PRODUCT of the WEEK: Indian Fare's Shelf-Stable Madras Lentil

This is a great, simply, affordable dish; Trader Joe's sells it for $1.99 (may vary by area), and I've seen it offered for more at Ralph's, a southern California chain. All natural ingredients--no chemicals, no sugar, no flour. Just tomatoes, onions, lentils, kidney beans, cream, salt, butter, cumin, sunflower oil and red chilies.

It's a little spicy, and you have to like Indian food--but even if you don't, it's great warmed up in the microwave. Delectable!

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAYS: Product of the Week...Progresso Lentil

Progresso's Lentil Soup (find 'Lentil' under "Vegetable Classics" and click) contains no flour, and less than 1% of sugar (although why it even needs that tiny amount is beyond me), and so it rates as pretty swell for packaged, canned soup, which normally contains loads of sugars and flours. No chemicals, per se, although some "modified food starch." Have at it!