My Town

Sylvania bakery and deli has gluten-free/dairy-free options

It's difficult to eat at restaurants if you have food allergies or if you're trying to eat healthy. But it's even more difficult if you have both of those strikes against you. Organic Bliss, a deli and bakery in Sylvania, might just be the remedy to having dietary restrictions.

On the morning I visited, the staff was friendly and the clerk explained to me the various options and how they have the ability to make baked goods for people with food allergens. They also have gluten-free baked goods and lunch options for those who have to watch for certain ingredients, already available.

(Above: Gluten-free white coconut macaroons. Photo from organicblissmarket.com.)

I ordered the Super C Fruit Blend smoothie, which is a mixture of orange, strawberry, raspberry, honey and ice, all blended up. Some of the smoothies had yogurt, but as I was trying to assess the options for dairy-free consumers, I opted with a mixture that didn't include it.

Before leaving with just the smoothie, the glass bakery case caught my attention and I knew I wasn't going to leave without trying something behind the counter. Opting to try a vegan strawberry cupcake, the clerk packaged the frosted mini-cake and I was gone.

I'm not ashamed to say I ate the cupcake in my car, within a matter of two minutes. (Umm...I didn't even get a chance to snap a good photo of it. That's how delicious it was.)

If you have food allergies, or even if you don't, check the place out — it's worth a visit.

Organic Bliss is located at 3723 King Road and can be reached via phone at 419-517-7799, or online at www.organicblissmarket.com. They are open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon-5 p.m.

 

CrossFit training invades Sylvania

(Photo courtesy: Abbey Mortemore of Black Swamp CrossFit.)

CrossFit training, which has recently grown in popularity around the United States, is now offered in Sylvania. As a strength and conditioning program that includes various workouts and different challenges, it is a system that can be used by professional athletes and the average person alike.

Black Swamp CrossFit, 5700 Monroe St., is the newest gym in Sylvania to host the program. The first three classes are free, which teaches you the basics. With an interest in trying out the program after hearing rave reviews from others, my co-worker Ashley Sepanski and I scheduled our first session together. Typically, the gym schedules the first three sessions one-on-one, but if clients are comfortable working out alongside their friends, they can do that as well.

Our trainer, Mike, explained how CrossFit works and told us about the classes and what we could expect, before diving into the workout portion. He also explained how to properly perform the workout sequence. Ashley and I had to do squats with a kettlebell, push-ups and sit-ups in a sequence called a tabata. In a tabata, as many reps of an exercise are done in 20 seconds and then there is a 10-second rest period. Then you do it all again!

During the middle of the workout, the competitive edge kicked in. The number of reps done are scored at the end, giving you a total number of “points.” After I completed just one more push-up in a 20 second period, Mike told Ashley I was staging a comeback. (I definitely was not.) After the workout, Ashley commented that this really motivated her to work harder.

Near the end of the sequence, I found that I was really struggling to do one last sit-up. While Mike encouraged us both to give it our best during the workout, he wasn't overly pushy or like a screaming drill sergeant.

The workouts at Black Swamp change all the time, so for our second visit, Ashley and I will certainly do something different.

“Everyday you come in, you will be faced with new and different challenges. This promotes muscle confusion, which helps to promote faster gains and constant improvement,” Black Swamp's Web site said. Workouts are planned out in advance at the gym, to make sure all of the muscle groups are being worked appropriately.

After we had a few moments of rest, Mike tallied up our scores. (In case you're wondering, Ashley won!) We agreed to return for our second session, and walked out of the gym, not knowing we would be in a little pain the next day. But it was well worth it.

For more information about Black Swamp CrossFit, call Abbey Mortemore at 419-343-2434. The gym also offers a CrossFit Kids program.