It’s Monday!  Are you ready for a new week?  I had a couple of early morning (5:30 AM) clients today and it was 18 when I left for work.  I am so ready for the cold weather to be gone.  Apparently the temperature will be getting up to 50 later today, which will seem warm after this weekend.  I guess I should celebrate that the temperature is predicted to be over 20 for our long run on Saturday.

I read yesterday over at Gluten-Free Philly that California Pizza Kitchen will be testing gluten-free pizzas later this year.  I sure hope that they take all of the necessary precautions, unlike last time.  They do currently offer several gluten-free menu items, though I am not sure how safe I feel eating there seeing that they didn’t seem to grasp the seriousness of cross-contamination.

Monday – Sweet Thai Chile salmon, coconut baked brown rice, sugar snap peas and salad

Tuesday – Easy Enchilada Bake, corn and salad

Wednesday – Italian grilled chicken, fettuccine Alfredo and salad

Thursday – Waffles and fruit salad

Friday – Make your own pizza and salad

Saturday – Take-out

Make sure to check out more gluten-free menu plans over at Jo-Lynne Shaw’s Musings of a Housewife.

Week in Review

Miles for Myelin – Enter to win a gluten-free food package worth over $50 by donating at least $5.00 towards MS research.

Review and discount on Core Defender Meal Bars

Refrigerated cookie dough review: Yes, you can eat this straight from the refrigerator!

Review: Trader Joe’s Flourless Chocolate Cake

Review: Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chip Brownie

Have a great week!

Working out later in the day always poses a challenge for me, especially if the workout is around dinner time.  Some Tuesday nights I go to BodyPump class with my friends and then grab a drink after the class, so I am forced to eat a small, early dinner and then to refuel with a larger than normal protein bar or late dinner.

It seems perfectly fitting that I received some complimentary samples of the new Core Defender Meal Bars to try out just as I was trying to figure out the best way to fuel my body on these tough days.

CORE Meals are a fresh, full bowl of raw oatmeal to go. Eat like a bar, drink water, and you’ll be satisfied for hours! Made from 7 whole, raw, 100% organic, tested GF ingredients, the whole foods in CORE Meals provide powerful, stable energy. With a controlled, fully balanced ratio of calories, complex carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats, CORE Meals are loved by athletes for pre/post workout meals and depended upon by busy moms and adventurers. Learn more from our Frequently Asked Questions, explore our ingredients, and enjoy! 🙂

Some background on Core Foods:

On a quest to get to the bottom of human nutrition, our founder Corey Rennell trained with elite athletes, researched the biology of food and lived with 12 tribes from around the world. Remarkably, he discovered the most profound and consistent things we know about nutrition are REALLY SIMPLE. At CORE, we apply this enduring wisdom to make convenient, healthy, food. Inspired by the inherent reciprocity of the traditional people Corey lived with, CORE Foods is a not-for-profit B Corporation, with 100% of profit being reinvested in food, community, and the planet. We believe that healthy food is a human right and we strive to separate food from profit in the way we do business.

Many protein bars are candy bars in disguise, but not these bars!  These bars are full of real, wholesome ingredients.  There are three varieties of the Defender bars:

• Raw Walnut Banana – Whole oats, raisins, flax, bananas, ground spices
• Raw Cashew Cacao – Whole oats, cashews, cacao, raisins, flax, ground spices
• Raw Almond Raisin – Whole oats, almonds, raisins flax, ground spices

I emailed my contact to make sure the oats were from a gluten-free source and received this response:

Hi Kim,

Thanks for contacting us! We source our oats from Bob’s Red Mill (http://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free-information.html).  While his oats aren’t certified gluten free, we’ve spoken to numerous celiacs specialists who have given a nod to his lack of certification because of his fastidious management of a separate processing line.

While we are not working in a gluten free kitchen, we have more stringent standards for washing and preparing the kitchen for our product run than most facilities or companies do.  To top it all off, we test every batch of our product for gluten using EZ gluten strips from Elisa Labs.  This test system tests to 10ppm and we complete it on every flavor beginning, middle and end.

If you have any questions or hesitations, please feel free to contact us!

Best,

Laraine

Raw Cashew Cacao Bar

I was impressed with the flavor of the bars.  They aren’t sweet, which is a good thing, and you can actually taste each and every ingredient.  I believe the Raw Banana Walnut is my favorite of the three.  The package recommends drinking 2 glasses of water along with the bar in order for it to equal a meal – a bowl of oatmeal.  I was full from the bar and 1 glass, so I am not sure how I could have drunk another glass of water.  The bars are very satisfying and have between 350-400 calories, 11-12 grams of protein, 19-24 grams of fat, 7-8 grams of fiber and 20-21% of the RDA of iron.  The bars are real food, so they go bad and must be kept in the refrigerator (2 months) or freezer (6 months).  They can be kept for a week on-the-go if necessary.

The Defender Bars can be purchased directly from the Core website for $39.99 for 10 meals (bars).  Like I have said before, while they are pricey, consider the convenience of the bars and that they are on-the-goal meals that are roughly twice the size and calories of the traditional bar.  “Like” Core Foods on Facebook for a $5.00 off coupon and to enter to win a free case ($40 worth!).

*These bars were sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The thoughts and opinions shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

I have a close friend who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in October of 2006.  I met Melissa just a little over a year ago while training for 5 half marathons with MIT.  We ran together for many miles of training and then for 3 of my 5 half marathons last year.  Melissa is an amazing woman who is doing a phenomenal job of showing MS who is boss – she runs her MS, it does not run her.

Melissa and me completing our last half marathon of 2012 with a PR for her – 1:54:25.

Melissa started a team – Miles for Myelin – to help raise money to support cutting edge research projects, as well as provide programs which address the needs of people living with MS today.  I have happily joined this team and will be running for MS because I want to do something for the people who have been diagnosed – and because we want to prevent more people from learning what it means to live with MS. Today, there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, and with a diagnosis occurring every hour in this country, it’s time to act. Diagnosis is most common between the ages of 20 and 50, and individuals face a lifetime filled with unpredictability.  I will be running the Cap City Half Marathon (for the third time) on May 4, 2013 as a Miles for Myelin team member.

More about Melissa and her story:

I love saying Run MS! My motto since the beginning has been, “I have MS, it doesn’t have me”. Since finding out that I have MS in 2006 my life has changed completely. I have changed completely. I have learned who I am and I have learned that I can do ANYTHING that I put my mind to. I love saying Run MS because I fear that someday MS might Run me. Not today though. Today I run my MS and today I will do everything I  can to keep it that way for a very long time.

I have known since October 10, 2006 that I have Multiple Sclerosis. I decided, maybe that not day but shortly after, that I couldn’t be sorry for myself. Life would go on and I could either hate every day and be miserable or work with what I did have. At that time, I had no strength on the right side of my body. In fact I was admitted to the Hospital for having a stroke. I couldn’t write or use my right arm for much of anything, my mouth drooped (really not attractive!) and my right foot kinda drug on the ground when I walked.

Fortunately, with a lot of steroids, physical therapy and occupational therapy I regained most of the strength that was lost. I’ve had flare ups since then and I’ve been through 4 different drugs. I’m on the 5Th now and it seems to be doing it’s job. Thank you God. But there are side effects. In fact, all of the options have very severe side effects. That is why I am so passionate about raising awareness and funds for research. I have three children and a husband that I never want to cause burden or pain. I hope that someday soon they can discover not only better treatments but a cure.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.” Proverbs 16:30

Melissa also follows a gluten-free (Paleo) diet to manage her MS and her daughter’s ADHD.  You can follow her progress and yummy meals on her Facebook page – Run This House.

I am trying to reach a goal of raising $500 to help Melissa reach her goal of raising $10,000 this year for Multiple Sclerosis.  Can you help us reach that goal?  Click here to donate – every bit counts, but for each donation of at least $5.00 you will be entered to win a box of gluten-free goodies from Gluten-Free is Life!

The package will include:

• Lucy’s Holiday Sugars Cookies
• Jo-Sef Chocolate O’s
• Cocomama Quinoa Cereal pouches (2)
• Enjoy Life Not Nuts Seed and Fruit Mix – Mountain Mambo
• Lucy’s Brownie Cakes
• Annie’s Homegrown Cocoa & Vanilla Bunny Cookies
• Crunchmaster 7 Ancient Grains Hint of Sea Salt Crackers
• Orgran Outback Animals Chocolate Cookies
• LaraBars (7 various flavors)
• Van’s Whole Grain Cereal Bars (3 – one of each variety)
• Schar Cheese Bites
• Turbana Plantain Chips
• Crispy Natural Chips

This package has a retail value over $50!!  I may even toss in some more goodies if I reach my goal of $500!  So, head over to donate and don’t forget to leave a comment telling me that you did!

In order to be entered in the giveaway, please post a comment below letting me know that you donated at least $5.00.  You don’t have to share the amount publicly here or on the donation page, but I need to be able to verify the donation and cross-reference via the comment you leave in order for your entry to count.

*Some of the items in the prize package were sent to me free of charge for sampling purposes and there was more than we could eat.

Cold winter mornings are the perfect time to wake up slowly, drink a cup of piping hot coffee and enjoy a warm bowl of cereal.  I like gluten-free oats, but was intrigued when I heard about Cocomama Quinoa Cereal.  Sure I have made my own version of quinoa cereal in the past, but I loved the convenience of the Cocomama cereals. 

More about Cocomama:

In 2008, Sara Gragnolati discovered she had food allergies. So she decided to take charge when her taste buds were appalled by the gluten-free offerings on the market. She discovered ingredients like quinoa and amaranth and wondered why very few packaged foods took advantage of these versatile and nutrition-packed foods. Thousands of years ago, these energy-inducing super proteins were considered sacred. (True story.)  Thus, Cocomama was created.

There are four varieties of Heat & Eat Quinoa Cereals:

Honey Almond – water, coconut cream, organic quinoa, honey, cranberries, orange juice, natural flavors, sea salt

Orange Cranberry – water, coconut cream, organic quinoa, honey, kaniwa, natural flavors, sea salt

Wild Blueberry – water, wild blueberries, coconut cream, organic quinoa, pure maple syrup, natural flavors, wild blueberry powder, lemon juice, sea salt, cinnamon

Banana Cinnamon – water, banana puree, coconut cream, organic quinoa, pure maple syrup, natural flavors, cinnamon, sea salt

More about the quinoa cereals:

Enjoy a wholesome meal wherever life takes you. Cocomama’s innovative packaging makes it easy to eat healthy on the go. There’s no preparation required—all of our Quinoa Cereals are fully cooked in a nutritious, light coconut milk and sweetened with all natural sweeteners and real fruit. We’ve done all the work, all you have to do it simply tear open the pouch, stir (heat, if you want it warm) and enjoy as snack or a meal.

Each pouch of cereal contains between 210 and 240 calories, 4-5 grams of protein, 2-3 grams of fiber and 8-10 grams of fat.  It doesn’t get much easier to eat a healthy breakfast than this, folks.  If you have the luxury of being at home to make breakfast, you can probably do so a little cheaper, but if you don’t have that luxury, and are always on-the-go, these are perfect!  I tried the cereals both ways – cold and warm –and while I prefer them warm, that is just my preference.  I was unsure about these pouches of cereal keeping me full until snack or lunch time. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I lasted 3+ hours! Not only are these filling and satisfying, but they taste great, too!  I love the simple list of ingredients, although I am not going to lie, I did have to Google “kaniwa”.  Turns out is a close relative of quinoa, but doesn’t have the saponins, which is the outer coating that gives quinoa that soapy/bitter flavor if not rinsed well.  Huh…I always say you learn something new every day!  

Cocomama Quinoa Cereal can be purchased directly from the Cocomama website or Amazon.com. 

*These products were sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The thoughts and opinions shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

When I began heart rate training a couple of years back I started taking my resting heart rate in the mornings before getting out of bed.  Doing so helps me get a quick glimpse of how my body is adjusting to training.  An elevated resting heart rate can mean many things – some of those things can be benign, while others may demand some action on my part such as an easier workout than I had planned or an extra day of rest.  If my resting heart rate remains elevated for more than a day or two it is time to take a step back and take a look at what my body is trying to tell me.  Am I getting sick?  Am I overtraining (demanding too much from my body), which can lead to an increased risk of injury or illness?

I have tried to find an easy solution to getting an accurate read on my resting heart rate other than my finding my own pulse and counting.  Sleeping with my Garmin’s heart rate strap on is a pain in the butt.  Using an app on my iPhone has been okay, but some question the accuracy of this method.  When I heard about the Sportline Solo 965 Womens HRM I was intrigued.  The HRM/watch is worn 24 hours a day and not only measures resting heart rate, but several other things as well:

Features:

•Fit Trac™ (resting heart rate tracker)

•Move Trac™ (movement recording)

•Tap Display- tap screen to access Fit Trac

•Steps

•Distance + AUTO-STRIDE CALIBRATION

•Speed

•Calories-burned

•Stopwatch (50 lap)

•Count-down timer

•Heart Rate with % of Max

•Fat-Burn Zone indicator (dot matrix display)

I wore the watch for a little over a week to get a good idea of the accuracy of the features.  When I ran, on the treadmill or outside, I also wore my Garmin so that I could compare distance accuracy.  Here are my thoughts:

Pros

• Accurate distance (steps/miles)/movement tracking.
• Great way to check in to ensure you are hitting movement targets and total calorie burn
• Timer and Stopwatch are great for interval workouts.

Cons

• Backlight only stays lit for 5 seconds making taking your resting HR first thing in the morning hard if it is still dark out.  Moving around and/or getting up to turn the light on defeats the purpose.
• Fit Trac was not supposed to activate if the screen was locked, yet it continued to activate and therefore took over the screen or watch until it found the HR or timed out.
• I was not able to get an accurate read for Fit Trac, which monitors your fitness level by tracking resting heart rate.

The above photos were taken over a period of 1.5 days or so.  Ideally you would reset the watch every morning before getting up to accurately track your day. I think this product can be a very useful tool for someone who is trying to lose weight and improve their fitness and would be something I would recommend to my friends and clients.

The Solo 965 can be purchased for $99.99 directly from the Sportline website or on Amazon.com ($70.oo right now!).

*The product reviewed in this post was sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The thoughts and opinions shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

Drooling?  Find out where to find this gem in time for Valentine’s Day!

One of the first gluten-free products I tried was Trader Joe’s French Roll.  It was horrible.  I mean hockey puck heavy and dense and I had no idea how I was going to survive if this was how I was going to have to eat.  I threw the rest of the package away after one bite.  Then I found out that gluten-free bread, buns and rolls had to be toasted to taste decent.  For those that are new or newer to the gluten-free diet, this may be foreign to you, as there are many options now that taste good right out of the package.  I started the gluten-free diet in 2006 and things sure have come a long way since. 

Once I found out how to prepare the French Roll, it quickly became a staple in my diet.  I found ways to dress it up to make it even better.  I was going to make lemonade from my lemons, as there was no sense in moping around.  One of my favorite ways to eat my favorite roll was as part of a Tuna Melt.  Even when better breads and rolls came onto the market, the Trader Joe’s French Roll remained my tried and true Tuna Melt base. 

I ate my last Trader Joe’s French Roll Sunday without even knowing it was my last one.  I made a quick tuna salad out of tuna, avocado, sea salt, spicy brown mustard and cracked black pepper to spread on top of my toasted roll.  If I would have known it was the last I would have ever had I may have kept it in my freezer a little longer.  I went to Trader Joe’s on Monday to pick up a few things and began to panic when I didn’t see a spot on the shelves for the rolls.  I asked an employee and my worst fears were confirmed, the rolls have been discontinued.  RIP beloved French Roll, we had a good run.

While I am bummed out that one of my favorite gluten-free products is no longer available, I am also thrilled.  Why?  Because I am bummed about a gluten-free product not being available.  Do you get that?  I have moved past being bummed about gluten-filled products and no longer being able to eat them.  I call that finding the positive in this situation.

Valentine’s Day is notorious for including treats that may be rich and decadent.  Those treats don’t have to be loaded with fat and sugar to taste good, though.  Guiding Stars’ expert chef, Erin Dow, has created the following Valentine’s Day recipes that are both delicious, nutritious and gluten-free. 

Black Bean Brownies

Erythritol is a sugar alcohol that is 60–70% as sweet as table sugar yet it is almost non-caloric, does not affect blood sugar, does not cause tooth decay, and is partially absorbed by the body.  It is less likely to cause gastric side effects than other sugar alcohols due to its unique digestion pathway.

Number of Servings: 9 (1 Brownie) (80 G )

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

· 3/4 cup Granulated Erythritol

· 3/4 cup Regular Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

· 1/4 cup Quinoa Flour

· 1+1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

· 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

· 1/2 teaspoon Instant Coffee

· 1/4 teaspoon Salt

· 3 tablespoon Ground Flaxseed

· 1/3 cup Almond Milk (unsweetened)

· 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon applesauce, unsweetened

· One 15 1/2 ounce can no salt-added Black Beans, drained and rinsed well

· 1 tablespoon Canola Oil

· 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions

· Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9-inch brownie pan with parchment paper.

· In a small bowl, stir the flaxseed and almond milk together, set aside to thicken.

· In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.

· In a blender, puree applesauce, black beans, oil, vanilla and thickened flaxseed mixture.  Puree until all of the beans have been liquified. Pour into a large bowl.

· Add the dry mixture to the wet in thirds, whisking thoroughly each time. The batter should be thick.

· Spread the batter in the prepared pan.  Bake for 45 minutes.  To test if the center is cooked, tap the surface. If it’s firm and springs back, it’s ready.  Let cool for about 30-40 minutes in the pan, then flip onto a drying rack top-side/ugly-side down.  Peel off the parchment paper and let cool completely before slicing.

*Kim’s note – I am not big on sugar substitutes and plan on using 1/3 to 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup in place of the granulated erythritol when I make these. 

Carrot Bars

This Indian-inspired dessert is simple and sweet. Perfect for wowing the guests at your next celebration, this spicy-sweet confection is as lovely as it is flavorful. Look for green cardamom pods at your local Indian grocer.

Number of Servings: 6 (696 G )

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 4 pounds carrots, peeled and grated
• 8 cups skim milk
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 6 tablespoons date puree

Directions

· Toast almonds over dry heat until fragrant.

· Combine grated carrots, milk, and cardamom pods in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring, until all milk has evaporated, about 40 minutes.

· When liquid has evaporated, add oil and applesauce. Fry, stirring constantly, until dark orange, about 30 minutes. Add sugar and almonds. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

· Serve at room temperature.

Almond Truffles

Looking for a sweet, healthful nibble? This combination of dates, almond butter and cocoa powder will get you going again, and with a bit of protein, it will stave off hunger in between meals.

Number of Servings: 18 (36 G )

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients

· 20 Medjool dates, seeded and halved

· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 1/3 cup almond butter

· 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

· 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon natural cocoa powder

· 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

· 1 teaspoon cinnamon

· 1/3 cup toasted almonds, well chopped

Directions

· Put the dates and vanilla in a food processor and run until a chunky paste forms. Add the almond butter and pulse a few more times. Add the coconut, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon and pulse a few more times.

· Roll a heaping tablespoon of the mixture between your palms to form a ball. Repeat with remaining mixture. Put your chopped almonds on a plate and roll each truffle in the almonds. Chill until firm.

What is your favorite way to indulge on Valentine’s Day?  Would you be willing to try a healthy treat in place of it as long as it tasted good?

February always seems like such a long month even though it is the shortest month.  I don’t know if that is because I am just plain tired of the weather or what, but I am ready for spring.  We have been getting glimpses of spring here and there in between our wicked cold temps.  Today is one of those days – 49 is the predicted high, which will feel warm compared to single digits last week.  Even the puppy is ready for warmer temps with her new haircut.

The plan:

Sunday – Tacos, black beans, corn and salad <—Living on the wild side moving tacos to Sunday.

Monday – Rotisserie chicken, coconut baked brown rice, broccoli and salad

Tuesday – Brown rice pasta with marinara and salad

Wednesday – Breakfast for dinner – waffles (with a new mix to review) and fruit salad

Thursday – Bison burgers, sweet potato puffs, carrot sticks and salad

Friday – Gluten-free Sonoma Flatbread pizza and salad

Saturday – Take-out

Week in Review:

Only 2 days left to enter to win a copy of “Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Quick & Easy”

Skittles debuts new variety – come on over to the Darkside!

Katz brings back an old favorite – Hamantaschen

Sex and the Celiac: Dating Tips for the Gluten-Free

Review: 1-2-3 Gluten-Free Poundcake

Review: Van’s Whole Grain Gluten-Free Crackers

Have a great week!

Eating gluten-free can be expensive.  Notice I said “can be”, but it doesn’t have to be.  Nicole Hunn, author of Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, tackles gluten-free cooking and baking without breaking the bank in her first book, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring.  The latest installment, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Quick & Easy, shows us how to do the same, but quickly and easily.  We are all busy, but that is no excuse to spend a fortune on gluten-free pre-packaged food and baked goods or get take-out on a regular basis.  Check out how many recipes I marked to make in this book!

More about the new cookbook:

The new book shows you how eating gluten-free can be enjoyable, affordable—and fast. Each of these 100 original recipes can be on the table in 40 minutes flat—all on a shoestring budget.

 

Recipes include:

• Glazed Chocolate Doughnuts, Yeast-Free

• Twinkie-Style Cupcakes

• Egg Fried Rice

• Boule Bread

• Pancetta Meatball Soup and more!

 

Praise for Gluten-Free on a Shoestring:

“Hunn successfully tackles a chief complaint voiced by special-diet newbies: sticker shock. Her practical tips for shopping and cooking to save time and money are a gift to all of us who are paying too much for too little.”—Living Without

 

For more information about the book and its author, visit GlutenFreeOnaShoestring.com and join the conversation at Twitter.com/GFShoestring and Facebook.com/GFShoestring.

This book is full of wonderful ideas from yeast-free, gluten-free bread (WHAT?! – Yes, really!) and English muffins to yeast-free pizza dough to a dairy-free, egg-free “Crazy Cake” that can be put together in 10 minutes and baked for 25.  Hunn includes a list of Convenience Pantry Items to Buy, A Note About Gluten-Free Flours and Make-It-Snappy Kitchen Tools and Equipment in the front of the book to help ensure you are ready to go.

I truly enjoyed reading and cooking/baking from this book.  My favorite, though, has to be the No-Bake Cheesecake.  The recipe suggests using Schar Shortbread Cookies or Vanilla Wafer Bars, but I didn’t have either on hand. I ended up using Lucy’s Chocolate Merry Mint Cookies.  I know, right?  AH.MAZ.ING! I did omit the lemon juice since I was using mint cookies and added mini-chocolate chips on top.  I may have hidden some of this away from Jon the food monster that lives in my house.

How would you like to win a copy of Gluten-Free on a Shoestring Quick & Easy?  All you have to do is follow the directions in the Rafflecopter box below.  Giveaway is open to US residents only. Continue reading →