Product: Nuovo Gluten-Free Classic Potato Gnocchi – $5.99+
Prior to my gluten-free life…I discovered the awesomeness of those delicious potato pasta pillows of awesomeness, known simply as gnocchi. I was addicted. Truly. Completely. 100% in love with these little puffs of potato and flour. There is just something so special and amazing about the way they just sort of melt against your tongue.
Gnocchi rules.
No argument. No disagreement. Gnocchi is tough to beat.
But when you’re gluten-free…anything in the Italian world…especially where one of the major components is flour…becomes a no-go. Off limits. Do. Not. Consume. Or else.
Sadness. Sure, I can make my own…but sometimes you just don’t want to mess with it. Let’s face it, while gnocchi rocks the culinary world of Italian food…it isn’t the easiest dish to make.
Imagine then, my elation, when I was visiting my local Earth Fare one day and spotted three varieties of gluten-free gnocchi in the refrigerator section. Seriously. Please insert happy dance and lap of joy around the store. No…that is not an exaggeration. The gnocchi is part of the gluten-free line by Nuovo Pasta. And, you better believe I grabbed all three varieties and went to store them in my freezer upon returning home from another budget-busting grocery trip. Sometimes I just can’t help myself.
Anyway…with a return from vacation and a lot going on lately, I found myself without much fresh produce to create dishes…but I did have marinara sauce in the pantry and gnocchi in the freezer. Dinner problem…solved.
For the first taste of Nuovo Gluten-Free Gnocchi…I decided to go with the classic – Potato Gnocchi.
If you screw up the original…there isn’t much hope for the rest, right? Right!
Nuovo Gluten-Free Classic Potato Gnocchi (boiled and drained)
First of all, this is such an easy meal to make. Boil water according to package instructions (and yes…do salt the water), add the gnocchi and cook until they float. Drain. Enjoy! It truly is that easy. And it all gets done within 10 minutes if you get your water boiling in good time. So, while I was waiting on the water to boil, I began to heat up a new marinara sauce I was trying. With that going, in went the gnocchi…watching for those potato pasta puffs to start floating. When they did and reached that perfect tenderness, I drained them, then tossed them into the marinara. I actually prepared too much marinara for the serving, but, hey…it’s all good.
I settled in with my roomie and we dug in, quite happy to have dinner without a long wait. I was so impressed with the tenderness and the texture of the gnocchi as I took my first bite. The density was just right. The texture…soft with that bit of melt-in-your-mouth goodness, yet still requiring you sink your teeth into each bite to ensure total satisfaction. Oh yes…Nuovo did good. They did really, really good with these. They have this mild flavor to them that makes them perfect to pair with any tomato sauce or even a cream sauce. Light. Fluffy. Goodness. Honestly, someone would be hard-pressed to call these out as gluten-free. You can’t tell. Not one bit. And that’s entirely the point!
So, let’s get the nitty-gritty details out of the way.
Nuovo Gluten-Free Classic Potato Gnocchi is created by combining potato flour, potato flakes, water, canola oil, salt, and rice flour. Yes…that’s really all that goes into this. Hello clean eats!!
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Nuovo Gluten-Free Classic Potato Gnocchi is 1/2 of the little plastic pack that it comes in. That’s around 4.5 ounces. This serving gives you 240 calories and 1 gram of fat. Your serving of this gluten-free gnocchi provides a scant 220 mg sodium and 2 grams of sugar. In addition, you will be provided with 4 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. So, just just made from real ingredients but really good for you too. These are very impressive nutritional stats.
I fell in love with the lightness of Nuovo Gluten-Free Classic Potato Gnocchi, as well as the mild flavor. It’s so versatile and so delicious. And even better…so easy to prepare. No one would know it was gluten-free unless you told them. How’s that for impressive?
If you can find Nuovo Gluten-Free Classic Potato Gnocchi at your local grocery store or health food store…buy it and try it for yourself. You will not be disappointed.
Nuovo Gluten-Free Classic Potato Gnocchi in Mezetta Napa Valley Bistro Homemade Style Marinara
They are one of my favorite go-to comfort foods. Seriously. And so easy to make too. Put anything inside with the cheese of your liking and you have yourself a gourmet sandwich good for breakfast, lunch, and yes…even dinner.
Cheese and I don’t always get along though. But that is where vegan and lactose-free cheeses come into play. Granted, most of the time, these cheese alternatives lack in the stretchy, ooey-gooey nature of cheeses. But, over time, it is something you do get used to. Not saying I don’t miss it…but…you work with what you are given.
That being said, not too long ago, Daiya introduced their slices of vegan cheese, perfect for sandwiches. I mean…perfect. Now, it took awhile for these to hit the market around here, but I spotted them at Whole Foods. And, while I had wanted to start with the cheddar flavor, they were out of that one, so I grabbed the Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Provolone Style Slices to have on my grilled cheese sandwich I intended to make for dinner on…my birthday. Yes…my birthday. This also means you can tell I am about a month behind on my blogging. Trips and a busy training schedule do that. But I’m catching up…kinda.
First of all, I love that these slices come in a resealable package. YES!! No need to dig out a storage bag to ziplock around the container. Nicely done, Daiya. I also love the promise that these slices will stretch and melt like real cheese. And that they taste like real cheese. It was enticing…and I really wanted to try them. So, on my birthday, with no money in the budget to go out and plenty of food in the pantry, fridge and freezer to use, I did up a gourmet grilled cheese sammie (complete with spinach, tomato, and yes…Diaya Provolone Style Slices) with a heaping side of steamed corn from my CSA bin. Hey…no one said that the birthday dinner had to be fancy. And, I have gotten amazing reviews of my grilled cheese sandwiches. I have finally mastered the art of making them without burning one side. The key…I don’t distract myself with too much else in the kitchen while making them.
While I won’t go as far as to say that the Diaya Provolone Style Slices melted and stretched like real cheese (not even close!), the taste had that nice sweetness that provolone provides. I was so incredibly happy with the way it flavored the sandwich itself. A little buttery golden crust on the outside of my gluten-free bread, some sweet cheese, and healthy vegetables sandwiched in between…gourmet grilled cheese it was. The flavor of the cheese itself once again has that distinctive Daiya cheese flavor. It doesn’t taste plastic-y like some vegan cheese, but it does have that distinctiveness to it that if you take a bite, you know at once you are eating Daiya cheese. And I love Daiya. I wish it had really melted and stretched as the packaging promises, but in the end, all I can ask for is a safe and delicious cheese alternative. And that’s exactly what these slices are.
Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Provolone Style Slices are made up of filtered water, tapioca starch, palm fruit oil, expeller pressed non-GMO canola and/or safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein isolate, natural vegan flavors, vegetable glycerine, brown rice syrup, sea salt, xanthan gum, lactic acid (for flavor) carrageenan (NOOOOO!!!!), titanium dioxide (naturally occurring mineral), and vegan enzyme. So…again…not a huge chemistry experiment, but not all-natural either. Then again, it’s vegan cheese…how natural can it be?
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Provolone Style Slices is one slice of cheese. This one slice will serve you up 70 calories and 5 grams of fat. Each slice is also cholesterol-free, sugar-free, and contains only 85 mg of sodium. One slice does not provide any fiber to your diet and only 1 gram of protein.
These are definitely not a bad option for the lactose intolerant or those who are vegan and gluten-free. These Provolone Style Slices are lactose-free, gluten-free, casein-free, and soy free. They do make a great alternative to cheese if you find your system unable to handle the real stuff, as mine sometimes does. Diaya is one of my favorite companies to turn to for allergen-free vegan cheese alternatives. And I appreciate all the effort they put forth to make sure their products remain top-of-the-line. It’s why I continue to return to their variety of cheese-y good products time and time again. Another win, Diaya!
A gluten-free and dairy-free gourmet grilled cheese made with Daiya Provolone Style Slices!
In the previous blog, I reviewed some bagel thins which were made of awesome and happiness. Like butterflies and unicorns.
Well, I also mentioned vegan cream cheese. My usual go-to vegan cream cheese is Tofutti. Which I LOVE so much. It’s just really, really tasty. But, you see, my favorite vegan cheese company, Daiya, had just released some vegan cream cheese of their own…and yes…I really wanted to try it.
It was just a matter of finding it, in stock, here in my area.
It took a little while…but I finally stumbled across it at my local grocery store. The last place I expected to find it…but there it was in all it’s dairy-free glory. So, you bet your bagel-loving butt that I snatched up a container of it. With bagel thins in my freezer…I needed some cream cheese, yes? Of course. Justifying the grocery budget here!
Anyway…having tried two other vegan cream cheese options and loving them…Daiya had a lot to live up to. But…Daiya is a brand that I love and trust, so I wasn’t worried. Not one bit. And when those bagel thins came out of the oven that morning…I was ready to give each half a nice, healthy schmear.
Which…is exactly what happened.
Compared to the other vegan cream cheese spreads I have used, Daiya was definitely not as creamy or as spreadable as the rest. It was a bit clumpy when I dished out a serving to put on each half of the bagel thin. That being said, it did spread out just fine, especially on the toasty top of each bagel, even melting down like regular cream cheese does. And the taste? Well…it tastes like Daiya. That’s about all I can say. Daiya has this distinct flavor to it. But it is the absolute best vegan cheese out there and I found myself enjoying the taste of this the more I ate. Honestly. At first, I wasn’t too sure about it…but then as I kept eating, I liked it…then loved it.
So, let’s talk about Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread, yes? Yes. As with all Daiya products, the Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread is casein free, lactose free, and soy free. It is made up of filtered water, coconut oil, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and/or safflower oil, potato starch, pea protein isolate, sea salt, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, lactic acid (for flavor) agave syrup, natural vegan flavors, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral), vegan enzyme, and cultured sugar. So, it’s not a complete chemistry experiment when it comes to ingredients. Although not everything is all natural either. But, you have to make exceptions sometimes, right?
Nutritionally speaking, Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread is doled out in servings of 2 tablespoons. These two tablespoons contain 90 calories and 7 grams of fat. That’s not too bad. Each serving contains no cholesterol and a scant 190 mg of sodium. A serving of this spread does not contain any fiber and only 1 gram of protein.
So, as it stands, Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese is a better option, however…it does contain soy. If you are sensitive to soy or limiting your consumption of soy, than Diaya is the way to go. The cream cheese works great on bagels and I hope to dish up a delicious cheese cake with it in the very near future. Maybe for Thanksgiving since I am playing host for the first time. We’ll see.
Give it a try…see what you think!
Daiya Deliciously Dairy Free Plain Cream Cheese Style Spread over O’Doughs Gluten Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins
Product: O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins – $3.99+
I am a bagel zombie.
Mmmmm…bagel…bagel…mmmmm….nom nom nom.
Seriously. I’m a New York girl and I grew up enjoying the carby awesomeness of bagels. Give it a schmear of cream cheese and happiness could be found in each bite. As I got older…my love for bagels continued…but I started to watch the waistline. Bagel thins came out. And I fell in love with the thin, crispy goodness that these offered. All the taste of bagels without all the bread. Nice.
And then…Celiac.
I sampled so many gluten-free bagels at first, having given up even finding something close to a bagel. Most of the ones I tried were shaped like donuts, not bagels. Small, bready, and just all wrong texture-wise. And then…Udi’s came out with bagels that rocked my world. Seriously…amazing.
And then…while out grocery shopping one day at our local Earth Fare, I spotted O’Doughs Gluten-Free Bagel Thins. I did a double-take. I backed up, snatched them from the cooler, and tossed them into my shopping cart. No questions asked…these were coming home with me. I was so thrilled with this discovery without even having tried them yet. I had a great company for bagels…now maybe it was time to let the bagel thins shine.
I hadn’t had anything from O’Doughs yet. So, this was going to be the first product I sampled from this company. I stored these in my freezer for over week while I was out of town, but then…then it was time to have these for breakfast…because I came back into town with little groceries in my fridge and freezer and was trying to make do with what I did have on hand.
O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins
That morning, I turned on my oven and put two bagel thins on the pan and let them toast up gently in the oven. You could totally do this in a toaster, but I got rid of mine when I was diagnosed with Celiac, wanting to eliminate any potential for cross-contamination. Now that my roommate eats only gluten-free bread too (for my sake!) I could totally get a new toaster now. I just have nowhere in my kitchen for one at the moment.
Anyway, these bagel thins toasted up beautifully in the oven. Because these are bagel thins…not bagels…I kept a close eye on them to keep them from burning. After removing the golden toasty bagel thins from the oven, I gave each half a schmear of gluten-free and vegan cream cheese. Served them up with some fruit that morning and VIOLA…breakfast was served.
One bite and I knew O’Doughs got these bagel thins right. I was amazed. The Original Flavour variety tastes just like a regular bagel. The outside gets that nice crispness to it, and the thin innards toast to a beautiful golden color and still maintain a bit of that chewy texture you want with a bagel. What this means is that the thin texture provides a base for any topping you want to top it with. Nothing takes away from anything else. The toppings compliment the bagel and vice versa!
So, now that you know they are amazing…let’s talk shop.
These bagel thins are composed of filtered water, soya flour, tapioca starch, chickpea flour, whole grain rice flour, cellulose fiber, glycerine, yeast, sunflower oil, salt, organic evaporated cane juice, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda.
Not too bad as far as ingredients go. Not exactly clean eating…but…better than some other options out there, yes? Yes!
Nutritionally speaking, a serving is one bagel thin. And one bagel thin only contains 100 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Consuming one bagel thin also means you will be taking in 300 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. These bagel thins contain no cholesterol, no trans-fat, no eggs, are non-GMO, and are kosher. One bagel thin also gives you 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.
And yeah…they are really amazing. O’Doughs makes three varieties of bagel thins. Original, Sprouted Whole Grain Flax, and Apple Cranberry. I finally have found the Sprouted Whole Grain Flax at my local grocery store…but have yet to find the Apple Cranberry out in the wild.
But, if you should spot O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins…grab them. Toast them. Top them. And enjoy them. Trust me…you’d never guess it was gluten-free. They taste like the regular thing. Perhaps even better. I am in love.
O’Doughs Gluten-Free Original Flavor Bagel Thins with Daiya Vegan Cream Cheese
Taper madness continues. Along with a lot of outside stress…inner doubt…and really learning to rest this body. It’s not easy. I love my runs, especially my long runs. And having my mileage cut back hasn’t been easy for me. Neither has this entire week for that matter. Never before have I felt like the weight of the world was pushing on my shoulders. And, honestly, my week had gotten off to a good start. I was feeling good. I was making good decisions. I was training right.
But all it takes is one thing to throw everything out of whack. That’s what happened this week and it lead to stress…stress…stress eating…difficult runs…lots of crying…and more stress.
You see, on Monday morning, my roommate, Cathy, woke up and came out of her room looking panicked. She said she had a bad dream and now her heart was racing. Sort of like a panic attack. She went to the doctor that morning and was tentatively diagnosed with Atrial fibrillation (A Fib), which is an irregular and often rapid heart rate that causes poor blood flow to the body. During A fib, the heart’s upper two chambers beat chaotically and irregularly, out of coordination with the two lower chambers. She was admitted to Floyd Memorial Hospital…and that was her home until Thursday afternoon. And I was bouncing back and forth between being at the hospital with her, work, training, and working at home. There wasn’t any downtime this week. The good news is…her heart eased back into its natural rhythm on its own. She had been taken to have a procedure done on Wednesday morning that would involve giving her heart a shock to put it back into its natural rhythm, but her heart had already managed to do that. So, she’s on a blood thinner and a medication to slow down the beating of her heart. Yeah…it’s pretty scary stuff. But, I’m happy to report that she is recovering well, taking her medications, and getting back to normal.
All that being said…training seemed impossible…and impossibly hard this week. Somehow…somehow I managed to get it all in, visit the hospital twice a day, work at the office my normal hours, and work at home after leaving the hospital at the end of visiting hours (8:30 p.m.). This meant there were a lot of very late nights and early mornings. It was a hard week and I would be lying if I said that I didn’t sit down at the office and cry a few times at my desk…or cry in the car…or call my mom and cry…or just have a hard cry while out on my run. It didn’t always make me feel better…sometimes it made me feel worse…but…things happen for a reason. And I know if I can make it through this…I can make it through 26.2 miles in Chicago.
While the week started off great…it took a steep downturn starting Monday after my first run. Let’s take a look at how stress and restlessness turned me into one exhausted runner. I have never felt so physically and mentally wiped in my life. This week…felt harder than any other before it.
Sunday is my other day of rest, which I often use to take a second long run. This run is always shorter than the previous day’s run. And, I also had to meet with Donna, my sports nutritionist, that morning. So, I was out early and getting that run in. I had decided I would go either 8 or 9 miles, whatever I was feeling, really. I wasn’t feeling too good about things. Water retention was becoming an issue and each morning I was waking up feeling bloated and just…fat. Honestly. Turns out, after meeting with Donna, water retention happens during the taper. I should not panic over it or fuss over it. It’s natural. Whew. Because, honestly…I was starting to wonder what was happening. Apparently being very tired and sluggish is another side effect of the taper. Good to know these things. I am so blessed to have Donna seeing me through my training and giving me advice and information I wouldn’t have thought of before. Anyway, I ended up rocking out 9 miles Sunday morning before the sun came up. I kept the pace easy and slower, wanting to keep it challenging, but not push too much. And that’s what I did. I felt really good at the end of it. The run felt good. And in the end…that’s the important thing.
Monday started off great. I was scheduled to do 6 miles easy that morning. And when I set out in the dark, I did just that. I just pressed on. No need to stop for anything. Even on the hills I randomly chose to throw in there, my legs felt good and strong and I was having a very, very good start to the day. Came home to make breakfast and that was when the shit hit the fan. Cathy woke up with the heart arrhythmia, which stressed her out…which stressed me out…which just spiraled into one of the worst mornings ever. The gorgeous and nutritious breakfast I made (veggie egg white scramble with homemade breakfast potatoes and a caramelized apple and Greek yogurt parfait) was thrown away. A doctors appointment was scheduled…then a trip to the hospital…which lead to a hospital stay. I briefly ducked back into the office when Cathy’s mom came to relieve me at the hospital and grabbed some work to do from home that night. I came home and had to go run some of this pressure off. So, I laced up my Newtons and went for a soul cleansing 3 mile run. I didn’t want to be gone too long…just needed to do something to take the some stress off my shoulders and try to ease my own heart. The run was cleansing…but it was soon back to reality. I headed back to the hospital and stayed with Cathy, meeting her doctor, hearing what he was recommending (lots of tests in the morning!), and staying until the last possible moment I could. Cathy had never stayed overnight in the hospital…and as much as I didn’t want to leave her there because of how stressed out she was…I had to go home. Came home, ate a dinner consisting of Greek yogurt and red grapes, then worked until the wee hours of the night before calling it quits.
Tuesday is normally my cross-training day. But I changed it up. Tuesday, I decided I needed to do my speed work. It was the day I was dreading most…and that morning I just needed to feel my heart beat fast and hard and have my legs and body pushed beyond limits. I hadn’t slept well the night before, having only managed about 3 hours of sleep if that. But speed work was happening. I did a 1 mile warm up, then hit the paces with 8 x 800 meters with a 2 minute recovery, then a 1 mile cool down. 8 miles total. I needed that run to battle exhausting, battle my inner demons, battle my emotions. I needed it that morning. Not Wednesday…but Tuesday. Afterwards, I returned to the apartment and showered, then packed up some fruit to have for breakfast (banana, apple with almond butter, grapes), grabbed my lunch for work and headed out the door to the hospital to visit with Cathy. She had her EKG early in the morning. But that morning they were going to take her down for her Echocardiogram. I was there and talking to her (she hadn’t slept much either) until they arrived to take her down for her test. I told her I’d be back after work, and headed into the office. Back to the hospital I went, as promised, immediately following work. We were going to get test results that evening, but her doctor didn’t show up until very late, again. The news was that her tests were fine. There was no serious cause to her A fib. It was brought on by outside factors…stress, anxiety, etc. So, he gave her two treatment options…medicine…or the shock. To my surprise…she chose the shock to the heart. So…they went ahead and had that scheduled for Wednesday morning. It was after visiting hours when I left…got home…had another dinner of Greek yogurt and red grapes, and worked from home until late again.
Wednesday was another early morning. It was also cross-training day. I went to the gym right when it opened at 5 a.m. And I decided to change things up. I did my strength training first. Which felt good. Then, I hit up the Cardio Wave machine. I rocked that one out, despite an exhausted body and tired legs from speed work and late nights…and a not so good dinner the past two nights. After that, I got on the Arc Trainer for 45 minutes and rocked out an amazing 2.75 miles with challenging resistances, inclines, and intervals. I felt good at the end of the morning. I came home, quickly showered, packed up an apple and some grapes to eat at the office and headed back to the hospital. I met up with Cathy’s mom and sister in the elevator and the three of us went to Cathy’s room. She was asleep, but her mom woke her up. We chatted until they came to get her for her procedure. Lots of hugs and well wishes happened outside the cardio unit. I left after they took her back, having a good cry on the way to work. Good news came though when her mom texted and said Cathy was doing fine and that nothing had to be done…she naturally went back to her normal rhythm. It was a relief to be sure. I stopped by after work and stayed with her until her doctor came in. He told her she had to stay overnight, which bummed her out beyond belief, and he was putting her on a blood thinner and a medicine for her heart…but that she could go home on Thursday. I asked if it would be in the morning, and he said it would. So…I left and went to get some work done, once again making a late dinner out of Greek yogurt and grapes, and managed to do as much as I could before fatigue hit me hard. I called it a night and tried to get some sleep.
Thursday morning greeted me and I had an easy 3 mile run to do. I managed that, cursing the taper the entire time. But I did rock the run, and that was the important thing. I felt solid and strong logging those short miles. Then, I hit up the gym. I did just the elliptical machine, keeping the setting at Level 7, but dialing back on intensity. Too close to the marathon to do something stupid, and my body was fighting me. It was just done with everything. Tired doesn’t even begin to describe how I was feeling at that point. I was just…dead on my feet. So, listening to my body, I skipped the other cardio machine and did some easy strength training downstairs before hitting up the apartment again, showering, and getting to the hospital at 7 a.m. Cathy was supposed to be released that morning. She was starving, mind you, when I was there and after she woke up…so I gave her the grapes I had brought with me. Which is good because the breakfast they brought her was not what she ordered the night before. She picked at it. Around 10:00, her mom showed up and I left to do some work from home, assuming that despite the promise that she would be released in the morning, it might be an all day thing. I was wrong. 45 minutes later, I was texted saying they were doing Cathy’s release papers. So, I booked it over to the hospital to retrieve her. Hurry up and wait. Trust me. It took another 2 hours to get her out of there. And from there…a trip to the pharmacy for her prescriptions. She finally settled in at home just before 1:30 p.m. It made for a long morning. I was working from home to keep an eye on her, and made her some lunch. Then later…at her request…I made a baked mushroom and Parmesan risotto for dinner. All while doing my work and trying to keep up with things at the office from home.
Friday is my day of rest. And I am doing my best to keep it holy and respect it. I admit…I did go out on a 5 mile walk. I KNOW!! BAD!! But I just needed to be moving. I knew I was working from home and that would mean little movement that day because I had work that needed to get done. So, I did this thing where I would walk/jog for a mile…then walk a mile…then repeat. For 5 miles…because it felt so good to just be moving. I didn’t push for speed or anything…I just needed to be active. I needed to be doing something that didn’t involve sitting at home in front of my computer. I ducked over to the office to drop off work, pick up new work, then headed home. I made breakfast for Cathy and I and then spent the rest of the day working while she watched movies and Star Trek. I ducked back to the office to sort and open mail and pick up more work. All the hours I had put in at home added up…and I was actually right at my 40 hour week. So, I was sent home for the rest of the day. And I vegged. Dinner was leftover risotto, so that was easy. And Cathy said she was feeling 70% normal that day. Getting there.
Saturday is my long run day. And, sadly, these long runs as of late have had to be done solo for the pacing requirements of my training program. Today…only 8 miles…but these were paced. My first 2 miles were to be at my long slow distance pace. Miles 3-7 were to be at my marathon pace. Mile 8…back into long slow distance. I wasn’t really feeling this. I miss running with my Saturday group something fierce. Honestly. But, I got out at 5 a.m. and turned out my 8 miles. All 8 miles were actually at my marathon pace, which is good because I didn’t always feel like I was pushing or running hard. This means my legs are stronger than my body and mind think they are. I pressed on all 8 miles and felt really good when the run came to an end. I had only wished it had been a longer run. Aside from that…Chicago is 8 days away and I’m getting really nervous and trying hard not to put too much pressure on myself. I want to enjoy my first marathon and I’m feeling as ready as I can be. The taper edges into almost nothing this week…and my body will take time to repair itself and get strong. Because next Sunday…I go the distance.
It’s been a very trying, very difficult, very stressful week. But I feel if I could maintain my training and battle through this load of stress, doubt, fear, and anxiety and come out strong on the other end (which I feel is what happened)…then I can do battle with the streets of Chicago and prove to myself I have it in me to be a marathoner!! I am really giving myself a pep talk. I did a lot…and I mean…a lot of stress eating this past week. Being this close to my marathon, I don’t want anything to derail the hard work I have put into training for this. This means controlling all stress, anxiety, and every other emotion not through stress eating but through healthier outlets. I think that’s doable.
With Cathy on the mend, the taper coming to an end, and my marathon looming RIGHT THERE on the horizon…I have a feeling I’ll be a basket case this entire week. But, as my friend Dawn told me, now is the time to trust my training and know that when I get to that starting line in Chicago…all this hard work I’ve put into these past few months will have paid off. I can only hope.
That being said…I have my bib number for Chicago…and the participant’s guide…and things are seeming very, very real to me now. Almost there…so close…just trying not to cave under pressure or wear myself out getting there. Yeah…the nerves have kicked in. It’s very real now.
Gluten-free granola is a staple in my apartment and my pantry. Honestly. My roommate and I go through it each week, using it on the breakfast parfaits that are part of the morning rotation every other day. It’s nice to change things up every now and again and have something other than cereal. I often will pair Greek yogurt and granola with fresh berries…or caramelized apples or pears. Sometimes even banana. It just depends on what produce I happen to have in the house.
Recently, while scouting the grocery store for some granola, I had my roommate choose the one she’d like to have. Now, she, like me, has her favorites. But, she chose one we hadn’t tried before. I was actually surprised. Even more as this was actually a newer product from Nature’s Path.
Now, Nature’s Path has a few great gluten-free options. I have eaten their EnviroKidz cereals (and still do!) and have even given some love to their regular cereals and one of their frozen waffle options. So, Nature’s Path is rather consistent on quality products. I don’t think I’ve had a product that I haven’t liked. Which is why I am not ashamed of my EnviroKidz Koala Crisps in my pantry.
But…granola? Why not?
My roomate chose the Gluten Free Selections Summer Berries Granola. This granola is a blend of gluten-free rolled oats, yogurt chips, freeze-dried blueberries, freeze-dried strawberries, and freeze-dried strawberries. Now, I’ve always been a fan of the dehydrated fruits in cereals because I find them to be so packed with flavor. I was actually looking forward to sampling this one.
Well…Nature’s Path really nailed it. The Gluten Free Selections Summer Berries Granola is amazing. While the sweetened and seasoned gluten-free rolled oats make for a great base, and the intensity of the freeze-dried berries brought a great sweet tang to each bite. But the star of this granola…far and away…was the yogurt chips. They really won me over with each bite.
I always sample the granola on its own, and would have been happy eating just this, on its own, for breakfast. But granola hits the Greek yogurt and the fruit in my kitchen, so I caramelized apples and served them up over the Greek yogurt, topping them off with this granola. How would the berries blend with the sweet caramelized apples? Perfectly. Every bite of this granola, whether on its own or in my breakfast parfaits was a burst of flavor. But should you get a bite with a yogurt chip…the magic happens. I commend Nature’s Path for that decision!
Let’s dive deeper into this product, shall we? Nature’s Path upholds its commitment to providing safe, gluten-free products. The ingredients in this granola are organic, non-GMO, and free of synthetic preservatives and additives. I love that.
A serving of this granola is 1/4 cup. This serving will provide you with 140 calories and 4 grams of fat. Impressive, yes? Each serving only has 8 grams of sugar, 55 mg sodium, and is cholesterol free. You also are provided with 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Not bad at all.
Nature’s Path Gluten Free Selections Summer Berries Granola is sweet, savory, and so refreshing. Start your day off right with a granola that sings across your taste buds and tastes like summer. Even with fall creeping in, you can still enjoy that sweet taste of summer each morning. And do seek out those yogurt chips…and see why I say they really make the mix.
Nature’s Path Gluten Free Selections Summer Berries Granola over a Caramelized Apple and Greek Yogurt Breakfast Parfait
I love ice cream. The problem is…ice cream doesn’t always love me back. And, more so, some of my favorite flavors from the “pre-gluten-free” days, I am no longer able to consume. Totally bums me out on occasion.
But then…I haul out the ice cream maker and do something about it. In this case…I make my own gluten-free and vegan ice cream. This is actually very simple and uses basic ingredients. Nothing too outlandish or crazy. No dairy either. The base is coconut milk. Seriously. Full fat coconut milk. So good.
I used Glutino sandwich cookies for the “cookie” portion of this recipe and sweetened it with coconut palm sugar. The recipe is super simple…and super good. As my friend Greg said…”This is rich…and delicious!”
YAY!
So, the recipe is below, adapted from Food Babe so that it fit my dietary needs.
Recipe: Gluten-Free and Vegan Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
Gluten-Free and Vegan Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
Ingredients:
Base:
1 can of full fat coconut milk (13.5 ounces)
1 tbsp arrowroot powder (optional thickener)
3frozen bananas or ½ cup coconut palm sugar (I used the coconut palm sugar)
pinch of sea salt
For Cookies & Cream Flavor:
1 tbsp vanilla extract
10 Glutino Chocolate Vanilla Creme Sandwich Cookies broken into pieces (or cookie of your choice)
Instructions:
Combine base ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.
Add vanilla into blender and blend again.
Pour mixture into ice cream machine and turn on.
Mix for at least 20 minutes or until ice cream is formed.
Stir in cookies.
Serve.
Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
~*~*~
Hello delicious ice cream that won’t upset my stomach. Where have you been all my life? I still have some Glutino cookies and just bought more coconut milk. You know what’s going back in my freezer very soon? Yep. Because this recipe is SO easy to make and yes…it really does make a delicious, rich ice cream. You don’t have to be gluten-free or a vegan to enjoy this.
Make some for yourself. I promise…the real ingredients will change the way you think about ice cream.
Besides…I got to have cookies and cream ice cream again. Pardon me while I sit down with a spoon and indulge a little…or a lot.
It’s an important day. And not just because it’s International Talk Like A Pirate Day.
It’s important…because it’s my birthday.
And this year I was turning the big double 3. Yes. I don’t mind my birthday or getting older. It’s one of my favorite days…even though most of the time I do nothing really to commemorate it. But this year…I decided to enjoy the delicious offerings of two of my favorite, local, gluten-free businesses, both of whom went above and beyond to make the occasion more than special.
It all started on the day before my birthday when my roommate and I took a longer lunch from the office and headed down to Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky to pick up the birthday cake we ordered from Annie May’s Sweet Café. Now…by now most of you know that my local running store nicknamed me Wonder Woman last year. It’s stuck. And I mean…stuck! I get called Wonder Woman more than I care to admit. It’s flattering. I love it. Wouldn’t change it for the world.
Well, back when Annie May’s Sweet Café started showing off some of their custom cakes they were making, I told them they were definitely doing a special cake for my birthday this year. They replied on their Facebook page…”How about a Wonder Woman cake?” (See…my reputation precedes me). I was totally all about it. They actually made a simple birthday cake for me last year too (strawberry cake with a vegan chocolate ganache), which is how I found out about them…and how they won me over in the first place (that and the apple cider donuts we bought when we picked up the cake…just sayin’.). The cake was amazing. So, naturally, as it is my belief that no matter how much you love to cook and bake…you should never have to make your own birthday cake…we hit them up again this year. And, per their suggestion via their Facebook page months and months ago…I thought…I think I should have a Wonder Woman cake.
As we are in Annie May’s Sweet Café every Saturday morning if we are in town for their delicious breakfast offerings…that Saturday we went ahead and placed the cake order (and a soft pretzel order for Soft Pretzel Wednesday) to pick up on Wednesday around lunch time. My roommate asked what kind of cake I wanted. I’m not big on cake…and I like simple. So…this year I went with a vegan vanilla cake with vegan vanilla icing. And yes…WONDER WOMAN!
On Wednesday, when we showed up to pick it up, I was blown away. Kenna does the cake decorating and she did fantastic. I made sure I told Annie May that whenever possible (and I told Kenna when I saw her the following Saturday morning!). Seriously…I couldn’t have been happier with the way it turned out. The Wonder Woman logo was PERFECTION!! I mean, Kenna nailed it!! And the cake…SO delicious. The flavors were vibrant. The icing was sweet and meshed well with the vegan vanilla cake layers. Four layers…of cake-y goodness. And this from a girl who isn’t big on frosting or cake. How about that? I was SO happy with this cake. It was a 6-inch round cake that we got 12 good-sized portions from. I was in sugar-rush heaven. And happy to devour it all. Well, I had some help from Cathy (the roomie), Harry, and Laura.
But…here is the cake in all it’s gluten-free and vegan wonder (woman):
Honestly…I have yet to have anything I didn’t like from Annie May’s Sweet Café. So…even if you don’t have food allergies…get over there. My friend Greg (not food allergic at all) would definitely direct you to their gluten-free Double Fudge Brownies. Me? I say…their allergen-free Chocolate Chip Cookies. Or…honestly…EVERYTHING!! Support local businesses!! I will continue to support this one.
HUGE thanks going out to Annie May, Kenna, and the rest of the staff who continue to show the world (or at least the Louisville area) just how good and delicious gluten-free can be!!
But…the birthday celebrations didn’t stop with a cake. Nope. Not for 33. Not ever.
Very randomly, about two weeks out from my birthday, I went over to the Facebook page of my favorite local (and gluten-free) food truck, Sweet ‘N’ Savory, and commented that I would love them forever if around my birthday, at one of their outings, if they could offer a Crepe Suzette, as it has always been one of my favorite types of crepes. I was told that they would be happy to cater a private event for me, featuring a 3-course meal, for only $20/person. I needed to make sure that I would have a decent enough crowd for them, and started asking my closest friends if anyone was interested. Most everyone I knew was free on the Sunday, September 22, and said they would be happy to come and celebrate with good eats. I was thrilled. And I went ahead and set it up with Richard and Ashley, the fantastic owners of the food truck.
They found a location, at Louisville’s The Beer Store in NULU. This turned out to be a perfect setting as they had a patio for seating and the side door was opened so we could trek out to the food truck to place our orders, return our plates, and all that good stuff. Guests could also imbibe in beers of any kind (SO MANY) or sodas or water…or whatever else they could find inside. It was a hit. I ended up having 10 of the 12 guests show up to the shindig, so that wasn’t bad at all. Very pleased. Although totally missed the ones who were unable to make it.
It was a very diverse crowd, but they all came hungry and they all socialized and blended well. YAY!!
So, what did Sweet ‘N’ Savory cook up for my special day? An amazing menu that every guest raved about and devoured. No one left hungry. In fact, we were all completely stuffed. But it was a good kind of stuffed. Trust me.
The menu, as I mentioned, was 3 courses: appetizer, entree, dessert (like Chopped…but without the surprise basket of ingredients!).
For the appetizer round, Sweet ‘N’ Savory prepared two of my favorite gluten-free vegetarian crepes: Caprese and Veggie Caponata. You could either get one large one of your choice, or one of each in a mini-crepe form. I totally forgot to take a picture of mine, but I went with one of each in the mini-form. What a way to start out. Everyone raved about them…especially the Veggie Caponata. That seemed to be the crowd favorite (and mine as well!!). It was the perfect way to start off the feast that day. We were given plates and a ticket and when we were done with the appetizer, all we needed to do was walk the plates and ticket back out to the truck, hand them over, and they would get to work on the entree.
The entree…is super special. Awhile back, Sweet ‘N’ Savory took part in a food truck event called Cluster Trucked. Each truck served up food that wasn’t their normal fare. For the event, Sweet ‘N’ Savory did gluten-free ravioli. And I fell in love with them all over again. For my event, they were dishing up two different varieties of ravoili. Once again, you could either get a full serving of one version, or split the difference and try both. The options: Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Sage Ravioli topped with a Brown-Butter Sage Sauce or Four-Cheese Ravioli topped with a Red-Pepper Cream Sauce. When I was at Cluster Trucked, I had the Four-Cheese with Red Pepper Cream Sauce. I am in LOVE with that red-pepper cream sauce. I want to beg for the recipe. Seriously. But at my party, I was all about the Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Sage Ravioli with the Brown-Butter Sage Sauce. They had told me all about this one prior to the event and that was all I wanted. Observe:
Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Gluten-Free Butternut Squash, Ricotta and Sage Ravioli with a Brown Butter Sage Sauce
I made a fantastic choice. The ravioli was so rich and creamy. The pasta itself was melt-in-your-mouth good. The sauce…so much flavor. The filling…it doesn’t get better than butternut squash (a personal favorite) with ricotta and sage. Honestly. I fell in love with the way this entire dish just danced across my taste buds. Savory. Rich. Delicious. I was in food heaven. I think I might have hoovered this up and licked the plate. It’s possible. For real. For being a gluten-free crepe food truck, they totally rock the ravioli. That is NO joke!
Following the dinner portion of the meal…naturally is something that hits that sweet tooth. And, per my request, Sweet ‘N’ Savory offered up a Crepe Suzette. What is a Crepe Suzette? It’s a crepe with sugar that has Grand Marnier poured over it, and then is ignited. Flaming food! The alcohol in the liqueur evaporates and what emerges is a thick, caramelized sauce. I first had a Crepe Suzette in Denver, Colorado a couple years back and I fell in love with it. So it was nice that they took an extra step to provide this for me at my request. Along with the crepe, they offered some of their famous and delicious gluten-free gelato…either (my personal favorite) Salted Caramel or Vanilla.
They attempted to light the crepes tableside, but the wind wasn’t cooperating. Points for trying!! That being said…CREPE SUZETTE FTW!! There is a reason this is one of my favorite sweet crepes to devour…er…eat. It’s sweet…it has brilliant flavor to it…and it’s still light. So it isn’t too much. I, naturally, paired mine with the Salted Caramel gelato. Best choice ever!! It paired so well with the Crepe Suzette. So, while this is not something that usually graces their menu, I was so glad when they offered this just for my little event. Heaven was in the form an amazing dessert crepe that day. Topped off with delicious gelato. YUM!
Sweet ‘N’ Savory’s Gluten-Free Crepe Suzette
I am eternally grateful for both Annie May’s Sweet Café and Sweet ‘N’ Savory Food Truck for helping to make my birthday so special this year. Everything they gave me was awesome. And no one would have guessed any of it was gluten-free. Because these places make food that is just that amazing. No one was disappointed and everyone commented on how good everything was.
Birthday win. Done with a little local flair.
And check out these beautiful people who came out to celebrate and enjoy good food, good conversation, and good times. I love them all!
Me & My Gang (from left and looping around to right): Kelsie, Cathy, Harry, Harold, Michael, Judi, Natalie, Me, Justin (Not pictured: Greg (he’s taking the photo) and Maureen (who hid from the camera))
It’s very real. And I am trying very, very, very hard not to let it affect me. In fact, Runner’s World couldn’t have been more timely when they published an article on Taper Madness and how to go into the taper and feel good as you go through it. Some runners, honestly, look forward to the taper. I am not one of those runners. Cutting back on mileage is not easy for me. I love my long distance runs. I do them with people and I do them alone. Either way, I enjoy them. But cutting down has proven to be a bit of a challenge for me.
Thankfully, there wasn’t too much of a difference in this first week of the taper. It was sort of like going into a cut-back week during normal training. Maybe these marathon training planners do know what they are doing. I promise…I am respecting my taper. I swore I would and I intend to do so.
So, as my miles get shorter…let’s take a look at how I’m dealing this week.
Sunday was a busy day for me. I was having my birthday get-together with some peeps. Many of my friends made it out. A couple ended up not being able to make it. My roomie and I had our friend Greg in town…so…that being said…I knew I needed to get up and moving that morning if I was going to get my long run in. Having run 24 miles the day before I had no plans for speed. In fact, I wore my heavier shoes to keep my pace slow and steady. I was aiming for 10 miles that morning, and I managed an easy (although at times it felt hard) 10 miles before heading back to the apartment and getting showered and making some gluten-free madeleines for breakfast. The rest of the day we were out and about before my favorite local food truck, Sweet ‘N’ Savory catered my birthday party at The Beer Store in Louisville, Kentucky. My roomie got me a gluten-free beer to try…blech…still not into beer. Just not my thing. I stuck mostly to the water and was served up one of the most amazing three course meals of my life. FROM A FOOD TRUCK!! Richard and Ashley do fantastic work, but they really did some amazing things. I was the only gluten-free person at the get-together, but everyone enjoyed the appetizer gluten-free savory crepes, the gluten-free ravioli for the entree, and the gluten-free crepe suzette with their homemade gelato for dessert. We were all very full at the end but everyone enjoyed the food. I think it was one of my favorite get-togethers yet. So many different personalities and people and yet…we all came together for good food and a good time. It was a good Sunday.
And Monday definitely came around way too soon. My training plan called for 6 easy miles, so I was up and at it early. The darkness no longer slows me down…but what does slow me down is super tight hamstrings. The morning air felt great, but my legs weren’t wanting to move as they normally would. I foam rolled after I hit my mileage, slower than normal, but I was okay with that. I was going the distance, not going for speed and I do not push when something is twinging. After work and a quick dinner, I was back out for my Monday Daily Double…with my running group. That night we were going to go a different route because a tree had gone down somewhere up the way and they were sculpting it into…something. Laura had heard about it and was going to lead us that way. She said that she was going to block me from running out ahead because I was in taper mode. It actually worked and I loved her for this! I have good friends in the running community. As it turns out, they had finished the sculpture and the tree now was a castle with a dragon wrapped around it. It was AWESOME. We completed the run after stopping to marvel at the tree art. Ellen and I stuck together, talked while we ran. She said I pushed her at the end, and we finished up a full 3 miles together. She said my easy pace was pushing it for her, but it felt great. And we hit wicked negative splits. Despite my tight hamstrings…we had a great run. After a shower, foam rolling commenced once more.
Tuesday was my cross-training day. So, no running. These no running days are the most difficult part of training. I just want to hop out of bed and put in some miles. But…I behaved. I hit up the gym and hopped on the Arc Trainer for 45 minutes, using Program 1 – Level 5 and managing 2.79 miles. Not bad. I love and hate that machine. But it’s great for cross training. After that, it was the rowing machine for 10 minutes. The rowing machine is tedious…and boring. But…it works so much of your body. I always feel it after the workout. After that, I went downstairs for some strength training before heading into the office. But my day didn’t stop there. After work, it was right into my circuit training. This new routine kicks my butt every time. Seriously. But that’s good. Honestly.
Wednesday morning I woke to the task of hitting 7 miles with Negative Splits in my marathon training. Pacing and speed work days are my least favorite of the week. But, they are necessary. So, I started off slow and steady and picked it up with each mile. I didn’t feel like I was actually doing the whole negative split thing, but when I hit 7 miles, I surprised myself. I actually had managed those negative splits. It felt good out there that morning. I didn’t push too hard, because my legs were still feeling my runs from earlier in the week, but the hamstrings were feeling loose again and much better. So, I kept it challenging…just didn’t push my luck. Quite happy with it.
Thursday morning was another 7 mile run…this time at an easy pace. I decided that I would take my Newtons out for a spin. It would be the longest distance that I had run in them since I purchased them, usually keeping them on for my fun run Mondays or some light jogging on Friday. But, I’m doing this whole shoe rotation thing and I figured…why not? I love these shoes. You either love or hate these shoes, but I love them. My 7 easy miles were done, once again, with negative splits and I shaved a full minute off my time from the day before. If I had gotten these shoes sooner, I would probably wear them in my marathon…but…that might have to wait for another time.
Friday is the dreaded day of rest…that I respect and keep holy. Kind of. I went out for a walk, because if I don’t, I sit at my desk all day on Friday working my ass off in front of the computer. So, this was necessary. I had on my walking shoes, so I kept a great pace, and did some light jogging on the straightaways. I ended up doing this walk/jog thing for 4 miles that morning, which didn’t take me too long. Still had plenty of time to make some coffee and get some breakfast ready before resting my legs for the remainder of the day. I had a lot going on at the office, but at the back of my mind I kept thinking about my long run…
Saturday…the long run day. Not as long a run for me this week. Like I said…tapering. BLECH. Anyway, my training plan called for a paced…yes…a paced 12 mile long run. What does this mean? As laid out by the plan, I was to run certain miles at certain paces. I wasn’t feeling too confident about it. And…I was going this one alone. Lots of things were now going on during the day Saturday, so meeting up with my peeps wasn’t going to happen. BUMMER. I was lacking motivation this morning. I hit the snooze button on my alarm, goofed around online, but finally decided the miles and paces weren’t going to run themselves. I made myself a deal…focus on the distance…I knew I could run the paces…so if I didn’t hit it…whatever. The distance is what matters. The training plan called for Miles 1-2 to be done at my Long Slow Distance pace; Miles 3-11 at Marathon Pace; Mile 12 at Long Slow Distance Pace. I nailed it. In fact, I once again ran most of the miles faster than necessary. I am working on that because I don’t want to be burned out when I am in my marathon. I want to feel strong and good at the end. Anyway…I was pleased with the way this run turned out. It wasn’t easy…but I pushed through and showed that I didn’t have to doubt myself. I am quite capable of these paced long runs. I just never feel like I’m strong enough or good enough. And that’s something i need to get over.
Next week the taper gets very real. I keep eying the training schedule and shaking my head. It will be so hard to work around the cutback on the miles, but I will do it…and I will continue to respect the lower mileage because I know what it is doing is getting my body ready for the big day. My muscles are healing, getting stronger, and getting prepared. And because of that…I will work through the miles as laid out by my plan. It’s not easy…but I’ll manage.
With our California girls needing to return to work…and since we were sort of already out that way…and sort of missed out on our usual journey to Denver, Colorado in April due to my roomie’s teammate…Cathy and I decided that we would take that journey to Colorado. I admit, for much of the planning stages, tacking on the Denver portion was a nightmare…but we got it all worked out. And with that, we got to spend Wednesday through Sunday in beautiful Colorado.
There is so much to do and see in Colorado…and we’ve been here enough times that we have our favorites that we wouldn’t miss out on…ever. But, we also had our sights on some new adventures, both with friends and with food.
So…here’s how a gluten-free vegetarian eats while in Colorado!
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro – Lafayette, Colorado
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro, Lafayette, Colorado
It was our first day in Colorado. After landing at the Denver airport and getting our rental car (free upgrade to the Toyota Prius), we hit the road for our drive up to the Boulder, Colorado area. We were staying at the Boulder Twin Lake Inn, where many a famous runner has spent the night. I was thrilled. I was hoping maybe I was in the room Shalane Flanagan stayed in so that I could channel some of her speed. The inn is actually owned by runners, which is why it is popular with runners. Well, after getting checked in, we were starving…so Cathy and I made a short little drive to Lafayette, Colorado. Our Find Me Gluten-Free app had directed us toward a place called Zaparelli’s Italian Bistro…and it had many gluten-free options. Including…gluten-free pizza. Which, mind you, I was thrilled about, as I was doing my long run the following morning around the area the inn was located in…a full 12.5 mile run. Pizza was just the thing I needed.
Wanting to try something we couldn’t get anywhere else, we decided to get a Gluten-Free Johnny V’s Vegan Pie ($15.00). It just sounded intriguing…and, as I said, the toppings were different from anything we’d been able to get out anywhere else. Order in. At Zamparelli’s…the gluten-free crust is a $2.00 upcharge, but when you have to eat gluten-free, what are you going to do? The gluten-free pizza is a 12-inch pizza crust…and in this case…it is topped off with a garlicky white bean spread, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, sauteed spinach, roasted mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and a spicy salsa rosa. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine was just reading the description. I liked that it was vegan…no cheese to upset my delicate stomach as it sometimes does. Also important with that long run looming.
The pizza was delivered and boy…did it look and smell amazing. It tasted just as good as it looked too. The white bean spread acted as the base, instead of a tomato sauce. The roasted red peppers elevated a lot of the flavor, especially when paired with the caramelized onion. Sweet and savory. Very delicious. But the star, believe it or not, were the artichoke hearts. That just brought all the other toppings together. Fantastic. The crust was really good. Not undercooked, but done to perfection. It was a thin crust without being a cracker crust, which I appreciated. I was quite happy with this meal and my roommate and I walked out of there satisfied, full, and quite happy.
The Buff Restaurant – Boulder, Colorado
The Buff Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado
I first heard about The Buff Restaurant on Man vs. Food. They are best known for their “Saddlebags” which are pancakes that are stuffed with either bacon, sausage or ham, and then topped off with two eggs. They are massive, mind you. Like…steering wheel size. So much more of the menu now has a gluten-free option available (including the Saddlebags…except being vegetarian…not for me)…but I had just done a 12.5 mile run and I was wanting some protein.
I ended up getting one of the omelettes. In fact, I went with the Veggie Omelette ($9.50). This thing is, honestly, the size of my head. But…full of delicious veggie goodness. This particular omelette comes packed with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and onions, with a touch of blended cheddar. Along with this massive egg-splosion of goodness (see what I did there?), you get a side of their potatoes…or you can upgrade to the fruit for just $1.00 more. I wanted my carbs…so I stuck with the potatoes. And, with it came a slice of gluten-free toast. YUM! As I was in need of some caffeine, I ordered a Café Au Lait with almond milk ($3.50). It was just the hit I needed, especially since the cup it came out in was, again, the size of my head. I think I was wired for much the rest of the day. But it was good.
So was the food for that matter, but I already knew that. I’ve been eating at The Buff for three years now. I make a trip to Boulder specifically to eat there and go to the Celestial Seasonings factory. Honestly. I do. It’s the truth. The eggs are always done to perfection. The toast is crispy and never burned. I love it with their homemade jam. SO delicious. And the potatoes…they are my favorite way to consume carbs. Seasoned to perfection. Done with that bit of crisp on the outside and that soft center. I ate mine with hot sauce. The omelette too. HEAVEN…on a plate. Which I demolished, mind you. I ate every last piece. I was full for the rest of the day.
St. Bon’s Café – Highlands Ranch, Colorado
St. Bon’s Café, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Around 5 p.m. after my massive breakfast, however, the tummy was starting to get a case of the rumblies. And my roommate had researched the perfect solution for said problem. We were now down in Denver for the remainder of our stay and it just so happened that Denver is the home of a 100% gluten-free deli and bakery. Seriously.
St. Bon’s Café was an absolute nightmare to get to. And we were getting hungry and cranky as we made our way through rush hour traffic on a Thursday night. Our GPS got us down to the right area, but had so much trouble actually getting us to the store. I finally looked it up on my iPhone and managed to get us there. But it was about 30 minutes before they were going to close. It was a good thing we already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…because we were cutting it close.
That being said, the owner, Kurt Fulwider, was behind the counter and ready to take our orders. He told us not to worry about it. He had a meeting he needed to get to across town and already called to say it wasn’t happening and that he would be late. So…we ordered…not just dinner…but a dessert to split. More on that after I tell you about our sandwiches.
For me…I wanted The 3 Wisemen Panini on the house made Rosemary Thyme Focaccia ($7.99). The 3 Wisemen is a basic caprese sandwich. It’s freshly sliced tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella. Cathy went with her favorite…something cheesy…opting for The Trinity Panini on the house made Basil Garlic Focaccia ($7.99). This sandwich is stuffed full of three different cheeses…creamy havarti, sharp white cheddar, and smooth meunster. We decided we could split a dessert and I had my heart already set on the Blasphemous Bread Pudding ($3.99), which was a gluten-free bread putting with a delicious custard and dark chocolate. With our orders now paid for, we settled at a table until they were ready.
Let me tell you…the wait wasn’t bad…and the food was fantastic. Absolutely FANTASTIC! I fell in love with the rosemary thyme focaccia. The flavors meshed so well with the fixings in my sandwich. The basil was so fresh and so fragrant. The mozarella was melt-in-your sammie good. And the tomatoes were ripe, and didn’t bleed juice all over my bread. The focaccia was toasted in the panini press to perfection, giving that nice golden crispiness to each bite. I was in love with this sandwich. Cathy tried a piece and said while she loved hers…she really loved the bread on mine.
As for that sinful dessert…oh…yeah. It was rich…creamy…and beyond blasphemous. This was a sin to eat. The custard was rich and creamy, but not overly heavy. The dark chocolate…melt my heart to pieces…so good. It paired so well with the custard. I was so happy when eating this. So very happy. I sort of want to recreate it for myself. If possible. It’s worth a try. Yep…that good. Mouth watering…sinfully…satisfyingly…perfect for when you are PMS-ing or any other time because you just need some chocolate dammit…good!! I hope I can get back here when I’m in Denver in May. It must happen.
Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Coquette’s Bistro & Bakery, Colorado Springs, Colorado
I love crepes. LOVE them. With the exception of my local food truck, I normally can’t have them. I don’t have a good crepe pan to do them myself…nor would they come close to what Sweet ‘N’ Savory can cook up for me in their food truck. Normally when I am in Colorado, I would go to La Creperie Cafe in Denver. But…they closed. THEY CLOSED!! I was saddened by this, but started doing some research. What I did run across though was a little cafe that does only 100% gluten-free food. The catch was…it was in Colorado Springs. The best thing is…that doesn’t phase Cathy. We hopped in the car on Friday morning and took a little drive down to Colorado Springs.
Nestled at the foot of Pike’s Peak, Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery has the perfect location to entertain visitors and locals alike. The place and the food has won numerous awards over the four years it has been open. And it claims that the food is so amazing, you’d never guess it was gluten-free. This little restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, espresso, and cocktails. There is a little bit for everyone.
But Cathy and I made the journey for…yep…crepes. None of their savory crepes are vegetarian. That was fine for Cathy, and she ended up ordering the Rise and Dine ($11.00), which is a crepe that is stuffed full (and I mean full) with two scrambled eggs, ham, red onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. The crepe is then topped off with hollandaise. It came with a side of fruit or their truffled potatoes. She went potatoes. I swiped one. OMG. Amazing. I swiped more than one after that. I think she welcomed the help as her crepe was HUGE. I would have gone savory had there been a vegetarian option…but I was okay going sweet. Most of the offerings were what I could get from my local gluten-free crepe food truck…so I went with the one that I hadn’t been served by my local go-to gluten-free crepe place. And that was the Bananas Fosters Crepe ($8.50). This dessert crepe (hey…dessert for breakfast is allowed on vacation!) is a delicious crepe that is topped off with banana and a rum brown sugar flambé. The crepe is served with some house made whipped cream on the side. My crepe was definitely the size of my plate, but being a dessert crepe, it is usually dusted with cinnamon and sugar on the inside and then topped off with the goodness on the outside. Much less to navigate through. But…let me tell you…this was one fantastic crepe. I loved the rum brown sugar sauce. The whipped cream was a nice touch. And the banana, being one of my favorite fruits in this world, made it all taste a little like heaven. I devoured it. Like…completely. Cathy had a good portion of her crepe remaining. Not me. I went all vegetarian piggy on that plate. Worth it. YUM! I am making this a required stop from now on. It must happen. It is that good. And I feel safe eating there.
Baker Street Pub & Grill – Denver, Colorado
Baker Street Pub & Grill, Denver, Colorado
It’s no secret…my roommate and I are completely obsessed with Sherlock Holmes. For real. No…seriously. And when we discovered that just a short walk from our hotel room at the Denver DTC was one of Colorado’s four Baker Street Pub & Grill locations, well, you better believe we knew what we were doing for dinner after hiking around Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. Hey…you work up an appetite doing that.
We walked over to Baker Street Pub & Grill from the hotel on Friday evening. I loved how you got to seat yourself. Our server, a bubbly and enthusiastic woman came over to see about drinks. I was sticking with water. But Cathy decided to take in Happy Hour and went with a Baker Street Brown Ale ($4.25). And with that…her usual pub fare…a half portion of the Fish & Chips ($7.99). As for me…I went with the Baby Spinach and Feta Cheese Salad ($9.99), which I added avocado slices to ($1.49) with a side of the Serrano Coleslaw ($1.99). Our waitress put in our order and we sort of geeked out over Sherlock Holmes until it arrived.
My salad was MASSIVE!! And it looked absolutely amazing to top it off. This salad was a blend of baby spinach, feta cheese, gala apples, red onions, candied pecans (they didn’t candy mine), and red grapes. All of this was tossed in a fantastic raspberry vinaigrette dressing. And let’s not forget my deep love of avocado…which topped off my salad nicely and gave it this rich creaminess that I truly love in a salad. The flavors really, really worked together. I loved the way the fruit played well with the vegetables and how the sweet, yet savory vinaigrette just brought it all together. The avocado…if you order a salad…always top it with avocado…trust me!! As for the coleslaw…eh…it was coleslaw. With the wording of Serrano Coleslaw, I expected something with some heat behind it…but it just tasted like your run-of-the-mill coleslaw. Probably my only disappointment. The rest…so good!
Cathy was very impressed with her fish. In fact, we both enjoyed our food so much we came back on Saturday night, our last night in town. The manager on duty rustled up some can coozies for us and let us get in the big phone booth outside and took a picture. It was epic. We ordered the same thing…minus the coleslaw and rounded out the perfect stay in Colorado at one of our new favorite places in Denver…just a short walk from our hotel. Perfection.
Udi’s Café and Bar – Denver Airport – Denver, Colorado
Udi’s Café & Bar, Denver Airport, Denver, Colorado
I had every intention of making it out of Denver without eating at the airport. I figured Cathy and I would grab something in Atlanta. It’s a good thing she talked me out of that because we had no time for food in Atlanta as it turned out. So, her plan to eat something in Denver before heading to our gate for the first leg of our journey back to Louisville was a stroke of sheer genius.
And to our delight, Terminal B at the Denver Airport has an Udi’s Café and Bar. Udi’s is one of the major names in gluten-free breads and other products on the market. And…they are based in Denver. So the fact that the airport has one of these cafés shouldn’t be a surprise. I was so happy they did.
We settled in at a table and a waitress came over to give us menus and let us look them over. We had a vague idea of what we wanted to eat…sandwiches…with fries. Filling. Which is exactly what we needed, honestly.
Cathy went with the BLTA ($9.35), which is a bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado sandwich with chipotle aioli and served on ciabatta bread. She got hers with the standard fries that come with the sandwich. As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Caprese Sandwich ($9.95) and substituted the regular fries for Sweet Potato Fries ($2.00). Gluten-free sweet potato fries. Pardon my dance of joy and glee. This was the second time this trip I was getting sweet potato fries. This is me…being happy.
It was a little bit of a wait, but Cathy and I soon received our plates full of food. The sandwiches were huge. The fries…a big portion. But this was our meal for the day…so while we weren’t starving…we dove in.
My fries were FANTASTIC! Better than the ones I waited forever for at Disneyland. They were crispy, fried to perfection. I was in love with them. In fact, I saved them for the last bite because I wanted to remember those fries. As for the sandwich…epic win. Served on Udi’s bread (of course), this sandwich was stuffed with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and a pesto aioli. And the flavors just popped. I have been eating a lot of caprese things since going gluten-free and this was one of the best sandwiches put together. Simple flavors…executed perfectly. And served with SWEET POTATO FRIES!! I was thrilled to actually be able to eat something other than a fruit cup, a salad, or some unhealthy snack at the airport. Seriously. This was my happy that day.
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So…there you have it. I find eating gluten-free in Colorado to be so easy. Both Rudi’s Gluten-Free and Udi’s Gluten-Free are based out of Colorado (one in Boulder…the other in Denver). Granted, on Saturday when we went up into the mountains to Rocky Mountain State Park…my lunch was a banana, some yogurt, and some Boulder chips…but…I’m in the mountains. I will cut them some slack.
This was one of my best foodie trips to date. Both California and Colorado offered me so many options and such delicious food. I wasn’t really disappointed with any of the restaurants that we chose to dine in. And that…is amazing!!
Colorado…see you in May. I hope my favorite places to eat will be ready for me again!
The Celiathlete 