Plan for the week

It still surprises me, this ease of running. The first half mile is incredibly difficult most days, but then a flick switches and I relax, all ease and strength. Saturday, I flew through 14 miles, 11:39 minute miles, only pausing twice. The final two miles, my toes were on fire. I could feel myself slowing and struggling as I reached for that completely attainable goal. Now I need to add less distance than what I've achieved.

My recovery run on Monday was a tough run. I was really winded, though my pace felt really slow. When I finished I was surprised to learn that I'd run 4 miles with an average pace of 10:46 per mile.

Yesterday, I ran four 10:27 sandwiched between two 12 minute miles. Radiolab is a great distractor from the length. I find myself so tuned into the story being told that I don't realize the length of time I've been running. Stories about color, and The dark side of the earth.

Somehow, we muddled our way through three heads of radicchio last week. Everything from salads to pizza topped with shredded radicchio and goat cheese with a drizzle of true undiluted balsamic-- a precious gift from my food loving little sister. I am surprised how versatile radicchio actually is.

When mixed with tuna, cashews, and beans with a parsley lemon dressing, the bitterness flies away.

Sautéed with balsamic and honey to top Trader Joe's jumbo beef franks and the bitterness is so much more pronounced but in no bad way.

On top of the pizza was my very favorite way-- thin crust with a drizzle of olive oil, a smear of crushed garlic and a shedded head of radicchio and thin slice onions, and the sweet tang of goat cheese. So great!

This morning, I used those darn radishes in a tangine in place of turnips. Their flavor isn't quite what I expected--they're sort of radish-like but without the sharpness. Sort of a cross between a jicama and the best turnip imaginable with notes of dirty radish. They're great, especially in a tangine served over a bed of quinoa--and those roasted chickpeas make the dish! It was a brilliant lunch.

This weeks box isn't the challenge I had with last week's box. Most of the contents are truly simple and easy. But the quantity! It probably weighed 25 pounds! Over the two weeks between Christmas and New Year, the farm goes on vacation. So this week's box needs a bit of rationing of some of the heartier veg.

This week's box contains:
8 heads of Broccoli
3 small red onions
2 butternut squash
5 fat carrots
5 huge yams
A big bunch of spinach
A giant head of napa
Chocolate mint
1 bunch beets with greens intact
1 head romain
1 bunch mustard greens
1 large fennel with greens
10 granny apples
7 navel oranges
9 plums

Plan for the week:

Wednesday was
Broccoli Mac&Cheese
And run 1 mile slow
Run 4 miles steady and faster
1 mile slow

Thursday
Broccoli beef with brown rice
Yoga

Friday
Sautéed greens with polenta and cheese, fennel salad with apples
Sailing (class room)
Run an easy 5 miles

Saturday
Lunch: Chinese chicken salad
Dinner with friends
Sail with Debbie if there is wind...
Run 15.5 miles

Sunday
Roasted root veggies and chicken
Yoga
Dana point boat parade?

Monday
Squash and spinach with pasta, fish, nuts, etc
Run 5 miles +strides (6 intervals of 20 second sprint followed by 2 minute slow run)

Tuesday
Check out leftover situation And figure something out
Swim with class
Bike ride?
Last nutrition class of semester

Wednesday
Pick up box and plan week of meals
7 miles slow/fast (5 miles quick pace with 1 mile slow bookends)