and the winner is - Lentils!

I am thinking much like split pea?

I found the recipe I want to use, from a cook book titled: How to feed your whole family a Healthy Balanced Diet by Gil Holcombe.  (notice I give credit where credit is due???yeah, school has had its influence)

LENTIL AND VEGETABLE SOUP RECIPE

This soup is nice and thick, and you can thin it to taste with stock or milk. If you want a no-fat soup, simply add all the vegetables and lentils to the stock, and simmer until tender. "Use red or yellow lentils if you want to avoid soaking them in advance, otherwise brown and green lentils or chick peas will do the job."
Ingredients
200g (1 cup) red lentils
2 small potatoes
1/2 small swede (Swedish turnip may have to substitute for regular old American)
2-3 carrots
1 smallish parsnip
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock
225ml (1 cup) milk
oil
seasoning
parsley (optional)
1 level tbsp curry powder (optional)

Method

1. Peel and chop the vegetables
2. Warm the oil in a very large saucepan and gently soften the garlic and onion. Add the curry powder if using.
3. Add the lentils and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the vegetables and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes or so.
5. Add the stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
6. Blend, season to taste and serve garnished with parsley if you wish. (wonder how important this is? I dont own a stick blender...what do you think?)

Shopping this week for items and cooking this weekend?

we will be living off meals I recently froze this week due to: School starting, Basketball games starting, going back to work (I need to order books!) and a whole lotta crazy going on

New Developments...some good, some not so much

School Challenge - Blackboard opened up for next sessions classes. I can only physically go to class on certain days, and none of the classes I needed fit, so I am all online this session. I can tell you, I am not very happy about it. So far, my experience with on line classes is about 50/50. The last one being the most challenging. The professor and I just didnt see eye to eye. I didnt feel the warm and fuzzy from her "emails". I am VERY used to having a good relationship with my professors, add the lack of comfort with ART...*shudders* it just wasn't pretty. Anyway, I have a history class, with a professor I DO have a great relationship with. I took his California History class in person, so I had high hopes for this class. Unfortunately, looking at his syllabus I'm not sure. Weekly blackboard assignment, fine. Weekly essay, groan ok whatever. Weekly field trips, are you freaking kidding me!? Guess I'll be dragging the kids on some chilly historical fun road trips. My second class is LBSU 402 - Ways of Knowing and Rhetoric. What!? you dont know what that means? Neither did I, but it was required. I had to order 5 text books for this class. Upon reading his syllabus, I realize I will become fast friends with my word processor! weekly blackboard posts, fine. Weekly essays, really? you too? Weekly reading and response to reading, I think I'd rather take the children on historical road trips!

Work Challenge - GOING BACK TO WORK ON MONDAY!!! Yup, I'm ready. I miss my library and all my third and fourth grade friends. I haven't heard an update on our principal, so it will be nice to back on campus. I am not looking forward to my co-librarian. She drives me crazy.

Children Challenge - These few weeks home with everyone has been challenging. I have great children, but they are all so different, they tend to clash after awhile. The weather has been rainy and chilly (for California) and well if I dont want to go outside, they sure as hell dont want to. They too are ready to go back to school.

Jee-Zus Challenge - Tomorrow is the big day! I've cut out all soda and started making Sassy water again. That's about as far as I've gotten. Go ME!

Running Challenge - recap: last may I pulled the tendon around my knee cap and was laid up on crutches, steroids and missed the half marathon in Santa Barbara. I haven't done anything since. Surprised? I didn't think so. So I called up Nancy and we completed 3 miles the first day. We did 2 miles the second day and played Wii Just Dance 2 for some cardio...dont laugh, I was huffin and puffin after two dances. No baby sitters for the babies so the third day I had a play date with Jillian Michaels - 30 day shred. How anyone can do that two days in row is beyond me...I'm sore, mostly in my arm pits and shoulders - I have weak upper body strength. So today, Nancy and I will be back to 3 miles - children allowing - Evil (husbands nick name for years now) is home so I should be able to getaway.

Soups on Challenge - waiting on my ingredient for this month...hoping for a squash or lentil or anything I haven't tried.

2011 will bring many Challenges

Happy Almost New Year!

Not satisfied with the challenges of raising 3 boys, going back to school, working and volunteering in my community, I took on three more for the 2011 year.

Challenge #1 -
Jee-zus are you joking with that pant size!? 2011 Challenge
In this challenge I will, repeat WILL, lose 20% of my starting weight

Challenge #2 -
10k Pacific Grove - Feb
Half Marathon - June
possible full marathon - Nov?

Challenge #3 -
Soups On! Making soup with a specified ingredient, shop local, healthy and taste good
tasting good the challenging part of course

so with only a few days before the big start...wish me luck