With weather in the high 30's, my daily walk has been a bit more challenging. Part of me wants to walk, work up a good appetite, and the other part wants to sit by the fire with a good book!

Today, I put together a hearty lunch - homemade lentil soup, flaxseed muffins with butter and honey, hubbard squash with cinnamon and brown sugar, and assorted salad veggies.

I made the flaxseed muffins with whole wheat flour, and ground the little seeds in my coffee grinder. The lentil soup is a quick, easy soup to make: Saute the celery, carrots and onions, and add them to vegetable broth, with the lentils, a can of stewed tomatoes , a dash of pepper, lemon juice, a bit of kitchen bouquet, a tad of tomato puree, and cooked sausage or bacon. I add a little brown sugar, salt, and parsley or Italian seasoning. Within 40 minutes, the soup is ready, and the muffins have come out of the oven. These muffins provide amino acids complimenting the ones in the lentils, to make a complete protein - just as your beans and rice combinations. It's a great way to get protein and fiber.

And, this is a plate of 'what's left' of the Snickerdoodles that Annie made, with some chocolate truffles dusted in powdered sugar. Truffles should be placed out at room temperature before serving, to inhance the intense aroma and smooth texture as they melt in one's mouth. I seldom settle for only one....