1. January 7 – January 28 2012

2. Welcome to the Post Holiday 3 Week Sugar Detox Challenge! The following packet contains materials to help support you through the challenge: 1.Challenge Rules / Guidelines 2.Helpful Shopping Guide 3.How to Read Food Labels 4.Hidden Names of Sugar – how to find it sneaking into your food 5.Smart Supplementation Guidelines 6.Food Journal Template 7.Feedback Form www.laurapappashealth.com1

3. Why Detox from Sugar? Added Sugars are never good for you, all sugar and sugar substitutes contribute to insulin spikes and weight gain – regardless of if they are natural, added, or artificial sweeteners Don’t be fooled by non-caloric sugar substitutes, these are chemicals that are not good for your body and your body responds similarly as it does to regular sugar Natural occurring sugars (e.g. the ones in fruits, vegetables, and whole foods) are ok for you Detox your body from all added sugar and artificial sweeteners for 3 weeks to allow your body to reset from the holiday sugar overload This includes sugars that you ADD to foods as well as sugars that are added in foods that you may not realize are there – think in dried fruits, breads, salad dressings, marinades, condiments, etc. Focus on eating a primarily WHOLE foods diet, think foods that don’t com in wrappers, packages, or boxes – Get creative with how you can create fun and delicious meals with whole foods, experiment with spices, and learn how to enjoy the natural sweetness of foods that may have been too subtle for you to notice before Limit the amount of natural sugars you are putting into your body to help break your brain’s craving for sugar/sweetness You can be addicted to any kind of sugar, added sugars or natural sugar so this detox includes all added sugars as well as limiting of natural sugars Reduce the amount of “treats” you are eating and monitor how much fruit/natural sugar you are taking in – you can still be addicted to sugar if you are eating fruit all day My sugar detox also includes foods that cause a large insulin spike like diary, dairy has a large impact on your body’s insulin response. Goal: Have more energy, beat your sugar cravings, lose a couple pounds, feel better Learn more about what triggers YOUR sugar cravings, how you feel when you have tackled them, and how to not depend on sugar for energy Learn more about YOU – how your body reacts to more or less fruit, how your body reacts to “treats” when you re-introduce them, and how your training is impacted by you changes to your diet www.laurapappashealth.com2

4. Track what you are eating in the food journal (use template included). The Challenge goal is to detox from sugar and cure your sugar cravings, we’ll do this by eating primarily WHOLE foods. You should be basing your food choices from the foods to eat “always” list and include the foods to eat “in moderation” a few times weekly to add variety. A few reminders: – Don’t eat fried foods, fast food, and limit foods that come in a package. Center your food choices around meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds, minimal high quality dairy and non-gluten containing grains – Look at EVERY label if you are eating something in a package. Make sure no sugar is added on the label, and check the other ingredients too. – Aim to eat “packaged” goods that have 5 ingredients or less (e.g., lara bar, bag of spinach, bag of baby carrots, etc.) – Eat healthy foods, not healthy versions of foods that aren’t “good” for you Drink lots of water and limit the amount of caffeine you are consuming to 1 to 2 cups (8 to 16oz) per day. Add some basic supplementation to your regular routine: Vitamin D, Fish Oil/Cod Live Oil, and consider Magnesium Citrate (Natural Calm). Want some additional nutritional support, check out the detox support supplementation chart and see if anything is right for you. Don’t obsess about carbohydrate, protein, and fat ratios! Do try to balance (eat some of each macronutrient) at each meal/snack. Make sure you are eating enough fat and protein to stay satiated! Still have questions…it’s ok, just ASK! www.laurapappashealth.com3

5. 4g of sugar = 1 tsp of sugar (look at juice 8oz glass of orange juice with pulp has 22g of sugar = 5.5 teaspoons) Americans consume average 22.2teaspoons daily, optimal average is between 8 (men) and 6.75 (women) teaspoons per day Most sweeteners are bad for you Need to limit the amount of fruit you eat, you should be eating much more vegetables than fruit – Need to stay lower glycemic or lower sugar fruits Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver, and it can only process so much at a time. Your liver’s job is to manage cholesterol, so when its bogged down with fructose processing it causes higher www.laurapappashealth.com4

6. Useful Guide to your Grocery Store during the 3 Week Sugar Detox Challenge

7. Foods to Enjoy Always Vegetables All leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, greens, kale, bok choy, etc.) Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, Broccoli Rabe, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower Summer Squash & Zucchini Spaghetti Squash Eggplant Celery Artichokes Asparagus Carrots Tomatoes Peppers(all colors) Onions, Garlic, Scallions, Leeks Mushrooms Water Chestnuts Cucumber Fruits Avocado Olives Berries: Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries Stone Fruits: Plums, Apricots, Cherries Citrus: oranges, grapefruit, lemon, limes, clementine, tangerines, etc. Pears: All varieties Melon: Cantaloupe, Honeydew, etc. Foods to Enjoy in Moderation Vegetables Sweet Potatoes / Yams Winter Squashes – Butternut & Acorn White Potatoes Snap Peas Green Beans Bean Sprouts Plantains Fruits Bananas Apples Peaches Mangos Watermelon Pineapple Grapes Unsweetened Dried fruits: dates, cranberries, cherries, apricots, raisins, prunes, etc. NOTE: This list of fruits and vegetables is supposed to be a starting point not a 100% comprehensive list, if you see something and aren’t sure where it falls ASK! www.laurapappashealth.com6

8. Foods to Enjoy Always Meats / Poultry Beef (all cuts) Pork (loin, shoulder, butt, ham) Lamb Chicken (breast, thighs, etc.) Turkey Organ meats Seafood Wild salmon Shellfish – shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, oysters, crab, lobster Halibut Tilapia Mahi Mahi Sardines, Anchovies Dairy Eggs Grassfed butter or ghee Small amounts of Heavy Cream* – preferably organic & grass fed Goat, Sheep Cheeses* Coconut Milk, full fat in a can – preferably w/out guar gum Foods to Enjoy in Moderation Meats / Poultry Bacon Deli Meats (no sugar added) Canned Meats Pre-made Sausages – chicken, pork, turkey (no sugar added) Seafood Farmed Salmon Smoked Salmon (no sugar added) Large Fish because of mercury content: Swordfish, Shark, Tuna, etc Canned Fish (tuna & salmon) Dairy Whole Milk, Full Fat Hard Cheeses* Fermented Coconut Milk, Unflavored only *If you are following a Paleo lifestyle, keep the * foods out of of your foods during the challenge as Paleo does not include Grains, Legumes, or Dairy to your diet for the duration of this challenge www.laurapappashealth.com7

9. Foods to Enjoy Always Grains None Sweets / Treats Fresh Fruit Drinks Water Sparkling Water / Seltzer Mineral Water Unsweetened Teas, preferably decaffeinated Black Coffee Foods to Enjoy in Moderation Grains Rice –brown, wild* Quinoa* Sprouted Grain Bread* – Ezekiel Bread Traditionally prepared oats* – whole oats soaked and then cooked (not quick oats) Almond or Coconut Flour – used in small quantities (e.g. in meatballs) Sweets / Treats All unsweetened Dried Fruits Dark Chocolate (85% or higher) Canned fruit or packaged fruit packed only in fruit juice (this should be only if fresh fruit is not available ) Drinks Caffeinated Coffee or Tea – limit the amount to no more than 2 cups (16oz) per day Coconut Water – preferably natural flavor *If you are following a Paleo lifestyle, keep the * foods out of of your foods during the challenge as Paleo does not include Grains, Legumes, or Dairy to your diet for the duration of this challenge www.laurapappashealth.com8

10. Foods to Enjoy Always Nuts / Seeds Macadamia Walnuts Almonds Pecans Hazelnuts Nut butters made from above nuts (only ingredient should be nuts & maybe sea salt) Condiments / Oils / Etc. Mustard Home-made mayonnaise Guacamole Coconut aminos (similar to soy sauce but no soy or gluten) Vinegars (all but malt) Olive Oil Coconut Oil Palm Oil Animal Fats / Drippings All spices & herbs Sea Salt All Pepper – black, white, red Salsa (no sugar added) Legumes Green (String) Beans, fresh or frozen Foods to Enjoy in Moderation Nuts / Seeds Cashews Sunflower seeds Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) Pine Nuts Nut/Seed butters made from above nuts (only ingredient should be nuts & maybe sea salt) Condiments / Oils /Etc. Tamari (gluten free soy sauce) Sesame Oil Hummus (from chickpeas – confirm no sugar added) Flaxseed Oil Legumes Snap Peas – raw, in the pod www.laurapappashealth.com9

11. Dairy Low Fat or Fat Free Dairy of any kind (cheese, milk, yogurt, etc.) Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt Flavored & Unflavored yogurt, all varieties and styles Coconut Ice Cream (homemade or store bought) Coconut milk not in a can (boxed or carton) Flavored & Unflavored Flavored Cultured Coconut Milk Almond Milk, Flavored & Unflavored Goat Milk, Sheeps Milk Cottage Cheese, Sour Cream Sweets / Treats All baked goods: especially Gluten containing treats: cookies, cakes, muffins, scones, white and non- sprouted breads All Paleo or Gluten Free Baked goods or treats White or Milk Chocolate (anything below 85% cocoa) Gum – even one with only sugar alcohols if you can! Drinks All alcohol – beer, wine, liquor All Fruit Juices, both 100% and mixes of fruit juice Smoothies and Whey Protein (most has added sugar) Diet and Regular sodas “No Calorie” or Artificially sweetened drinks Sports drinks – Gatorade, PowerAde, propel, etc. Meats / Seafood Nitrate filled sausages or bacon Sugar added meats (deli meats, ham, etc.) Grains White and Wheat bread, wraps, bagels, English muffins Instant or Quick Oatmeal Corn – canned or frozen Corn Chips and Tortilla Chips White Rice Croutons Condiments / Oils Margarine, Vegetable Shortening Corn Oil, Soybean Oil, Peanut Oil Vegetable Oil Canola Oil Iodized Salt (regular table salt) Soy Sauce Salt containing spice mixes Sugar containing marinades All Pre-Bottled Salad Dressings Ketchup BBQ Sauce and All dips Traditional Mayo Tarter sauce Sour Cream Legumes All Canned Beans: Black, Kidney, Navy, Chickpeas All dried beans www.laurapappashealth.com10

12. The ingredient list is another important part of the label. Ingredients are listed in order (from most to least) so you get an idea of how much of each ingredient is in the food. When something is listed first, second, or third, you know that this food probably contains a lot of it. The food will contain smaller amounts of the ingredients mentioned at the end of the list. With that in mind, check ingredient lists to see where sugar appears. Eliminate or Limit foods that mention sugar in the first few ingredients. Sugar has different names, so it might also be called high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, sucrose, or glucose (see my full list in the packet) 1.Serving size is how much or the amount of food that is profiled in the label information 2.Calories are the number of calories in that serving, remember if you’re eating more than one serving to Multiply the calories 3.Total fat shows how much fat is in the food, remember fat does not make you fat and isn’t actually a bad thing depending on the type 4.Cholesterol and Sodium show the amount of these in each food – you want to eat foods that don’t have too much sodium in them 5.Total Carbohydrate shows the breakdown of sugars and fiber in the food, this includes both natural and added sugar! 6.Protein tells you how many grams of protein are in each serving size of your food 7.Vitamins are profiled giving you an idea of what vitamins this food contains and how much compared to the recommended daily value are included in the food www.laurapappashealth.com11

13. Agave nectar Barbados Sugar Barley malt Beet sugar Blackstrap molasses Brown sugar Buttered syrup Cane juice crystals Cane sugar Caramel Corn syrup, Corn syrup solids Confectioner’s sugar Carob syrup Castor sugar Crystalline fructose Date sugar Demerara sugar Dextran Dextrin Dextrose Diastatic malt Diatase Ethyl maltol Evaporated Cane Juice Fructose Fruit juice Fruit juice concentrate Galactose Glucose Glucose solids Golden sugar, Golden syrup Grape sugar High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) Honey Icing sugar Invert sugar Lactose Maltodextrin Maltose Malt syrup Mannitol Maple syrup Molsses Muscovado sugar Organic Raw Sugar Panocha Raw sugar Refiner’s syrup Rice syrup Sorbitol Sorghum syrup Sucrose Sugar Treacle Turbinado sugar Xanthan Gum Yellow sugar Natural Sugars raw honey regular honey (which has been pasteurized/heated and has fewer nutrients than raw) molasses date sugar palm sugar coconut sugar fruit juice maple syrup (real/organic/grade b) cane sugar green leaf stevia Artificial Sweetners Aspartame (branded as Equal, NutraSweet) Saccharin (branded as Sweet’N Low) Stevia that is white (branded as Truvia) Sucralose (branded as Splenda) Different “names” of sugar Other Forms of Sugar www.laurapappashealth.com12

14. www.laurapappashealth.com13

15. DateMealDescription Saturday Jan 7 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Sunday Jan 8 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Monday Jan 9 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Tuesday Jan 10 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 www.laurapappashealth.com14

16. DateMealDescription Wednesday Jan 11 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Thursday Jan 12 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Friday Jan 13 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Saturday Jan 14 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 www.laurapappashealth.com15

17. DateMealDescription Sunday Jan 15 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Monday Jan 16 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Tuesday Jan 17 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Wednesday Jan 18 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 www.laurapappashealth.com16

18. DateMealDescription Thursday Jan 19 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Friday Jan 20 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Saturday Jan 21 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Sunday Jan 22 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 www.laurapappashealth.com17

19. DateMealDescription Monday Jan 23 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Tuesday Jan 24 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Wednesday Jan 25 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Thursday Jan 26 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 www.laurapappashealth.com18

20. DateMealDescription Friday Jan 27 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Saturday Jan 28 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 www.laurapappashealth.com19

21. Name: ____________________________________________________________ Date: ______________________________________________________________ What did you learn from this challenge? What was the hardest part of the challenge? Where did you need more support? Did you feel like there was information missing? Testimonial (optional) about the challenge: Anything else you’ like to add? May I use your name and a quote on my blog, website, Facebook page, etc.? Yes / No www.laurapappashealth.com20

22. This is a great recipe to make at the beginning of the week and eat for breakfast everyday. You can re-heat in the microwave for 30 seconds or eat it cold, take it to work, eat it quickly at home with no clean up, or even eat in the car! Ingredients: 15 eggs, well beaten ½ cup of coconut milk (full fat, from the can) 1/2 red pepper, chopped 1 head of broccoli, chopped 1 nitrate/nitrite free, no sugar added chicken sausage chopped Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 and grease with coconut oil glass Pyrex casserole dish. Whisk all your eggs in a big bowl and add coconut milk. Chop all of the veggies and sausage (which should be pre-cooked) and line the bottom of the casserole dish with them. Pour the egg mixture into the dish, using a spatula to get all of the egg mixture out. Make sure all of the veggies are covered in egg, push around as needed for balance, and then put it in the oven. Baked for 25- 30 minutes at 400. When cool, cut into servings the above makes 6 (~3 eggs per serving). www.laurapappashealth.com21

23. Chinese Inspired Sautéed Baby Bok Choy Ingredients: 4 Stalks of Baby Bok Choy – 1 stalk per serving Olive Oil 1 Tsp minced garlic or 2 fresh garlic cloves ½ tsp grated fresh ginger 1 Tbsp Tamari (gluten free soy sauce) Directions: Wash the baby bok choy and drain. Separate the stalks and leaves. Cut the stalk diagonally and cut the leaves across. Cut into strips so that they cook evenly. Heat wok or pan and add oil and garlic. Add ginger and stir-fry briefly, for about 30 seconds, until the ginger is aromatic. Add the bok choy, adding the stalks first, and then the leaves along with the Tamari. Stir fry the bok choy for about 7 to 10 minutes until it begins to soften. Sautéed Baby Bok Choy Ingredients: 4 Stalks of Baby Bok Choy – 1 stalk per serving 4 Baby Portabella mushrooms Olive Oil 1 Tsp minced garlic or 2 fresh garlic cloves Salt and Pepper Directions: Wash the baby bok choy and drain. Separate the stalks and leaves. Cut the stalk diagonally and cut the leaves across. Cut into strips so that they cook evenly. Wipe mushrooms off with a damp cloth and cut into slices. Heat wok or pan and add oil and garlic. Add the mushrooms and bok choy, adding the stalks first, and then the leaves and salt and pepper to taste. Stir fry the bok choy for about 7 to 10 minutes until it begins to soften. Serve immediately and enjoy it hot. Makes 4 Servings. www.laurapappashealth.com22

24. Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds broccoli (about 3 large heads of broccoli) – rough chopped 4 cloves of garlic – minced 3 shallots, finely chopped 4 slices of high quality bacon Sea salt and Freshly ground black pepper Red Pepper Flakes (if desired) 2 cups high quality chicken stock – to desired consistency Preparation: Sauté bacon and shallots in the soup pot on medium heat for about 4 minutes, add garlic and continue to sauté for 3 more minutes, be careful not to scorch it. Add red pepper flakes if desired. Add chopped broccoli and 2 cups of high quality chicken stock (make sure there is no sugar added if you are purchasing it from the store). Add salt and pepper to taste, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the broccoli is fully cooked. Transfer from the pot into a food processor or blender, and whiz until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add additional chicken broth to reach desired consistency. www.laurapappashealth.com23

25. Ingredients: 1 pound brussel sprouts Salt & Pepper Optional – 2 – 3 slices of high quality, nitrate free bacon Directions: Wash and cut stems off of raw Brussels Sprouts. Shred uncooked Brussels sprouts (I use 1 bag from Trader Joe's about 1 lb for 4 people) in your food processor with a slicing disk. In a large sauté pan, cover the bottom with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the shredded Brussels spouts and season with some salt and pepper. Sauté the mixture until it’s lightly browned, approximately 10 minutes. While the sprouts are cooking, cook 2 - 3 slices of high quality nitrate free bacon until it reaches desired crispiness. Rough chop the bacon, and add to the cooked brussel sprouts, toss and serve. If you're Paleo/Primal consider adding the bacon fat to the dish, its delicious. This dish is great warm and also cold, so its a great way to serve a healthy green vegetable at a party. www.laurapappashealth.com24

26. Ingredients: 3 – 4 Sweet Potatoes 1 tsp – 2 tsp Turmeric 1 tsp – 2 tsp Chili Powder 2 T Olive Oil or Coconut Oil Directions: Wash and peel sweet potatoes. Cut into thin circles (for less cooking time) or larger wedges (will require longer cooking time) and fill a glass baking pan. Lightly cover the sweet potatoes with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) or Coconut Oil (about 2 tablespoons). Dust the potatoes with turmeric and chili powder. For more intense flavor, mix together and add a second coating of spices. Bake at 400 for 35 to 55 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy. This side dish is a great addition to dinner, especially after a long cardio focused workout or the night before a long cardio workout. www.laurapappashealth.com25

27. Squash Ingredients: 1 Spaghetti Squash Directions: Start by cooking the squash, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and inside of the squash (Be CAREFUL these guys are hard to cut! – note you can microwave it for about 2 minutes first to make it easier to cut in half). Spray the squash with coconut oil and put face down in a glass tray. Cook for 35 – 45 minutes. Take squash out and scrape out inside with a fork into a large bowl. The squash should be stringy and look similar to spaghetti noodles. Meatballs and Sauce Ingredients: Meatballs 1 pound ground beef (preferably grass-fed) or turkey 2 Tbs almond meal 1 egg 1 Tsp Chopped Basil 1Tsp Oregano 1Tsp Chopped Parsley 1 Tsp chopped garlic 1 finely chopped carrot (opt), 1 finely chopped zucchini (opt) Salt & Pepper Sauce 1 can of Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce (in can, no sugar added!) Handful fresh chopped basil Directions: Put all of the meatball ingredients into a large bowl for mixing, and mix by hand. Roll mixture into meatballs, the larger the ball the longer it will take to cook. After meatballs have been rolled, add them to a large pan, you can spray the bottom of the pan with olive oil (especially if it’s stainless). Cook the meatballs, turning to brown them on all sides. Once they are cooked through, add the Marinara sauce and cover and let simmer for 5 – 10 minutes. Serve the meatballs and sauce over a pile of spaghetti squash, and sprinkle with fresh chopped basil. Makes between 4 – 6 servings depending on the size of the squash. www.laurapappashealth.com26

28. Recipe featured from the Whole 9 http://whole9life.com/2010/01/mexi-salad/. This is a favorite in my house, we make it weekly and is great as leftovers for lunch or dinner! http://whole9life.com/2010/01/mexi-salad/ Taco salad: 2 lbs. organic, grass-fed ground beef (fresh, or frozen and thawed) 1 can (16 oz.) of organic diced tomatoes (read ingredients!), or dice your own 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp cumin 1 head of fresh, crisp romaine lettuce, chopped (or spinach or another salad green) 1 each yellow, green and red pepper, diced (try trader joe’s frozen manage a toirs peppers – under $2 for 16 oz, defrost, chop, and add) 1 jar of organic salsa (or make your own ) Red pepper flakes or hot sauce (if desired) Guacamole: 4 fresh avocado, pitted and mashed 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed 2 limes, squeezed for juice (squeeze them like you’re deadlifting!) 1/4 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp sea salt fresh ground black pepper, to taste fresh cilantro (chopped), to taste Directions: Prepare the guacamole ahead of time, and chill while you make the salad. Mash the avocado in a glass or ceramic bowl* to desired consistency. Pour the lime juice over the avocado right away to prevent browning. Use a wooden spoon* to mix in all other ingredients. *The lime juice in this recipe is reactive with metal, so avoid metal mixing bowls and spoons. Plus, we always prefer alternatives to plastic.alternatives to plastic Start to brown the ground beef. Add tomatoes and spices and simmer until it’s no longer pink. Drop a pile of chopped romaine on a plate, top with ground beef, sprinkle with diced pepper and cover with fresh salsa. Spoon a hearty helping of guacamole on the side or on top of the salad. www.laurapappashealth.com27

29. INGREDIENTS 1 whole chicken about 4lbs (preferably pastured) 2 cans of whole tomatoes with juice ~35oz (check for no added sugar in the ingredient list) 1 can of diced tomatoes (check for no added sugar in the ingredient list) 2 -3 Red Bell Peppers (or yellow or orange peppers) 3 - 4 Green Bell Peppers 1 Large Onion 1 lb of Carrots 1 bunch of celery 1 large handful of fresh basil 1/2 handful of fresh flat leaf parsley 4 cloves fresh garlic diced (about 2 Tbsp) Salt and Pepper to taste 1-2 cups chicken broth (optional if you want more broth and don't want to use water) DIRECTIONS Prep: - Get a really large soup pot, it needs to fit the whole chicken in it. If you don't have a pot that big, use a whole chicken that is already cut up – it saves a bit of room. - Dice the onions, peppers, carrots and herbs - Cut up the whole tomatoes (from the cans) into bit sized chunks, save the juice Cooking: Total Cooking Time: 2.5 hours Combine all ingredients (except for the the fresh herbs, salt and pepper) into a large soup pot and mix together. If you want some extra broth, add 1-2cups of water or chicken broth*. Bring the pot to a boil and after boiling reduce heat to low / simmer and cook for 2 hours. At 2 hours, remove the chicken and allow to cool enough to remove the skin and the meat (you can use a fork or your hands to get the meat off). Add the chicken meat back into the soup and add the fresh herbs and salt and pepper as needed. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes and then serve. It's delicious with fresh diced avocado on the side. *Adding additional liquid will add more broth to the soup, you can use water since you are cooking the chicken with bones if you choose to use chicken without bones for this, use chicken broth instead of water. If you are planning to freeze it, I recommend not adding additional water or broth and freezing in individual portion sizes, easy to bring for lunch! Note the more chicken you add here the less you will notice that there are no "noodles" in the soup. This makes a really hearty dish that is delicious and great to portion into containers to bring for lunch or a quick dinner. www.laurapappashealth.com28