Shepard's Wheatberry Salad+Balance

There is nothing that I love more than a great rest day. Total relaxation, leisure, and zero urgency.

I don't often have days like this. Usually, I'll find myself with a prioritized list of things I need to get done, projects to catch up on, e-mails to check, etc. But lately, I've been trying this new thing where I give up the guilt of not doing what I think I should be doing- a thought that has no place in reality, by the way- and giving myself permission to take it easy.

There's a time for urgency, and finishing projects with laser-like focus. And there's also a time to rest, reboot, and relax. That's a tough balance to find.

 I teach interval training classes, and in those classes, I see a similar phenomenon play out. People come into the class with the intention of training hard. The come out of the gates sprinting. When periods of recovery are given, they don't take them. Instead they stay in the training zone. However the workout is designed for you to take advantage of the active recovery. What's predictable, if they stay in the zone of heavy work, is a burnout. A burnout on the court of your life could look like a royal meltdown, snapping at someone with words you don't mean, or making rash decisions based in fear and anxiety. Yuck.

It's all avoidable.

I coach my classes to maximize their rest so that they can maximize their next burst of exertion- which in turn maximizes their results.  When we find the balance in our work, we are able to work smarter, not harder. Our periods of rest and solitude help us get the most out of our busy seasons. Find this balance in every single day, and you won't be the hot mess on the other side of a meltdown. You'll be choosing life, as it comes, creating your work and the results you want, without feeling spread thin.

Shepard's Wheatberry Salad serves 4 Adapted from A Family Feast

sheep feta, currants, orange citronette

• 1 cup wheatberries, rinsed
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• sea salt and pepper
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, green part only
• 1/3 cup crumbled sheep feta
• 1/4 cup dried currants 
• 1/4 cup raw walnuts
• 2-3 cups mixed greens

 Method

Combine wheatberries with 3 cups salted water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, rinse, and set aside to cool.

For citronette: Whisk orange zest, and juice in a large bowl. While whisking, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Once emulsified, season with sea salt and pepper.

Add cooked wheatberries to the large bowl, toss in citronette. Crumble in sheep feta, currants, and walnuts, tossing to fully combine.

If serving immediately, toss with mixed greens as well. If eating throughout the week, use half the citronette, keep greens separate until serving, then use the remaining citronette to freshen up the salad throughout the week.

This calls for white wine and relaxing on the patio in the sun. Give yourself permission to unwind and rejuvenate.

enjoy!