The Tanned Chicken:Not quite as disturbing as the Meat Baby

Rustic Tomato Lentil Soup

Cooked lentils are high in calcium, potassium, zinc, and iron.

Ingredients

as much garlic as you can stand, minced

1 medium onion, diced

3 medium carrots, diced

2 tbsp olive oil

2 stalks celery, chopped

6 cups vegetable stock (low salt works best)

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, including juice or 5-8 diced fresh tomatoes + 1/4 cup water

2 cups cooked or canned lentils

pepper (to taste)

cayenne pepper (to taste)

1 cup dry pasta (any short kind)

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, sauté garlic, onions, and carrots in oil on medium-high heat until the onions are translucent. Add the celery, stock, tomatoes, lentils, pepper, and cayenne and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until carrots are tender. Add pasta and simmer to 10 more minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Ward, I'm worried about Matt

Now That I have your attention:

The guidelines:

1. Our fitness goal/ component. Kim has suggested we all exercise in our own way with a weekly goal of 3.5 hours per week. Ley’s report the same time we weigh in.
2. Our weigh in: Tuesday morning weekly weigh in challenge. This gets us past the weekend when we may stray, yet gives us time to report later in the week if we forget, travel, etc. Those who don’t wish to report their actual weight are free to report their progress (eg. “I lost .5 lbs”)
3. Our a wall of shame: Post on the blog or email any food that you eat for the week that isn't right. It might be a pain, but it will make you think before you eat it. Or if we email more, we gotta give a weekly summary of how we did. It will be a commitment...but that is what we need to make this work! Bonus points if you send a picture.
4. Our food guidelines (in no particular order) You are free to do more but at a minimum:

1. Embrace nuts, olives and olive oil.
2. For protein beans, nuts, quinoa daily
3. Avoid the white menace –white flour, white sugar . Tough because everything has it but willing to try. SEVERLY LIMIT USE OF THIS TOXIC SLUDGE You really can't live in our society and never eat it. You can be reasonable and feel so much better. Let whole grains replace refined carbs
4. 2 cups caffeine max per day. Applies to TEA OR COFFEE.
5. 1-2 servings red meat per week max (lean beef, pork, other red meats like beaver)
6. 3-4 servings of fish or poultry per week max
7. THE OBVIOUS… …NO EMPTY FOODS OR EMPTY USELESS CALORIES THIS INCLUDES DENSE FATTY, FRIED FOODS OR SUGAR LADEN FOODS
8. Eggs –EGGS IN MODERATION IS OK
9. Dairy is LARGELY discouraged –but don’t’ worry about a little (say parm. cheese, blue cheese on a salad, a little milk in the coffee) LOVE SOY! Again, a little dairy ain't gonna kill you, but the more I read, the less I am convinced it needs a leading role in my diet.

5. Finally let’s start a Receipe exchange and food idea exchange

Remember: We also need to try to grow the group to include more like minded souls. Strength in numbersw, etc… Right now we number six(me, Annie, Bill, Angie Chris, Kim, and Matt (AKA The Beav)

PS..I’ll be the first to weigh in. A hefty 188.5

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