Clean Energy Springfield

After spewing so many words the past few days, it was nice to be able to relax a little today. We started by biking out the Wabash Trail to Barnes and Noble (for, admittedly, today's earlier post). Sadly, Barnes and Noble needs a bike rack: T & I chained onto a tree, and then later someone else did, as well, and it was tricky getting unattached. I took the photo so I'd have something to show B&N's manager next time I go in, by way of asking for a rack.

Later, at home, I worked in the yard and garden for a while, and pulled some beets. I made Deborah Madison's Vinegared Beets Nested in Their Greens, from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Basically, you steam about 2 pounds of beets until tender and peel them, and then steam their greens. Toss the greens with a little under a tablespoon of butter, salt, and pepper, then arrange them in a nest. In a pan, heat another just under a tablespoon of butter. Add 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, and shake them around until the vinegar has evaporated. Spoon the beets into the nested greens. I suspect this is a "make and eat immediately" recipe, but it's going into the refrigerator, along with a pot of rice, to be doled out for lunch a couple of days this week.

For actual dinner tonight, T & I made a pea and carrot risotto, from Jack Bishop's Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook, along with a wilted spinach chard with garlic side, and fresh bread that T made while I was in the garden. The peas and carrots were from the farmer's market yesterday, and the chard was from the garden.

Most of the cooking was done while listening to the greatest hour of music on the radio, the Sangamon Valley Roots Revival.

And, of course, at the end of the day, a full compost crock is a happy compost crock.