Cheats

Let’s just get this over with. I cheated. On Valentine’s Day. I kind of told you I would, but I still felt guilty doing it. We finally cracked open that champagne I won from Eat + Drink Denver and ordered a pizza. It was a nice night, in enjoying each others company since Aaron (being an accountant and all) has been working late more often than not these days. I managed to find a gluten-free pepperoni and veggie pizza for myself from Serioz Pizza and ordered the “Mountain Man” (yep, it has meatballs on it) on whole wheat crust for Aaron. The gluten-free crust only comes in 10-inch because, as I’m told, it’s a pre-made version from Udi’s but it was SO. GOOD. The crust was thin and crispy, just like I like it, and had no off-flavors or weird after-taste. Udi’s makes a pizza crust specifically for food service so I can’t promise what you find in the grocery store will be the same, but I do know I will probably stick to gluten-free Serioz even after my detox is over. Of course, I had to throw away whatever pizza I didn’t eat that night because I was only allowing one night of cheats. Aaron’s pizza, on the other hand, has been tempting me from the fridge ever since. I considered finding a gluten-free, vegan version but the thought of fake cheese literally freaks me out. But if you’re so inclined, I hear Hops & Pie does it best in Denver.

The real danger came when we broke out the Girl Scout cookies. Remember the three boxes I’ve been avoiding? Let’s just say two Caramel Delights and #idontknowhowmany Thin Mints later, I overdosed. So how did I feel the next day? Aside from the obvious side effects of too much champagne, not really all that bad. I didn’t get a stomachache from eating gluten (the cookies, not the pizza) so I think it’s safe to say I’m not intolerant. But I was feeling sluggish and was not hungry until mid-day. It was also hard to convince myself to exercise after work, but I forced 60 minutes on our at-home elliptical (thanks mom and dad!) because…

Now I’m back on the wagon for the second half of my detox! Today, I had the pleasure of enjoying the fabulous Denver sunshine with two great ladies, one I met through a friend of a friend, and another who went to my high school and just moved here. Since we’re all new to Denver, it was fun to talk about how this city differs from where we came. Our hair looks better. The sun is always shining. The people are friendlier and more willing to meet new people, which we presume is because so many are transplants like us. We’d rather spend our money on outdoor gear than fancy handbags. And the list goes on. We walked around Wash Park for awhile and grabbed lunch on the back patio of Vert. If you have not been to Vert yet, go now and don’t delay. I will let the restaurant explain its own philosophy:

“Vert Kitchen is about real cooking and healthy eating. Everything is proudly handmade in-house using 100% organic and locally-grown produce, and all-natural, sustainable meats and dairy.“

Vert is small, and only open 11am-4pm, so I recommend getting there at a decent time to snag a table. After reading rave reviews of the Curried Chicken Salad and BLT, I opted for the Chicken Salad on gluten-free bread with a side of spicy peanut slaw. I sort of despise gluten-free bread so I really just ate the inside of my sandwich, but this is no fault of Vert’s in my mind. I see many Saturdays in my future here! Speaking of lunch spots, I also dined at Parsley with a co-worker earlier this week, which I highly recommend if for nothing more than their made-to-order juices and smoothies.  Have I mentioned I love the Denver food scene?