I can’t think of a better way to end a long, hot day than with a refreshing gluten-free beer.  Not only did I have a long day that started at 4:30 when I got up for my race, but it was Cinco de Mayo, so beer and Mexican food were on the menu.  I simplified the Mexican part by picking up Chipotle.  Seems a number of other people had the same idea, as the line was close to being out the front door.

When I was at Whole Foods a few weeks back, I stumbled upon a new-to-me gluten-free beer called “Glutenator” from Epic Brewing Company.  I had met up Andrea of Food Embrace for lunch and she asked if I had tried it yet.  I made a point to make it the next on my list to sample. 

What a phenomenal name!!  I love it!  This beer is not brewed from sorghum, it is brewed from millet, brown rice, sweet potato, molasses and American hops. 

This beer has a golden color, aromas of hops and sweet potatoes with a sweet grain flavor and a clean, sorghum-free finish.

This is now my favorite gluten-free beer!!  It was the perfect compliment to my chicken burrito bowl from Chipotle.  It was light and crisp and not heavy in the least.  The beer comes in large bottles that are approximately 2 servings (11 oz) each.  Each serving has 130 calories, which is less than many of the other gluten-free beers or ciders on the market.

In addition to finding this at Whole Foods, I have also seen this at Earth Fare in Columbus. 

What is your favorite gluten-free beer?  Have you tried Glutenator?

****************************************************************************

Make sure to enter my Nueva Cucina giveaway!

Today I ran my 7th half marathon!  Knowing that I wasn’t going to race this race, I offered to pace a friend to reach her goal of finishing under 2:15.  I can’t tell you what a rewarding experience this was for me.  This is the second time that I have paced a friend in a race and I enjoy it as much, if not more than racing.  What can be more rewarding then helping someone reach their goal? 

Weather predictions weren’t pretty for today.  In fact, there was a heat warning issued on Thursday by the race’s medical director.  The goals shifted from setting out a specific minute per mile plan to running based on how we feel, pushing only if we felt able.  Hydrating started on Thursday with Nuun, my preferred hydration solution.  It is very easy on a sensitive tummy.  I drank more water than normal and 1 glass of Nuun per day those 2 days.  I knew it was working because I was tired of going to the bathroom! 

I picked my friend, Melissa, up at 5:15 AM this morning and we headed downtown to the MIT pre-race meet-up.  They took care of our gear, making that one less thing we had to worry about. 

Ready to go!

We got to our corrals about 20 minutes before the race started.  It was packed!!!  13,000 people ran this race today!!

Temperature was 64 and humidity was 93% at the start.  Fortunately the sun didn’t peek out from behind the clouds at all during the race.  There really wasn’t much of a breeze, but for a few times through the race and right at the finish as we were pushing up a hill.  Figures, right? 

Melissa ran a strong race!  We started with the 2:15 pacer and eventually ended up in front of them.  As we got through miles 6-7, we began to pick up the pace a little.  Our hydration belts were empty at this point and we saw the first of many runners down due to dehydration or heat exhaustion.  We made it a point to stop at each water stop from here on out.   There were a couple of stops where we actually had to wait for water to be poured. 

Once we hit mile 10, we picked up the pace a little more and were running about 9:30/mile.  We were closing in on the end of the race and were getting excited!  After we hit mile 12, Melissa informed me that this was the farthest she had ever run!!!   YAY!!!  She was doing great!!  I told her that I would just follow her lead – run as fast or as slow as felt good and I would be right there. 

She finished   strong and is now part of the half marathon club!! Congrats to you, Melissa!!!! I had a blast helping you reach your goal today – thank you for allowing me to be a part of your day!!! Official time: 2:10:53!!

I quickly refueled on half of a banana and a Perfectly Simple protein bar.  A real meal would come later, but first things first. 

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this race!  I can’t wait to run my next half in August!!! 

Celiac Awareness month is in full swing!  Gluten-free and Celiac chatter is filling up the Facebook and Twitter threads helping to educate more and more people.  Nueva Cucina has generously offered to give one lucky reader a sampling of their product line.  Before I get to the fun stuff make sure to check out this blog post about how “delicioso” awareness can be.  It includes this amazing Coconut Raisin Rice Parfait and lots of great information!

Coconut Raisin Rice Parfait

• 1 box of Nueva Cocina Coconut Raisin Rice
• 1 Cup of unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 Cup of cream of coconut
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tub of gluten-free pudding (you can also cook the instant kind)
• Whipped cream (you can use Cool Whip or make your own with heavy whipping cream)

Follow the directions on the Nueva Cocina box to cook the Coconut Raisin Rice.  Once cooked, add 1 cup of cream of coconut, 1 cup of the unsweetened coconut milk and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Cook on low heat until liquid is absorbed and rice has a thick and creamy consistency, approximately 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and refrigerate covered for at least an hour.  When ready to serve, spoon a layer of pudding into a wine glass, then add a layer of the rice mixture.  Continue to build your layers and top it off with whipped cream.  Garnish with toasted coconut and/or fruit of your choice.

Now for the fun stuff!!  Make sure to follow the directions below to enter to win one of each of the following.  *Please note the picture shows 2 of each product, the giveaway winner will receive 1 of each product.

Mexican Rice/Arroz a la Mexicana(1), Red Bean Rice/Gallo Pinto(1), Black Bean Rice/Moros y Cristianos(1), Coconut Rice/Arroz con Coco(1), Rice for Chicken/Arroz con Pollo(1), Rice for Seafood/Paella Rice(1), Cuban Black Bean Soup/Sopa de Frijoles Negros(1), Chipotle Black Bean Soup/Sopa de Frijoles de Negros con Chipotle(1), Corn Soup/Sopa de Maiz(1), Latin Lentil Soup/Sopa de Lentejas(1), White Bean Soup/Caldo Gallego(1), Picadillo/Latin Beef Seasoning(1), Taco Fresco Seasoning(1) and Chipotle Taco Seasoning(1).

Continue reading →

I think that the only way those 2 work well are together!  I apologize if you have received multiple updates with the same post – I am having some computer issues.  I think I have narrowed it down to uploading pictures or data that requires the wireless to cooperate for a period of time.  My computer was the only one in the house with this issue, so clearly it doesn’t like me or is conspiring against me.

This is what I felt like last night:

The beer picture I posted yesterday was Omission gluten-free beer.  You can read a full review of it here.  It was pretty fantastic, so I hope that they expand their distribution.

Maybe if I drink more of the beer my computer will work better?  I have a lot of fun stuff to share with you guys, so hang in there.  I hope to get a giveaway up tomorrow – I promise you won’t be disappointed!

So many fun things going on this month!  I will be launching a fun giveaway later this week or early next week – just finalizing some last minute details. 

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has a great celebration planned!  The theme this year is “Keep It Simple and Safe”.  They have rounded up 16 bloggers to share about every stage of the gluten-free journey!  Should be an awesome series to follow, so make sure to keep checking back each day for new posts! 

(source)

Jules of Jules Gluten Free Flour has a great “Deal of the Day” today:

Free CookiE-book

To impart my cookie-baking secrets, and in response to the many, many requests I get, I’ve created a new cookie e-book.

Featuring stunning color photography, this 18 page e-cookbook features 11 cookie recipes your friends and family will love, including:

• Chocolate Chip
• Graham Crackers
• Gingerbread
• Linzertorte
• Oatmeal Raisin
• Peanut Butter

• Peanut Butter and Jelly
• Pecan Snowball
• Filled Raisin
• Snickerdoodles
• Vanilla Wafers

Making your own cookies allows you to control the sugar content, fat content…and is cheaper and more satisfying than buying pre-packaged ones. And this e-book will show you how easy it is!

I am downloading this now, as I loved the Oatmeal Raisin recipe can’t wait to try the Graham Crackers for s’mores over our new fire pit!

• 1 in 133 people have Celiac Disease
• 97% of those people are undiagnosed
• Celiac Disease is not an allergy, but an autoimmune disease

Quick Facts about the gluten-free diet:

• It is not a fad diet
• It will not necessarily make or help you lose weight
• It will not necessarily make or help you gain weight
• It is free of wheat, rye, barley and oats (there are oats that are certified gluten-free that some people can tolerate)
• The easiest way to transition to a gluten-free diet is to start by eating naturally gluten-free foods – whole, unprocessed foods

What can you do to help spread awareness?  Take an extra minute to explain what Celiac Disease is the next time you are asked about it. 

Busy week ahead!  Celiac Disease Awareness Month kicks off tomorrow, so be sure to check back for an exciting gluten-free giveaway!  I think the weather here is finally stabilizing.  We had an abnormally warm winter, then it got chilly in April, which was quite the shock to the system after 80s in March.  Lots of studying on the agenda – hoping to take my NASM CPT certification test in the next two weeks!

Saturday is my next half marathon –  The Cap City Half Marathon.  I ran this race last year and can’t wait to do it again!  I will be pacing a friend, so there is no pressure for me at all – one of the best ways to run a race!!

(source)

I had lots of fails with my menu plan last week (out of taco seasoning, forgetting to defrost meat), so I hope to adhere to the plan a bit better this week. 

Monday – Bourbon chicken, brown rice, snow peas & salad

Tuesday – Roast chicken, garlic rosemary potatoes, steamed broccoli & salad

Wednesday – Mexican pizzas, black beans, corn and salad

Thursday – BBQ pulled pork tacos, sweet potato hash, roasted zucchini and salad

Friday – Dinner out

Saturday – Breakfast for dinner

Week in Review:

Earth Fare opens Columbus location

Review: Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza

Review: Against the Grain Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

BJ’s Brewhouse hits a home run with their pizookie!

Recipe: Spicy Thai Chicken Stir-Fry with Coconut Creamy Grits

Bravo & Brio now offering “gluten-friendly” menus

It’s National Grilled Cheese Month! 

NuGo bars adds chocolate pretzel bar to gluten-free line-up

How I got faster by slowing down.

April is National Grilled Cheese Month!  I remember eating grilled cheese sandwiches as a young child (maybe 4 or 5 years old) on a regular basis.  Nothing warms you up quicker than a hot sandwich on a chilly day.  My mom used to make our sandwiches with grilled onions on them.  There was nothing like biting into a gooey cheese sandwich with the slight crunch of the perfectly grilled onion on it.  Sadly I can’t eat onions these days, but I can still eat grilled cheese sandwiches.  I knew I would have fun with this challenge to come up with a fun grilled cheese sandwich using Udi’s gluten-free bread and Horizon Organic cheese.

I chose to design my grilled cheese with the Millet-Chia bread.  I love the texture of this bread and it has great nutritional stats, too!  Then I set out to combine some of my favorite ingredients – sundried tomatoes, cheddar cheese and goat cheese.

Grown Up Grilled Cheese

• 2 slices Udi’s Millet-Chia Bread
• Earth Balance Coconut Spread
• 1 slice Horizon Organic cheddar cheese
• 1/8 cup goat cheese
• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced

1.  Heat frying pan on the stove over medium heat.

2.  Spread bread with coconut spread or butter and place one slice in pan.

3.  Pile cheddar cheese, sundried tomatoes and goat cheese on top of bread and finally top with second slice of bread.

4.  Flip sandwich over to evenly brown on the other side.

5.  Slice & enjoy!

This sandwich is the perfect pairing for a hot bowl of tomato soup!  I need to keep in mind that just because I am all grown up doesn’t mean I still can’t relive parts of my childhood for a meal or two, even if it is sort of in a grown up way.

I would like to send out a “Thank you” to Udi’s gluten-free and Horizon Organic dairy for the complimentary samples to create my Grown Up Grilled Cheese experience! 

I have been a fan of NuGo Bars for a while now.  I love the NuGo Free dark chocolate crunch – it is a fabulous gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free emergency bar to keep on hand in my purse or gym bag.  In addition to the NuGo Free line, the NuGo Slim bars are also a nice treat with a little more protein per bar and no sugar alcohols to upset the stomach.

Just the other day NuGo released some exciting information about the NuGo Dark chocolate pretzel bar – it is now certified gluten-free!!

More about the chocolate pretzel bar:

Can’t decide if you want something salty or sweet? What’s better than a chocolate pretzel to satisfy those cravings? The crisp combination of delicious Real Dark Chocolate and crunchy pretzels sprinkled with sea salt will please your senses. Each NuGO Dark bar has 10g protein and contains all natural dairy free ingredients.

• REAL Dark Chocolate
• High Protein
• Low Fat
• Certified Gluten Free
• Vegan/Dairy Free
• Pareve
• Certified Kosher
• Antioxidant Rich
• Healthy for the Whole Family

INGREDIENTS:DARK CHOCOLATE (UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE, SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER), SOY CRISP (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, TAPIOCA, CALCIUM CARBONATE), TAPIOCA SYRUP, AGAVE SYRUP, ORGANIC BROWN RICE CRISP, SOY PROTEIN, BROWN RICE FLOUR, SOY LECITHIN, NATURAL FLAVORS, GUM ACACIA, SEA SALT.

Since the bar didn’t actually contain pretzels, there was nothing to change with the recipe for these bars.  Read below to find out how the bar was certified gluten-free:

We are excited to announce that Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt is certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certifiecation Organization. Now those who need gluten-free products and dairy-free, vegan, or Kosher pareve, can indulge in NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel on National Pretzel Day or any day of the year!

Since NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel doesn’t actually contain pretzels and we already test to below 10ppm (parts per million), it was easy to keep all the same ingredients and add the certified gluten-free label. 

You can try NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel certified gluten-free bars by purchasing at stores nationwide or ordering a box on our website.  Use code NO4GLUTEN  at nugonutrition.com to save 10% on NuGo Dark until May 4, 2012. 

Please note that while the NuGo Free bars are also free of soy, the NuGo Dark chocolate pretzel bar is not.

Have you tried the NuGo Dark chocolate pretzel bar?  I can’t wait to get my hands on one!!