Focus Stop

This comforting soup is flecked with Swiss chard, tomato and whole-wheat elbow pasta and seasoned with a deeply flavorful but mellow mix of Middle Eastern spices. It is a one-pot wonder that is easy to make on a weekend so we have a nourishing meal to reheat during the week.

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 bunch Swiss chard (6 ounces) leaves and stems separated, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups brown or green lentils, picked over thoroughly and rinsed
8 cups no-salt-added chicken broth (may substitute vegetable broth)
One 28-ounce can no-salt-added whole peeled tomatoes, plus their juices
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1/2 cup dried whole-wheat elbow macaroni.

If we choose to eat red meat, try to reduce our intake to two 4-ounce servings per week. Avoid prime and other fatty meats, processed meats, and liver. Switch to chicken and turkey, always removing the skin. Be sure our meat and poultry are cooked to 160° or more, but not charred.

We choose our fats wisely. Cut down on meat, the skin of poultry, whole-fat dairy products, stick margarine, fried foods, processed snack foods, and commercial baked goods made with trans fat. Think about dressings, sauces, and cooking oil. Use olive or canola oil to cook whenever possible, and moisten our bread with olive oil or soft margarine. Good fats from fish and nuts.