| Searching for the perfect food in your weight loss | | | | products.Adapt to many types of recipes |
| plan? Tired of the same old same old? If you've | | | | Lentils work well in soups, salads, and side dishes. |
| eaten your last lettuce salad, your willpower is | | | | Tired of noodles and spaghetti? Lentils substitute |
| crumbling, and you're longing for a burger for | | | | well for pasta. Or a try a comforting bean and |
| lunch, look no further than the humble lentil.A | | | | lentil chili. Lentils serve warm in soups or cold in |
| disc-shaped legume and a dietary chameleon, | | | | salads. The mild, slightly nutty flavor tastes |
| lentils provide taste, nutrition, and variety.An | | | | delicious on its own and doesn't overpower other |
| ancient food, lentils originated in central Asia as | | | | foods.Readily available in regular grocery stores |
| one of the earliest cultivated foods. The Bible tells | | | | No need to go to an out-of-the-way health food |
| us that Esau traded his birthright away to his | | | | store or ethnic store. Look in the dried bean |
| brother, Jacob, for a humble meal of lentils.Lentils | | | | section of any grocery store.Don't require a |
| find their way onto tables the world over as a | | | | specific diet plan |
| staple in Indian homes and a common meat | | | | You don't need a complicated recipe or extensive |
| substitute in Catholic countries during Lent.While | | | | menu. A simple soup with a ham bone, a bit of |
| many varieties exist, the brown lentil commonly | | | | leftover roast beef, or a carrot and potato |
| lines American grocery store shelves.Let's add up | | | | addition makes a great meal.Don't spoil easily |
| the benefits of lentils. | | | | Lentils last up to a year and need no refrigeration |
| | | | until cooked, so go ahead and stock up! The |
| Low in calories, fat, and cholesterol | | | | cooked lentils freeze well, too.Stretch meat |
| A dieter's dream, lentils contain 230 calories, 0.4 | | | | Add a cup of cooked lentils to hamburgers, |
| grams of fat, and 0 grams of cholesterol per | | | | sloppy joes, or meatloaf to cut cost, lower |
| one-cup serving.High in protein, iron, and many | | | | calories, and stretch your food dollar.Great for |
| other nutrients | | | | diabetics |
| In a single one-cup serving, lentils contain 7.8 | | | | Their high-fiber content works to prevent blood |
| grams fiber, 9 grams protein, and 6.59 mg.Cook | | | | sugar from rising following a meal. |
| easily and quickly | | | | A quick search in any book store or on-line yields |
| Unlike beans, lentils require no presoaking or | | | | many recipes or adapt a favorite of your own. |
| overnight soaking. As a rule of thumb, use 1-1/2 | | | | Switch out meat or just substitute half.Add lentils |
| cups of water to 1 cups of lentils. Approximately | | | | to your weight loss plan and watch pounds |
| 20-30 minutes cooking time will suffice. Simply boil | | | | disappear, your health improve, and your budget |
| on the stove top or in the microwave.Inexpensive | | | | stay in the black.Looking for diet and weight loss |
| Starving college students take note! A one-pound | | | | tips? Kathy Ferneau has created an excellent |
| package of lentils almost always costs less than | | | | resource for information on diets, healthy eating, |
| one dollar, and usually less than 70 cents. Scout | | | | and exercise. |
| the lower shelves where grocers "hide" low-cost | | | | |