This Memorial Day weekend, Peter and I took a day trip to Santa Cruz, where I took my second surfing lesson. But first, let’s back it up a bit and find out how this all started.

Like anything Peter puts his mind to, he goes for it 110 percent. For example, 8 years ago, the kid from Miami decided he was going to learn to snowboard. Now he’s “shredding double black diamonds” in Tahoe, every weekend through the winter.

Last year, despite never touching a surfboard for 30 years, he decided he was going to learn to surf. Suddenly our home turned into a surfer’s paradise. Peter and his new obsession passion somehow managed to acquire TWO surfboards in less than 3 days. We’ve got boards, wetsuits, magazines, videos, and all the etcs. If there was a “Wife of the Year” award, I should win it.

Like any good husband, he wanted to include me in his new endeavor. My first lesson was more comical than successful. I spent a lot of time battling waves and sea creatures – I was bit by a crab that wouldn’t let go of my foot. After two hours in the frigid Northern California waters, I thought, “Okay, maybe this sport isn’t my thing.”

Peter catching his first wave last year

As the months went by, Peter’s continued enthusiasm rubbed off on me, and I decided to give it a second try.

I was better equipped the second time around. I had a thicker wetsuit, booties, and even gloves. It was a cloudy day, but the waves were perfect. I caught almost every wave I attempted. However, much of my success came from my instructor Barry pushing me on to the wave.  Barry’s tactic is simple: Get confident with the motion of getting up, and worry about timing later. It worked. I’m ready to go back for another lesson. If you’re ever in Santa Cruz, consider hiring Barry from Making the Drop. He’s really great in the water, and has been great with answering Peter’s many surfing questions via email.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt the euphoric exhaustion of an intense workout (like a full game of field hockey). Surfing finally brought back that feeling. Surfing made me realize that I missed playing an intense, exhausting sport. What’s more is the ability to eat a post-action carb-filled meal, completely guilt free. But there’s a downside to all this euphoria and hedonism: being too tired to cook! Here’s a simple pasta dish that you can quickly make after a tiring workout.

Whole wheat penne pasta with sautéed vegetables and goat cheese recipe
Serving size 4

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
2 bell peppers, variety of colors – Bell peppers pictures are diced too small.
1 zucchini
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp goat cheese, crumbled – Goat cheese is really strong. Add little bits at a time to decide which amount is right for you.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Fill a large pot with water and cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet to medium heat with 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Dice the bell peppers, zucchini, and onion into tiny bite-sized pieces. Next, mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and saute until translucent about 2-3 minutes.

Add bell peppers and zucchini to skillet. Season vegetables with oregano and salt and pepper. Once vegetables are soft, turn off the heat.

Drain pasta making sure you are getting rid of as much excess water as possible. Add the pasta to the roasted vegetables and stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. Crumble in goat cheese and stir to combine. Serve with a side salad.

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