Yesterday I was out running a bunch of errands with the kids. One of the most important stops was picking up the book “Total Immersion” by Terry Laughlin. I have been told by several people that this is the book to read for swimming tips. I have been making progress, but things still aren’t seamless by any means. I am hoping that reading this book will be like waving a magic wand above my body.

Next stop up – Raisin Rack. I had some coupons that I was sent for some newer gluten-free foods I was asked to sample. As I was walking into the store with the stroller (for the kids I watch), a woman called out my name. I looked over and didn’t recognize her until she spoke up and said that she recognized me and reads my blog! How cool is that!?! It was so great to meet Michelle. She and I have been emailing back and forth about different gluten-free foods for a while now. She was at Raisin Rack buying some birthday treats for her son – tell him we said “Happy Birthday!” Now I just need the papparazzi following me around & I will be just like a celebrity! Just kidding! Seriously, I am SO not cut out for something like that. I would crawl under a rock! LOL!

Last week I finally picked up some Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds at Whole Paycheck Foods. I am in love with this stuff! Have you tried it? You can read my review here. I have been using it for everything from wraps, to nachos, to rice bowls. I can’t wait to try the Mozzarella Style Shreds next.

I have a couple of new recipes that I am trying out this week that I can’t wait to review & share with you all. In the meantime, make sure to check out my giveaways this week.

Today I am doing a guest post over at Celiacs in the House. Wendy has partnered with Erin of Gluten-Free Fitness, Amy of Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free and Jean of GF Doctor to bring you this awesome series. My contribution has to do with overcoming adversity. If you have been a reader for a while, you know that I have had some setbacks recently, but things are starting to look up.

In May I completed my first marathon and the 2 companies that I am partnering with to offer this giveaway today really played a part in helping me through my training. The 2 companies are Jay Robb and Zensah.

Jay Robb protein powders were my first fuel source after my long runs. While I eat after every run, runs longer than 9 miles usually require immediate fuel to help begin the recovery process. Shorter runs & workouts allow me to come home and shower first, but not my long runs. In addition to finding something with the proper amounts of protein, I needed to make sure the product was gluten-free and agreed with my stomach. Even though I have been gluten-free for 4+ years, my stomach is still very sensitive to certain ingredients for unknown reasons. For this reason, I usually stick with whole foods, except in situations like this. There is no way I could take in the amount of nutrients that one of Jay Robb’s shakes has, in whole foods, immediately after a run. I have no appetite and getting the shake in is hard enough. Check out these nutrients:

Serving Size: 30g (1 scoop)
Calories: 110
Total Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 150 mg
Potassium: 390mg
Total Carbohydrates: 1g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 25 g

Amino Acid Profile Per Serving (Jay Robb’s Whey Protein)
Isoleucine (Branched Chain Amino Acid) 1678 mg
Leucine (Branched Chain Amino Acid) 2518 mg
Valine (Branched Chain Amino Acid) 1458 mg
Alanine 1214 mg
Arginine 464 mg
Aspartamine 2634 mg
Cysteine 596 mg
Glutamine 4306 mg
Glycine 398 mg
Histidine 443 mg
Lysine 2297 mg
Methionine 530 mg
Phenylalanine 706 mg
Proline 1612 mg
Serine 1259 mg
Threonine 1789 mg
Tryptophan 443 mg
Tyrosine 685 mg

Some additional nutritional information:

Jay Robb’s Whey Protein is made from the finest natural ingredients available and delivers 25 grams of first class protein, 0-fat, 0-cholesterol, 0-sugars, and only 1 gram of carbohydrate per 30 gram serving. Only cold-processed cross-flow microfiltered whey protein isolate is used as the protein source and this material comes from farm-raised, pasture-grazed, grass-fed cows not treated with the synthetic bovine growth hormone rBGH.

 

Whey protein isolate, which is used exclusively in Jay Robb’s Whey Protein, is created by microfiltering liquid whey through a special ceramic membrane to create the highest grade of whey protein possible. This unique process also yields a whey protein isolate that is much higher in protein than a whey protein concentrate and is also rich in immunoglobulins, alpha-lactalbumin, and beta-lactoalbumin and other immune boosting factors.

Unique natural flavors and the herb stevia are used to create a flavoring system that is palate pleasing and has made Jay Robb’s Whey Protein famous across the nation. Their tagline “The Best-Tasting Protein on the Planet” says it all.

Jay Robb’s Whey Protein powder is the ultimate! We have left this product simple and natural, so that you can buy one of the highest quality and BEST-TASTING whey protein powders available anywhere in the world! If you don’t think our Whey Protein to be the absolute best-tasting (natural) whey product ever developed, then we will refund you the price of the product! You’ve got nothing to lose! Mixes in water with a few turns of a spoon, or a quick shake in a shaker bottle. BEWARE of most protein powders on the market! Many of these formulas contain cheaper proteins, as well as tons of SUGAR, and refined carbohydrates in the form of: FRUCTOSE, GLUCOSE, GLUCOSE POLYMERS, MALTODEXTRIN as well as fake sugars chemically developed such as ASPARTAME, SUCRALOSE, ACESULFAME-K, and POLYDEXTROSE just to name a few.

I usually mixed my Jay Robb protein powder with almond milk or Vita-Coco coconut water. Some people complain of protein powders tasting chalky, but these aren’t chalky at all. Â I have tried all 3 – whey, brown rice and egg white. I found that my stomach did not agree with the egg white proteins, but was fine with the whey & brown rice. I am lactose intolerant, but just pop a Lactaid when I use the whey protein. After my protein shakes, I would have time to come home, shower and stretch before sitting down to a real meal/breakfast. Train for a marathon and see how eating becomes like a full-time job.

Next up – Zensah compression leg running sleeves. These sleeves truly are the best thing since sliced gluten-free bread (Udi’s, of course). I don’t know how I could have made it through my training and marathon without them. When I trained & ran my half marathon last fall, I had some calf cramping towards the end of my training and during the race. I always made a habit to stretch, but it wasn’t good enough. I had read about the Zensah sleeves on another running blog, so I decided that they could only help. I purchased a pair and wore them for every run from then on.

Mine are pink, as you can see, but they offer many different colors. It didn’t matter how short the run was, I had the puppies on. I also wore them while traveling in the car for 8+ hours to Atlanta to see my sister. A little more from Zensah:

Athletes can wear Zensah Recovery Products before, during and after exercise, while relaxing, sleeping or traveling. The compression support will soothe the legs while resting, helping the muscles recover faster and eliminating the unwanted pain.

 

For example, the Zensah Calf/Shin Leg Sleeves provides Dual Action Support to both the calf and shin, the two hotspots for pain in the lower leg. The Chevron Ribbing on the sleeve is the exact same taping schematic that athletic trainers use to help prevent shin splints, making the Calf/Shin Sleeve ideal for post-exercise recovery to prevent the onset of painful injuries such as shin splints. The big idea is the uniqueness of our seamless approach makes Zensah products one level above all other compression products in the market.

Compression helps stabilize muscle tissue after a workout, practice or game, keeping the swelling of muscle fibers at a micro and manageable level, allowing the muscles to rebuild themselves. The beauty of compression support is that it lets the athlete wake up the next day feeling fresh instead of feeling aches and pains. This is how athletes get better, faster and stronger.

Now, for the best testament to these sleeves – I wore these for 26.2 miles and put them back on after my race for the rest of the day. When I woke up the day after my marathon, I could barely walk. My feet were killing me, as were my hamstrings & quads, but my calves were fine. I went for a massage of my lower body that same day and the massage therapist said that he had never seen calves in as good of shape as mine were the day after a marathon! Once I told him that I wore the Zensah sleeves, he said it was the smartest thing I could have done. Now, if I could have had the same luck with my foot, I would have been golden. 😉

Jay Robb has put together a wonderful sample package that includes multiple protein powders (8), several protein bars (3-4), a shaker cup, sparkly t-shirt and bag. Zensah is giving away one pair of leg compression sleeves. The winner will be able to choose their size and color of sleeves.

To enter to win this awesome prize package, follow the instructions below. The lucky winner will be chosen first thing Saturday morning. Contest ends Friday (7/23/2010) at midnight (EST).

1. Visit the Zensah & Jay Robb websites. Leave a comment telling me which Zensah product interests you most & which Jay Robb product you would most like to try.

2. Follow Jay Robb, Zensah & me on Twitter (if you Twitter). Leave a comment.

3. Follow Gluten-free is Life on Facebook. Leave a comment.

4. Tweet or blog about this giveaway & leave a comment telling me you did.

Good luck!!! Remember, I will choose the lucky winner on Saturday AM!

Now, for one more extra special treat….Jay Robb is offering my readers a 15% discount on all of their products through August 31, 2010 with the following coupon code:

The dog days of summer. What does that mean anyway? WikiAnswers says it means “You are panting in the summer like a dog.” LOL! This answer from Yahoo! Answers seemed a little more believable “It comes from the sky (astrology) and the ancient Egyptians. But back in the day the Egyptians would celebrate “dog days,” because the rising of the Sun, combined with the Dog Star, announced a very good thing. It was during this time each and every year that the River Nile would flood, reviving all of the surrounding parched land.” What do you think?

The menu this week will include lots of fresh fruits and veggies, as per typical during the summer. I can’t get enough fruit. The kids are getting tired of it, but eat it to get dessert. 😉

Sunday – Rotisserie chicken, steamed green beans & carrots, Bhutanese red rice and salad.

Monday -Mexican pizzas (veggie for me), black beans & corn and salad

Tuesday – Pasta or gnocchi with creamy pumpkin sage sauce, zucchini & salad

Wednesday -BBQ baby back ribs, baked potato, broccoli & salad

Thursday –Indian vegetarian curried fried rice and salad (the fam may revolt when I serve this)

Friday -Homemade pizza, salad & fruit

Saturday -Leftovers

Baked Goods

Craving cookies, so I am sure I will make something

Bread

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Week in Review

If you missed the waffle winners, check here to see if you won!

P.F. Chang’s is offering a coupon for free lettuce wraps!

Larabar introduces new flavors – review.

Molly Woo’s caters to the gluten-free diner.

Review of Snyder’s gluten-free pretzels.

Gluten-free emergency kits.

GIG partners with The Green Polkadot Box.

Canyon Bakehouse hamburger buns are a hit!

Update on Nature’s Own gluten-free bread.

Simple summer recipes.

Shirley of Gluten-Free Easily got my attention with this Chocolate Zucchini Bread!

Check out all of these fancy, fun things that Nancy is doing with Kale Chips at The Sensitive Pantry! I love Kale Chips!

Erin wrote a great article about how to handle being an injured, gluten-free athlete. Excellent read. Unfortunately she and I have both been down that road recently. I believe she is nearly recovered now and I am not far behind. And, while you are at Erin’s place, don’t forget to check out her new ebook, Living a Healthy Gluten-Free Life.

I have a really big giveaway going up Tuesday AM, so make sure to check back. I am so pleased to be able to partner with the 2 companies that have agreed to participate, I can barely contain myself!!

Can you say that 10 times fast? Waffle winners, Waffle winners, Waffle winners, Waffle winners….okay….on with the program!

Here are your random comments/people:

Meg
July 14th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
I love the van’s mini waffles because I can dip them!

Grace
July 14th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
I love Van’s waffles I think the traditional are my favorite.
I follow you on twitter and I’ve tweeted about this giveaway.
I also like you on facebook.

Cindy
July 14th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
I would like to try the organic blueberry waffles.

Racheal
July 14th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
I’m a “like” on Facebook.

Olga
July 14th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
I LOVE Van’s GF waffles. I’ve tried all the flavors and my favorite is the traditional flavor. I also like blueberry. I am following you on Twitter now and tweeted about the contest. I’ve also become a fan of Gluten Free is Life on Facebook.

Jill L
July 15th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
We love the blueberry!

Julie Garmon July 14th, 2010

Sarah – Celiac in the City

July 15th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
Love the blueberry ones. (and the regular ones too!)

Deanna
July 16th, 2010 at 10:35 am
I’ve never tried Van’s, so I can’t tell you my favorite. But, I’d love a chance to try them anyway!

Evan Thomas
July 15th, 2010 at 9:15 pm
I tweeted it http://twitter.com/EvanFMFF/status/18646240922

Winners, please email me with your address and I will get your coupon in the mail!

Thanks to all who entered!!! There is another BIG giveaway coming on Tuesday – make sure to check back!! This one will include 2 really cool prizes.

**Edited because I forgot to add the 10th winner!  LOL!  See what happens when I multitask?

One of my tried & true trusty gluten-free products has been Van’s Gluten-Free Waffles. I have been eating them for most of the 4.5 years that I have been gluten-free. I have done through stages of how I like to eat them, including traditional, with syrup, as bread for a sandwich and spread with almond butter and topped with fruit spread or warm, cinnamon apples in the fall.

So, I want you guys to experience the awesomeness (one of my friend Erin’s words ;)) of Van’s. I am going to be giving away 10 coupons for free Van’s waffles. Yes, you read that right 10 coupons! 10 lucky readers will each win a free box of waffles!! How do you win? Just read the instructions below. You can enter up to 3 times to increase your chances, but, you can only win one coupon/box, if that makes sense.

1. Leave a comment telling me which variety of Van’s is your favorite

2. Follow me on Twitter, or if you already follow me, Tweet about this contest. Leave a comment telling me you did.

3. Become a fan of Gluten-Free is Life on Facebook. Leave a comment telling me you did.

Contest will run until Friday night at midnight! GOOD LUCK!!!

***Coupons were supplied by Van’s International Foods in return for my writing an article for their blog that can be read here. My views and opinions of Van’s Waffles have not been influenced by any coupons and/or samples. I have been eating these waffles for long before I started my blog.

I have been BUSY this past weekend! Phew! My mom came to visit and we had a blast. She and I had a nice afternoon out that included pedicures, sushi and birthday shopping for Hannah! Later that same night we took the kids out to dinner. We had fully intended on going to BJ’s Brewhouse, but at 6 PM they had an 1.5 hour wait. No, thank you. We chatted about other options close by and settled on Molly Woo’s, which meant more sushi for me! 🙂 I was one happy girl! After our sushi appetizer, Jon and I both tried new menu items to us and were really pleased. I will post a review of them later this week on my Examiner site, so hold tight!

Sunday was spent at the pool. My mom was kind enough to evaluate my horrid swimming form to see if there was any tips she could give me. I swam a lap (50 meters) and she looks at me and says “Yeah, that isn’t very efficient!” LMAO! I couldn’t stop giggling about that statement! I am really glad I found it funny instead of sad and didn’t start crying. I have learned over the past 8 weeks that I have to have a sense of humor about my rehab if I want to make it through a stronger person. After putting some tips in place given to me by a very nice girl on Daily Mile, my mom watched me again and said that I was looking better and I just really need to slow down some & practice. So, practice it is!

Onto the meals! Sunday was a mish mosh of leftovers and such, so I will start with Monday this week.

Monday- Chickpeas, Madagascar pink rice, okra, carrots, jalapenos in a bowl and salad. (Kids still working on leftovers)

Tuesday -Grilled chicken, baked potatoes, asparagus & salad

Wednesday-Salmon, zucchini, quinoa & salad

Thursday -Mexican pizzas, refried beans & salad

Friday -Pizza, broccoli & salad

Saturday -Leftovers

Baked Goods

Chocolate Chip Cake (mix I have to review)

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Looking for Simple Summer Recipes? Lots of easy recipes here.

Canyon Bakehouse hits a homerun with their buns.

Menu change at BJ’s Brewhouse.

Summertime treats for kids.

Bob’s Red Mill launches a gluten-free resource page.

Caribou Coffee introduces signature iced teas.

Raisin Rack launches a gluten-free blog.

Katz gluten-free is offering a $2 off coupon.

Jon makes Belgian waffles with Better Batter.

Help me wish Shirley over at Gluten-Free Easily a Happy Birthday!!

Heidi caught my eye with these fruit parfaits & sundaes (dairy-free).

The winner of the Hamburger Helper – Asian Helper meals are…..

Here are your random numbers:

5 and 2
Timestamp: 2010-07-12 13:02:53 UTC

Holly Varner
July 8th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
I was already a friend on Gluten-Free is life FB page:) Sorry but I cant do twitter I stopped my account:(

and

Stacy Lane
July 8th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
I became a fan of Live Gluten Freely on Facebook.

I want to thank everyone who entered this giveaway. I have another giveaway that will go up later today that will have multiple winners!! Don’t forget to check back!!

Holly & Stacy – please email me for more information.

If you are a reader of my blog, you are well aware that I am not a big fan of processed foods. As I am learning more about food, due in part to my having to scour labels for gluten (and onions), I have found that my body feels better when I eat whole foods or foods that have been minimally processed. Because I eat this way, my family does for the most part, too. So because this product does not fit into our typical meal plan, I was conflicted about how to write this review. But my readers tell me that they value my opinion, so it’s important that I be honest about my impressions.

As I have mentioned before, I have been a part of the new Live Gluten Freely webpage since they relaunched in May 2010. One of the great benefits of writing for LGF is that I often get to try new products before I can find them locally. The newest product that I have been given an opportunity to try is Gluten-Free Hamburger Helper & Asian Helpers. I received all 3 varieties the other day – Cheesy Hashbrown, Beef Fried Rice and Chicken Fried Rice .

I made the Cheesy Hashbrown meal last night for dinner. I used lean ground turkey in place of the ground beef and butter in place of the margarine.

This meal was really easy to make and took me less than 30 minutes from start to finish. I started by browning the ground turkey, then I added the water and dried potatoes. After the potatoes were done & the mixture had browned & been flipped, I just topped with the cheese sauce, which is made with the included powder and milk (I used skim).

I dished out the food for the kids and added a couple of tortilla chips on the side. Jon asked for sour cream & taco sauce on his – whatever works, right?

The meal has a good flavor. Jon liked his, but Hannah did not like hers. That being said, my kids are not big fans of casserole items or foods that are mixed together. Case in point: Hannah wouldn’t eat rice the other day that had vegetables already mixed in it.

This meal is super easy to prepare, tastes good and will be available in grocery stores nationwide. It is important to note that the meal is high in sodium, as most processed foods are. The nice thing about these new meals is that they are great for those short on time, young adults just starting out, or a family member or friend who wants to make sure there is something gluten-free available to eat, and turns to General Mills as a trusted source to help them out. While this meal may not appeal to every gluten-free person out there, it will appeal to a lot of them. The use of convenience food is widespread these days.

General Mills and Betty Crocker have been leaders in labeling and producing gluten-free foods. Starting with the removal of barley malt from Rice and Corn Chex, next labeling the Yoplait Yogurts and then launching the Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Baking Mixes.

Now, for the fun part! I am giving away 2 Asian Helpers – 1 to each of 2 lucky readers. The Asian Helpers that are up for grabs are the Beef Fried Rice & Chicken Fried Rice. Unfortunately the winners won’t get to choose which one they get, though I will take preferences into consideration, if possible. There are 5 different chances per person to win. Each person can choose one or all 5 of the ways to enter below. The more entries, the better chance you have to win, however, only 1 prize per person. Here are the different ways to enter:

1. Visit Live Gluten Freely and become a fan on Facebook. Leave a comment telling me you did so.

2. Visit Gluten-Free is Life on Facebook and become a fan if you are not already one. Leave a comment.

3. Follow me on Twitter. Leave a comment telling me you did.

4. Leave a comment here & tell me whether you prefer the Beef or Chicken Fried Rice.

5. Tell the person sitting next to you about Celiac Disease & the gluten-free diet to help spread awareness. Share your favorite gluten-free foods with them. Leave a comment. 🙂

Giveaway will end on Sunday at midnight! Good luck!!

Happy 4th of July! How are you spending this holiday weekend? The weather here has been picture perfect – lower humidity, clear, blue skies and perfect summertime temps of about 80 -85 degrees. I kicked off the weekend with a 2000m swim at the pool yesterday morning, then I went to donate blood and then Hannah and I spent the day at the pool. I see another pool day in my future really soon. 🙂

On Saturday I wrote a post about my obsession with fruit. Have you tried yellow watermelon?

I remember tasting one last year, but didn’t want to buy a huge watermelon for just me to eat (the rest of the family doesn’t like watermelon). Today Meijer was selling them in quarters, so I got a quarter of a watermelon for $1.30. Can’t beat that!

On the menu this week…

Sunday – Veggie Mexican Pizzas (post with details to come later this week) and salad

Monday – Rotisserie Chicken, risotto, asparagus & salad

Tuesday -Filet Mignon, baked potatoes, steamed green beans & salad

Wednesday-Grilled Chicken Kabobs, roasted zucchini & salad

Thursday- Burgers (Sunshine for me), sweet potato fries, broccoli & salad

Friday-Pizza and salad

Saturday – my mom will be here, we will cook together or be lazy & go out! 😉

Baked Goods

Since it is so hot outside, there will be no baking, but I wanted to share a recipe I found in an email for Real Simple that I would love to try.

Fruity Ice Cream Cups

*Recipe courtesy of Real Simple

Serves 4
Total Time: 15m

• 1 cup of ice cream (Real Simple suggests vanilla, I suggest being creative)
• 1/2 cup fruit sorbet
• fresh fruit , such as raspberries or sliced strawberries (optional – was not in Real Simple’s recipe)

Directions
Dividing evenly, layer ½ cup ice cream, ½ cup fruit sorbet, fresh fruit and another ½ cup ice cream in 4 small paper cups.
Freeze until firm, at least 10 minutes and up to 4 days.

My flavor combination idea: Breyer’s Dark Chocolate Velvet Smooth & Dreamy Ice Cream with raspberry sorbet & fresh raspberries.

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Weekly Recap

Gillian’s Food Review

Betty Crocker wins an Edison Award

Melting Pot offers a new gluten-free menu

Review of Immaculate Baking Company cookies

A Visit with Friends

Exciting news from Joan’s GF Great Bakes

Raisin Rack launches a gluten-free blog

Recall on Pure Base garlic spread

Wendy’s updates their gluten-free menu

Whole Foods rolls out Farmer’s Pick program

There is a Jules Flour giveaway here – enter until July 9, 2010.

Thanks to Gluten Free Philly for letting us know about P.F. Chang’s offering free lettuce wraps with the purchase of an entree through July 31, 2010. Click here to get your coupon. Scroll down to enter your email address & get your coupon.

Erin talks about intuitive eating here and don’t forget about her brand new ebook, Living a Healthy Gluten-Free Life, that you can purchase here.

Have a great week!!

I have a slight problem….I eat a ton of fruit! Do you think it is possible to eat too much fruit? I looked it up on google and most of the information that I found said that if you are trying to lose weight, which I am not, then yes, you can eat too much fruit. Other than that, I think I am in the clear. I eat most of my fruit for breakfast in the form of a large fruit bowl/salad. One of the best things about fruit is that it is naturally gluten-free!

Doesn’t that look good? I mix up watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, plums or pluots, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes & cherries. I started doing this one day when I couldn’t decide what fruit to have for breakfast & they all sounded good. With so many of my favorite fruits being in season right now, I am taking full advantage while I can!

Another favorite of mine is ice cold watermelon on a hot day. You just can’t beat that sweet, cold, juicy bite of fruit when the humidity & temps are soaring.

Along with my fruit for breakfast I usually have some almond butter on rice cakes or toast.

What is your favorite summer fruit?