I see it.

My hat is off to Annie’s once again for providing a fruit snack that is nutritious as well as delicious. It’s fun. And it’s something this gluten-free, vegetarian athlete has no problem with splurging on. When fake fruit flavor won’t do, reach for Annie’s because you get the real thing!

Did I mention they’re shaped like bunnies?

Annie's Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks (Summer Strawberry & Berry Patch) - cute bunny shapes!

January 31, 2012

The dreaded taper

First of all…YAY! It’s race week!

After a couple weeks of nothing on my calendar, I have a fabulous four mile race coming up on Saturday morning. It’s local. Held in Cherokee Park in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s a park I know well. It’s the hilliest freakin’ park I’ve ever run in.

Secondly…BOO…race week means it’s time to take it easy on running to have well-rested legs for the race. Granted, this is a shorter race, but I’ve found that the taper is a necessary evil when it comes to running. Why give everything during the week only to wake up with tired legs on race day.

I’m still running…just not as hard and not as much this week.

And…it sucks.

This morning, I headed to the gym and got on the treadmill. I was cruising for 2 miles at a fantastic pace of 7.2 mph, throwing in some varied inclines every couple of minutes, keeping the pace, finding that I wasn’t having to grab hold of anything. It felt amazing!!

And I wanted to go for longer. I wanted to change my mileage from 2 miles to 3 or 4…but…I didn’t because that little voice in the back of my head reminded me of my race on Saturday morning.

Let’s face it…the taper SUCKS!

Especially when you are so accustomed to running so much, as I have become. Cutting back isn’t easy. But…I know I’ll benefit from it on Saturday. Hoping to see if I can best my last 4 mile race time.

Here’s hoping all this running, and the taper, pays off.

January 31, 2012

Catch some Dark Chocolate Raisinets!

Product: Nestlé Dark Chocolate Raisinets – $1.99+

Growing up, I snacked on raisins all the time. Sometimes, too much. But every now and again, my mom would treat us to Nestlé Raisinets. And why not? Delicious, plump raisins coated in chocolate made a semi-healthy snack, right?

But then, as I grew up, I acquired a taste for dark chocolate. I love that bittersweet taste that comes with a darker blend of cocoa. So, when I spotted these on the shelf at a local convenience store, I promised myself to check them out. After all, clearly printed on the package are the words – GLUTEN FREE – and that meant…they needed to be blogged about regardless, right?

Hey…help me out here.

Don’t get me wrong, these are in no way a healthy treat. But…they are a healthier choice when presented against other candies that are out there.

With less fat than other candy snacks on the market, and containing real, sun-ripened California raisins, you at least get some health benefits from that. Add to that the antioxidants you receive from the dark chocolate coating and you can justify eating a small handful of these when the craving for something sweet hits. And let me tell you, the bittersweet chocolate is the perfect compliment to the sweet raisin beneath it. Honestly, it’s a fantastic pairing that I’m so glad Nestlé finally matched up. I don’t dislike milk chocolate, I just prefer the deeper, richer flavor of dark chocolate and eat that whenever possible.

If you are looking for a delicious snack, I do recommend giving these a try. They are a healthy alternative to other candy out there, and they do bring an antioxidant punch with it’s combination of dark chocolate and raisins. If you like dark chocolate and if you are a raisin fanatic, do find these and do give them a shot. Of course, like with all candy, moderation is key. But every now and again as a nice afternoon snack…a serving is a nice treat.

Go ahead…catch some Dark Chocolate Raisinets today!