Soup, Etc.

This afternoon I made what I think was a pretty awesome soup. I can't be completely certain, because I was absolutely ravenous and because I accidentally sacrificed a corner of a finger to the project. Still, I think it was pretty good.

Mostly, it was leftover vegetables from the Superbowl party--celery, carrots, a tomato, red and green bell peppers--chopped up with an onion and sauteed with garlic until soft, then cranked up to a boil with water and red lentils. I seasoned it with fresh grated ginger, cumin, a little bit of Better Than Bouillon, chili powder, red pepper flakes, and salt to taste--topped with the juice of half a lemon. Hearty, a little bit spicy, and hopefully full of goodness.

I've been trying to eat even more fruit and vegetables than usual recently, because I'm fighting a sore throat. I'm blaming it it on the marathon's lingering immunosuppressive effects (and, frustratingly enough, the sugar I consumed at Sunday's party--not much, but apparently enough more than the very little I'd consumed in the past few weeks to totally throw my defenses). So I'm drinking a lot of water and tea, taking my vitamin, and thinking happy thoughts. Speaking of which, look! Flowers!

And here are a few of tonight's sunset (note the icicles in the upper left-hand corner of the first image):