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Recipe of the Week--Beef Vegetable Soup (Fire up the slow cooker folks!)
The slow cooker can be a life saver on busy weeknights when you're too exhausted or busy to prepare a homemade meal. It's a simple way to make a healthy dinner filled with tons of tasty veggies and lean protein. Cooking at home can save you major calories-research shows each dinner you eat out adds an average of 144 calories to your day, which can add up big over time.
Beef Vegetable Soup 
1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾" cubes
1 can (11-½ ounces) V8 juice
1 cup sliced carrots
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon light salt
3 cups water
1 can (14-½ ounces) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons sugar substitute
2 teaspoons dried basil
In a nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in salt and pepper. Transfer to a 5 quart slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 9-11 hours or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf before serving.
Serves: 7 Fat grams: 6.0
Phase: 1, 2, 3, 4 Protein: 15.8
Bonus Recipe of the Week--Avacado Hummus
 Puree 1/4 avocado, 2 tablespoons store-bought hummus, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice in a food processor. Stir in 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives. Serve as a dip with 1 sliced red or yellow bell pepper.
(courtesy of Fitness Magazine)
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power, but not many of us realize it facilitates weight loss. In fact, a recent study found that yoga devotees have a lower body mass index (BMI) than other exercisers do. Some reasons why: Yoga is best done on an empty stomach and can build muscle (depending on your preferred poses), which boosts metabolism. And it encourages mindfulness, which includes paying attention to whether you feel full.
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