I am sure that we all know someone who was fought breast cancer before.  Some of those people have won their battles & sadly some have not.  During the month of October, Panera Bread in Central Ohio is partnering with the Stefanie Spielman Fund to support breast cancer awareness month. 

Purchase a special Stefanie Spielman Coffee Mug for $10 and refills on free for the month of October.  I purchased my mug today.

I love coffee and will drink it anyway, so why not help support the fight against breast cancer in the process?  While the pink ribbon bagels are not gluten-free, they do have some gluten-free options. 

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Short side note – Giant Eagle is carrying Starburst Jelly Beans for under $3.00/bag.  They are now my go-to store.  Yes, I have a problem.  No, I don’t care to do anything about that.  Giant Eagle has made gluten-free shopping a little easier in their stores.  Instead of having a dedicated gluten-free section, they have gluten-free products labeled with a tag on the shelf.  I did see some that I know are gluten-free that weren’t labeled, but it is a start.  Gluten-free friendly & carries Starburst Jelly Beans?  Winning. 

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The lovely Shirley of Gluten-Free Easily has made a Chocolate Silk Pie that is not only gluten-free, but dairy-free & grain-free, too.  Check it out! 

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I have several reviews that I am in the middle of writing right now.  I can’t wait to share these with you guys! 

I know, I know, it is supposed to be wordless.  That is almost a joke with me.  How about we rename it to “Use as Few Words as Possible Wednesday”?  Here is my picture:

You know I can’t post that & not explain, or can I? Anyone care to try to explain for me? 

Race day is less than 2 weeks away.  It is more important now, than ever, to eat right, sleep right & stay away from sick people.  If you are sick & around me, please don’t be offended if I run the other way.  Eating right should be a no-brainer, but that isn’t always the case.  I know how to eat healthy, gluten-free, but knowing & doing aren’t always the same thing.

As a recovering anorexic I have to be careful with any changes that I make to my diet and/or exercise plan.  There have been times that I find myself rationalizing that something I am doing is okay, when in actuality, it isn’t.  I have a habit of weighing myself daily.  Some people think this is a bad idea, my therapist and I felt it was a good thing for me.  By weighing myself daily I was learning to trust myself & my eating patterns again.  That was all well & good up until the past few weeks. 

Half marathon training & strength training can cause weight gain.  This isn’t a bad thing – this means that I am getting stronger.  However, my brain sees it differently.  In order to thwart any action (conscious or subconscious) on my part, I have asked Aaron to hide our scale.  He giggled at first, and then I asked him to trust me.  When I weighed myself yesterday I was up 4-5 pounds total over the past few weeks.  I know that rationally there are all kinds of reasons for this, hence the reason I asked Aaron to hide our scale.  If I don’t know, I can’t obsess.  If I don’t know, I can’t act.  Restricting food intake or calories at this point in my training would be detrimental to my body.  Tapering is the point in training where your body repairs itself in preparation for race day and I need to let my body do what it needs to do.  I need to trust. 

I am focusing on whole, gluten-free foods.  Lean proteins, brown rice, quinoa, veggies & fruits.  For bread-y carbs – brown rice tortillas, Food for Life English Muffins or Udi’s gluten-free millet chia bread.  Oh, can’t forget the chocolate & jelly beans (I really need to hit up Jelly Beans Anonymous). 

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Thanks to all who entered the Rice Select giveaway!  To see if you won, head over here! 

Last spring I bought some CW-X compression capri pants.  At the time I was having some IT band & hip flexor issues and I figured they couldn’t hurt. 

The idea of behind compression pants for running is as follows:

Extensive studies show that wearing CW-X tights results in 26% less energy expenditure than running in regular tights and 36% less energy than running in shorts. CW-X’s patented Support Web brings the hips, knees and ankles into proper alignment, reducing impact and load to the legs. The Support Web™ also provides a suspension system for the hamstrings and quadriceps, reducing workload in both the pull and push phase of the running motion. With more efficient strides, your muscles don’t have to work as hard over time and your legs will feel fresher.

WOMEN’S 3/4 STABILYX TIGHT – BLACK/RASPBERRY(actual capri pants that I purchased)

The Stabilyx tights provide optimum targeted support to the core and knees. They’re ideal for activities with lateral motion such as skiing and snowboarding and for athletes seeking our best form of knee support. The patented CW-X Support Web™ bands together the muscles and ligaments of the lower leg to stabilize the knee and reduce vibration for increased efficiency. The CW-X Support Web™ also harnesses the midsection, supporting the lower abdominals, hips and back to channel power through the core. Variable compression facilitates circulation during and after activity, minimizing lactic acid build-up so that you can be active longer and recover faster.

(source)

I am not sure I noticed if I wasn’t working as hard, but I did feel like I has some additional strength & support in the areas were injured, which was nice.  The downfall of these pants are that they are hard to get on.  Imagine putting on a pair of super-thick hose.  I have to admit that I felt a bit like a stuffed sausage and was not quite sure why there is a drawstring on these puppies, because I can assure you that they weren’t budging!  I did also purchase the ventilator pants, but have only worn them once.  I am partial to my Zensah compression socks & don’t want to change anything right now.  After my half in 2 weeks, I am looking to experiment with the pants and possibly the CW-X compression socks.  I am a bit scared, though, as these go over your feet and my feet are very picky about socks and shoes. 

Runners…..have you tried any of the CW-X products?  If so, which ones? 

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Don’t forget to enter the Rice Select giveaway! The contest is open until TONIGHT ,October 3,2011 at midnight EST.

Kim

Today is the second day of the 10th month of 2011.  I saw Christmas trees in Kohl’s and we haven’t even hit Halloween.  Time to hunker down & get with the program!  I have not forgotten to share my results of my office cleaning.  See, I can’t share if I am not done yet.  LOL!  No laughing!  I got slightly off track when Hannah had her appendectomy & subsequent recovery.  Then I had to catch up on my sleep.  Now, I think I am sufficiently caught up.   For now.  Good news is she is almost back to normal and should be cleared for all activity on the 10th.  Her arm therapy has been going well, too and she has regained most of her ROM there. 

We went from warm to cold overnight.  Literally.  Temperature Saturday morning was 42 when I headed out to run.  Weather man said it felt like 31.  Gee, thanks for that.  He also mentioned that there had been a rain-snow mix overnight.  WHAT?!  I am SO not ready for that! 

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Speaking of fall…I have been enjoying my favorite apples – Honeycrisp!  I forgot how much I love them!  I was able to try a new apple this week, too – SweeTango.  The SweeTango is a cross between the Honeycrisp and a Zestar! apples.  Read on….

The name SweeTango reflects the harmonious flavor combination you experience upon first bite.

Flavor – Juicy and sweet with hints of fall spices, SweeTango®’s flavor, balanced by vibrant acidity, dances to a long and satisfying finish on the palate. It also features the satisfying “crunch” of a Honeycrisp.

Origin – SweeTango is the brand name for apples produced by Minneiska trees, a cultivar developed at the University of Minnesota. Breeders spent more than a decade developing this distinct variety of apple. SweeTango is grown and marketed by Next Big Thing, A Growers’ Cooperative – a unique partnership of some of the most respected family-owned orchards in North America.

Appearance – SweeTango is a blush apple with deep red coloration over a yellow breaking background.

Availability – SweeTango is an early-season apple, harvested in late August and early September. The apples appeared in limited quantities in select markets in 2009 and 2010. Stores and markets across the nation will carry the apples in 2011. For the latest on availability, follow SweeTango on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

I really enjoyed the SweeTango apples, but my heart still lies with the Honeycrisp.  I did like that the SweeTango apples were smaller than most of the Honeycrisps that I find; most of them are the size of a softball or larger!

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

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Menu Plan

Sunday –Chipotle or Rotisserie chicken with salad

Monday – KC Masterpiece BBQ chicken breasts, coconut baked brown rice, steamed broccoli & salad

Tuesday – Easy Enchilada Bake, corn & salad

Wednesday – Baked Ziti, steamed green beans & salad

Thursday – Marinated spicy pork chops,  mashed sweet potatoes, roasted asparagus & salad

Friday – MYOP (Udi’s gluten-free crust) and salad

Saturday – Leftovers or breakfast for dinner

Baking

Pumpkin brownies

Cookies for Jon

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Don’t forget to enter the Rice Select giveaway!  The contest is open until Monday,October 3,2011 at midnight EST.

Kim

Welcome to October!  Are you ready for fall?  Leaves are changing & the holiday decorations are out at Kohl’s.  Good times!

Do you like peanut butter?  I do!  I eat some kind of nut butter daily and more than 50% of the time, it is peanut butter.  Not only does peanut butter give me a boost in protein, it tastes good, too!  One of my favorite ways to eat peanut butter for breakfast or for a snack is to spread it on rice cakes.  Sometimes I’ll top that with jelly, but my all-time favorite is pumpkin butter.

Quick Peanut Butter & Pumpkin Rice Cakes

• 2 rice cakes
• 1-2 TBSP Planter’s peanut butter
• 1-2 TBSP pumpkin butter
• 1-2 TBSP raisins

Assemble the rice cakes and toppings in the order listed.  Enjoy!

Can’t go wrong with this combination!

Some other peanut butter snack ideas:

• spread on apples
• cut a banana in half lengthwise, spread with PB and make a banana sandwich
• spread on celery & top with raisins (also called “Ants on a Log”)
• spread on gluten-free crackers

Planter’s peanut butter is new to the market.  I was excited to get the new peanut butter & try it.  I have to be honest, though, I was a little disappointed in the ingredients.

Roasted peanuts, sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oil (rapeseed, cottenseed, and soybean oils), salt

I am sad to see hydrogenated oils in peanut butter.  I understand that companies tend to use it to make the nut butter creamier, but why not use something else, like palm oil?  The peanut butter does taste good, but it is a little sweet for my taste.  I prefer my nut butters without added sugar or oils, though I can see where this product might appeal to kids.

Planter’s peanut butter can be found in grocery stores around the country and on Amazon.com.

This post is part of a Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with National Peanut Board.  The peanut butter reviewed & used in the recipe was sent to me free of charge.  My opinion has not been influenced by anyone or anything.

Hehehe…that title made me giggle.  Clearly I am easily amused today.  There are several things making me happy.

• It is Friday
• A special package from Kinnikinnick yesterday that I am hiding from Jon.  SHH!
• New gluten-free products are coming out soon.
• Gluten-free pasta was mentioned in Cooking Light.

What are you doing with your Friday?  I see an early bedtime for me – last long run tomorrow before the Columbus Half Marathon.  Exciting, right?  I do have a quick Friday Five for you, though. 

1. Favorite non-alcoholic beverage – coffee

2. Favorite candy – love dark chocolate, but I have a small obsession with jelly beans lately

3. Favorite cookie – thumbprint

4. Favorite pie – tie between apple & pumpkin

5. Favorite cake/frosting – carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Share your favorites below in the comments!

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Some of the new gluten-free products that I have caught mention of lately are gluten-free egg rolls (YEP!) from Feel Good Foods and Udi’s gluten-free  is debuted some new products (pizza, improved cinnamon rolls & muffin tops) at Expo East that will hopefully be out by the end of the year.  I will share more information when I have it, but thought you would like to know. 

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I was browsing through my Cooking Light magazine this morning while I was on the treadmill and found gluten-free pasta mentioned in their “Taste Test Awards”.  They rated Jovial pasta as the “grand prize winner” and Tinkyada as the “Taste Test Award”. 

I love seeing gluten-free things in mainstream magazines!  Kudos, Cooking Light! 

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Don’t forget to enter the Rice Select giveaway!   The contest is open until Monday, October 3, 2011 at midnight EST. 

Kim

Have you heard of Melt Buttery Spread?  I hadn’t until I received an email asking if I would be interested in sampling & reviewing the spread.  First, I headed off to the website to learn more about the product.

Rich & Creamy Melt® is a great tasting, organic butter alternative that supports healthy weight when replacing other fats in your daily diet. Melt is the perfect blend of the healthiest fats and gluten-free oils that we’ve carefully chosen for you. Melt is a rich source of Medium Chain Fatty Acids (the “good” fats) that your body burns as energy instead of storing as fat, thereby boosting metabolism.

Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Organic virgin coconut oil (VCO) is possibly the healthiest, most versatile, unprocessed dietary oil. VCO is a stable, healthy saturated fat that does not elevate undesirable (LDL) cholesterol: VCO has no trans fats or cholesterol. It is rich in plant-based, healthy saturated fats called Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs), which are not immediately stored as fat but are used for energy.VCO is also nature’s most abundant source of lauric acid, shown to reduce symptoms of digestive disorders; support overall immune functions; and help fight bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Extensive dietary research indicates components found in organic virgin coconut oil may boost metabolism, increase thyroid activity, promote weight loss, and provide optimal nutrient absorption. Plus, coconut oil has a similar melt point to butter making it ideal for baking and cooking.

Organic Flaxseed Oil
One of the best sources of Omega‐3s available. Over the past 60 years, clinical research has linked life‐threatening diseases such as obesity, some forms of cancer, heart disease, and Diabetes Type II with a chronic deficiency of dietary Omega‐3 essential fatty acids. Flaxseed oil has the highest concentration of Omega‐3 in the plant kingdom and eating it can reverse Omega‐3 deficiencies common in the American diet. Organic flaxseed oil is an essential component of Melt® and ensures that every serving delivers the perfect balance of Omega 6s and Omega 3s, a ratio of 2:1.

Organic Palm Fruit Oil
Produced from the fruit of the palm not the palm’s kernel, palm fruit oil contains very high amounts of carotenoids (13 to 15 times more than carrots and 40 to 50 times more than tomatoes)  the antioxidants that our bodies convert to Vitamin A. In addition to supporting the immune system, heart health and good vision, Vitamin A may also provide protection from free-radical damage that some studies have linked to cancer. Palm fruit oil is also a good source of Vitamin E due to its high levels of tocopherols and tocotrienols, which are effective in removing damaging oxygen-free radicals from our bodies. Plus, palm fruit oil is odorless and tasteless, making it ideal for healthy baking and cooking.

Organic Canola Oil
Canola oil, which is made from the crushed seeds of the canola plant, has the lowest saturated fat content of any oil commonly consumed in the U.S., at just 7%. Canola oil is a specifically bred (not genetically modified) variety of Rapeseed. It is an excellent source of the Omega-6 fatty acid, Linoleic acid, and Omega-3 fatty acid, Alpha-Linoleic Acid (ALA). These fats are particularly important because our bodies cannot produce them. Studies show that ALA may help protect the heart through its effect on blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation. Because of its light flavor and smooth texture, canola oil is one of the most versatile cooking oils.

Melt is gluten- and soy-free.  It is not vegan or dairy-free.  I couldn’t wait to try Melt on my next gluten-free bagel or slice of cinnamon raisin toast.  First I tried it on my bagel and loved it!  Then, the toast – loved that too!  The real test was other people – specifically, Hannah’s friends.  We used the Melt Buttery Spread to make garlic cheese bread at her sleepover this past weekend and were met with rave reviews!!!

I was hoping for leftovers and sadly there weren’t any.

Melt can be used in place of butter in cooking & baking.  Read below for some tips:

Tips for Cooking and Baking with Melt®
Try Melt® as a healthy alternative in all your cooking and baking! Because of its stability under heat (smoke point 350°F), Melt is slow to breakdown and oxidize making it ideal for baking and sautéing. Melt can be spread on hearty breads, melted over vegetables, or used just like olive oil or butter in your favorite recipes.

TOPPINGS

• Blend Melt with chives for a great potato topper.
• Sauté nuts in Melt for a perfect salad, casserole or sundae topping.
• Dollop Melt on hot steamy vegetables.

COOKING

• Sauté garlic and ginger in Melt, stir in a tablespoon of chili oil – then add to your favorite stir fry, curry or Thai recipe.
• Drizzle Melt over grilled chicken, fish, vegetables or fruit instead of olive oil.
• Toss pasta in Melt instead of butter or olive oil.

BAKING

• Great for pie crusts or pastries! Measure Melt, place in freezer for 15 minutes prior to use in baking – this firms to make it easier to cut into crusts, scones, pastries, etc.
• Substitute Melt for butter in your favorite graham cracker crust.
• Use Melt in any bar or cookie recipe. We love it for our Naughty Granola Bars!

DIPPING

• Microwave Melt 15 seconds for artichoke dipping.
• Heat Melt with fresh lemon as a dipping sauce for shrimp, crab, clams or lobster.

POPCORN

• Pop popcorn in melt instead of oil for a delicious buttery flavor without the guilt.
• Drizzle Melt over your favorite popcorn.
• Blend Melt with your favorite spices for a savory popcorn treat.

HOLIDAY

• Give your favorite dishes a delicious sweetness by topping them with Melt.
• Blend cinnamon, brown sugar and nutmeg to Melt for a tasty sweet potato topping.

Just like butter, it is important to heat Melt slowly and not allow it to reach extremely high temperatures.

Want to win a dinner party for you and 10 friends?  Check this out:

Enter to win a $500 VISA gift card towards your Mingle With Melt dinner party from Rich & Creamy Melt® Buttery Spread!

Enter to win a chic, foodie evening-in with friends from Rich & Creamy Melt®, the great tasting, organic butter alternative that’s good for you.

One winner will enjoy a $500 Mingle with Melt VISA gift card with which to buy food, decorations, cocktails, cooking supplies, and maybe, the perfect little black dress, for your dinner party!

To enter, click here.  The sweepstakes is only open until October 31, 2011.  **Note while this is being mentioned here on Gluten-free is Life, we are not accepting entries here on our blog or choosing the winner.  You must follow instructions here to enter.

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

Just recently I was chosen by the Foodbuzz Tastemaker’s program, along with Electrolux, to host a sleepover.

This past weekend Hannah hosted a gluten-free sleepover for her friends with a “Game Night” theme.  Each girl was asked to bring over their favorite board game to share.  If you’d like to host your own game night, you can use this REI promotional code to buy some new fun games! While Hannah has not been diagnosed with Celiac Disease and does not follow a strict gluten-free diet, she often does eat gluten-free because Jon and I do.  While I wasn’t out to “trick” anyone, I did ask Hannah not to inform her friends that the food was gluten-free upfront.  I know how 9 year old girls can be and didn’t wanted any preconceived ideas about how the food would taste.

The menu for the party was:

• Tinkyada gluten-free spaghetti with choice of alfredo or three cheese marinara
• Grilled chicken marinated in Italian dressing
• Garlic cheese bread
• Yellow cupcakes with triple chocolate frosting (to be frosted & decorated by the girls)
• Candy corn/sprinkles

Easy Italian Grilled Chicken

• 1-2 lbs chicken breast (may cut into chunks, strips or leave whole)
• 1 bottle of Kraft Tuscan House Italian
• Garlic powder
• Oregano
• Basil
• Sea salt & pepper

1.  Trim chicken and cut, if needed.  If you choose to leave whole, pound with a meat tenderizer.

2.  Season with garlic powder, oregano, basil, S & P.  Marinate in dressing overnight or for at least 2 hours before cooking.

3.  Grill chicken on outside grill or George Foreman grill until cooked through.  You could also saute the chicken in the marinade in a saute pan.

4.  Serve along side or on top of pasta.

Garlic Cheese Bread

• Gluten-free French bread (we used Schar Parbaked Baguettes)
• Melt buttery spread (or your choice of butter/margarine)
• Garlic powder
• Basil
• Oregano
• Mozzarella & parmesan cheese

1.  Cut bread in half and lay open.  Spread with butter or spread of choice.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Season with spices.

3.  Bake until bread is toasted & spread is melted.  Top with cheese & lightly broil until the cheese is bubbly & melted.

The meal served with three cheese marinara:

And, with the alfredo:

The cupcakes were simply made with Betty Crocker’s gluten-free yellow cake mix & Betty Crocker’s triple chocolate chip frosting.  The girls then decorated their cupcakes with 2 different types of candy corn (Zachary brand is gluten-free) and sprinkles.    What I loved about this activity was watching the girls and seeing how they differed.  Each one had their own unique style & method for decorating & then eating their cupcake.  Apparently the new thing is to make a sandwich out of your cupcake.  Who knew?

The girls loved dinner and had a blast playing games like Monopoly, Operation & Perfection!  They were all asleep by 1:00 AM and woke up to Aaron cooking bacon and eggs on Sunday morning (naturally gluten-free)!

The key to keeping kids occupied during a sleepover is to have plenty of activities & food.  It is better to over plan and not get to all of the activities than to under plan and have kids bored or looking for ways to entertain themselves.  The board games were a brilliant idea, as there were many options to choose from.  Additionally, be prepared for a child to want to call home or even have mom or dad come pick them up.  I know when I was this age, I refused to spend the night away from home.  These girls all did great, but I made sure to know how to contact mom & dad, just in case.

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Kelly’s Virtual Sleepover is Electrolux’s latest campaign to support Ovarian Cancer Research.  By visiting the site you can join the sleepover, and when you join, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF and you are then entered for a chance to win a new Perfect Steam^TM washer and dryer from Electrolux.  Who wouldn’t want to win that?  Apparently it washes clothes in 15 minutes and dries them in 14 minutes.  Talk about a way to simplify laundry!  Electrolux will donate $200 to the OCRF for each washer & dryer pair purchased.

This post is part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with Electrolux.

Before I get down to business, make sure to check here to see if you won the “Do the Swap” Yoplait giveaway!

A few weeks back I received a sample of Rice Select Jasmati rice.  We eat a lot of rice in our house, so I knew that I would have no problem incorporating rice into many of our meals.  Additionally, Jon’s newest fascination is making his version of Chipotle’s cilantro rice at home.  A little about Rice Select:

RiceSelect™ supports sustainable agriculture by developing high yielding rice varieties that require less pesticides, fungicides and water resources as well as organic foods by developing new organic products, securing markets and expanding consumer demand. RiceSelect’s production facilities operate pollution free and use only minimal processes to mill and package nutritious, high quality, all natural food products. RiceSelect’s PET jars are re-usable and recyclable and BPA free.

Jasmati is a US-grown jasmine rice.  The beauty of this Jasmati rice is that it only takes 20 minutes to cook!  It is a nice option in place of brown rice if you are in a hurry.  It doesn’t have the fiber that brown rice does, but each serving does have 150 calories & 3 grams of protein.  Toss in some edamame or black beans to boost up the fiber content.

When I cooked this rice for the first time, I subbed light coconut milk (Trader Joe’s) for the water for some extra flavor.  The rice turned out beautifully and everyone enjoyed it.  I don’t suspect that my 36 oz container will last long with Jon in the house.

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Rice Select is helping to raise money for breast cancer research this fall:

Texmati^® In The Pink This Fall

Earlier this summer RiceSelect^™ was named a national partner of Susan G. Komen for the Cure^® to help in the fight against breast cancer.

During the months of September, October and November 2011, you will see RiceSelect^™ Texmati^® White rice will be brightening store shelves with their pink lids and labels. We will also host several local promotional events featuring our trial size Texmati^® cartons featuring pink ribbons. During this three month period RiceSelect^™ is committed to donate a minimum of $50,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure^®.

Wellness is an important part of our culture at RiceSelect^™ and our products fit beautifully into a healthy lifestyle. We are proud of this partnership and are committed and passionate about supporting the cause to help abolish breast cancer.

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Rice Select has offered to give one lucky reader a tote bag & their own sample of Rice Select!  All you have to do is follow the directions below to enter.

***This product & the prize were offered as part of this review/giveaway by Mambo Sprouts/Rice Select.
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