To counteract this seasonal shift from summer to autumn’s short days, I take the cleaver to gardenstuff — a carrot, a leek, an onion, garlic, parsley — and stew them with lentils and salt. Lentils, once the bane of our household (not lentils, again?). The younger daughter, still in her sweaty soccer practice shirt, eats hungrily.
Her older sister takes a knife to apples, listens to Stephen Colbert, rolls out dough. Pie, at least: it’s autumn.
Stony Soil Vermont 
Your impromptu evening stew reminds me of “Simple Food for the good Life” by Helen Nearing. It is always amazing what we have right under our noses. GT
So true. Even after a frost, too.
Some of the best dishes come from the frantic dive into the garden or refrigerator to throw together what is there.
There is nothing else like improv — I completely agree!
Love lentils AND Stephen Colbert:)
Right on…. different kinds of nourishment. And, pleasers of the teen world, too.