DreamFar

So, yesterday I participated in the DreamFar marathon running team at the high school I work at. WOW, can I just tell you it was SO inspirational! To see these high school students be so dedicated to a goal was amazing. There was SO much team spirit and pride amongst the students and "coaches" that I felt like I was back on my high school track team. I loved how all the teammates gave each other a high five after the run and some of the "faster" runners ran back to encourage the other runners to keep going! What also made this team so special was knowing the background of some of these kids and understanding some of the struggles they have faced or are facing and that they still show up three days a week and want to run! I really feel that there is a power to running that can be useful to people of all ages.

The best part of the run was when I was asking a few kids why they chose to do this team; one kid told me it was a good excuse to justify his smoking habit (I guess the good thing (running) cancels out the bad thing (smoking)). Of course I told him how unsafe that was and that he probably won't be able to maintain the smoking when we get into the longer runs. Other kids discussed how they wanted to feel part of the team, they wanted to be excepted, get in shape, and feel good about themselves. And one student discussed the challenge running a marathon brings and how that excites him.

We ended up running 5.5 miles around a reservoir in 54 minutes. WOW was it cold out and the wind was blustering! I am SO glad I had others around to motivate me to keep on running. I really, really loved this group and will definitely try to run at least once a week with them!

As for dinner, we made a recipe from one of those Whole Foods pamphlets they give you every few months: Risotto with Asparagus. Here is the recipe according to Whole Foods (We followed it to a tee).

Ingredients
10 asparagus spears trimmed
32 oz Chicken Broth
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup uncooked arborio rice
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 TB finely chopped chives

Direction
1) While preparing asparagus, heat broth o a simmer in a small covered pot and hold there. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring often.

2) Add 1/2 cup simmering broth while stirring constantly, shaking  pan forward and back as you do, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup more broth and repeat process. Continue repeating until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy and loose, about 20 minutes more.

3) Remove pot from heat and stir in 1/3 cup cheese, asparagus and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer risotto to bowls and garnish with remaining cheese and chives. Serve immediately and Enjoy!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

My plate

Of course we also had a little wine too!

A Yummy dinner on a cold and blistery winter nights!

Happy Friday everyone! I am getting ready to go out to my School Psychology Holiday party at a local bar! Have a good night!