As part of trying to do more of a Clean Eating diet, per the recommendation of my sports nutritionist…I have decided to attempt to make my usual oatmeal for lunch habit continue…but with me making the oatmeal. This way I have more control over the nutritional value. And, especially, the amount of sugar that goes into each helping.
While I love my Bakery On Main gluten-free oatmeal and the multitude of amazing flavors…it is super expensive. So, it also wracks up my grocery shopping budget. But thanks to Pinterest…I found a way around that. And…especially with the hot and humid summer days here…an even more refreshing way to enjoy my oatmeal in the afternoon. Of course, this would be good any time of day…but oatmeal for lunch is my thing.
Recipe: Gluten-Free Blueberry Maple Refrigerator Oatmeal
Gluten-Free Blueberry Maple Refrigerator Oatmeal (Overnight Oats)
Servings: 1
Time: Prep 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats (I used Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Rolled Oats)
1/3 cup skim milk (I used unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt (I used vanilla Greek yogurt)
1-1/2 teaspoons dried chia seeds (I didn’t have these…so I didn’t use them)
2 teaspoons maple syrup (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup blueberries (or enough to fill jar)
Directions:
In a half pint (1 cup) jar, add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds (if using), and maple syrup.
Put lid on jar and shake until well combined.
Remove lid, add blueberries and stir until mixed throughout.
Return lid to jar and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
Eat chilled.
~*~*~
It’s simple. It’s easy. It’s SUPER delicious. I loved taking bite after bite of this. The chia seeds definitely would have made it less soupy…but I don’t have any on hand and I wasn’t going to go out and buy some specifically for this. Maybe next grocery trip if the budget allows. It worked out just fine without them, however. Lunch was very nutritious and I knew everything that went into my oats. And wow…was this every filling!
My little jar of goodness had only 185 calories and 2 grams of fat. It also had 3 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein in it. How’s that for a powerhouse meal?! There are lots of other recipes available via Pinterest and especially from The Yummy Life blog, which is where the pin takes me when I click on it. I can’t wait to try other versions! Total win!
I have to give some major props to my favorite local grocery store in my area – Earth Fare. What I love about Earth Fare is the deals that they have every now and again…especially over the weekends. Because if it wasn’t for some of those deals, I wouldn’t have even thought about getting some products that are offered.
This past weekend, the special deal going on was for a brand of ice cream that I never even noticed before. It’s a brand from New York (the Brooklyn area) known as Phin & Phebes. And in my area, only Earth Fare carries it. The deal was…for a if you spent $5 at Earth Fare, you could get a pint of Phin & Phebes ice cream (any flavor) for $1. With one thing in my cart I had already spent that much…so…I went to the freezer and eyed a few options. I already had banana ice cream from my local ice cream shoppe (YAY COMFY COW!) in my freezer, so I didn’t want to get the pint of Banana Whama Ice Cream. It turned out I couldn’t anyway…because it had vanilla wafers in it. So…good call.
Other flavors that I could find included Coconut Key Lime…which would have been like a key lime pie. I couldn’t have that one either…due to the graham cracker chunks throughout that. There was Ginger Cookie Snap…which is ginger flavored ice cream with ginger cookies and lemon icing filling. Again…one I couldn’t have. I was starting to think my roommate was going to be the one benefiting from this deal…not me. I kept looking…finding Vietnamese Iced Coffee flavor, which was one I could have…as it was simply coffee flavored ice cream with a hint of chicory and cardamom. But…I knew Cathy disliked coffee ice cream. This left…as far as I could tell…Vanilla Cinnamon…which is what I ended up grabbing. It was simply vanilla ice cream blended with Vietnamese cinnamon. I could tell Cathy was less than thrilled, so I almost said I’d get the banana one and she could have that while I ate the one from The Comfy Cow that was in our freezer…but didn’t bother. We put it in the cart and moved along.
Then…as we were perusing the freezer section just before heading to the checkout counter…I spotted it. I spotted ONE LAST PINT of what had to be the best flavor EVER of Phin & Phebes Ice Cream. It was all they had left so I grabbed the Vanilla Cinnamon from the cart, threw it into the freezer and snatched the last pint of…DARK CHOCOLATE SALTY CARAMEL. It was like it was meant to be. I love dark chocolate. And salty caramel anything grabs my attention. We called it a day and checked out.
Later that week…for two days…we each got to enjoy the awesome, awesome, awesome flavor of this ice cream.
Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream ice cream is just what it sounds like. Dark chocolate ice cream that has been sprinkled with salty caramel to create this uber rich, satisfying, and super-delicious treat. After dinner, I went to retrieve the pint from the freezer and dished up a serving (the standard 1/2 cup) for my roommate. I handed the bowl off to her and she dug in. I heard her say, “OMG! OMG!” I was like…”What?” And she said…”BEST ICE CREAM EVER!” Or something to that affect. She told me she wanted to see me take a first taste because she was having a hard time not hoovering hers. The reluctance to have a brain freeze was what kept her in check, I think.
So, my bowl now held a perfect 1/2 cup serving. The pint was returned to the freezer and I settled in to have my first taste. One bite…and it was a done deal. Whenever this flavor was in stock…it had to be in my shopping cart and then in my freezer. Holy cow!! This flavor is kept in balance by the perfect blend of rich, smooth dark chocolate ice cream with the salty, slightly sweet caramel. I mean…perfect balance. It was everything an ice cream should be. It was…it was a blend of my two favorite flavors from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in Columbus, Ohio. Right there. In one pint. It was heaven. It was delicious. It was worth savoring…but not too much because ice cream soup is not as much fun as ice cream. I immediately tweeted to my friend Jenn and told her she needed to venture to the other side of town to their Earth Fare and just snag a pint of it. She wouldn’t be sorry. It had to happen. That’s how much I loved it.
This treat…is certainly a treat. A dessert among desserts. And sometimes…the taste and flavor is enough to negate any thought of how non-nutritional it really is. I mean…it’s ice cream!!! Live a little. But…as always, I like to share the nutritional information with my readers. A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream, which as mentioned is 1/2 cup, dishes up 230 calories and 14 grams of fat. So as tempting as it is to make it an every night sort of thing…DON’T DO IT! It’s fine every now and again. And worth it too. Also, you will be scooping up 500 mg sodium and 20 grams of sugar. In addition, you’ll get 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.
So…for a treat on a week when dark chocolate and salty caramel goodness is the only thing that is going to make life better…I highly, highly recommend Phin & Phebes brand. The Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream is a total WIN in my book. It does everything right. It tastes amazing. And…oh…it’s simply…the best.
You’ll want to lick the bottom of the bowl. Trust me.
NOTE: On the Web site, there is one further flavor listed that I didn’t see at all. Again, this wouldn’t be one I could indulge in, but it is Peanutty Pretzel, which is peanut butter ice cream with chocolate covered pretzels.
A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream
This has been a rather intense week when it has come to my running. Granted, it was basically an “easier” week for the weekday runs, but the weekend was calling for a 16 miler. Okay…I’ve done 18 miles already…in intense heat and humidity. And that…well…it sucked. It sucked mightily. So, 16 miles wasn’t daunting at all. Not really. And I have a great group of people to run it with. And I was promised a new route. So…that was exciting.
But…simply put…I was tired. The previous week wore me out, basically thanks to Maroon 5 and their show up in Indianapolis last Saturday night. I missed out on quite a few precious hours of sleep…still hauled myself out of bed and went out for a run on Sunday morning. Because Sunday morning runs are one of my “me” times. I don’t go out with any set pace or path…I just go. And when I’m done…I’m done.
This week was a good one for running, but I think my body is still trying to catch up on rest…and I haven’t had a moment to allow it that luxury. I have, however, enjoyed a few wonderful moments this week…all centered on running. Not my training…not really…but the physical runs. The people I’m with…the things I saw…the experiences this week were what really made everything feel…just right.
And…I can finally pump my fist in the air because I have treated myself to a new pair of running shoes. I tried on a pair of these at one of my fun runs on Monday night back in March (I think)…when Adidas was visiting the store. I had one of the best runs ever on a Monday night…and just fell in love with them. With a gift certificate to Blue Mile and some store credit…I finally decided it was time to treat myself to some shoes I wanted. So, yesterday…I brought home a pair of Adidas Boost running shoes and a new pair of socks made by Injinji…they are toe socks…and should help with any blistering issues. I also bought some Watermelon Nuun…but that’s not as exciting.
So…how do I break in new shoes? On a Saturday 16 miler, of course…in the rain! They really don’t look new anymore. Already. On the first outing. Welcome to the life of a runner! Let’s take a look at the week, shall we?
Sunday, as always, is either an easy run day or another day of rest. I don’t do well with run days, so I usually take this opportunity to rock out a couple of miles. No set path or direction or distance in mind. I just run and go where my feet take me, however long they feel like being out there, and on whatever route they choose. Sunday is “me” time…as I get up early and get out there, trying to beat the heat of the day…the torturous sun…and all that jazz. This Sunday…however…I decided to match my Saturday mileage. My legs were feeling good, even after going 13 miles on Saturday with Laura. So, when I headed out…I only had one goal…and that was to hit some hills. I ended up running to the local campus and running the parking lots, which are hilly in their own right. Then…I hit the hills around town…through the community park, and out towards the main drag. I actually clocked a half marathon (exactly 13.1 miles) when I wound up back at my apartment complex and paused my Garmin. And it was in 1:44:51…which means I was almost matching the pace of my best half marathon. I was just 4 minutes off. So, I was really having a fantastic morning run. I didn’t feel tired after it either. Just went inside, hopped in a nice cool shower, then got my roommate up because I was craving gluten-free pancakes. So, we went out to North End Café where I enjoyed one gluten-free pancake with a side of fruit. It was just what I needed and wanted. Shopping followed…and then a sweet treat. That’s how I roll on Sunday!
Monday Fun Run Group with fresh watermelon after the run. Yes…I had already devoured mine!
Monday…the runs in the dark return with a vengeance. Earlier than my weekend morning wake-up calls. Sometimes it just seems hard to get out of bed. But not this Monday. Not really. My training plan was scaling down in the week as far as my mileage, allowing me to physically get prepared for my longer run on Saturday, I believe. The weather that morning was ideal. Just beautiful. Not humid. A slight breeze. I was loving it. The training plan called for 4 miles…so I didn’t bother to pack something for fuel…I wouldn’t be out long enough to require it or to even necessitate practicing my fueling technique. Then…I ended up going 5 miles because it just felt good. I did all of this with fantastic negative splits. By now you all know that Monday is also the weekly Daily Double…so that evening after work and a quick bite at home, I headed over to Louisville to hit the road with my fun run group. We hadn’t run the scenic loop in Cherokee Park for awhile, so we chose to do that…but backwards. There are parts of running the loop that I love to do backwards…but the worst part is right at the end…going up toward Hogan’s Fountain…on this windy, gradual-yet-still-steep climb. I was with the group at the beginning, but somehow ended up ahead…and remained there for the rest of the run. In fact, I got back to the store long before others. I hate when that happens…because I do love running with my group…but it was how it worked. Natalie, one of the runners I run with often on Monday, supplied the group with fresh watermelon. And it was DELICIOUS. Watermelon is something I crave a lot these days after I run. So this…was fantastic to return to the store and indulge in.
Tuesday is not a running day, but it still brings an early morning. Tuesday is my cross training day. And my cross training all takes place at the gym. And in order to fit in a gym workout without making excuses not to go…I go early. Really early. Much to Cathy’s chagrin. She is not a morning person, but she does rise and shine at least twice a week to hit up the gym. Tuesday we leave the apartment by 6:15 at the latest and get to the gym by 6:30 a.m. This Tuesday’s cross training routine was done on two different machines. The first one is the Arc Trainer, which is sort of an advanced and more difficult version of an elliptical machine. I set it for Program 3 – Hill Intervals – Level 5 and then hit it. I managed 2.68 miles in 45 minutes with the changing resistance, incline, and the intervals that it threw at me. I was feeling awesome about that. And then, the second machine was a 10 minute workout on the stationary bike. I HATE the stationary bike. I think for reasons I hate the treadmill. I just don’t like putting so much effort forward and not be going anywhere. UGH! So, these 10 minutes always feel like torture. I change the resistance after every minute and just gave it whatever I had left in the tank. And in 10 minutes, I did manage 3.91 miles. Then it was downstairs to get some strength training in. Later that night…20 minutes of yoga to stretch everything out. I needed it because…
Wednesday morning rolled around. And by now, we all know that Wednesday means it’s pacing/speed work day. This week it was asking me for 6 miles with negative splits. I wasn’t sure this was actually going to happen. I told my roommate this the night before, as I looked at the weather and saw how steamy and humid it was going to be that morning. Well, The Weather Channel wasn’t lying. That morning was heavy, wet air…and I felt like I was just running in MUCK. Honestly. It just made the act of running feel that much more difficult. Somehow, and I still am not sure how, I managed to nail the negative splits that were requested in the training plan. I still don’t know how I managed…but I did. That evening, after work, it was 20 minutes of circuit training, which really kicked my ass.
Thursday morning it was back to running easy. And I was glad for that. I was feeling “the shred” of the circuit training the day before. And it was still humid as MUCK out on Thursday morning. It might even have been muckier than it was on Wednesday morning. In fact, I can honestly say I do believe it really was. This morning called for an easy 5 miles, similar to that on Monday. So, I ran my usual path…then decided…why not throw in a couple of hills. So, I altered my route and went out on the one I used to run before strange men kept jumping out at me and scaring me. I had my mace with me…so I felt I could manage this. It meant no gorgeous negative splits…but the change was what I needed, honestly. Thursday also took me back to the gym, where I did 9.16 miles on the elliptical in 45 minutes and then kicked out 3.69 miles on the Cardio Wave machine. I love doing this machine because it manages to work my legs from side-to-side instead of the usual front-to-back motion. A few strength machines followed. Then, after work…it was back to the circuit training for the second day that week. Let me tell you…I almost talked myself out of doing it. I told my roommate we could either do it that night…or Friday. She said she didn’t care…so I finally figured that if we didn’t do it Thursday, we wouldn’t hit that second day of it for the week…because Friday we are always busy. So, I said we’d just do it…and we did. It was painful…but we did it. And I’m proud of us for doing so.
My Injinji socks and my Adidas Boost running shoes…treats to myself!
It was a good call because along came Friday. Friday is the evil but blessed rest day. The one day that I literally am not to do anything. I do my best to respect this day and keep it holy. I mean…it’s once a week, yes? Yes. The only thing is I do allot myself permission to go for an early morning walk. Just a brisk little walk to take the edge off. Friday usually means a lot of sitting at the office, trying to get accounts closed and the like…so this walk is good for me. And I enjoy it. Honestly. I did 3.02 miles on Friday morning in 34:23, which is actually really, really brisk. But I have short legs and honestly walk fast. It’s just how I am. The brilliant thing about this Friday was…after coming home and eating a delicious gluten-free pizza for dinner…I went over to my running store…and I treated myself to those shoes I was telling you about at the beginning. The Adidas Boost. There was just something about these shoes that I loved…after running in them for 3 miles back in March. I coveted them from afar…wanting them so badly, but not having the money for the $150 price tag they carried. But with a gift certificate, some store credit…and really wanting them…Friday…I finally did it. I just broke down and bought a pair. And they are bright. And with them…I got a pair of Injinji toe socks…because I was mentioning how sometimes I can get blisters and I am totally prone to black toenails. I was told the Injinji socks could certainly help with that. I figured if I was going to break in new shoes on Saturday, I might as well give new socks a try too. Purchased. Done deal. The Adidas Boost shoes were now mine. So..what is so great about the Boosts? It’s all in the design. Adidas’ Web site says that we, as runners, put a lot of energy into our runs, and the Adidas Energy Boost shoes gives some of it back because they are designed with an energy-return boost midsole, which supposedly keeps every step charged with light, fast, energy. Adidas Boost shoes are lightweight (8.5 pounds) and bring flexible upper support to the shoes. Simply put…they feel great and running in them feels great. And now…they were mine. And I couldn’t wait to take them out for a spin. A very, very long spin of 16 miles…Saturday morning.
Saturday means one thing…LONG RUN! I love my long run days. I really do. Getting to run with people. Doing the long slow distance (LSD). Talking…about everything, anything, and just enjoying the company for what can otherwise be a very lonely time out on the roads. I also love these runs because each time I go out with any member of the group who is needing or wanting to do the mileage I am doing…I get shown a new running route. And today…was a beautiful one. 16 challenging miles…but on a route I had never taken before…but had heard stories about. This is what the running group has dubbed the “Better Homes and Gardens” route. And I now understand why. We met up at 6:30 a.m. and Harry was going to take us on the route. There were five of us to start, although Laura was on a step-down week, so she was only doing 10 miles. She figured she’d run out 5 with us, then turn around and come back. We left the store and started into Cherokee Park. Laura and I kept the lead all the way through the park, taking the route Harry had planned toward Seneca Park, where we would wait for the other three (Harry, Carrie, and Linda). We didn’t have to wait long…and we took the opportunity to refill water bottles and get ready for the next 3/4 of the 16 miles we wanted to log. Laura came out to just over 5 miles with us before turning around to head back. From there…the four of us set out for the remainder of the “Better Homes and Gardens” run. First of all…gorgeous neighborhoods!! STUNNING!! And…I even got to see deer!! A mother deer and two fawns. A fourth one was lurking further back. Harry and I were leading…and Linda and Carrie were behind us for most of this adventure. Harry and I would pause at places to allow them to catch up and we’d discuss the next leg of the run…so that we would know where to meet and so on. As Harry and I rounded a corner, we spotted another deer. I had to get a picture!! It was awesome!! Harry snapped a picture on his phone too. And then we continued on, pausing when we hit River Road to wait on the rest of our crew. We never leave runners behind. When the caught up, we ran through a park and then back out onto the road. To make sure we hit mileage, Harry took us up to the Water Tower. It was a beautiful detour. And then we hit the road to head back toward our final destination. Not wanting to hit the hill on Zorn Avenue, we went a different way to The Three Bears. Now, I have heard many runners in the group talk about The Three Bears…but I was finally going to see them for myself. And as Harry and I were first to arrive, he even snapped a picture of me with them. I had to dance with them. Just up the hill was an ivy-covered bunny…so we walked up there while we waited for our running partners…and I got a picture with that as well. From there…it was a short stint on a trail…then back onto the roads and a few turns more before we arrived back at the store. Of course…with about 5 miles left to go, the rain decided it didn’t want to hold off any longer…and so…it started to fall. And it felt great. I mean, I really needed it. The humidity was awful in the morning…so this was nature’s very own air conditioning. I welcomed it. I didn’t have a hat with me though, so I was doing all I could to not get rain in my eyes. It lightened up soon after…and with another opportunity to show me something I normally don’t see…Harry took me up to the reservoir where all of Louisville’s water goes through before heading out into the city. It was AWESOME! From there, he and I made the final dash toward the coffee house where all the other runners who left earlier or even later were meeting and enjoying the Gluten-Free Almond Peach Muffins I baked on Friday night for them. The rain was falling again, but we waited for Linda and Carrie to make it back. The actual run that morning was 17.02 miles…so…once again I went the extra mile. But it was a fun, beautiful run. And I loved the company and the sights I was able to see.
Scenes from my Saturday morning 17 mile long run
I am already gearing up for next Saturday, which is ushering in what will be my longest run to date. I am totally looking forward to that challenge. Now…I’m going to hit up the foam roller because my calf muscles are definitely reminding me that I road tested new shoes for 16 miles today. Biofreeze might be my friend tonight as well. No matter…I had a hell of a great run today and I’m still smiling from the high I felt while out there on the road…doing what I love…with people who share that same passion for running. Sore calf muscles and all!! Also…I need to carry more bottles with me. My two 6 ounce bottles are definitely not cutting it in the humid, hot weather. Good thing we had water fountains along the way. But my Nuun was gone before I was even halfway through the run today. Electrolytes are my friend as I tend to sweat out salt…so…this will be remedied. Oh yes…yes it will.
It just means I might need to invest in a little more retail therapy…
There is one thing that normally goes missing in my life. Being a gluten-free vegetarian…having sliders is usually not even an option…unless I make them myself. I’m okay with that…I’ve done it quite a few times, but sometimes it’s nice to just throw something into the oven or a pan and have it ready in no time flat.
And that was never the case until I spotted these amazing little slider patties at Whole Foods. What caught my eye? The box. It clearly is labeled…these slider patties are vegetarian/vegan, wheat-free, gluten-free, a good source of calcium and iron, and also made with heart healthy soy! You better believe I didn’t even blink when I grabbed a box of these and tossed them into my basket. Budget be damned this time. I wanted some sliders, dammit!
As fate would have it, I happened to have some gluten-free dinner rolls in my freezer, which would definitely make the perfect stand-in for slider buns…because you definitely can’t find those in gluten-free form. Not yet. But gluten-free dinner rolls…they work. I use them all the time for sliders…normally ones from my hometown allergen-free bakery…or Udi’s. But this time it was Katz Gluten Free. Which I toasted up in the oven to get that nice golden crust on the buns.
But…let’s get back to the star of this post…Sol Cuisine Original Sliders.
Frozen little disks of meatless goodness, that aren’t really that highly processed when you look at the ingredients. Which, I’ll do now, since I brought it up. These little patties are made from filtered water, soy protein concentrate, sunflower oil, dried onion, modified vegetable gum, dried tomato, sea salt, dried garlic, spices, organic lemon juice concentrate and caramel color. So, it’s not exactly clean eating…and yes…it is a processed food, but it isn’t too bad. Not when you compare it to other items out on the market. And the fact that these are vegetarian/vegan make me one happy girl.
Sol Cuisine Original Sliders
The box supplies about 3 different ways to cook these up. Oven, stove top, microwave…however you choose. When I made the Sol Cuisine Breakfast Patties, I cooked them in the oven. But I already had dinner rolls and hand-cut sweet potato fries (yep…I made my own fries) working in the oven. So, I figured why not give the stove top a go. I warmed up a skillet and lightly coated it with some olive oil. Into the pan I placed four of the little patties. They immediately began to sizzle and cook. I gave each side about 4 minutes…and they got perfectly golden and had that great crust you associate with a good burger. I was already happy.
I plated each one up on one of the toasted dinner rolls and topped it with condiments and served it up with my oven-baked sweet potato fries. I handed my roommate her plate while I fixed up mine. She dug right in. And I could tell she was one happy girl when I saw her take her first bite. Now, as I have mentioned numerous times before, my roommate LOVES burgers. She is neither gluten-free nor a vegetarian…but she doesn’t mind eating like one. Lucky for her…as I am the cook in the apartment. And she was devouring these.
I settled in and was prepared to try for myself. Sol Cuisine has wowed me with their Breakfast Patties…and they totally disappointed me with their Tofu BBQ Ribs. So…I knew this could go either way. But…it was a total win!! The little patties are FANTASTIC. They have this great savory flavor to them. Pan searing them was definitely the right call. It gave them this moist texture. It was the perfect veggie burger, without tasting like a veggie burger. Honestly! I was in love with the texture. I thought the flavors were spot on. And I wanted to savor each bite. But…you know…burgers are best when they are warm. So, I polished it off and vowed to pick them up again sometime…as a treat.
Nutritionally speaking, a serving is 2 patties. This serving will dish up 100 calories and 3 grams of fat. That is SUPER!! These patties are cholesterol free and sugar free. WOOHOO!! And they are low on the scale for sodium, with only 240 mg per serving, which is awesome for something that is processed. In addition, 2 patties will also give you 3 grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein. No wonder this meal filled me up. I was full for the rest of the night.
DELICIOUS!!
Sol Cuisine…keep this up and I may be working my way through your entire line of gluten-free and vegan products. I’m one happy slider-eating girl!! And I can’t stop talking about them! Thank you!! THANK YOU!!
Gluten-Free Sliders made with Sol Cuisine Original Sliders
A long, long time ago…well…maybe not that long ago…but a good while back…Cathy (the roomie) placed an order for some goodies from Katz Gluten Free…which has quickly become one of my go-to places for amazing gluten-free products. Sure, I have to order online, but the prices are reasonable and they ship immediately. So I never have more than a 2 day wait to get my order. Everything goes into the freezer or pantry and I pull it out as I need it. And life is good.
Because Katz Gluten Free provides good products. Time after time I have been nothing but impressed by what I have ordered and eaten.
Whenever the last order was placed (which, as I said…was a long, long time ago), the roomie picked out a new product to try. These were Katz Gluten Free Dinner Rolls (Small Challa). When they came in the mail, I put them in the freezer at home and that was where they stayed…waiting…waiting for me to do something with them. They waited very patiently, being pushed further back into the freezer. I hadn’t forgotten about them, I just got distracted by my local bakery’s gluten-free dinner rolls. It happens.
But, after picking up some vegan and gluten-free sliders from Whole Foods a couple weeks ago…I needed dinner rolls for the buns. And without anywhere to pick up Udi’s Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls (they are really good) and not having picked up any from my local allergen-free bakery…I dug around in the freezer and…like a gift from the gluten-free freezer gods…there they were!! Katz Gluten Free Dinner Rolls (Small Challa). I let them thaw while I was at the office, which they did perfectly. I was afraid that, with how long they had been in there, they might become mushy or crumbly…but I should have known better.
While these rolls can go without being reheated, I love putting a bit of a crust on my buns when I make sliders. So, I sliced them in half (which was interesting as they do resemble muffins in shape), expecting them to crumble or fall apart. But they didn’t. They were soft and very fresh feeling. I smiled, feeling better about the situation already. So, I placed each half on a baking sheet and sprayed a light mist of olive oil over each cut side. I popped them into the oven for a couple of minutes while I finished up the sliders in the pan and the sweet potato fries finished up in the oven as well.
Katz Gluten Free Dinner Rolls (Small Challa)
It only took a few minutes to get them perfectly golden. I plated them and placed a vegan and gluten-free slider on each bottom part. Then topped it with the top bun. Dinner was served.
My roommate actually bit into hers first. And she went, “KATZ RULES!” So this was a good sign. I love it when she raves about gluten-free foods…because she eats like this at home by choice…because I have to. And that’s a huge deal. Our kitchen is 100% gluten-free…which means she even gets gluten-free bread to eat instead of whole wheat, like she had previously been doing. Honestly…best roomie ever!! Aside from that, she said they tasted amazing. So, as I put my sliders together, I went and settled in to find out for myself.
First of all, even with the gentle toasting in the oven, the texture of the dinner rolls was incredibly soft and fluffy. I was so impressed. They had this very light texture to them and this very light sweetness in taste. I loved it. I was enamored with the taste of these. I just wanted to keep eating them. Forget the slider…these were fantastic. I loved being able to squish it down like a regular bun, watching as it would bounce back when I set it down. It wasn’t heavy or dense. The flavor was a little sweet, but definitely savory. I could have eaten all four of them in the package. But I was good…and I shared with my roommate. We both couldn’t stop raving about them. If my local bakery didn’t make such amazing ones, I’d be placing another order…STAT!
So, here we get to the science of the product itself…the ingredients and the nutritional information. Let’s start with the ingredients. These dinner rolls are free of gluten, dairy, and nuts. These rolls are made with real ingredients because a bakery makes them…from scratch. Honestly, that’s what I love about Katz. Anyway, the Dinner Rolls (Small Challa) are made from Katz Gluten Free flour mix (white rice, tapioca, arrowroot, corn, soy, potato) water, eggs, palm oil, brown sugar, honey, xanthan gum, dry yeast, salt, flaxseed, and apple cider vinegar.
Nutritionally speaking, a serving is one dinner roll. Each roll contains 150 calories and 6 grams of fat. One dinner roll also provides you with 20 mg sugar and 2 grams of sugar. Not bad. Not at all. And you also are provided with 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
Okay…so as with a lot of gluten-free baked items, they contain more calories and fat than what regular ones would, but they make it up in the amount of sodium used for sure. And…these were fantastic. And sometimes…that’s enough!!
These…will definitely make their way back into my freezer in the future. They just won’t be kept waiting for so long.
Katz…again…your gluten-free goodness is a wonderful thing. I am so thankful for your products.
Sliders made with Katz Gluten Free Dinner Rolls (Small Challa)
How I love you. How I love you and your clever name. How I love you and your delicious products. I don’t think I’ve met a product of yours that I haven’t liked as of yet, and that’s in the 2 year span that I’ve had to go gluten-free.
Back when this whole journey began, one of the first products that really stood out to me was the Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Twists. I remember having picked them up at the grocery store to take to work with me for an afternoon snack. One bite, and I knew that I’d be okay being gluten-free. The pretzel twists were even better than regular pretzels. And I was forever hooked on the Glutino brand.
Somehow, however, through all of this, I never got back to purchasing other Glutino pretzels. Because at the time…they also had pretzel sticks out on the market. Why I never bothered to get them, despite being totally over-the-moon for the pretzel twists…I will never know. But thanks to a Manager’s Special at my local grocery store…two years later…that changed.
And yesterday…yesterday was my first taste of Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks.
Glutino spells L-O-V-E when it comes to their products. Because these products definitely love me and I totally love these products back. Case in point are these pretzel sticks.
So, I’m sitting at my desk…and the 3 p.m. munchies are striking. With a stomach rumbling, I reach into my drawer and pull out my portioned serving of Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks. I remove one, and take one crunchy bite. SMOOTH. It has this great buttery taste to it. It’s salty, but not overdone. And they are so light. Sometimes regular pretzels could feel a bit heavy, and the consistency of them more doughy (as in crunchy doughy not soft pretzel doughy…just thought I’d clear that up!) than anything else. Not these. Nope…Glutino definitely hit the nail on the head when it came to designing and making their amazing Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks. I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted to savor my snack, but my fingers kept reaching for another one and another one. I shared one with not only my roommate, but also my co-worker (who loves to hate on gluten-free products). Cathy loved the flavor and said we’d have to make sure we kept Glutino pretzels in the pantry. My co-worker…who I know wanted to hate it…she did…couldn’t. She looked at me, nodding her head, and said, “I like these better than regular pretzels.” YES!! When I can win over this person with gluten-free stuff, I always feel like the company was successful with the product. I’d call this a major WIN for Glutino.
And yes…the Pretzel Sticks really are that delicious.
Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition, shall we? Pretzels are definitely a snack, but one of the healthier choices, I believe, when it comes to products on the market. As far as what goes into these sticks of delicious salty wonder…corn starch, potato starch, palm oil, sugar, sea salt, cellulose gum, soy lecithin, baking soda, yeast extract, sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric acid, and sodium hydroxide. So…some normal sounding ingredients and some that make you go…”What am I eating?” Clean eating this isn’t…but it’s one of the treats I allowed myself this week.
As for nutrition facts, a serving is around 33 sticks or about 30 grams (because we all know I weigh my food to be more accurate). This serving will provide you with 140 calories and 6 grams of fat. I hate that the fat count is so high, but again, this is a treat and a snack I don’t have all the time. And, a lot of gluten-free products tend to be higher in fat than regular. Most regular pretzels are…fat free. I feel a little gypped here on the nutrition scale. UGH! Anyway…pushing beyond that, these have 420 mg sodium per serving and less than 1 gram of sugar. That’s standard when compared to brands of regular pretzels. You get no fiber or protein from these pretzels either…so while they are delicious, do not expect them to quell your hunger for long.
Bummer.
So…Glutino wins for sure on taste, texture, flavor…and overall awesomeness of their Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks. However, as far as the nutrition value goes…they feel like a bit of a letdown. But…when it comes to gluten-free snacks, this is definitely one of the better choices. Not only are they packed with amazing flavor, but they are light, they are delicious…and as long as you don’t sit down with the entire bag and devour them all in one sitting…not horrible on the nutrition aspect. I will give them that.
Glutino…keep on giving me and others in the gluten-free community so many amazing products and I can guarantee we will continue to come back to you. I’m a repeat offender when it comes to buying products with the Glutino brand name on it. And I’m not ashamed to admit it.
I can’t wait to dive into another serving of the Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Sticks this afternoon. Maybe I’ll take time to savor them this afternoon. Or maybe I won’t be able to contain myself again.
Product: Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar – $3.59+
Chocolate is my favorite sweet indulgence. Really.
And not just chocolate. Dark chocolate. I dislike milk chocolate. And white chocolate is…not really chocolate. Dark chocolate. That’s where it is for me. I love that bittersweet, rich, deep flavor that dark chocolate offers up. I love how it literally will coat my taste buds and I will just let anything dark chocolate melt slowly. It makes the indulgence last even longer.
A while back, my roommate picked up a few Dark Chocolate Dream chocolate bars from the local grocery store. They were on closeout, so in a panic we bought pretty much one of everything. I tucked these away in a drawer and forgot all about them…until recently. So, now I’ve been working my way through these chocolate treats…before they expire and all that good stuff.
I’ve been given a plan by sports nutritionist to move toward a clean eating diet. And while most would not consider chocolate to fit into that…I like to point out the health benefits of dark chocolate. It’s good for your heart because it has been shown it can help lower blood pressure. It helps improve cognitive function in your brain by increasing blood flow to your brain. In fact…it’s been shown to help reduce the risk of stroke. It’s a mood booster. It is full of antioxidants. Oh, and dark chocolate has high concentrations of potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron. NICE!
So this week, the drawer held a couple of choices, but I opted for the Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar. Why? Well…while I did enjoy the Enjoy Life’s Boom CHOCO Boom Ricemilk Crunch was good and filled with the crunchy rice bits for that added oomph…it sort of had this chalkiness to it.
Dark Chocolate Dreams Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar does offer up a better alternative. Honestly. While the puffed rice isn’t as prevalent as it was in the Enjoy Life version, the crispiness is definitely throughout the entire bar. In other words, you take a bite…and it’s like biting into a Nestles Crunch bar all over again. But safe. And made with dark chocolate. Oh…and I should mention that this dark chocolate bar is vegan as well.
The Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch chocolate bars are made with simple ingredients which include all of the following: evaporated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, roasted soy flour, puffed wild rice, soy lecithin, pure vanilla extract. No fake chemicals, no preservatives, nothing that you need to look up in order to figure out what it is you are eating exactly. Nothing like that. Everything is pure and real. Real food…real chocolate. I love it already.
As for nutrition…well…I remind you that this is a chocolate bar. So, do mind your servings. For me, I take one square with me to work, which equals out to 60 calories and 4 grams of fat. That’s not bad for one square of chocolate. But, the serving size for this treat is usually half of the chocolate bar. This serving will provide you with 240 calories and 14 grams of fat. The serving only kicks in 15 mg of sodium, which isn’t bad. However, remember…this is a treat and this is a sweet…and chocolate is still high in sugars. 1/2 of the bar will give you a huge dose of 23 grams of sugar. Aside from that, you will be provided with 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
But…the flavor. The flavor is what does it. I love to savor my chocolate. A nibble here…another there. And that’s the way I eat this one. The dark chocolate has that bittersweet flavor to it…which is amazing and delicious. I love how it melts against my tongue, and that hit of dark chocolate just lingers…and then, as I bite into it…the crunch from the puffed rice. It’s one of the best things in the world, which is why I think Nestles Crunch bars sell so well. Crunchy, smooth, rich, dark…it’s the best of everything. And I for one love every tasty bite.
Not all chocolate bars are created equal. And not all chocolate bars are gluten-free. Thanks to Dark Chocolate Dream…I can still eat a Rice Crunch bar and savor it with the even more flavorful taste of dark chocolate. Well done!!
Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)
I can’t stop myself. It’s an addiction. It’s a routine. But every time I am in town on Saturday…I head over to Frankfort Avenue to Annie May’s Sweet Café, where, depending on what time I hit there (which is often dictated by how long my Saturday run ends up being), I indulge in amazing gluten-free and allergen-free breakfast offerings, or the most amazing gluten-free pizza in the area. Hands down. Either way, I’m a happy girl on Saturday mornings because I know it means a trip to Annie May’s!
There was only one difference this past weekend when I went to get my gluten-free doughnut and gluten-free vegan sausage and “cheese” breakfast sandwich. I was going straight home afterwards. And, Cathy…the best roomie ever…told me to pick a couple of items from the case to take home to have for breakfast and dessert on the following day.
I was thrilled!! THRILLED!
The hard part was choosing.
As I am a cinnamon roll lover, I did opt to get two of their allergen-free cinnamon rolls that were on display. They looked fantastic, with their cinnamon and sugar goodness and even given a drizzle of icing. I was trying hard not to drool, because…cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast. And I don’t get them very often. Now, I’ve gotten the Take-And-Bake variety from Annie May’s Sweet Café before, but these were already made and ready for consumption. The fantastic looking blueberry muffins were calling my name. Blueberry muffins are my absolute favorite muffin to make and devour. And hers looked golden and moist and had this amazing sugary crust on the top. Oh yeah…that was a must. We got one that we decided we would split between us. And then my roommate spotted the Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Cheesecake bars in the case…and we decided to get one of those to split as well. Done. Kenna was delightful and boxed everything up for us and we left with some delicious looking baked goodies from our favorite little eatery/bakery in town.
Fast forward to a late morning wake-up. I rocked out a second 13 miles this morning for my Sunday run, and returned home. After showering, I went to wake up Cathy, knocking on her door. She was sleeping later than usual because we had been up in Indianapolis rocking out with Maroon 5…and didn’t get in until around 2 a.m. My run took place later…her wake-up call came later. It all worked.
But breakfast was going to be a cinch! And it was. I simply opened up the signature pink box with the Annie May’s Sweet Café sticker on it and pulled out the spoils of our shopping on Saturday. Two allergen-free cinnamon rolls and one ginormous blueberry muffin. I simply decided to slice the muffin in half and then warmed that half up in the microwave with the cinnamon roll, individually.
Let’s start with the Allergen-Free Cinnamon Roll ($3.00). These were fantastic. Even having sat on my counter all day and night, it was still cinnamon-sugar perfection. The roll stayed together so well. It had that heft of a cinnamon roll without being super dense and hard to eat. It was crusty and flaky and sweetened to ultimate perfection. I also liked how the icing was simply drizzled across the top, ensuring that the icing didn’t overtake the awesomeness of the cinnamon roll itself. These cinnamon rolls contained no dairy and no gluten (of course) and they were awesome. I hope they keep these in the case more often because I will make a habit of eating them whenever possible.
Now…one of Annie May’s muffins was a new choice for me. Where I had the cinnamon rolls in a take-and-bake format before (but never from the case already done), I had never purchased a muffin. So, this was a first for me. The Allergen-Free Blueberry Muffin ($2.00) was huge. And hugely moist too. Yes…even after it had an entire day to sit in a box, it was still super moist. I mean, I sliced into it and it was just…awesome. I could tell it wasn’t dry at all, and this made me happy. One of the little joys of these muffins was the sugar coating on the top. It gave the muffin this nice bit of texture and sweetness…and I loved the crispness that it gave and the sound it made when my knife glided through the baked goodie to half it between my roommate and I. And the taste…melt-in-your-mouth blueberry muffin perfection. Moist. Light. Not at all dense or overdone. The sugar struessel on top was the perfect touch to keep each bite sweet and interesting. I am in love with these blueberry muffins. And blueberry muffins are my most favorite thing when it comes to muffins. So, I hope to see more of these in the very near future.
This leads us to dessert tonight…and the ever-epic sounding Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Bar ($2.00). Completely gluten-free. It was described by Annie May’s Sweet Café as some crazy cinnamon roll brainchild. Okay…I was definitely intrigued! Because, as we all know…CINNAMON ROLL FREAK HERE!! So, dessert tonight had to be epic and awesome. It just had to be. After dinner, I went and retrieved this morsel of gluten-free goodness from my fridge and sliced it in half…ready to see if it lived up to its epic sounding description.
It was creamy, smooth, and it honestly did taste like some sort of cheesecake-cinnamon roll hybrid. You can only imagine my joy upon first taste. The crust was crunchy and delicious…held up perfectly overnight in the refrigerator. As for the cheesecake portion…I loved that it wasn’t overly sweet. Cheesecake can run too sweet, but this one was perfect. The caramel and cinnamon that were swirled into it gave it the right amount of flavor without taking away from the cream cheese and the crust. Perfectly balanced. And not heavy at all. Sometimes cheesecake can just be too much. Here, it was just perfect. Especially when the bar was cut in half to split with my roomie. She enjoyed it too, especially the swirled caramel and cinnamon topping on the cheesecake itself. We were both overly delighted with our dessert tonight.
And I think anything that tastes like a cinnamon roll should applauded. This was well done!!
Continuing on the trend of her amazing products, Annie May’s Sweet Café provided the perfect way to start my day…and the perfect way to end it as well. The cinnamon rolls and the muffin were both perfect and not too filling…just filling enough to get me through to lunch, when ended up being later in the day from the norm. And dessert…that cheesecake bar was the perfect ending to a day filled with perfect food.
Compliments of Annie May’s Sweet Café. Whether you need to eat gluten-free or have food allergies or not…Annie May’s is the perfect place to pick up a baked item, grab a bite to eat, or even place a special order for one of her breads, cakes, cookies, whatever it is you desire. Her standards are high and her food reflects it.
Always.
I’m already looking forward to breakfast on Saturday this coming week…
Annie May’s Sweet Café Gluten-Free Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Cheesecake Bar
Restaurant: Sidebar at Whiskey Row, Louisville, Kentucky
I love eating out with friends. I really, really do. Especially when it’s a fellow co-worker who is as much a foodie as my roommate and I. I mean, how can you say “NO” to trying out new spots right in your own backyard? I can’t. I love trying out new restaurants. But, with my food allergies, this sometimes means an extra level of difficulty, or sometimes…me bringing my own food to eat while they order and dine from the establishment itself. And…yes…I am okay with that. It has never bothered me at all. It bothers the people I dine with at times, but I’m perfectly fine eating one of my protein bars and then grabbing something that is safe for me to eat at home.
It’s my body…so it’s my choice, right? Right!
Anyway, one of our IT guys at work had gone to this local burger spot in Louisville, Kentucky that he was over the moon for their food. He’d gone there a couple of times and said that they never gave him something he didn’t like. Not only was their bourbon amazing, but their burgers were to die for.
It sounded like something Cathy needed to try out…because that girl loves her burgers. I did note that they made a vegetarian burger as well, so took it upon myself to post on their Facebook page as to what, if any, gluten-free options Sidebar at Whiskey Row had to offer. What happened next was one of the most amazing and wonderful things any restaurant establishment can do for someone who wishes to dine with them, but has certain dietary needs. I had a quick response from Jason Pierce, Sidebar’s Assistant General Manager and the Culinary Director providing his e-mail address so that I could contact him about my visit on Friday evening. I immediately sent him an e-mail to which he said that all salads are prepared in a manner that would be safe for me to eat, being that they are properly handled, washed, and plated so that there would be no cross-contamination. He also said that if I wanted to, I could bring in my own salad dressing that he could dress the salad with as well. I appreciated that suggestion immensely. And, finally, he said that they could prepare the Mushroom Edamame Burger (the vegetarian option) without the gluten ingredients. I told him I was fine with a salad, and that I really appreciated the burger option, but with it needing to be cooked on a separate, and clean, surface…the salad would probably be easiest.
A few back and forth messages via e-mail and Jason ensured me that he would make sure I had a fantastic dining experience on Friday.
Fast forward to Friday. The three of us left work and headed down to Sidebar at Whiskey Row immediately, not really knowing what the traffic situation in Louisville would be like. It wasn’t too bad and we were parked and heading into Sidebar by 5 p.m. We were greeted warmly and shown to a table in the corner. The three of us settled in and all ordered waters (I was sticking with water as I had a 12 mile run the next morning). Justin already knew he was getting an Old Fashioned ($10.00), which is sugar and bitters topped with whiskey and then touched off with a twist of citrus rind. He told Cathy that it was one of his favorite drinks there, especially since Sidebar is known for their barrel-aged cocktails. You see, Sidebar at Whiskey Row mixes all the shelf-stable components of a cocktail and ages the mixture in a charred barrel. How’s that for unique. And you won’t find these cocktails on any other menu in the area. Anyway…that was all Cathy had to hear, apparently…
Sidebar’s Old Fashioned cocktail
My two carnivorous friends put in their orders after our drinks arrived. Justin decided to go for the Ambulance Chaser ($12.00), which is a Certified Angus Beef burger topped with smoky BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, tomato jam and tobacco onions. He opted for the Truffle-Parm fries ($2.00) with his burger. Cathy decided on the Court Reporter ($12.00), which is a Certified Angus Beef burger topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, honey-chipotle aioli, and roasted red pepper relish. She opted for the sweet potato fries with her burger($2.00). And…she went ahead and decided to try an Old Fashioned without sampling Justin’s…so that was put in as well.
I mentioned to our waitress before ordering that I had been talking to Jason Pierce about my meal. She said she would go to the kitchen and talk to him, so when she returned she said that Jason recommended the Kale Salad ($8.00), without the Parmesan cheese and without the toasted almonds. I said that sounded great. After all…I love, love, LOVE kale. I was super excited.
With the orders in, Cathy and Justin decided to enjoy their cocktails while we sat around, took in the ambiance of the restaurant itself, and had good conversation. First of all, you might notice a courtroom theme for Sidebar. You are very observant. That was entirely the point. Not to mention, the restaurant itself is located in a grand 19th-Century building next to the Second Street Bridge, and boasts lofty ceilings, towering windows, a beautiful bar, and comfortable seating. It’s simply a stunning place to dine. Another thing that Sidebar is quite proud of is that they created their own unique hamburger blend, which is a mix of certified Angus beef, chuck, brisket, and short rib, creating a burger that uses no trimmings, added fats, fillers, or binders. So, for you carnivores or people with friends who love a good burger…this might be a great place to take them.
It wasn’t too long before our food arrived at the table. Everything looked amazing. My salad was a work of art. Honestly. A bed of finely shredded kale, piled high with carrots, greens, carrots, and served with a citrus vinaigrette. Rimming the edge of it was gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and fresh cucumber. It was not the described kale salad from the menu, but something that Jason did up special for me. No sooner had the waitress left but Jason comes to the table to introduce himself and tell me a little bit about what he put together for me. I shook his hand and thanked him for his help and for everything. This salad was going to be epic…I could already tell. Jason returned to the kitchen and I dug in.
HOLY COW! This is definitely one of the best salads I have ever had the honor of eating. And I’m not just saying that. First of all, it’s not your typical green salad that most restaurants would give you. I loved the way the kale was shredded, making it the bed of the salad, and not difficult to eat, nor clunky. The green onion, carrots, and cucumber made fantastic green vegetables to serve with it. And those heirloom tomatoes…they were juicy, fresh, and just melted in my mouth. The citrus vinaigrette was out-of-this-world and made for the perfect pairing with every component of this salad. It was a nice hit of sweetness that matched the earthy flavors of the vegetables to perfection. I almost didn’t want to dive into it, because it just looked gorgeous, but I was hungry and I definitely wanted to see what Jason’s salad creation tasted like. If heaven was a salad bar, then this would be the salad it would serve every day. I would never get tired of eating this. It worked. It worked well. And I couldn’t stop eating it even if I tried.
Cathy and Justin devoured their burgers and fries and polished off their cocktails. Everyone was satisfied and happy with their meals. Cathy and I already decided this is definitely a place we need to take our friend Greg, who LOVES a good burger. I think he would love what this place served up.
I really wanted to once again express my appreciation to Sidebar and to Jason Pierce, specifically, for not only addressing my dietary needs, but for exceeding all expectations when it came to my dinner choice that evening. I was blown away and can’t wait to return again for another round of that amazing Kale Salad. I have been bragging to everyone, my running group included (because we ran by the restaurant on Saturday morning) about the food, the service, and the attention that is given to every aspect of customer service and customer satisfaction at Sidebar. I was beyond impressed.
Louisville is certainly lucky to have such a great gourmet burger establishment. Not just because of the value of the food produced, but also the attention to detail and the personal touches that are given…without even being asked. I will forever recommend Sidebar to people, simply because they took good care of me, someone with special dietary needs, and they did it very well. Going above and beyond…that’s what they do.
Congratulations, Sidebar…you definitely passed the bar!! In fact, you just set the bar higher for every other local restaurant!
Halfway!! I am officially halfway through my marathon training for the Chicago Marathon!!
This has been one crazy week for my training. Honestly. Not just from a time perspective, but there was just a lot going on for me with my running and training schedule. Some of it was part of the plan. Some of it…well…some of it was bonus…extra…things I do for fun. And that’s good to have in there every now and again. The key is to keep it easy and run smart. As long as I listen to my body and not get stubborn, I’ll be fine.
It seemed I was doing quite a few doubles this week. That was not actually intended…it was just how it worked out. Regardless, I can feel my legs growing stronger because while they have been worked hard once already, they still power through another run. Sometimes faster…sometimes slower. They run as they feel and I don’t push it. I have a goal to come out of this year uninjured and so far that’s worked out for me.
Let’s take a look at this week of pulling double duty…
Sunday is either an easy run or a day of rest. I normally opt for the easy run unless my legs are just crying out for some down time. But, this past Sunday I was invited by my good friend Kelsie to go running with her running group. I never turn down a chance to get out and run with people. I have a blast getting out with others, talking, running, and just having a good time. You don’t even think about the miles when you’re in that sort of a zone. They were meeting up in Jeffersonville, Indiana to run for 11 miles. I had done 15 the previous morning, but I was feeling up to it and feeling good. I met up with her group at 5:30 a.m. and we all headed out to run across the Second Street Bridge and head up Bardstown until we hit 5.5 miles. Turning around and heading back. We all talked about races, goals, pace, and some amendments to our own goals we had set. Kelsie and I figured out why we click so well…we’re both Virgos. And we had really great conversation for much of the run, talking about fundraising, about family, everything. Running was not the only subject, nor were our upcoming marathons. It was a gorgeous morning with 57 degree temperatures. We finished up just as the sun was coming up. A beautiful 11 miles with good people and great motivation. My legs weren’t screaming at me at all. They felt strong the entire way. It was an easy pace, with great people and I would certainly do it again in a heartbeat.
Minion cake for my Monday fun run group! Yes…I made that!
Monday returned with a vengeance. The weather that morning was perfect for a run. And I took advantage of that for sure. I was scheduled for 7 easy miles, which I totally devoured that morning. I was shocked, actually, since I was coming off a weekend of two longer than usual runs. But my legs were still feeling amazing and that was what mattered. I even managed some awesome negative splits. And, as usual, Monday also brings around my group fun run after work. After rushing home to eat a quick meal and getting ready, I grabbed a special cake I made for my group and headed out to meet up with them. Laura had heard about a World Championship Dainty Competition going on in the area, so we headed a different direction than usual, up Eastern Parkway, and took it over to Goss, where the event was being held. We all paused to watch for a few minutes, then continued along the way. I mostly stayed in the front with Harry and Natalie. Harry and I have been trying to get through to Natalie that she doesn’t have to sprint through every run. Especially since she is recovering from arm surgery and now an injury to her leg. She is stubborn though, but hopefully she’ll learn. We finished up another 4.1 miles that day and then returned to the store to cut into and devour the cake I made. What was this special cake? I made a cake shaped like a Minion from Despicable Me. We all love Minions in my running group. It was a gluten-free and dairy-free cake…and it was a hit!!
Tuesday, however, I was starting to feel all that running. This was a no run…but cross training day. So, Cathy and I hit the gym. She was returning from having her wisdom tooth out. So, we hit the Arc Trainer first. I did 45 minutes on Program 2 – Hills – on Level 5. This was a challenge. But I pushed through those 45 minutes of hills, which means a change in intervals, resistance, and inclines. It was tough, but I managed 2.38 miles. Then it was over to the Cardio Wave machine. I love this machine because it moves my legs from side to side instead of just the standard front and back motion. In 10 minutes, I did 3.69 miles and was ready to call it a day. But some strength training was up next. I hit that up, left the gym…and was supposed to come home from work and fit in some circuit training. My legs were saying “NO!” So, I decided with Cathy still coming back from her tooth and my legs telling me to lay off…we’d take a break this week from circuit training and come back to it next week. We were both happy with that decision.
Wednesday is my speed work/pacing day. This week called for a 6 mile tempo run. And, aside from having some issues with my fuel belt staying in place that morning, I was mostly successful in rocking this out. I held a great pace, I worked into the tempo, sustained it, then cooled down. I felt good about it when it was done, I just needed to get past scooching my fuel belt down throughout the entire thing. I fueled halfway through just as my sports nutritionist is requiring me to do while out running. And it was a good pacing day. When I finished it up, I felt good…so that was the important part.
Thursday…was insane. I went out in the morning for my 5 mile easy run, which I managed better than I thought I would. I didn’t check the weather like I normally do that morning, and figured it would be cool like the past few mornings have been. Wrong. The air was very humid, but I did have a wind. A strong headwind that hit me on the inclines of this run. Despite that, I still rocked out those 5 easy miles and even managed negative splits. Thursday is also our other day to hit up the gym. This time, I did 49 minutes on the elliptical machine. The last four minutes are a cool down, but I was doing good, despite having busy legs all week. I did 9.38 miles in 49 minutes that morning. Then I went over to the rowing machine for 10 minutes. The rowing machine always kicks my booty. It just works my body all over. It’s great cross training and great on the core, back, arms, and even the legs. I really struggled this morning though, starting to feel the fatigue set into my legs. So…I did 1.17 miles in those 10 minutes, then headed downstairs for a couple of strength machines. But my day didn’t end there. Nope. Thursday was also the BlueMile Brew Mile at Molly Malone’s. I haven’t missed a Brew Mile yet this year. And the one at Molly’s is one of my favorites. Despite having to run through Eastern Cemetery. I had actually gotten there in good time and met up with Natalie. We probably should have been stretching, but instead we just got to talking. This happens with us. We met up with Ellen and Andrew from BlueMile as well…and more talking. Then Laura showed up…and we all just talked. No stretching actually occurred. Not really. We were directed to walk toward Eastern Cemetery, so we did. All of us lined up and we were given the course directions by Derek. And then…we were off. Despite these tired, overworked legs, I rocked off a mile in 6:42, which is fantastic for me, I think. I wasn’t sure I would be able to push it having not stretched and having just really tired legs, but I got through it and I pushed and pushed. It was a brilliant mile and all of us finished in great time. Then, we headed back to Molly’s for the giveaways and drinks. I bought Cathy a Magners while I sipped on some much-needed water. I even won a $15 BlueMile Gift Certificate in the prize drawings. WOOHOO!!
Friday…the much needed day of rest. And I’m really good about obeying this for the most part. I have been going out for a walk in the morning. It’s not running…it’s walking. Which, I suppose, doesn’t really mean I am resting. And I tend to walk fast too. So, that morning I went for 3 miles and did that in 34:26. It was beautiful out. Nice breeze. It just felt good. And, on lunch, Cathy and I went for another walk (pulling a double again!), in which we managed 1.65 miles in 23 minutes. It was good and I didn’t push much because I knew Saturday held my long run.
Saturday morning came and normally I would be running with Matthew and company. Matthew and Dawn, however, had decided to spontaneously run a marathon in Tennessee…so they weren’t going to be there. I had 12 miles to run for this week, as it was a fall-back week. A few other people needed to go that distance as well. So, I met up with Laura and a couple of other ladies for the early start at 6:30 a.m. We headed out from Bardstown toward the Second Street Bridge. From there, the other two ladies turned around, as they were only going 6-7 miles respectively. Laura and I continued on, heading down toward the Waterfront. Here Laura took me the opposite way, away from the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge…which was a very scenic and new route for me. And I loved it. We had great conversation, said hello to other runners and bikers that we passed, and she even showed me the trivia about river boats. Oh, and if you don’t know much about trains…Laura can fill you in. I loved learning so much about them. I just love trivia and knowledge…especially on things I normally know nothing about. We reached our turnaround point, then headed back along toward the riverfront before taking Main to Market to Baxter back to the store. I was going to stop at 12 miles, but I felt so good coming up the hill on Baxter, that I just kept going. When it hit the corner near Blue Mile, I was only 0.10 miles off from 13, so I made Cathy run behind me as I worked to hit that 13 mile mark. She jogged for about 20 feet before just heading to the car, where I met her after my watch hit that 13th mile. And I felt good at the end of it. Which was what I wanted to feel. We had a Maroon 5 concert that night and I had every intention of rocking out another 12 – 13 miles on Sunday, despite getting home at 2 a.m. But that…will wait for next week.
So, there was a lot of daily doubles going on this week, whether in running or walking. But I can feel my legs are getting used to working even when fatigued. And that, I feel, is a good thing. The marathon is going to drain me…so knowing my legs can carry me through, even when tired, is just making me feel better about the entire situation. I’m loving every bit of my training…and the extra stuff I do for fun. Because I can’t just keep it serious all the time. I love to run…so when the opportunity comes up to run a mile for charity…to run with friends…to bake a cake and share it with good people…that’s what I do. It’s good for me to adjust my running, to take it easier than usual at times, because it helps build endurance and strength. That’s a hard lesson to learn. I can’t be all-out all the time or I will get injured. Those long, slow distances are key to going the distance and making it to the finish line at the very end of it all.
Definitely looking forward to this coming week…which won’t include as many doubles. In fact…Monday should be the only one. I keep learning from all my training and fun runs. I take in great advice, I learn about what my body is capable of managing, and I just enjoy the feeling I get when I hit stop on my Garmin and realize just how far I’ve gone.
I might have been pulling double duty this past week on the running, but I ran smart to ensure I could handle it. And that is the key!
The Celiathlete 