Back when I first went gluten-free, the receptionist at my office was on this diet kick. And she brought in these muffins that were made with only two ingredients: spice cake and a can of pumpkin. That’s it. I didn’t get to try them, despite her asking me to at least take a bite…because I didn’t want to feel ill the rest of the day, or perhaps the week. Everyone else who tried them though loved them.
That was over three years ago. And despite there being at least one gluten-free spice cake mix out on the market (made by Namaste Foods)…I hadn’t really gotten around to purchasing the mix and then giving a gluten-free version of those muffins a try.
And then…this past fall as I was strolling down the back aisle of my Whole Foods Market…I saw a display of gluten free fall baking items, all by Pamela’s Products. They were the new Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Mix and the new Gluten Free Spice Cake Mix. I had just recently gotten a gluten-free pumpkin bread mix from a different company, but the spice cake mix…that made me happy. I turned to my roommate and asked if we could break the budget for this…because I had two ingredient muffins I wanted to make with it. She agreed. YAY! Home came the cake mix.
However, with the busy, hectic holidays…my time for baking things for me (I baked a lot of gluten-free goodies for family/friends/special businesses) and the muffins got pushed to the back burner. As a lot of my great ideas at the time…when I am purchasing something often do. Sadness. But sadness no more…because I needed some easy breakfast food this week…mostly because I’m attempting to get back into a workout routine, despite my injury, and have some early morning sessions at the gym planned out. The easier something is to make afterwards, the better!
So, today, I got out a can of pumpkin (I keep cans of pumpkin on hand like they are going out of style!) from my pantry and snagged the bag of Pamela’s Products Gluten Free Spice Cake Mix from the baking shelf. It was time to make those muffins as planned.
So, into a bowl went the cake mix and the can of pumpkin. I beat it all together with an electric mixer and then folded in 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. So…I made mine with three ingredients. I wasn’t sure how a gluten-free cake mix would take to this recipe (a lot of times you should follow instructions on the package exactly or face epic, massive, culinary fail!), and who doesn’t like a touch of sweet chocolate with their breakfast, right? RIGHT! I filled 18 muffin cups with the mix and popped it into a 350°F oven, allowing them to bake for around 24 minutes. I removed them and let them cool before placing them in a container to keep for the upcoming week.
BUT…I can’t bake something and not try it, right? If it was an epic fail…well…I didn’t want to find out tomorrow morning when there was nothing to do about it.
My worry was for naught. I should have known. Pamela’s Products has always been delicious, no matter if I’m using her flour blends, or product mixes, or feasting on cookies, figgies, or granola bars. I have never met a Pamela’s Products product that I didn’t fall in love with or enjoy. And that continues to hold true.
The Pamela’s Products Gluten Free Spice Cake Mix has this delicious fall spice flavor to it. A hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger and cardamom bring out that amazing taste of one of my favorite seasons! Nothing like a taste of fall at the height of spring, right? Maybe I was trying to forget that we were in the high 70s already this morning when I set out to make these. The pumpkin added this great flavor and moistness as well. And who doesn’t love a little touch of chocolate when all is said and done, right? Because the addition of the chocolate chips made these a sweet enough treat, without all the guilt. The muffins didn’t puff up, but that’s gluten-free mixes for you. They did bake up gorgeously though…with a golden brown top and a moist, cake-y middle. Loved it at the first bite and will truly enjoy devouring a couple of these each morning this week. Super easy to make…and super delicious in the finished product.
So, let’s discuss the ingredients that go into Pamela’s Products Gluten Free Spice Cake Mix, shall we? This mix is made from evaporated cane sugar, tapioca starch, white rice flour, potato starch, brown cane sugar, inulin, grainless & aluminum-free baking powder, rice bran, sea salt, cinnamon, gluten-free flavor, nutmeg, allspice, xanthan gum, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and black pepper. This mix is certified gluten-free, non-dairy, and kosher.
Let’s discuss the nutrition information of Pamela’s Products Gluten Free Spice Cake Mix, shall we? This mix makes 12 servings (I made 18 muffins though!), so it’s 1/12th of the dry mix or 1/12th of the finished cake that you bake. In this serving, you will be consuming 150 calories and less than 1 gram of fat. This mix will provide you with 340 mg sodium, 36 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Not bad for a cake mix, right? Normally, this mix is prepared using eggs, butter and milk, so your nutrition facts will change when it’s mixed with baking ingredients.
For those interested, the nutrition information for the Gluten Free Pumpkin Spice Muffins that I made with this mix is that 1 muffin will give you 141 calories, 2 grams of fat, 228 mg sodium, 30 grams carbohydrates, 14 grams sugar, 2 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein. Only three ingredients. Easy to bake. And…YUMMY!
I hope that the fall isn’t the only time I can find the Pamela’s Products Gluten Free Spice Cake Mix. I haven’t looked recently at my natural foods stores…but if they have another package of it, I’ll be more than happy to pick it up and bake up another batch of these muffins. Or, maybe next time, I’ll bake up the actual cake itself. As always, Pamela’s Products impresses me beyond all expectations. And this is why this is a big-name gluten-free brand I trust.
Product: WB Kitchen Maple Pecan Honey Cookies – $3.29+
I love seeing what my Cuisine Cube sends to me each month. This month, however, hasn’t been a good one for me to actually dive into my box. Most of the items…okay…all of the items…were in the box up until I returned from the Boston Marathon. We all know from previous posts, leading into that were days and nights of stress and emotional overload…just trying to find out if I was going to get to race or not. And then, afterwards, I was having a hard time moving around, putting things away sounded like a tedious task.
That being said, the six items that were inside my April 2015 (Spring) Cuisine Cube have been put away. And have stayed put away. Up until last night. And that was mostly because I had nothing ready for dessert…
Hooray for convenience!
Of course, first I want to remind you of what Cuisine Cube is and what they do…and why you should consider a subscription with them. Cuisine Cube is a monthly subscription service were a gift box will be sent to your door with goodies inside. These are meal/pantry items that are the full-size products, not little sample sizes. That’s a huge deal, as most of the time these services send you sample products only. You can sign up for a monthly, three-month, or six-month subscription, which begin as low as $29.99 per month. Each box you receive will contain one item from each major meal of the day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, dessert. And then, sometimes, you get a bonus treat. Bonus treats are always a nice and welcome surprise. I’ve had Cuisine Cube for over a year now and love, love, love it!
In the April Box, the Breakfast/Snack option that was presented was a package of cookies. Yes…cookies. Cookies for breakfast. You have my attention! The cookies are a product of WB Kitchen. WB Kitchen was founded in 2012 by Chris Feuille and his wife, Anna. Feuille strives to show that businesses can succeed and be profitable while utilizing unconventional methods of operation. WB Kitchen offers natural honey sweets. Fueille believes that our food choices directly reflect the level of conscious awareness we bring into the rest of our lives. When people choose to nourish their bodies with real and harmonious foods, they are more in balance with the community and the planet. By making foods that are Paleo-friendly and use no preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and are sweetened simply with maple syrup and honey, Fueille hopes that consumers who eat the foods that mother nature intended will show them how to live a healthier, happier and more vibrant life.
The WB Kitchen Maple Pecan Honey Cookies were the item that Cuisine Cube shared with us in April. And I was really excited about trying them, after looking over the ingredients, and more impressively – the nutrition information. Last night was the ideal day to try them after a big breakfast at my local gluten-free bakery and then movie theater popcorn (just the kid’s snack pack) while seeing Avengers: Age of Ultron. I cooked up a simple dinner…gluten-free veggie burgers with sweet potato fries, to eat while watching the Kentucky Derby (I live in Louisville…that’s what we do one day out of the year). Afterwards, I knew I wanted my palate cleansing dessert. And I felt no guilt in reaching for the WB Kitchen Maple Pecan Honey Cookies. I tore into the package, giving one of the cookies to my roommate and taking the other one for myself. Dessert…and a horse race.
Well, the horse I chose (the names didn’t impress me this year, so I went for the prettiest horse in the field – Frosted!) came in 4th…but dessert…that was definitely winning in my book. The texture, at first, is a little weird. Sort of like a non-date-y Laräbar…soft and chewy…with a lot of emphasis on the “chew.” It wasn’t gummy though. But the flavor…that’s where these cookies totally won. The honey flavor for sweetness is perfect. Not too much…not too little. Just the right amount. And the pecans gave it this nutty flavor and a bit of crunch in each bite. Top it off with one of my favorite things – maple…and you have a recipe that I truly enjoyed. Every bite (which, technically was only three…but…). Just loving the way everything came together. And once that first bite was taken and I was able to adjust to the texture…it was dessert perfection. And no guilt. Cookies without the guilt. Loving that!
So, let’s discuss the ingredients in the WB Kitchen Maple Pecan Honey Cookies. These cookies are made with almond flour, raw unfiltered honey, organic maple syrup, organic pecans, sea salt, organic cinnamon, organic coconut oil, and organic vanilla extract. That’s it. Real. Simple. Ingredients. I recognize everything. Nothing makes me question what I’m about to devour. I love that. These cookies are produced in a dedicated gluten, grain, dairy, and soy-free facility. On top of being gluten-free and vegan, these are also cholesterol free.
Now, I told you I was impressed by the nutrition facts on these cookies and I’m going to share with you why. A serving size is 1 cookie, so there are 2 servings per container. This one cookie will provide you with 68 calories (a cookie for 68 calories!) and 4 grams of fat (mostly from nuts). You will also be taking in 54 mg sodium, 6 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams of sugar, less than 1 gram of fiber and 1.4 grams of protein. They won’t be filling, but they sure make a nice way to end the day.
So, if you’ve been looking for a great, healthy, cookie-type snack/breakfast/dessert…look into WB Kitchen and what they have to offer. Their Web site has other varieties of cookies and bars that make for healthy, nutritious, and clean eating. If maple is your thing…I highly, highly recommend these though. Soft, chewy, and good for you. What’s not to love? Thanks, Cuisine Cube for another wonderful food discovery!
A life without ice cream isn’t a very happy life. But, where I used to be able to take something to help me digest milk proteins, my lactose intolerance has only become a little stronger. Sadly, I have said goodbye to my dairy-filled favorite treat in life. Ice cream and I just don’t get along like we used to.
But…thanks to So Delicious Diary Free…ice cream isn’t gone from my life. It’s just…well…a little different. And not a sorbet. Sorbets are all fine and good, but sometimes you just want something rich and creamy and sinful.
Cashew milk is, honestly, my latest obsession. It is my go-to milk of choice these days. Over coconut milk and almond milk. Why? It’s creamier. It’s thicker. It just, to me, tastes better. I love the nutty flavor that comes with it and it just tastes amazing. It’s all I want in my refrigerator these days.
So…talk my favorite beverage of the moment and combine it with…one of my favorite desserts…
That’s what So Delicious did. They have created a new line of non-dairy frozen desserts that are made with cashew milk, instead of soy, almond, or coconut milks. Currently, these ice cream pints come in five different flavors: Cappuccino, Creamy Cashew, Dark Chocolate Truffle, Salted Caramel Cluster, and Snickerdoodle.
You know my first purchase would have been Salted Caramel Cluster…but my Kroger store didn’t have that particular flavor when I was shopping and treating myself. So…my next favorite thing after salted caramel anything (especially ice cream) is Snickerdoodle cookies. Therefore, Snickerdoodle was the pint I purchased. I also have the Salted Caramel Cluster in my freezer now…but Snickerdoodle came first…therefore it gets consumed first.
After dinner tonight, as the week has been crazy stressful and I’ve been on this roller coaster of emotions. Ice cream seemed like the perfect way to wrap up the day. I took out the pint of So Delicious Dairy Free Snickerdoodle Cashew Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert and let it thaw slightly on the counter while I ate dinner. That way it was scoop-ready by the time dessert rolled around. I opened it up, spooning out beautiful servings of the ice cream treat and serving it up to myself and my roommate.
Snickerdoodle anything has a lot to live up to, as it has always been my most favorite cookie. Ever.
So, when my roommate dug in first while I was dishing up my serving and I hear, “Holy crap! That tastes just like a snickerdoodle!” I knew I was about to experience dessert magic. I stuck the pint back into the freezer and settled in with my own bowl of ice cream. I ran my spoon through the serving and lifted my first taste to my mouth. As it began to melt against my tongue it was love. Sheer, pure, happy love. Meant to be love. Because, YES, it does taste just like a snickerdoodle cookie. We’re talking a cinnamon infused ice cream that is infused with generous bites of actual gluten-free snickerdoodle cookie dough. This just happens to make this THE BEST ICE CREAM EVER! It reminded me of the holidays, as that was when my mom always made her famous snickerdoodle cookies. It reminded me of growing up, of old friends, of home, and of happy places. THIS…was one fantastic scoop of ice cream. It is, by far, the best ice cream (dairy and non-dairy) that I have ever consumed. In my life. If Cookie Monster and the Good Humor Man had children…it would be weird…but it would probably introduce something like this to the world. I almost want to dive in for another serving. But I will resist. For now. I must.
Or not…
Let’s talk ingredients. The So Delicious Dairy Free Snickerdoodle Cashew Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert is made from cashew milk (water, cashews, non-GMO canola oil), organic dried cane syrup, snickerdoodle dough (dark brown cane sugar, natural oil blend (palm fruit, canola and olive), natural flavor, sunflower lecithin, lactic acid, annatto rice flour, potato flour, tapioca flour, cane sugar, invert sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, guar gum, baking soda) cinnamon, gum acacia, guar gum, and sea salt. It is verified non-GMO, vegan, kosher and gluten-free.
As far as nutrition goes…well…it’s basically ice cream without the dairy that hurts my tummy. It isn’t going to be a powerhouse of good things…but it’s tasty. And, sometimes, that’s all you need. A serving size of the So Delicious Dairy Free Snickerdoodle Cashew Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup. In this serving you will be provided with 190 calories and 10 grams of fat (much of which is the healthy fat that comes from the nuts themselves!). You will also be taking in 45 mg sodium, 24 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 20 grams sugars, and 2 grams of fiber. It’s a dessert, so you won’t be feeling full after a serving, but it should fill you up after a meal. This ice cream has no cholesterol.
And…it’s basically a cookie on frozen crack. Frozen cashew ice cream crack. It’s…amazing, is what I’m trying to say. If you are like me and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Snickerdoodle cookies…then this ice cream is going to satisfy your love of the cookie and your crave for the ice cream. It’s creamy and rich and perfect. Yes…I said perfect.
I’m in love.
A serving of So Delicious Dairy Free Snickerdoodle Cashew Milk Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert
I had. There had been word of Eggo putting out two (yes two!) gluten-free versions of their infamous waffles. I had seen photographs of the boxes. And yet…despite checking the freezer section at virtually every store with frozen waffles inside…I hadn’t had the fortune of seeing them out in the wild. I didn’t give up though. I never do.
As luck would have it, I finally stumbled across a freezer that held these majestic boxes…at a Target in Louisville, Kentucky. This has now been dubbed “the best Target in my area!” I have since checked other Target stores and NONE of them have these inside. Believe me…if I can get them on this side of the Ohio River, I would…but…for now at least, I’ll have to journey over the river into Louisville if I want to indulge in these beauties.
So, why do I care if I can eat Eggo Waffles? I mean, plenty of mid-size gluten-free companies have had waffles on the market for years. Van’s, by far, have been my favorite, but Nature’s Path also offers quite a selection of these frozen breakfast options. I guess I cared because I grew up eating Eggo Waffles. I did. I was diagnosed as a Celiac until I was 30. My entire childhood is made up of mornings where my mom would toast up some Eggo Waffles (she believed in sending us to school with a hot breakfast in our bellies, whether she made pancakes or French toast, or toasted up something like waffles from the freezer) before sending us out to catch the bus to school. We saved cereal for the weekends. And when I struck out on my own, working a job that didn’t pay much, and just living paycheck to paycheck, Eggo was there to make sure my mornings at least had some sustenance to them. I loved Eggo’s. I mean, what child (or adult, I don’t judge!) doesn’t get a little giggly when they say, “L’eggo my Eggo” to someone, right?
So, yeah…the fact that Kellogg’s was making an effort to put out a gluten-free version of one of their most popular breakfast items was pretty huge. And I was pretty excited. Even the Vice President of Marketing and Innovation for Kellogg’s frozen foods, AnneMarie Suarez Davis, stated that Kellogg’s is making sure to not sacrifice the crispy texture and wholesome flavor of their waffles as they move into the gluten-free territory. It was critical for them to avoid the pitfall of some gluten-free items that actually due sacrifice taste and texture when being compared to the original versions. So…their goal…to be as delicious and wholesome as the original Eggo’s.
I’d like to say I could tell you right off if these were just as good as the original versions. However, it has been about 3-4 years since I last had an Eggo Waffle. So, I don’t exactly remember what they tasted like. There are a lot of things I don’t remember what they tasted like since going gluten free. It’s a bit sad at times. And sometimes it is a relief. But this…this is a bit more on the sad side than anything. I know I loved them…both as a child and as an adult…so it was time to put the gluten-free version to the test.
This past week, I needed some non-stressful, easy breakfasts to make. I was beyond tired and sore from the Boston Marathon and my sleep schedule is way off. WAY off. As in…not happening much. I had appointments out the wazoo as well, so the less I needed to do to prepare a breakfast, the better. Additionally…my CSA bin failed to deliver to me on Friday, so I had little to no fresh produce to use. Perfect excuse to just reach into the freezer.
I don’t own a toaster. I got rid of it after the Celiac diagnosis…back before my roommate said our kitchen could be 100% gluten free…and she still had regular bread. I toast everything up in the oven instead, so I preheated the oven to about 450°F and laid out four (a serving size is 2 waffles) of the Kellogg’s Gluten Free Eggo Waffles on a baking sheet. Into the oven they went, where they toasted up in about 5-7 minutes. My oven is never as hot as it’s supposed to be (it’s old!)…so it takes a bit longer on some things. When they came out, they smelled like Eggo Waffles…and were this light golden color…just like regular Eggo Waffles. I spread a little butter and poured on some maple syrup.
I was already in a better mood that morning, just for having Gluten Free Eggo Waffles. No joke. Seriously, it’s sometimes just the simplest things in life.
My roommate settled in with her two waffles first. When she took a first bite, I asked how they tasted. And she said, “They taste like Eggo Waffles.” That being said, she hasn’t had Eggo Waffles in 3-4 years either, because of me…but…we’ll just go with it. I tucked in that morning with my breakfast and sliced off a bite of the waffle. The outside of the waffle was crispy and flaky. It sort of broke into a few little pieces. The inside…soft…and arm. It was almost perfection. I don’t remember much about how Eggo Waffles tasted, but I could definitely tell a bit of a difference with these. Probably the use of oat flour over the enriched wheat flour that the other varieties have. Other than that, however, I couldn’t really tell if there was much of a difference. Soft and fluffy on the inside, crisp and toasted on the outside. That’s waffle perfection. And…to top it off…it was a bit satisfactory to stroll over to my roommate that morning, handing her a plate of waffles and saying, “L’eggo my Gluten Free Eggo.” HAHA! I told you…simple pleasures.
Let’s talk about the ingredients in the Kellogg’s Gluten Free Eggo Waffles, shall we? These waffles are made from water, rice flour, whole oat flour, eggs, sugar, soybean and palm oil, leavening (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate), 2% or less artificial flavor, xanthan gum, salt, soy lecithin, and whey. These waffles are gluten-free and free from trans-fat.
As for nutrition…for gluten-free waffles, the Kellogg’s Gluten Free Eggo Waffles don’t do too bad at all. A serving size is 2 waffles, and 8 come in a box. This serving of 2 Gluten Free Eggo Waffles will provide you with 170 calories, 5 grams of fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 260 mg sodium, 75 mg potassium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 4 grams sugar, and 4 grams of protein. So it actually is a filling breakfast without being really big. And the waffles are pretty large in size too. Like standard Eggo Waffle big. Bigger than Van’s and Nature’s Path gluten-free versions.
Kellogg’s Gluten Free Eggo Waffles come in two different flavors – Original and Cinnamon. I only have found the Original, but that’s fine. I’m okay with that. I’m okay with these waffles. They were tastier than I anticipated and really live up to the high standard that Kellogg’s set with their regular versions of Eggo Waffles. Seriously, for a quick, easy breakfast, I’d be more than happy to keep a box of these in my freezer. Totally happy. Worth hugging the box in the aisles of Target. And totally worth devouring in the mornings. Really…really good!
Product: Van’s Gluten Free Rotini and Red Sauce – $3.99+
It’s been one of those weeks. Seriously. I’m recovering (slowly) from my awful, awful, painful Boston Marathon. To top it all off, my produce bin didn’t arrive as scheduled on Friday. So, all weekend I was left scrambling with ideas as to what to make for dinner and how little grocery shopping I could get away with in trying to manage exactly that. The answer…I still had to hit up the produce at the grocery store, and my CSA bin was redelivered to me on Monday evening. But for that weekend…I was not in a good spot.
Thankfully, I have a pantry full of things that have been just dying for me to pick them off the shelf and try. And when push comes to shove, Saturday was going to be all about some pasta. I have a few gluten-free pastas (just the noodles and then some dishes like this) in my pantry for just such occasions…because pasta is easy and a very common go-to for me. Because I LOVE pasta.
I listed off some options to the roomie, and ultimately Cathy made the final say. “Let’s try that last Van’s thing.”
And so it came to pass that “the last Van’s thing” was going to make its way from pantry shelf to full-on meal in my kitchen. Moving on up!
You see, awhile back I had picked up three boxes of the Van’s Gluten Free Whole Grain Pasta Sides, which I had discovered at Walmart, of all places, way ahead of anywhere else in the area carrying them. I snagged one of each flavor and happily stocked my pantry with them. I have already had the Creamy Herb and Garlic Pasta and the Ultimate Cheddar Penne as well. So…this time it was Rotini & Red Sauce’s turn to shine.
Van’s Gluten Free choices have never disappointed me. Not once. Not ever. They are my waffle of choice, above all others, even the new Gluten-Free Eggo’s. That’s a huge thing!! But Van’s puts a lot of love and care into their packaged foods. And Van’s does believe that nutritious is delicious and that’s why they make their gluten-free pastas with whole grain brown rice, delivering more than a full serving of nutrient dense whole grains. You can always add in some vegetables or chicken (if you eat meat…which I don’t…) in order to bulk up the pasta sides and make these more of an entrée. But as my roommate and I take something that serves three and split it between the two of us…it’s the perfect amount in the end.
Cooking up the Van’s Gluten Free Rotini and Red Sauce takes all but 10 minutes. Seriously. Just boil 6 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Add the pasta and allow it to return to a boil. Let it cook for 7-8 minutes. The noodles will become al dente. Do not overcook. Gluten-free noodles are an awful thing overcooked. Drain the noodles and give them a rinse. Then, add the marinara sauce to the saucepan, heating on low. Stir often. Put the pasta back into the pan with the marinara and heat through. Enjoy.
I served this up with a gluten-free dinner roll that I baked up a few weeks ago. It made a perfect, perfect, perfect dinner. The rotini (which is actually red) cooked up really perfectly. It wasn’t mushy and didn’t crumble apart when I stabbed at it with my fork. The pasta sauce was rich and flavorful. I sort of wish there was a little more sauce when all was said and done, but there was the perfect amount to lightly coat the noodles and serve them up. This was a filling entree, and would serve at least 4 people as a side dish to a bigger main dish. I enjoyed this one, but it was my least favorite of the three pasta sides that Van’s created. Not that it wasn’t good. It was. But it was something I easily could have made with things I have at home in the same amount of time. It was nothing special. But it was quite tasty. If more sauce had been present, I would have used my dinner roll to mop it up. But…the sauce was just enough…no extra. Still…a solid, delicious pasta dish.
Van’s is very proud of the ingredients they put into their products. Seriously. They state this on the box. And the ingredients that go into Van’s Gluten Free Rotini & Red Sauce are simple. These ingredients include gluten free penne pasta (brown rice flour, red lentil flour, beet powder, tomato powder), marinara sauce (tomatoes, water, tomato paste, olive oil, onions, sugar, basil, garlic, salt, citric acid, and black pepper). It is gluten-free, kosher, contains no artificial colors or flavors, has a full serving of whole grains, is egg-free, and is dairy-free.
As far as nutrition goes, a serving of Van’s Gluten Free Rotini & Red Sauce is about 1 cup prepared. This box contains about 2.5 servings. This will dish up 250 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 160 mg sodium, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, and 12 grams of protein. This side dish is cholesterol free.
So, while this was a simple and basic meal, it was easy to make and served up a fantastic dish for my roommate and I to share. Of the three, however, this would probably be the one I wouldn’t pick up again. Not that it wasn’t good…it just wasn’t as memorable as the others.
Beyond Meat had me with their vegan and gluten free chicken strips from the very start. I remember first spying those products in my local Whole Foods and immediately latching on to all three varieties and tossing them in the freezer. Since then, they have not only improved on the vegan not-chicken strips…but they have since added to their non-meat repertoire. Beyond Meat has introduced vegan chicken poppers, vegan chicken tenders, beyond beef crumbles, beyond beef meatballs, and beast burgers and beastly sliders.
I have yet to find the poppers and tenders and meatballs anywhere in my area, but I have stumbled across the two varieties of Beyond Beef Crumbles and…more recently…discovered the Beyond Meat Beast Burger and Beyond Meat Beastly Sliders. Now, it’s not every day I stumble across a vegan/vegetarian slider that I can eat. In fact, the only other sliders I’ve seen are made by Gardein, but they aren’t gluten-free. So…the instant I spotted these at my Whole Foods, I knew there was no escaping the tight budget. I’d squeeze it in and give them a try.
Due to my fresh produce and my lack of any sort of gluten-free slider buns…I ignored these in my freezer for a little while. But after hobbling through The Boston Marathon, and not having a produce bin delivered on time…this past weekend, I needed to do something for dinner. I searched my freezer, and have a few options remaining in there. The one that caught my attention was the Beyond Meat Beastly Sliders.
Well…why not? I was going grocery shopping that morning, so I could pick up some Udi’s Gluten Free Whole Grain Dinner Rolls to use as slider buns…I figured. In my head, that was the plan. I think I forgot that the Udi’s Gluten Free Dinner Rolls were a little longer than a standard roll…so when I had everything out to start cooking…I realized I was going to have to slice the dinner rolls in half and then slice them open to make a close proximity of a slider bun.
Dear Gluten Free bread makers….slider buns…create them. I will buy them. For reals!
So while my dinner rolls/slider buns of sorts were toasting in the oven, I got out a saute pan and gave it a splash of olive oil, allowing it to heat up on medium-high heat. Then, into the pan all six of the slider patties went. I was impressed upon opening the package of Beyond Meat Beastly Sliders. The sliders have the appearance of real burgers. So, it’s not a vegetarian patty that looks nothing like a burger masquerading as a burger. These actually look like burgers. I was impressed. They were so easy to cook up too. Simply add the sliders to a touch of oil in a skillet and cook until lightly brown on both sides. It takes about 5-7 minutes. Then…it’s time to eat.
The dinner rolls weren’t a perfect fit for these hearty slider patties, but they worked. So, that’s what matters. I sliced each roll down to “slider” size and then loaded on the burger with a hit of ketchup and…BAM…vegetarian sliders for dinner. It was really that easy. I served these with a side of Zapp’s Voodoo Chips, which if you haven’t tried those…DO IT!
I haven’t eaten any sort of meat in over four years. That being said, back when I was big into burgers…you know…Hard Rock Café knew my burger order…these rank right up there with the real thing. Seriously. They have this great meaty texture…and they were hearty and held up. So often, vegetarian and vegan burger substitutes crumble and fall apart. This is especially true with vegan/vegetarian patties that are also gluten-free. It’s one of my pet peeves. This did not happen with the Beyond Meat Beastly Sliders. My roommate had just had sliders on our way to Boston a week before, and she said these were better than the real thing. WOW! I won’t lie…the texture, the flavor…it was awesome. They were juicy and filling. Oh yeah…they are Beastly Sliders for a reason…I was full from my serving of 3 of them. I loved the smokey flavor that these patties had, sort of lending it to the “I taste like beef, but I’m not” flavor. I’m sort of in love with these. It is just eerie how much these resembled real beef patties in appearance and in taste. It sort of freaked me out. In a good way. These will definitely find their way back into my freezer. I might have to experiment with making my own slider buns, but these were truly fantastic. I was beyond impressed.
Beyond Meat set out to replicate the taste and texture of beef burgers and to prove that there is a better, more sustainable, plant-based way to satisfy any burger craving. In addition, they prove that there is a healthier, plant-based, sustainable way to make a burger without the need to kill animals. We just needed a better burger…and these sliders are definitely proof that vegan burgers can run with the real thing.
Let’s discuss ingredients in the Beyond Meat Beastly Sliders, shall we? These sliders are made from water, pea protein isolate, essential fatty acid oil blend (DHA algal oil, flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and palm oil), methycellulose, carrageenan, calcium sulfate, yeast extract, maltodextrin, potassium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, tapioca starch, caramel color, sorbitol, beyond nutrient blend (vegetable nutrient extract blend (spinach, broccoli, carrot, tomato, beet, shiitake mushroom), sea buckthorn juice powder, beet juice powder, hydrilla powder, horsetail herb powder, moringa leaf powder, mesquite powder, fulvic minerals, pomegranate seed powder), natural flavoring, spices, salt, l-cysteine hydrochloride, onion powder, sugar, onion extract, paprika extract and garlic extract. Lots of stuff I don’t recognize. I admit. And a lot of ingredients at that. I know. But…WOW. The Beyond Meat Beastly Sliders are gluten-free, soy-free, cholesterol-free, and non-GMO. They are also contain antioxidants, iron, calcium, vitamins B6, B12, D, potassium, as well as DHA and ALA omega-3’s.
So, let’s talk the nutritional value for a moment, yes? A serving of the Beyond Meat Beastly Sliders is 3 sliders. You get 6 in a box. This serving of three patties will provide you with 260 calories, 16 grams of fat, 480 mg sodium, 720 mg potassium, 7 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams sugars (YAY!), 4 grams of fiber, and 23 (YES…23) grams of protein. No wonder you feel full after eating these. WOW!
While I don’t make faux meat products a standard in my home, it is fun to try out products every now and again. The past four years I’ve had many vegetarian/vegan burger patties. In the past three years, I’ve consumed quite a few brands that are also gluten-free. By a long shot, Beyond Meat has provided the best burger patty to date. To think…plant power all the way. Totally in love with the nutritional aspect, the flavor, the taste…everything. Now when I want sliders…I can have sliders. So much love.
So…I was in Boston…for The Boston Marathon. And you know what it means when I’m gearing up for a race. The traditional night-before-the-race gluten-free pizza. It is a must. Sure, I can do gluten-free pasta, but pizza seems to be my mojo. My magical little race-day helper. And so, this tradition has gone unchanged whenever possible.
I consulted with a good friend of mine, Julie, before heading to Boston, looking for restaurant recommendations, especially for pizza. She sent me so many different options, I was elated to see how many options were available in Boston. If you are a Celiac or gluten-free and planning on a trip to Boston, trust me…it is so easy to find something to eat there. It’s wonderful. Never before have I had so many options in one place.
With her high recommendation, and the praise of my high school friend, Lydia, it was decided that we would be noshing on Sunday night (Monday is marathon day in Boston!) at a place called Upper Crust Pizzeria. They have several locations throughout the Boston area, but as we were spending the day hiking the Freedom Trail, we decided that we’d wind our way out toward Beacon Hill and land there right around dinner time.
We actually ended up getting there sooner, rather than later, so we ducked into some candy shops and walked around the Beacon Hill area until around 5 p.m. That was when we made our way back to the little establishment and stepped inside.
It wasn’t what I was expecting. This was one tiny little establishment, indeed. In fact, the kitchen was on the far right as you enter, with one long community table in the middle of the restaurant. That was it. We lucked out in that people finished up eating by the time we ordered, so we had a place to settle in and eat. Because there was no way the pizza would make it back to the hotel and still be hot.
Cathy and I had scouted the menu prior to leaving for Boston and already knew what we were going to get. This left my friends Heather and Jenn to either have pizza by the slice or split a pizza. As Heather wanted pepperoni and Jenn does just cheese, they ended up getting two slices each.
Their slices were ginormous!! Seriously!! Holy cow. It made me more than a little concerned over how big the gluten-free pizza slices were going to be and whether Cathy and I could eat it on our own.
But, our 14-inch gluten-free pizza arrived a short time after their slices…and it looked fantastic. We ordered one of the custom pies that is a “local favorite.” It’s called Charles Street ($19.00 – the gluten-free crust is a $2 upcharge), and we had it made on the gluten-free dough. It comes topped with portabella mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and fresh garlic. For the sake of my stomach, we asked them to go light on the cheese on this pizza. And it looked absolutely fantastic when it arrived at the table. We paused long enough in our hunger to snap a picture before diving in, each peeling off a slice. The pizza is their “small” size…and it’s actually quite big…but it was perfect for 2-3 people to share. And since we hadn’t eaten much that day, it was perfect for Cathy and I to split without any help.
The Charles Street pizza at Upper Crust Pizzeria is AMAZING! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! Totally and honestly. I ate a bite on its own and immediately was all “Mmmmmm.” Like in “Mmmmmmarathon” and “Mmmmmmore please” and “Mmmmmmgoooooood!” But then, I doctored it up with some dried herbs and a little bit of red pepper flakes. My stomach fears no spice, not even before a marathon. The crust of the pizza was thin, but not a cracker crust. You could definitely tell it was white rice flour based, but it wasn’t a distracting overlying taste. In fact, the crust was one of my favorite things about this pizza. I love a good crust, but I also love to indulge in more pizza…so a thin crust is a nice thing in my book. Cathy tried a bit of Jenn’s pizza and said the gluten-free crust was even better than the original. Score!! I loved the earthiness that flavored this particular pizza. The Charles Street had this great balance of savory with a hint of sweetness from the sundried tomatoes. It was amazing. I devoured every slice. For the first time ever, I think Cathy finished her pizza just as I was polishing off mine.
I can’t say enough good things about this pizza. At first I was a little uncertain, due to the venue more than anything. I mean, one table…and no room when we arrived for us to sit and enjoy…it was a little intimidating and off-putting…but a spot cleared up and we settled in after ordering, and all of us were happy with our pizza. I would go back and eat here the next time I was in Boston, even if there wasn’t a marathon involved. Really fantastic. There were a few other signature pizzas that they make that sound absolutely amazing, so I’m definitely eager to return and give them a taste.
If you’re in Boston…and you want a great gluten-free pizza…find one of the locations for Upper Crust Pizzeria (or go to the original one, like I did, in Beacon Hill) and order up a slice of heaven in pizza form. I know I’ll be back. Oh yes, I will be back!
Upper Crust Pizzeria’s Gluten Free Charles Street Pizza
“This is the story of how I died. Don’t worry, this is actually a very fun story…”
So…here is the preface to this. If you saw and read my previous post, you’ll know that I’m injured. Not because of over-training or pushing too hard or running too fast. This is all about body mechanics. A torn labrum in the hip is, actually, a very common injury in women in their thirties. And, for me, because I am active, this happened sooner rather than later. It just seemed to happen at the worst possible time. I have a tight lower back…which started the problem. I have short and tight hamstrings, which added to the problem. This was a cocktail for injury that had been building, then something finally gave. My anterior labrum tore. Small tear. But, mother of Meb…it hurts to move. Like, literally move.
But I’ve never been good at timing things.
*SIGH*
Anyway…the basic gist of the weeks leading up to Boston is…I did no running from early February. In fact…every bit of activity ceased due to lower back pain. Lower back pain soon became hip pain. And I immediately went to see the top sports orthopedic doctor in the area. He got me into physical therapy…where I was given stretches and even tried dry needling. Relief came and went and I found myself back in the doctor’s office with a week to go to Boston. He sent me in for an MRI. NOT an experience I ever want to have again. That was the Tuesday leading into Marathon Monday. Wednesday morning and the rushed results were brought up and delivered to me in my doctor’s office…torn labrum. SUCK. I had him scrambling to find something for my tears. He gave me a paper towel. We discussed some options for healing and he said…I could TRY to walk/run Boston. He sent me for a Cortisone shot and wished me luck. That night I had the most epic meltdown ever. I have never cried so hard and so long in my life. There was no calming me down. I dreamed of the day I’d run in the Boston Marathon, and while I could still participate, it wasn’t going to be the experience I envisioned. And I was struggling with accepting that. I was broken. Mentally and physically…shattered.
“I learned, for example, that running injuries can be caused by being female, being male, being old, being young, pronating too much, pronating too little, training too much, and training too little.” ~Amby Burfoot in The Top 10 Laws of Injury Prevention
Me with my race bib at the Boston Marathon Race Expo
Thursday, the Cortisone shot from the day before was causing more pain than anything, but that soon subsided. Thank God, because I was certain something was wrong. I got through work, went to a soccer match, then came home and packed things up for Boston. Late bedtime…then into work…then off to the airport. Boston bound.
We got in late in the evening and stayed the night at a hotel near the airport. My friend Heather joined Cathy and I in the hours before midnight, having caught a late flight out. We got a few hours of sleep and in the morning, got up to head to our actual hotel in downtown Boston, get some coffee, and get to the race expo.
Sorry…I don’t function without my coffee. And the Starbucks on Tremont was giving out free tall coffees to any Boston Marathon runners. So for Saturday and Sunday, I got a free Blonde Roast coffee. Thanks, Starbucks!
We hopped the T to head to the John B. Hynes Convention Center, where the race expo and packet pickup were being held. This was the most organized expo I have ever been to. Seriously. Our bags were checked when we stepped into the center itself, and then we followed the directions of the volunteers and the signs toward where I would pick up my race packet. I had my Runner’s Passport (which came in the mail) with me and I went up to my designated number area to receive my race bib. Now, I wasn’t actually allowed to post the bib itself on social media because last year people swiped bibs that were posted and ran with them. Seriously. So, we took pictures, but nothing went up. After that, I went to get my race packet (which had LOTS of goodies and my shirt inside) and then we headed down to the expo.
Matthew and me at the Boston Marathon Race Expo with our Runner’s Passports
The official merch was the first area you are shuttled through. All the Adidas goodness (I love Adidas!) you could ever want. I already had purchased (so I would be guaranteed to have my size) my jacket, but I picked up a little (okay…a lot) more, and also a few things for some friends. So…I have a lot of Boston merchandise. But this might be my only Boston. This was one expensive trip and marathon to do…and that was another thing tugging on my heartstrings…all this money and I couldn’t even perform the race the way I wanted. Life…is not fair at times. But, I was here to make the most of it. With those purchases made, my friends and I ventured further into the expo. I round one corner and immediately see familiar faces – Dawn & Matthew from my running group. Matthew was running too and we were in the same corral and wave too. But he was there to run it and I was there to…survive it. Definitely not the plan we had going into this. We took pictures and talked and eventually parted ways to check out the different booths, merchandise, and expo stuff. We finished up at the expo and took the stroll down to the actual Finish Line on Boylston Street. That…gave me chills and sent my heart fluttering. I touched the line. I sat on it. I goofed around a bit, hoping that the way I was currently feeling would hold through Monday afternoon. After we wrapped that up, dropped by Trader Joe’s for some water and snacks, then strolled back to the hotel to drop things off. Our room was ready now, so we got our key and ventured up and…took a load off. My friend Jenn had landed in Boston at this point and was grabbing a bite to eat before joining us at the hotel. This meant…time to relax for a little bit.
Jumping for joy at the Boston Marathon Finish Line
When she arrived, I left to go and bring her up to the room. We let her get settled and rest for a few moments before getting our stuff together and embarking on a Boston adventure. This meant, we took a stroll. Through Boston Common, down some streets, over to the water, up through neighborhoods…until we got to a T stop and hopped it to go out to visit MIT. From MIT…on to Harvard. And that night, I was meeting up with a my best friend from my childhood…the girl I met the day I moved to Big Flats, NY…Lydia…who worked and lived in Boston now. We were hitting up John Harvard’s Pub & Grill for dinner and a lot of catching up. I hadn’t seen her since high school. It was a lot of fun catching up over dinner (I had a beet salad, for the record!), before we decided to stroll through Cambridge for awhile. We ended the evening talking over coffee at a local coffee house until last call. Then, we parted ways and headed back to the hotel to cycle four girls through the shower. I think I finally got to bed around 12:30 a.m. And I had an early morning alarm set.
Why? Because I needed to get back to the expo. I discovered that Sunday morning is the best time to go. It is deserted. We all had a variety of missions to accomplish at the expo, so we split up. And…I ran into Geri and Dan from my running group. I hadn’t seen them in a very long time and we talked and I was told not to hurt myself…more. HA. We snapped a picture and went on our different ways for the day. After we polished off the expo for a second time, we hopped the T back to the hotel to leave things in the room. And then…we were hitting up Boston by doing the Freedom Trail. I know…you’re supposed to rest your legs the day before the race, but…I was here to see Boston. And this was a great way to do it! We stopped into church yards, churches, saw the site of the Boston Massacre, and so much more. We grabbed lunch at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, each scattering to get whatever sounded good to us. I got a salad (again), Heather got a prime rib sandwich, Cathy got a bread bowl of clam chowder, and Jenn got lobster bisque. We ate, then did some more shopping and site seeing, before winding our way out to Beacon Hill. Here, it was still too early for dinner (in my book), so we strolled around and ended up stopping into three different local chocolate shops and making purchases from each. Chocolate score! It was very spontaneous of us and very fun. We then made our way back to our dinner destination. A very tiny place called Upper Crust Pizza (which came highly recommended by two locals I know), due to the fact that they have gluten-free pizzas.
Heather, me, and Lydia – Big Flats, New York reunited!
Cathy and I were prepared for what to order when we got here. We got down a menu for Jenn & Heather in case they wanted to split a pizza…but they ended up each doing 2 slices each. Cathy and I, however, ordered one of their signature pies…The Charles Street, which is described as “a local favorite combining portabella mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and fresh garlic.” We asked them to go light on the cheese. It was awesome. And Cathy said the gluten-free crust (which I could tell was white rice flour based) was better than the regular crust. It was just what this marathoner needed the night before the run. After that, back to the hotel for showers, some pre-race night prep and then…lots of chocolate.
We settled in a bit earlier this time, but I was pretty restless the entire night. Very little sleep. I don’t think I was alone. While the rest of my room dozed…I tossed and turned and went over things in my head. Sleep would have been nice. When my alarm went off, I was the first up and into the bathroom…time to get dressed for race day.
Me, highly under-dressed for the weaher for the 2015 Boston Marathon
So, let me now preface this by saying, when I packed for Boston…the weather reports were saying it was going to be about 50 degrees at the start line. After I arrived in Boston, the forecast began to change…and change some more. We were now looking at 42 degrees at the start with 16-20 mph winds and…yep…100% chance of rain. Needless to say, I actually forgot the shirt I was going to wear to this marathon at home. Literally…it was still hanging in my closet. I also had nothing to wear to the start line to toss. I realized that when I was packing…so I ended up bringing one of my warm blankets from home and wrapping that around me for the 2-3 hour wait at the Athlete Village. What I ended up wearing was was my Marathon Maniacs singlet and some arm warmers. That was going to have to do. I mean, I could have bought something to wear from a running store, but I hate not testing my clothing out on runs. No chafing allowed. Running skirt, compression sleeves, toe socks, and my Newtons. I put my hair in pigtails, but had to buy them under a hat, with the impending rain. I hate running in hats…so I was not a happy girl.
Cathy, Heather, and Jenn all took turns in the bathroom and I was a complete spaz, trying to get everything else in order to head to the buses to take me to Hopkinton and the start line. I had made arrangements with my friends Matthew and Jodie to meet them at the Starbucks across from Boston Common (the bus loading spot) the day before. When I had everything on, including the throw-away gloves with bear head mitten tops (a last minute CVS purchase), we all headed out. I was carrying my banana and cereal (because I didn’t want to eat too early), and had my fuel belt stocked with GU and my water and Nuun. We stepped out of the hotel and into the chilly, windy morning. And we headed for Starbucks.
I spotted Jodie the minute I stepped inside and we gave each other huge hugs. Matthew was still not around. We waited for as long as we dared, but we had a narrow window for our corral’s bus time and we didn’t want to miss it. I texted Matthew to say we were heading for the buses, and then handed off my phone to Cathy. They walked us over to Boston Common, to the security check point. We gave hugs all around and then Jodie and I stepped on in. And we ran into Matthew. HA! Perfect. We headed past most of the bus loading docks because those were filling fast. We just kept going down further and further until we hit a shorter line. And that was our shuttle. We stepped inside, took seats near the back, and settled in for the ride. As the bus pulled away, we spotted Cathy and the rest standing on the side of the road holding up a sign that read: “RUN LIKE SOMEONE IS SHOUTING GAME OF THRONES SPOILERS!” FUNNY! A lot of people got a kick out of it. I waved…and the journey began.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” ~Mark Twain
It felt like the longest bus ride of my life. Matthew and I talked. Jodie and I talked. We mostly looked out the windows and anticipated our arrival at Hopkinton. Nerves were high. Excitement was high. And for me, I was trying to figure out how I could do this race. It wasn’t going to be pretty. When I got the last-minute word that I could run/walk it…I put it out there that I’d love to have some company on the journey. So many people said they weren’t running this one for time…but for the experience. No one stepped up to take me up on the offer, and I don’t blame them. I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s time, expectations, or experience. But all those times I smiled and said, “No…I don’t want/need/…”…that voice inside my head was pleading, “Please…someone get me through this…someone…say you’ll stick it out with me.”
Heather, me, Cathy and Jenn on race morning before stepping out into the damp cold that would plague us the rest of the day
Anyway…we disembarked at Hopkinton and made our way into the Athlete’s Village. It was a city of tents and small vendor stations for Gatorade, bagels, and the like. Unlike NYC, this time, I had my banana with me and the rest of my cereal to polish off. I ate some of it on the bus there. Timing is key. And I also needed to take my Mobic for my pain (I know…this is not a good idea, but it was necessary!). Matthew, Jodie and I immediately got into the lines for the port-a-potties. We met some great people behind us and chatted with them for awhile. We took our turns and then went and found shelter under one of the tents to get off our feet and just try to wrap our head around the experience. The tents were alive with chatter and they had their phones. I was wrapped up in my blanket and poncho, huddled in to keep warm. It was a very breezy morning and I was really regretting my “suck it up, cupcake!” attitude with the start line weather and wishing I had some sleeves on my shirt. The red corral (or the one that goes off with the elites) was already being loaded up. I waited until about 30 minutes before we’d have to be in the corrals to eat my banana. Then, after sitting for a bit more, trying not to tighten up from shivering, the three of us heard the white bibs were being put in their corrals all the way through Wave 8. We were Wave 8. We got up…and we headed that way.
Me and Jodie before the Boston Marathon
My heart was pounding as we stepped through the different checkpoints with the volunteers. The Mylar cape I had made out of the wrap they gave us to help keep warm at start village was wrapped tightly around my legs. My blanket and poncho adorned my upper half. I was keeping it all in place until 5 minutes before leaving. And I did. Matthew branched off to go find a bathroom again and Jodie and I continued on. We found a spot in the crowd and stood there and shivered, joking around, checking our shoes, and just mentally preparing ourselves. I knew Jodie was going to kill it. She’d been doing amazing things in her training. And she’s super fast. Hell, she qualified for Boston running a marathon in rain, thunder, lightning, and hail. YES. HAIL! She was badass and this race had nothing on her. We finally convinced ourselves to ditch our warm gear…tucking the clothing and blankets and poncho into the bags for donation or handing them off to volunteers. The Mylar went next. And soon, we were shivering with the rest of them.
Our wave was sent off and for the first 1/4 mile, I hung with Jodie. The first part of Boston is downhill and she was trying not to go out too fast. I finally let her go and settled into a pace I thought I could maintain for a little while. Not going to lie, each step was painful, but I could tolerate it. Matthew caught up to me before I got through the first mile. He said, “Well, Karen…we finally got to run a marathon together.” I laughed and told him to enjoy his run. Everyone would be smoking me this time. I soon lost him in the crowd ahead. And then…there was me.
I actually maintained a decent pace (not great…but under the circumstances) for the first 10K. After I hit that though, I started needing to incorporate short walks in with the running. I didn’t want to…but I needed to. I have a torn labrum in the hip…I was hurting. But…I still managed. I maintained small walk breaks with running through the next 5-6 miles. Each move was starting to hurt more and more. Thankfully, there was a great crowd, and I took all the cheering and high fives I could get. Around the halfway point is where you hit Wellesley College, and you can hear the screaming from about a half mile away. It’s insane. There is a reason that area is called “The Scream Tunnel.” The women of the college were out and cheering, just like the rest of Boston, despite the horrific weather and cold. There were a couple of women who had no tops on and were covering up with cardboard signs. Craziness. But that was such a rush. You read about it…but to experience it…that’s another thing. At about Mile 15, I slowed again, and this was where Tammy, from my running group, tapped me on the shoulder. She looked at me and asked, sincerely, how I was doing. I told her I was hurting. She asked if I needed anything and when I said no, she pulled out, glancing back a couple times at me. When I ran into her Annie May’s Sweet Cafe back in Louisville the following Wednesday, she gave me a hug and said she should have stayed with me.
Mile 16, I managed a small surge of speed, but after that, my body was done. It literally hurt to run. Walking was easier, so my walking became more of what I was doing. I had 10 miles to go…and I was determined to get through them. There were people who would call out to me from the sideline, my race number or “Maniac” for the Marathon Manaic singlet I was wearing. They said encouraging words to me. Wrapped an arm around me and told me to keep going. That I was doing good. Instead of tackling Heartbreak Hill…I had to walk the entire thing. My heart was breaking because I had dreamed of taking on these hills. I had a medic stop me around Mile 22 to ask what was wrong. I told him I was doing Boston on a torn labrum and that I was run walking. He asked if I was okay. I nodded. I was freezing. But I was moving. I had a few runners tell me FMP…Forward Moving Progress. Every little bit made me keep pushing because every synapse of my body wanted to quit. I am not a quitter, however. If I cross that starting line, I’m going to cross that finish line. Tears were pretty much part of the race outfit by this point. The rain was coming down. The cold, icy winds were blowing, and I was walking. WALKING…the Boston Marathon. My heart was breaking more than my body was at this point. I was so disappointed and angry…emotions were just bubbling over. Another medic on the course came to walk at my side and asked if I needed a Mylar blanket or anything. I shook my head and sobbed a “No.” I said, “I”m almost there…I just need to get there.” He wished me luck. I had two Marathon Maniacs come up to me and take pictures with me. They were just so uplifting at that moment. I was told I was adorable.
Me running down Boylston Street toward the finish line of the 2015 Boston Marathon
The mental struggle at this point was more than the physical pain. I’ve run with pain before. But knowing that time was ticking away and this race, this race which I had wanted so bad…which I earned…was slipping away…I was WALKING my Boston Marathon…it was more painful than the present limp in my stride. I saw the famous Citgo sign…and I knew I had just over a mile to go.
In my head, as I walked as fast as I could, I said that when I made the turn onto Hereford Street, I would run that hill and then run as much as I could manage…but RUN…down Boylston Street to that finish line. And when the time came, that’s what I did. Mind over matter. Finish this race strong, even though it was the most disappointing, hardest race I’ve attempted. I pushed up the hill on Hereford and rounded that corner to Boylston. I started down the stretch, immediately catching sight of Cathy, Heather and Jenn, who were SCREAMING for me. Not at me…but for me. I made a heart with my hands, and waved…and then focused on that finish line. It felt, literally, like it was 100 miles away. It hurt to make that dash, if you could call it that, but I didn’t care. I was running across that finish line. And when I crossed it, the tears just came down. The rain is a wonderful thing at moments like that. I was shivering. My lips were blue. I couldn’t feel my fingers at all. If my hip hadn’t hurt so much, I probably wouldn’t have known if my legs were still attached.
But I finished.
From there, I hobbled through the finishing area. It actually took a good long while to get to the place where the volunteers were handing out medals. I was shaking and shivering, but I bowed my head as someone slipped it around my neck. I didn’t ever want to take it off. A little further up was the Mylar poncho, which I was helped into. It did little to help. My body temperature was very low. I was then handed some water and a bag of recovery food stuff…and I hobbled along, following the signs that would take me to the family reunion area. It was a long, hard, cold walk. Along the way, I had about 5 volunteers stop me to ask if I wanted to get into a bus to get warm. I was suffering hypothermia at the finish line, but I was so focused on getting to where my friends were. I said I was going to meet my friends and get to my hotel. They let me go.
Sometimes, the best thing you can see after a race like that is smiling faces. I got hugs all around and congratulations. They told me how proud they were of me. And I just cried. I just…couldn’t stop. I wanted to get to the hotel, so we started to walk that way. I could barely walk, and Heather offered to carry me. I told her I’d be fine…I’d just be slow. I was beyond slow. It seemed to take forever and the rain and wind weren’t helping. But I got back to the hotel…freezing…sore as hell…and up to my room. I got my gear off, got out of wet clothes, and took an amazing hot shower. After changing and settling in on my bed…I answered texts and Facebook messages…I called my parents, who backed out of coming, and my sister. I tried very hard to let the accomplishment shine, not the disappointment I was feeling. I think I managed well enough.
We celebrated with cups of wine (Heather & I went high class with paper cups!) and a piece of chocolate. We toasted to the Boston Marathon. And then…Heather had to leave to catch a flight. Hugs were given. Cathy fetched me some ice…and we settled in for some peaceful relaxation in a warm hotel room until we wanted to get dinner.
So…in the end…The Boston Marathon wasn’t the dream race I had hoped to have back when I qualified a year and a half ago. Everything went wrong along the way. My body fell apart months before the actual event. And I did everything I could to get to that start line without further damaging myself. Yes…I am a finisher. I am proud of myself for not quitting. I am proud of myself for perservering. I am not proud of that marathon finishing time. I am not proud of how much I walked. I am proud for finding out just how fucking strong I am. THIS…is Boston Strong. This limpy-gimpy, frozen, crying soul at the finish line…is BOSTON STRONG!
So…with it all said and done, I hobbled my way through to a finish time of 5:07:08. I was 25262/26610 finishers overall. I was the 11262/12022 woman to cross the finish line. And, I was 5608/6011 in my age division. Yeah…you can bet these statistics don’t sit well with me. I actually didn’t want to post them. But, you know…this is a race I won’t forget. I struggled. I cried. I limped. I walked. I would have crawled if it came to that…if it got me to that finish line. But I finished. It is my worst, and yet, most memorable marathon. It is my greatest and my worst moment in the years I have been running. This is, by no means, the race I wanted nor dreamed of. I can only hope that, one day, I’ll get a redo.
“Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” ~Jack Canfield
I find out on Wednesday how my doctor wants to work on getting my hip back into running form. I want whatever will be the best for me in the end, with the least amount of downtime, and the best option to get me back out there, running stronger than before. Please…keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I have a feeling I have a long road ahead of me.
Never Give Up!Sometimes, no matter how closely you follow the recovery rules…your body mechanics catch up with you. And that…has happened to me.
And it’s pretty devastating. If you’re a runner…you get it. If not…you’ll probably find me a bit dramatic. Hell, you might find me that way regardless…but what it comes down to is…my body is fighting back.
It all started in January. After I ran the Charleston Marathon, I took a good bit of time off to properly recover. I had been running myself ragged (literally) over the past year, and instead of my usual 1 week off from all activity, I took a bit longer. But, one morning, I woke up and had a very unhappy lower back. The left side of my back was sore…to press on and to move. I took further time off (because you shouldn’t mess around with the back, honestly). And then…the hip pain happened…
…and then the hip pain didn’t go away. It was so much that it was hard to even walk. No running at all. After waiting an additional two weeks (missing a marathon due to weather too), I went to see a sports orthopedic doctor. Xrays turned up nothing…which was good. So, he sent me to physical therapy, which I started that same week.
My physical therapists are awesome. I started off with Emily Bullerdick, PT, DPT. And she took much of the first session to assess what was going on. Turns out, I have a locked lower back. AH…back to that lower back. The entire lower back didn’t want to move, so the rest of my body…shoulders and hips, were trying to balance it out by overcompensating. Okay…I was given some back exercises and scheduled for 4 sessions in the following two weeks. I went…I did exercises twice a day at home…I even did them at work…and I wasn’t feeling any better. Emily was off one day the following week, so I got to meet with another PT. This time I met with Steven Hnat PT, DP. He took a look at Emily’s notes and plugged away at some of what she had me doing. Then, tried a little more, working with my nerves. He mentioned dry needling and gave me some information on that. I looked it over and got scheduled for a regular PT appointment and a dry needling appointment the following week.
Dry needling…is painful. It really is. It is also known as Intramuscular Manual Therapy (IMT)/Trigger Point Dry Needling (TDN) and is a modern Western medical modality. Dry Needling is a treatment technique which uses these small filament type needles to release tight muscles with the goal of permanently reducing muscle pain and dysfunction. With DN, the needle alone and its effects on the tissue is the treatment. Physical therapists are now using this technique around the world to effectively treat acute and chronic orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions. . My first (yes…first) session, Steven did dry needling in my thigh, my hip, and along my IT band. The IT band needles he hooked up to an E-stim, which sent pulses of current through the needles and into the knotted muscles. THAT…didn’t feel good at all. But I did get a bit of relief from it.
The next week was a follow up with my doctor…and as the pain was subsiding he told me to enjoy Boston and to get some running in. Emily said the same thing, and before leaving that day, she put me on the treadmill to do some light running. I kept an easy pace and managed a relatively pain-free 1 mile. The next day, I went over to the gym and attempted two. I was fine while running, but when I was done, I was just sore. It was hard to go down the stairs to do some of my post-run stretches. And then, that weekend, I set out to do a short run on Saturday morning, and my body hated ever step. I managed a mile and spent the rest of the day in excruciating pain. Back to the orthopedic doctor I went…
And that was when the MRI was ordered.
I continued my physical therapy sessions, having one with the actual stretching and another round of dry needling. This time Steven hit up my hip again, but did the E-stim to my lower back. That was the most not-fun thing I’ve done in a long time. I was pretty sore after that for the rest of the week. Not in my hip…but in my back. I continued to do my exercises until I decided they weren’t doing much for the problem…and stopped. I literally just stopped doing anything.
My MRI was on Tuesday afternoon. My follow-up was on Wednesday (also the 2 year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings…and tax day…but…well…). So, the fate of the Boston Marathon I earned now hung in the results of an MRI. My orthopedic doctor came in and pulled up the images. And there…at the top of my hip joint, he pointed out the smallest of soft-tissue tears. It was an anterior labrum tear. Super small…but that was the reason for all the pain.
This, by the way, is a very common injury with active women…especially in their 30s. Weird, I know. But it’s because we have these things called HIPS! What caused this? It wasn’t overuse…because I hadn’t been doing anything when the pain occured. Turns out that chronically and habitually tight muscles around joints can cause a lack of joint mobility, which, over time, too much compression on those joints can cause structural damage…most commonly labral tears. This is especially true in young athletes. Even sitting too much at a computer or in a car can cause habituated muscle tension that won’t go away. I also have a tilted pelvis which made the soft tissue rub against the joint and bring on the tear sooner as well. Ah…body mechanics.
Sitting for long periods of time has always been a problem for me. What this comes down to is the tightness of my lower back through everything else out of whack. Tie that in with my habitually tight and short hamstrings, and this was basically a problem I was going to face 10 years down the road regardless of whether I was active or not. It happened to me sooner, rather than later, however.
Am I doing Boston? I am. I have been given permission to run/walk the Boston Marathon as I feel. I was injected with a Cortisone shot on Wednesday as well. I spent much of yesterday in a great deal of pain from that, but that is wearing off now, thank God. Upon returning from what will likely be my worst marathon ever…I am going to start working on getting this all fixed. No surgery. But lots of hip and core strengthening. And, we will go from there.
Is this the Boston Marathon that I wanted? Not one bit. While I had every intention of not racing here…but just having a good run and drinking in the experience…this was not the result that I wanted. BUT…at least I can go there and have my race. Maybe one day I’ll be back to the runner I used to be. This isn’t going to stop me…it just my hinder and slow me down for awhile.
I do want to say, I did get quite a bit of love and support from people throughout this ordeal, checking in on me, asking how my pain was doing…and letting me know that they missed seeing me out there. That was nice to know I had that kind of support because being down with an injury is so isolating. People forget about you…and when you aren’t around…they don’t think to call or text to check in on you. So, the fact that every now and again, my friends and running mates did, helped. A lot.
So…Boston is going to be a painful ordeal, I believe. But, whether it takes me 4 or 8 hours to get to that finish line…I will cross it. Proudly. Probably in tears. And then…I’ll work on getting better.
Think of me on Monday, friends. I’ll need all the support I can get.
When it comes to food, nothing completes me more than any sort of nut butter. Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter (technically, not a nut butter…but close enough!), etc. I love them. Give me any flavor (add in honey, chocolate, coconut) too. I love it. It is, perhaps, my ultimate comfort and snack food. When I’m stressed out, I just want a spoon and the nearest container of peanut butter. No joke.
For awhile now, I’ve noticed and heard of a brand of nut butter that contains seven different nuts and seeds. Needless to say, I knew a few people who swore by this stuff. Loved this stuff. And…as chance would have it…I found this stuff at my local Whole Foods Market.
Problem…it was between $12.99 – $17.99 a jar. And, as much as I love nut butters…even I couldn’t justify spending that much on a simple (seven variety) peanut butter. As much as it intrigued me.
Until…it went on sale. Granted, the original crunchy is in the lower end ($12.99) regular price, but it was on sale for $9.99 one day I was in Whole Foods. I still have money on a gift card I received for Christmas (best gift ever!), so I figured…why not? I wouldn’t find it any cheaper. I made my purchase and never felt one iota of remorse. YAY! Expensive peanut butter. Now I’m living large.
So what is it about Nuttzo? Nuttzo is a gourmet nut and seed butter that, each variety, contains seven different nuts and seeds. It is billed as the healthiest and most unique super-butter on the planet. They have three different flavors…available in the crunchy and smooth varieties: original, power fuel with chia, and Peruvian dark chocolate. Said to be, perhaps, the next big next big thing in nut butter. They are easy to spot too…standing upside down on the shelf. Why upside down? Because they are a little “nuttzo.” Heh. Actually, it’s because all the oils that naturally separate in natural peanut butters will now be at the bottom of the jar and not the top. Open it without the mess. YAY! All of the Nuttzo flavors and products are 100% organic, contain no added sugars or oils, are high in healthy fats and protein, contain flax in every flavor for your daily Omega 3 ALA’s, are gluten-free certified, non-GMO certified, and kosher certified.
I love it already. Good to know there are ways for a gluten-free. dairy-free, vegetarian to get those important Omega 3’s.
So, while the price had me doubting my purchase…on Sunday, I needed a light lunch (as I had made an epic breakfast and would be making an epic dinner!), so my roommate suggested open face peanut butter sandwiches. I said, “Should we try the expensive peanut butter?” She said that it had to happen sometime. So…down from the top shelf of the pantry my jar of Nuttzo Original Crunchy Seven Nut & Seed Butter came. I flipped the jar over, opened it up, looked inside and the chunky, nutty and seedy goodness, and gave it a swirl. I doled up spoonfuls for my roomie and I to “sample” while I put a schmear of it on two pieces of gluten-free toast.
My roomie thought the honey I was going to drizzle on top would make it better. Me…I was quite happy with all the different things going on in the Nuttzo. I love smooth peanut butter, but chunky peanut butter…that’s another level. And this…this is the supreme being…the god of all crunchy and chunky nut butters. You actually have, swimming in this smooth sea of nutty goodness, chunks of cashews and peanuts and the other nuts (which I will get to), not to mention flax seeds and sunflower seeds, just adding to the texture. Happy day. I loved it straight off the spoon. I loved it spread across a toasted slice of gluten-free bread. I loved it driizzled with honey. The only thing I don’t love about it is the steep price tag. But with all those expensive nuts and seeds inside…I can see why that’s the case. It just means that if I decide to splurge on nut butter…it will happen only once or twice a year. This stuff is fantastic…but it is pricey. Like…I could buy 13 individual cups of Greek yogurt for the price of one jar of this nut butter. Is it worth it…yeah. I think it is. I mean, what’s not to love about something that excites your palate and is smooth and chunky and gritty and rich and tasty and just everything you want from a nut butter all in one? Absolute nothing. Except Nuttzo.
Granted…I have a great Vitamix now. I can probably make this myself for a lot less…but sometimes…convenience wins out.
Let’s talk about ingredients, shall we? With nut butters you usually have 1 to 2 ingredients. Well, if you buy organic and natural, like I do. This is that…but loaded with nuts and seeds. In fact, the Nuttzo Original Crunchy Seven Nut & Seed Butter is made up of organic peanuts, organic cashews, organic almonds, organic flax seeds, organic brazil nuts, organic hazelnuts, organic sunflower seeds, sea salt. LOTS of flavorful nuts and seeds…all that give it this fantastic flavor, sweetness, and texture. All without adding unnecessary things like sugar. LOVE!!
As far as nutrition information goes, this is one very super-nutritious, high protein, amazing nut butter. One serving, of the Nuttzo Original Crunchy Seven Nut & Seed Butter is 2 tablespoons. This serving will provide you with 180 calories, 16 grams (healthy) fat, 70 mg sodium, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram sugar, 3 grams fiber, and 7 grams of protein. Like I said…powerhouse. This nut butter, for someone with my dietary restrictions, is definitely worth the cost. Heck, it’s worth it’s weight in gold!!
Love comes in so many different forms. When you’re an athlete with food allergies, sometimes love is as simple as a jar of expensive nut butter called Nuttzo. I might be “Nuttzo” for being willing to pay for said nut and seed butter, but this gives me so many nutrients in just a serving that I think it’s worth it. Bought it on a whim, scoffed a little at the price, loved it when I tried it…now…completely obsessed. It’s hidden so I just don’t take a spoon and eat the entire jar. Because, trust me, it would happen.
The Celiathlete 