As I mentioned previously, I am running the Scope It Out 5k on Sunday. Since this is my very first race, I asked some more experienced runners for tips. The two things I heard over and over again: rest the night before and eat a good amount of carbs. The tip on carbs resonated in my head as I did my weekly grocery shopping at Whole Foods. I had planned on trekking all the way to Trader Joe’s to get one of their spelt grain products for my dinner. But I was ever mindful of the “rest the night before” advice I had received (read: I was too damn lazy), so I looked around Whole Foods for a good substitute.
While trying to navigate the crowded aisles (and let me just point out here, I saw a kid attached to what could only be described as a leash…yeah, now we have to leash the future leaders of America), my eyes caught a package of orzo. Not wanting to do an excessive amount of searching, I grabbed the package and left before I hurt anyone. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with the orzo…I just knew I had to get out of Whole Foods before I went postal on the myriad of tourists aimlessly wandering the aisles (wow, I haven’t even been here a year and I’m already complaining about tourists).
When I got home, I pulled out some chorizo I had bought the night before, along with a red onion from my CSA, some sun dried tomatoes, garlic and Parmesan cheese. I cut up half of the onion and minced about three cloves of garlic, setting both aside. Next, I started boiling the water for the orzo, which only requires about 8 to 10 minutes of cooking time once the pasta is thrown in the (preferably salted) water. I then squeezed the chorizo out of its casing and into a heavy skillet, using a spatula to break apart the chunks of sausage. I tossed in the onion and the garlic, along with some dried basil I got last week from my CSA, and cooked it until the chorizo was done. I drained the orzo and then tossed everything together in a mixing bowl. When I was ready to eat, I sprinkled a bit of freshly chopped basil and parmesan cheese on top. As a side dish, I blanched some red swiss chard and then tossed it lightly with a red wine vinaigrette I made the previous night. It was a quick and easy meal that (hopefully) will help me prepare for my morning race. I’ll be sure to let my dear readers know if I made it across the finish line (or passed out at the first water station). 
Stumble It!
Adventures in Shaw 