Prevention is better than cure...

Basically, this is why I think good nutrition (as well as other aspects of a healthy lifestyle) is so, so crucial. It just makes no sense to get yourself sick in the first place. But we can be so lazy, especially when the world we live in INVITES us to sit on our bums all day and eat at every available opportunity, not to mention drink excess alcohol, smoke, take drugs (prescription, illegal or otherwise) and get ourselves worked up. So it can be a real shocker for people to be told they need to cut out the fags or the McDonalds, or make time for exercise *shudder*. It just seems inconvenient. The cartoon is the perfect retort to those protestions of having no time to look after ourselves.

Speaking of exercise, I can't wait to get my running shoes back tomorrow- I have missed them! I have been walking everywhere this week though, and plan to keep this up and use my car only to visit my parents.

I made soup today, something I haven't done in a while, mostly because I thought it upset my bowels. Today's bowl had no such effect, so I'm pretty sure now that it was whatever bread I was eating with it. I did have some toast with mine today with big heaping piles of hummus, but I was fine. Last time I had soup, I wolfed down some refined wheat flour pancakes. Ouch. My colon is wincing as I type...

This soup was good!! I added lots of ginger as well as a little chilli and it had the *perfect* amount of heat, even if I say so myself:)

VDG Carrot and ginger soup with coriander and lemongrass

3 small onions, or 1 large

12 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

1 courgette (only because it was hanging around in the fridge)

3 finely chopped garlic cloves (they were small, and I like garlic- you could use less)

1 small green chilli, medium heat, chopped finely, seeds and all

1 big chunk of ginger (1.5 inches square), finely chopped

1 inch piece lemongrass, finely chopped

1 cup red lentils, well rinsed

1/2 T coriander seeds, ground

1 bunch fresh coriander

1 litre/4cups vegetable stock

Gently sautee the onion and carrots for 5 minutes in some oil of your choice (I used hemp). Next add the courgette, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and ground coriander seeds and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Then add the lentils and stock, bring to an appreciable simmer, turn down the heat and simmer gently for half an hour. Throw in the coriander leaves and whizz up the soup, season to taste with salt and pepper. I think this soup could be made more decadent with coconut milk added near the end of cooking, but it was superb just as it was. I'm so happy to add soup back of my list of quick meals!