You'd have to be living under a particularly sound-proof rock not to have heard about the current epidemic of a particularly nasty strain of coronavirus called COVID-19.

COVID-19 is believed to have been passed on to humans from a contaminated animal of unknown species at a food market in Wuhan, China. The first human cases were reported in late December 2019, hence the timely suffix.

It isn't the first of its kind: the word "coronavirus" actually describes not just COVID-19 but an entire group of viruses. Because of their signature spiky surfaces, the cluster were named for the Latin word "corona," which means crown.

The group includes viruses ranging from those that cause only a common cold and those responsible for the earlier-2000s epidemics of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus.)

As of yet, COVID-19 appears to have a mortality rate far lower than that of these earlier conditions, but it has also spread far further far faster. Over 100,000 cases have now been reported from at least 60 countries, and the virus has resulted in more than 6,000 deaths.

On the bright side, over half of those who've contracted COVID-19 have already recovered, and the majority of patients will experience only mild symptoms. However, those who are 60 or older or who have serious medical conditions are at an alarmingly high risk of death and complications.

There's no surefire way of preventing a coronavirus infection, aside from perhaps being in possession of an air-locked secret hideout, but there are plenty of commonsense things you can to reduce your risk of getting sick.

Even if you deem yourself at low risk, you could easily pass the virus on to someone at a higher risk either directly or by way of infecting someone, who infects someone, who infects someone...

This kind of chain reaction could also overwhelm healthcare systems and prolong the entire crisis, which could lead to thousands of unnecessary deaths and have huge ripple effects on the economy and on our day-to-day lives long-term.

This might include speaking to your boss about remote working options, rescheduling or cancelling any impending gatherings, and steering clear of most public places.

Now, "public places" includes the gym, but that doesn't have to mean putting a button on your fitness. You're free to go for a walk or a run in any open area or utilize whatever exercise equipment you have at home. Additionally, a quick YouTube search can also find you plenty of exercise tutorials that require only a mat and yourself!

Though you may feel safe if you avoid touching other people while out, beware that the virus can also be transmitted through the air and can lurk on surfaces for up to 48 hours.

Gloves will also do little to prevent any lurking germs from spreading to your face or body, and you should not wear a mask unless you are ill or caring for someone who is. Thoughtless use of masks could leave a dangerous shortage for medical workers and sick patients, which could also perpetuate the virus's spread.

When you do find yourself out and about, make sure you regularly wash your hands with soap and clean water, or regularly use a hand sanitizer that's at least 60 percent alcohol. You should also make an effort to avoid touching your face as much as possible.

Finally, if you do find yourself feeling sick, don't panic; there's a good chance you just have an ordinary cold or flu, since the early symptoms can be almost identical to those of coronavirus. A runny nose, sore throat, or fever could go either way, but a bad cough, tightness in the chest, or difficulty breathing may be a sign of something more serious.

In either case, though, you should immediately put yourself on full quarantine to avoid infecting others, and refrain from breaking it for at least 14 days unless you need medical attention.

However, people who are underweight or malnourished are also at higher risk of coronavirus and other serious health issues, so a global health crisis is no excuse to eat a less-than-healthy amount of calories either.

Instead of skimping on your intake, you should make an effort to stay well-nourished on fresh, healthy food as long as it's available, though frozen or canned fruit, vegetables and lean protein should also do the trick if you're trying to minimize grocery trips.

Meanwhile, if there's anything that can be learned from this debacle, it's that we shouldn't wait for a mass pandemic to start worrying about our health; we should be doing that all year long! As we've all unfortunately learned, there's no way of knowing when or who the next catastrophe will hit.

St. Patrick's Day began as 1600's religious holiday that honored, of course, St. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint and a famous Catholic missionary remembered for spreading the good word around the country.

Over the years, however, it has evolved into a more secular holiday, one that has less to do with religion than celebrating Irish culture. This process began in the 1700s, when Irish immigrants held the first St. Patrick's Day parades in the United States to express their national pride.

Though the color originally associated with St. Patrick was actually blue, the color of St. Patrick's Day eventually shifted to green to better reflect the Irish flag and the abundant greenery that earned the country the nickname of the "Emerald Isles."

In traditional Irish lore, wearing green is also thought to render one invisible to those tricky leprechauns. While it's unknown if eating green has the same effect, St. Patrick's Day revelers are certainly eager to!

Given the current worldwide health crisis, attending a party or heading to the bars is probably the last thing you want to do anyhow. Since you're already staying in, why not show your spirit by trying these super-healthy recipes?

Green Smoothie

It is easy to be green with this super-simple recipe! Estimated nutritional value of 66 calories, and .3g fat.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 1 minute

Yield 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 1/4 apple
• 1/4 orange, peeled
• 1/4 cucumber, peeled
• 4 blueberries
• 1/4 tsp ginger

Directions
Place water, spinach, apple, orange, cucumber, blueberries, and ginger in a blender. Blend on low until just combined; increase speed to high and blend until smooth and liquefied, about 1 minute.

Recipe provided by Emma Moroni

Green Lentil Soup

This simple soup is packed with flavor and nutrients! Estimated nutritional value of 155 calories and 5.3g fat.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Yield 1 serving

Ingredients

• 50 g lentil flour
• 1 chopped onions
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• Salt
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

Directions
Heat butter in a pan. Add chopped garlic and onions. Roast till red. Add salt and other spices. Add 50gm lentil flour and 1.5 glass water. Mix well, cook with steam for 10 minutes.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipes

Chicken Green Patties

These unique patties are perfect for St. Patrick's Day! Estimated nutritional value of 178 calories and 3.7g fat.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 15 minutes

Yield 5 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cup kale stems removed, roughly chopped
• 1 long red chili, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, dried
• 1 teaspoon onion powder, dried
• Salt, to season
• Cracked pepper, to season
• 500g free-range chicken mince

Directions
Fry in non-stick pan for approx 15-20 mins.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipes

It may be hard to believe it, but March is already half-gone. Interestingly enough, ancient Romans once had a particular day designated to mark exactly that occasion: the Ides Of March.

The holiday was dedicated to settling debts and to religious observances, and also served to divide one part of the month from another—hence why it was always celebrated on March 15th!

However, the obsolete occasion is now most remembered for its inextricable link to the assassination of Julius Caesar. Both in the Shakespeare play Julius Caesar and in real life, March 15th was the day on which Caesar was infamously assassinated by a band of rebellious senators.

Of course, the historical Caesar had nothing to do with the invention of Caesar salad, despite widespread misconceptions to the contrary and the Roman statesman's conspicuous presence on the labels of certain commercial Caesar dressings—which you probably should be avoiding anyway due to the fact that they can run up to 100 calories per tablespoon!

It actually wasn't until almost 2,000 years after Julius Caesar's 44 BC demise that Caesar salad emerged. In 1924, it was impulsively created by the Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini at his eponymous Caesar's Restaurant in Tijuana, where he had settled to avoid prohibition.

At least according to Caesar's daughter, the story goes that Caesar was running low on ingredients one night. Instead of sending his customers home hungry, Caesar scrounged together a new "Caesar" salad and prepared it table-side.

The dish was an instant local hit, but it didn't really take off until Caesar moved to LA years later. There, a Hollywood screenwriter named Manny Wolfe started spreading the recipe to restaurants around town. Caesar salad was then further popularized by a promotion showcasing the dish at the famous Waldorf Astoria.

A few other people working at Caesar's Restaurant have been rumored to have actually created the salad, such as Caesar's brother Alex; a young cook named Livio Santini; and a business partner of the Cardinis' named Paul Maggiora. However, Caesar's story is by far the most accepted one.

The original Caesar's Restaurant is still up and running in Tijuana if you ever happen to be on a coastal vacation. However, a less taxing way to get a taste of the Caesar salad that started it all is Cardini’s Original Caesar Dressing, which is still sold today.

While there are now countless variations on Caesar's salad lurking around, popular ingredients include romaine lettuce, olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, Dijon mustard, black pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, raw or coddled eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, and croutons.

However, though Caesar Salads at first glance may seem to be a healthy choice, some variations are anything but. Between that ominous dressing and other high-fat ingredients like oil, cheese, and butter-cooked croutons, the calories can easily add up.

Even most conventional Caesar salads are likely to contain between 300 and 500 calories, but many audacious restaurant versions can come in far higher. Examples include Carrabba's Caesar Salad (612), Hooters Chicken Caesar Salad (890),  Wendy’s Spicy Caesar Chicken Salad at  (720), and Cheesecake Factory's Caesar Salad with Chicken (1510).

One non-calorie related issue that can arise with Caesar salad is that some recipes call for raw egg yolks, including the Eggy Caesar Dressing recipe listed below. Unfortunately, raw eggs are sometimes exposed to harmful bacteria on their way out of the chicken which can only be destroyed by cooking.

While the risks are low for most healthy people, you should probably use another variation if you have a weakened immune system, another serious health condition, or are pregnant.

Then, there's our ingenious Caesar Dressing Dry Mix. Once you make it, you can store it in your fridge indefinitely, so all you'll need to do at salad time is take out a teaspoon to mix with the dairy of your choice.

Eggy Caesar Dressing

This old-fashioned Caesar dressing recipe isn't afraid to be a little raw. Estimated nutritional value of 61 calories, 3.5 g fat, 106 mg cholesterol, 3.5g carbohydrate, .6 g fiber, 3.4g protein, and 1.7g sugar.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook time N/A

Yield 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of yogurt
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 to 1 egg yolk, depending on other proteins in salad
• 1 clove garlic
• A pinch of powdered mustard

Directions
Mix all ingredients. Toss with salad and enjoy.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipe Group

Superpowered Caesar Dressing

Give your Caesar dressing some punch with this ingenious recipe! Estimated nutritional value of 20 calories, .4g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2.2g carbohydrate, .9g fiber, 1.9g protein, and .9g sugar.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook time N/A

Yield 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp greek natural yoghurt
• Sprinkle of salt and pepper
• Sprinkle of chili flakes
• Splash of apple cider vinegar

Directions
Mix all ingredients. Toss with salad and enjoy.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipe Group

Caesar Dressing Dry Mix

Have the perfect dressing at hand with this Caesar Dressing Dry Mix! Estimated nutritional value of 108 calories, 4.3g fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 14.1 g carbohydrate, 5.6g fiber, 6.9g protein, and 1.4g sugar.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook time N/A

Yield 33 servings

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions
Mix 1 teaspoon of mix with 1 tbsp yogurt or sour cream. Store dry mix in a jar with lid in the fridge.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipe Group

For most of its 4,000 year existence, π (also written as pi or 3.14) has had absolutely nothing to do with pie. This shouldn't be surprising given that π is defined as the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, which doesn't sound inherently tasty.

π's earliest documented use appears to have been by Egyptians in 1650 BC, though they were off a few decimals at 3.1605. So were the Babylonians, who seem to have been using 3 or 3.125.

It was Archimedes who finally arrived at a more precise number of 3 and 1/7 (which would generally be rounded to 3.14) in the second century BC. He did so by using the Pythagorean theorem to calculate the areas of a polygon inside a respective circle and the one outside that circle and then found the ratio of the first area to the second.

Later, the Chinese Zu Chongzi, who was unaware of Archimedes' work, rediscovered π and calculated it as between 3.1415926 and 3.1415927 sometime in the 5th century.

As mathematics continued to advance, conceptions of π advanced with them. For example, in 1760 Johann Heinrich Lambert discovered that π was an irrational number—that is, a number that cannot be fully expressed in a fraction and thus must go on forever.

It was in 1706 that Williams Jones first used the Greek letter π to symbolize this mysterious number, because it was the first letter of the Greek word for circumference—perimetros. Mathematician Leonhard Euler popularized the symbol further, and it gradually became the stable signifier it is today.

However, it would be another 2 centuries before π spawned its very own holiday. On March 14th (aka 3/14) 1998, physicist and curator Larry Shaw hosted the first known Pi Day celebration at a San Francisco science museum called the Exploratorium.

This celebration commenced at 1:59 PM, since the next three digits of π's approximation are 159, and it naturally involved the serving of fruit pies. From then on, pi and pie were inextricably linked!

This Pi Day celebration was repeated every year from then on and later grew to include many other festivities, most notably a "Pi Day Parade" that was led by Shaw himself until his death in 2017.

Bolstered by the fact that March 14th also happens to be Albert Einstein's birthday, "Pi Day" spread quickly around the US. It was declared an official national holiday by the US senate in 2009, and is now almost as as big a household name as April Fools or Earth Day!

Pi Day has made its way to many European countries as well, but, because most write their dates day/month rather than month/day, they instead celebrate on 22/7 (July 22nd) after π's fraction approximation.

Players this year include 7-11, Papa Johns, Diogiorno's, Hungry Howie’s, California Pizza Kitchen, Fresh Market, Whole Foods, Boston Market, and Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen—and they're just the tip of the iceberg!

After all, cooking does involve quite a lot of math—though, admittedly, not a lot of it circumference-focused—so you'd really just be making them in name of science! Or, well, at least pie-ence!

On the other hand, many are of the opinion that Pi Day can actually be celebrated with any circular food, which includes a wide variety of super-healthy fruits and vegetables. For instance, oranges, tomatoes, onions, blueberries cabbages, and cucumber slices are all indisputably round, while beans and avocados are at least ovular!

You could also try an entirely non food-related π themed activity, like memorizing a few hundred digits of π, watching the 1998 Darren Aronofsky movie π, dressing like a pirate, or wearing your favorite geeky accessories. Or, of course, you could just treat it like any other day!

Muscle tightness is an irritating sensation of discomfort, tension, or stiffness that isn't quite experienced as outright pain. However, contrary to what you might expect, areas that feel "tight" are usually not literally "tight," at least in the sense that they don't often indicate a limited range of motion in the affected area.

For instance, fleeting exercise-induced tightness may just be a facet of inflammation caused by the normal exercise recovery process, especially if you're new to working out or tried a more intense routine than usual. In this case, it should disappear after three days at the most and should occur less and less as your muscles strengthen.

A more intense or persistent feeling of "tightness," may be a sign of  an acute injury that requires medical attention, especially if you also experience redness, swelling, bruising, or decreased range of motion.

Yet one doesn't need to exercise excessively or improperly to contribute to experience increased muscle tightness; it may also be an effect of limiting yourself to only one kind of exercise which requires you to use the same muscles again and again while others aren't used much at all.

If you've already developed these imbalances, you may able to find relief in stretching your tight muscles and strengthening surrounding weak ones. You may also experience temporary tightness after remaining in any one position for too long as circulation slows blood flow to parts of your body, in which case you should probably just get up!

Some preventive measures other include staying hydrated and adequately nourished with anti-inflammatory foods and those that are high in minerals like calcium and magnesium, which are critical to muscle function.

Since sugar consumption and excess weight are both major drivers of inflammation, maintaining a healthy BMI and eating an overall healthy diet may also spare you a lot of discomfort.

Less frequently, to certain medical conditions ranging from the common cold or flu to far more serious issues, including tetanus, HIV, meningitis, mononucleosis, and certain autoimmune diseases. Then there's the even more unusual causes, like drug withdrawal, extreme heat or cold, and insect bites.

Most likely, though, your tight muscles are nothing a few simple lifestyle changes won't kick! For short term relief, however, you could also try a hot tub, sauna, warm bath, heat pack, or mild painkillers!

The only apples native to America are actually the notoriously sour crab-apples, which were obviously unsuitable for pie-making purposes. They were, however, quite useful for hard cider making, which is why the famous Johnny Appleseed took so much interest in planting them. He didn't really want to nourish us, just to get us all drunk!

Sweet apples are actually native to Asia, and made their way to us gradually via European settlers. Actually, no typical apple pie ingredients are native to America; sugar comes from Indonesia, India, and China; wheat originated in the middle east; cinnamon hails from Sri Lanka; and dairy-producing animals had to be brought over by Columbus!

Americans weren't the first to put apples into pie either; the first known apple pie recipe was actually printed in 1381 England by famous novelist Geoffrey Chaucer, though it was much different from the apple pie we now know.

The Dutch variation added apple pie's signature lattice pattern to the mix, and the French, Italian, and Germans all had versions of apple pie far before the USA did!

It wasn't until the late 1600s, when European honeybees were brought over to ensure pollination, that imported apples became a permanent fixture on American soil. Since sugar was also becoming cheaper, both foods were exciting novelties to the American people, and the dish took off!

By the Civil War, there were reports of soldiers scavenging for apples and commandeering bins of flour to make their beloved apple pie. A 1902 newspaper article names apple pie as an "American symbol for prosperity," while another suggests that "no pie-eating people can be permanently vanquished.”

Some evidence also suggests that presenting apple pie as an American classic was a marketing ploy on the part of apple growers. The advice to eat "an apple a day" may have come about that way as well.

Wherever it came from, the phrase "as American as apple pie" appeared in print throughout the 20th century. Yet it didn't truly take off until World War II, when American soldiers proudly declared that they were fighting "for mom and apple pie."

Whether Americans have any particular claim over apple pie or not, we certainly do like it. 19 percent of us name apple as our favorite type of pie, and we buy $700 million apple pies per year in stores—and that's not even counting home-baked pies or pies sold by restaurants and independent bakers!

Americans are even so enamored of apple pie that they'll eat it even absent apples! In the depression era, Ritz Crackers suggested that its customers could make a "mock apple pie" by substituting the filling for crackers soaked in cinnamon, lemon, and vanilla.

Apple pie's cultural importance is also attested to by the fact that the dessert inspired the name of a whole city (Pie Town, New Mexico) as well as the successful American Pie movie franchise and the hit Don Mclean song of the same name.

While even the excess butter, sugar, and flour in homemade apple pies aren't the best for you, retailers have made it even worse by adding in worrisome processed ingredients and greatly increasing the ease with which apple pie can be obtained.

It's one thing to enjoy an occasional homemade apple pie every holiday or so, and quite another to pick one up every time you pass through the McDonald's drive through window!

Appleberry Crumble

Why just have an apple pie when you can have BERRIES! Estimated nutritional value of 191 calories, 2.4g fat, 3 mg cholesterol,, 42.1g carbohydrate, 7.2g fiber, 1.7g protein, and 25.9g sugar.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Yield 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 red apples (peeled and cubed)
• 1/2 cup frozen berries (raspberries, blackberries)
• 2 tsp natvia sweetener
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Dash nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup water
• 1-2 mini toast (crumbled on top)
• Optional tablespoon of cream

Directions
Mix all ingredients together and stew in a pot until soft and tender. Put in bowl. Sprinkle crumbled mini toast on top. Add cream if desired.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipes

Classic Apple Pie

Say hi to your new favorite pie! Estimated nutritional value of 355 calories, 4.9g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 81.9g carbohydrate, 13.8g fiber, 4.g protein, and 46.6g sugar.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Yield 1 or more servings

Filling Ingredients

• 2 apples, peeled and diced
• 6 cloves
• 1 tsp xylitol

Crumb/Pastry Lid Ingredients

• 5 or less crushed grissini sticks with mixed spice of your choice.

Directions
Sprinkle crumb mix over apples—blitz the bread sticks for a finer texture. Add a little water at a time to form a stiff paste. Roll out and pop on top of apples. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and xylitol. Bake at 200 for 30 mins. If desired, top with 1 tbsp of yogurt.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipes

Strawberry Apple Pie

Strawberry pies forever! Estimated nutritional value (with melba toast) of 164 calories, .8g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 40.6g carbohydrate, 6.6g fiber, 2g protein, and 24.7g sugar.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Yield %yield%

Ingredients

• 1 apple
• 4 small strawberries
• 2 pieces of melba toast or 2 grissini sticks

Directions
Thinly slice 1 apple and four small strawberries. Sprinkle on crumbs of grissini sticks or Melba toasts—perhaps you'd like to try our cinnamon variety? If desired, add spices of choice and/or Stevia. Bake and enjoy!

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipe Group

Recent research revealed that sixty percent of cats and more than 56 percent of dogs are overweight, so we're talking about a lot of pets!

The cause of this problem, is, basically, the same thing that causes our weight problems; too much food and too little exercise! However, just because fat cats can be pretty darn cute doesn't mean that this issue should't be taken seriously.

In fact, letting your pet stay at an unhealthy weight may decrease your best pal’s life expectancy by up to 2.5 years, and even moderately overweight dogs had notably worse health outcomes than slimmer ones.

Your average cat should ideally weigh between eight and ten pounds, while the ideal weight of a dog varies widely with breed—100 pounds might be perfectly fine for a Great Dane, but I'd hate to see it on a chihuahua!

Lifestyle differences among owners may also trickle down to their pets. For instance, the owner who takes a dog for a nightly walk, plays with him throughout the day, and feeds him nutritious food on a regular schedule is far more likely to have a healthy pet than one who swaps the walk for a night in and lets Fido feast on their pizza crust.

The research backs this idea up: overweight owners are twice as likely as slim owners to have overweight or obese dogs, while obese owners are 20 percent more likely to have heavy dogs than the slim group.

Of course, factors besides lifestyle can play a part: neutered pets are at a higher risk for weight gain since they have lower testosterone levels (though neutering reduces the risk for many other health issues and is critical to animal population control.)

Dog breeds particularly prone to weight gain include basset hounds, pugs, English bulldogs, beagles, golden retrievers, and dachshunds. Pets that grow rapidly in their younger years may also be at greater risk.

So, what should we be doing for our overweight pets to help them get their health back on track? Basically, the same things we should be doing for ourselves—we ought to get them to eat less and move more!

As far as nutrition, your veterinarian can probably recommend a prescription diet food, which will likely be rich in metabolism-boosting protein and filling fiber and low in carbohydrates and fat. Then, feed your pet a consistent amount at regularly scheduled times and monitor their weight regularly to ensure that they're on the right path.

As far as snacks, you should avoid feeding your pet high-calorie store-bought treats and rich human food. You could try feeding them lower-calorie people food like vegetables, though you should probably double-check whether any particular food is safe for your pet before letting them dig in.

You should also focus on finding ways besides food to show affection for your pet, like engaging them in some active games. Dogs will likely enjoy catch, tug of war, or simply strolling around the block—some of them even like to swim!

As far as cats, you could try to encourage your kitty to move more by getting them a cat castle to climb on or some new toys to boost their enthusiasm. However, note that cats are also not a particularly hard to entertain bunch, and your cat may have just as much fun chasing a string or a laser pointer than with any fancy stuff.

Though Americans are likely to think first of something sweet when they hear the word “pie,” savory pies were far actually more common than dessert varieties for centuries. In many parts of the world—including England and Australia—they still are!

The earliest documented pie recipe seems to date back to the thirteenth century, a recipe for “tortoise pie” found in an Andalusian cookbook. However, pie itself seems to have originated even earlier, when prehistoric people cooked “galletes” over hot coals in inedible "reeds" made of mud or leaves to keep meat from drying out and yummy juices from dripping away.

Early British pies, which seem to have appeared as early as the 12^th century, most likely got their name from the French “pate,” which means pastry. Others speculate that pies got their name from the magpies, birds who have a reputation for unusual scavenging habits. This was due to the fact that almost anything could be used in a pie!

Though the crusts of these pies were made from more conventional flour, they weren't meant for eating either; like reeds, these early crusts were primarily meant to hold the meat as it cooked and to preserve it for long periods afterwards, an especially important quality for those traveling by ship.

These early crusts were called “coffyns.” Now, before anyone gets morbid, at the time the word only referred to a basket or box!

Coffyns were technically edible, though they were too thick and tough to be of interest to most upper or middle class people at the time. If they were eaten at all, it was by beggars and servants.

Gradually, more edible pie crusts developed, and small sweet pies called "tarts" began to appear on the scene. However even these sweet tarts were typically made with only fruit, spices and pastry rather than sugar, which was rare at the time.

The pie didn't become a bona-fide dessert until much later, when the American sugar industry took off. In England nowadays, the word "pie" still usually refers to a savory dish while sweeter pies are called tarts or cakes.

The pies' use of fatty cheese and butter is also minimized, while the inclusion of veggies like cabbage, celery and onion and spices like oregano, garlic and ginger ensure they're still packed with plenty of flavor—and plenty of micro-nutrients as well!

If you're a beef fan, you'll probably enjoy our Simple Mini Meat Pies or our Steak and Onion Pies, while someone searching for some lighter fare may be more inclined towards our amazing Fish Pie!

Fish Pie

There's something a little fishy about this healthy pie recipe! Estimated nutritional value depends on fish choice.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook time 25 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Ingredients

• 400gm fish of choice
• 1 cup celery
• 1 cup cabbage
• 1 onion
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 tbs crushed garlic
• 4 tbs natural yogurt
• 8 mini toasts
• 1 pinch ginger
• 1 pinch lemon pepper spice
• 1 pinch lemon herb and garlic spice

Directions
Cook fish with spices (or alter to taste), breaking up the fish as its cooking. Turn off heat. Blitz celery and onion in blender till in fine pieces (not minced). Cook till soft in separate pan. Put in with fish. Cut cabbage into small pieces and cook till soft, then add to fish. Add ginger, minced garlic, and yogurt to fish mix together. Divide fish into 4 ramekins. Crush mini-toast and sprinkle over fish and cook in mod oven 15 min.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipe Group

.

Simple Mini Meat Pies

Are you ready to eat this meaty treat? Estimated nutritional value of 307 calories, 11.7g fat, 69 cholesterol, 24.3g carbohydrates, 7g fiber, 25.9 gprotein, 4.3g sugar

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook time 20 Minutes

Yield 1 serving

Ingredients

• 40g chickpea flour
• 1/2 tablespoon of homemade butter
• 60g beef, or other protein of choice
• Soda water
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions
Add salt and pepper to flour. Rub butter between fingers in flour till breadcrumb-like consistency. Add enough soda water till a firm dough. Roll out thinly and use cutter for pie maker. You may need an egg flip or spatula, something very thin to help get it off the board/bench. Pop in pie maker and fill with 60g protein. Serve with vegetable of choice, and, if desired, garnish with 123Diet Gravy.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipes

Steak and Onion Pies

Make no missteak—this recipe is delicious! Estimated nutritional value of 331 calories, 11.9g fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 31.2g carbohydrate, 9.1g fiber, 25.1 g protein, and 5.5g sugar.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook time 20 Minutes

Yield 2 pies, one serving each

Pastry Ingredients

• 100 g chickpea flour
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic granules
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp parmesan
• 1 tbsp homemade butter

Filling Ingredients

• 100 grams diced beef (or other allowed protein of choice)

Directions
Rub butter into flour, of breadcrumb consistency. Add a little soda water to bring together as a dough. Knead dough, roll into ball, rest in fridge for 1/2 hour. To avoid pastry sticking, roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper and sprinkle chickpea flour on paper and on pastry. Push pastry base into non stick pie pans, add filling, and pop on top. Pinch together edges. Bake in a fan-forced oven on 180 for 25 mins. Enjoy!

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipes

Essential oils are admired by celebrities, ubiquitous on social media, and have spawned a growing multi-billion dollar industry. Which begs the question: are they really worth all the hype?

Essential oils are usually meant to be inhaled, perhaps with the help of a device called a "diffuser" that can help spread the scent. Oils can also be dabbed on the skin in areas like the wrist, neck, palms, or temple. Some people also enjoy dissolving a few drops of essential oil into their water or tea, or even drink it straight up!

Though essential oils may seem at first to be a fully modern phenomenon, they've actually been long used by ancient cultures across the world for both health and cosmetic purposes, as well as to flavor food.

However, as Western culture is becoming more suspicious of conventional medicine and influencer after influencer pipes in with a moving personal testament to these essential oils' healing powers, these mysterious "potions" have slowly made their way back into the spotlight.

Of course, essential oils do have their naysayers. Controversies have arisen due to the pyramid-scheme-like multi-level marketing structure of leading essential oil companies Young Living and Doterra, unrealistic health claims made by oil distributors, and some disturbing facts that have come to light regarding the background of Young Living founder Donald Young.

Others worry that the over-harvesting of vulnerable plants for their essential oils could lead to the endangerment or even extinction of these plants, or that oils may give users a false sense of security that keeps them from addressing underlying health issues.

On the other hand, the wide-ranging benefits of a plant-based diet suggests that while Mother Nature certainly can't cure everything, she may be able to do quite a lot for our health. So, it's unsurprising that many essential oils have been tentatively associated with certain health benefits.

While we certainly don't have time to examine all the 90+ essential oils that are commonly used for health reasons, you might be fascinated by this round-up of a few oil types that boast some scientific evidence of their potential effects—especially those that could have an impact on your weight loss!

Before you jump into the essential oil game, we'd also like to point out that not all essential oils are safe to ingest, that topical application of oil has the potential to irritate skin, and that inhaling essential oil can occasionally trigger attacks of asthma or allergies in vulnerable individuals.

As desirable as weight loss is, diets are also notoriously hard to stick to, or sometimes even to start! However, little good will come from ignoring those extra pounds and a whole lot of bad could.

Thus, this list will let you in on a few reasons delaying your wellness journey could lead to disaster—plus a few of the perks that could come once you commit to change!

1. You Could Raise Your Set Point

On the bright side, once you've maintained a healthy weight long enough, it could become your new set point, and your new figure should become a lot easier to maintain!

2. Your Health Could Deteriorate

Protecting your health also has the bonus of protecting your wallet, since obese people spend 42 percent more per year than those of a healthy weight, which has led to billions in unnecessary health expenditures worldwide.

3. There Will Never Be A "Right" Time

If you're significantly overweight, we'd wager that you are planning on losing weight...eventually. Unfortunately, many prospective dieters make excuse after excuse rather than going all-in. We are going to wait until "the kids are older," or " things calm down at work" or "after that birthday party for Uncle Fred."

4. Think Of Your Loved Ones

Some successful 123Dieters were inspired to take action when they faced up to thought that if they continued their lives at an unhealthy weight, they would be unlikely to live to see their children grow up.

Even if your own problem is not so drastic, you still may be modeling unhealthy eating and body dissatisfaction to your offspring (that is, if you have any offspring), which could set the stage for them adopting your bad habits. Your struggles with your weight may also be preventing you from being the kind of involved and energetic parent, spouse, worker, or friend that you'd truly like to be.

5. You'll Avoid Fat-phobia

If you are overweight, you may also have a harder time finding clothing, get publicly reprimanded for your food choices, have your abilities underestimated, or have to pay extra for a simple airplane seat. Of course, the existence and impact of these institutional and individual biases is utterly reprehensible—but if you remain overweight, they may well prevent you from living your best life.

6. You'll Be More Competent and More Confident

Committing to a healthier lifestyle—and, eventually, seeing your efforts show up in your mirror and on your scale⁠—could translate to feeling more in control of your body and your life, which could in turn empower you to go after your wildest dreams!

7. You May Find Activities You Enjoy

Exercise-related habits, however, aren't the only ones that might cross your path once you begin dieting. Making yourself healthy meals could easily ignite a passion for cooking, or you can experiment with gardening to grow your own wholesome fruits and greens!

8. You May Make New Friends

While you're unlikely to meet many people sitting in front of the TV with a bag of crisps, you are likely to meet them while out engaging in the activities mentioned above. A shared interest in wellness could also be an awesome icebreaker with any other dieters or health-conscious folk.

Unfortunately, that is exactly the situation of the approximately ten percent of Americans who will at one point in their life suffer from Willis-Ekbom disease, more often known as "restless legs syndrome."

The disorder gets its name from its most prominent symptom: an overwhelming urge to move one's legs. This urge starts or worsens during rest, is partially or totally relieved by movement, and is usually more prominent in the evening.

Though patients sometime describe these symptoms as painful, they are more likely to describe them as tingling, pulling, throbbing, aching, itching, creeping, or crawling.

Despite the emphasis on the legs in RLS's name, a small percentage of RLS patients will instead (or additionally) report these unusual creepy crawly sensations in other parts of their body, like the arm, chest, head, or abdomen.

RLS is considered a sleep disorder because it typically results in insomnia, so much so that it has been nicknamed "the sleep thief." However, its symptoms can also appear anywhere else you may be expected to sit for an extended time, from airplanes to theaters to road trips to desks.

RLS is also more likely to appear in older patients, and tends to worsen with age; those who begin experiencing symptoms before the age of 40 are often found to have a family history of the disorder and a particular genetic profile. Restless legs syndrome is also twice as common in women as it is in men. Plus, it is particularly prominent in pregnant women.

This may be related to physical impact of carrying a baby on muscles in the lower limbs, hormonal factors, or micro-nutrient deficiencies that arise as more and more of nutrients are needed by the developing baby. Luckily, pregnancy-associated cases of RLS often disappear following delivery.

RLS should not be diagnosed if the patient's unusual leg sensations result from another disorder, such as leg cramps or arthritis. However RLS can, but by no means must, be caused by certain underlying conditions.

These conditions include Parkinson's disease, kidney disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and peripheral neuropathy. RLS may also be a side effect of certain medications, including anti-depressant, anti-allergy, anti-nausea, and anti-psychotic medications.

There are no specific tests that can confirm an RLS diagnosis, but once your doctor suspects the condition, they may order some to rule out these underlying conditions and address any co-morbid sleep disorders.

Treating any underlying conditions will often result in improvement in RLS symptoms, but other cases have no clear biological cause. However, some simple lifestyle changes could go also go a long way in ameliorating symptoms.

However, if none of these lifestyle changes seem to be doing the trick, more serious forms of RLS may require medication. Medicines sometimes prescribed doctors for RLS can range from dopaminergic drugs, benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants, alpha 2 agonists, narcotics, and over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen.

Along with weight gain, sleep deprivation may also lead to a higher risk of illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, depression, and kidney disease—so best try and get a handle on your unruly limbs before it's too late!

Muffins seem to have originated in tenth century England, when they were made mostly by lower class servants. However, they gradually became a staple food for the upper and middle classes as well, as attested to by the famous 19th century British children's song, "The Muffin Man."

You may also be surprised to know that "muffin man" was once an actual career. Similar to milkmen, these "muffin men" would go door to door selling their neighbors muffins to serve with their dinner or afternoon tea.

These original muffins, however, differ quite a bit from the kind you might find at your average American Starbucks. For one thing, they were typically made with yeast (as opposed to batter), were cooked first in an oven and then a griddle, and were far less sweet!

American muffins, which are baked in small tins and are much sweeter than their older cousins, probably developed because they could be made much more quickly, and were thus a better fit for busy American housewives.

In America, bread products that resemble the original muffins are generally called "English Muffins," while the Brits call our sugary concoctions "American-style" or "sweet" muffins.

In Phase 2, you can enjoy these muffins as part of your lunch or dinner with a side of your favorite veggies, and in Phase 3 they could be an awesome breakfast option as well!

Chicken Muffins

All the fun of muffins without any of the health downsides! Estimated nutritional value of 351 calories, 8.5g fat, 29 mg cholesterol, 41.2g carbohydrate, 7.7g fiber, 26.6g protein, and 7.7g sugar.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Yield 1 serving

Ingredients

• 70gms chickpea flour mix with soda water
• 30gms shredded chicken
• Fresh salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
• Chives

Directions
Mix all ingredients and then pop into cupcake maker. Cook for 10 mins.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipes

Simple Lentil Muffins

You'll be lovin these easy lentil muffins! Estimated nutritional value of 263 calories, 7.1 g fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 30.6g carbohydrate, 5.4 g fiber, 21.5g protein, and 0g sugar.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 17 minutes

Yield If on phase 2, entire recipe is half your protein allowance and 2/3 dairy allowance.

Ingredients

• 50gm lentil flour
• 1-2 teaspoons Italian herbs
• 1-2 teaspoons onion salt
• 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
• 40 ml soda water

Directions
Mix all together and put in lightly sprayed muffin tin. Bake at 170 for 17 mins.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipes

Eggy Lentil Muffins

Forget Egg Mcmuffins and learn to how make to make this healthy egg muffin instead! Estimated nutritional value (per muffin, if cheddar cheese is selected) of 81 calories, 3.8g fat. 91 mg cholesterol, 5.8g carbohydrate, 1.2g fiber, 6.2g protein, and .3g sugar.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Yield 15 muffins, 2 muffins per Phase 2 Protein serving

Ingredients

• 1 spring onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• Curry powder to taste
• 7 fresh spinach leaves
• 2/3rds of a cup lentil flour
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Pinch of chilli flakes
• 7 large eggs—2 yolks, 5 whites
• Half-cup grated cheese of choice

Directions
Preheat oven to 180C and grease a muffin pan very well. If you do not have a good non-stick muffin pan, use parchment paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups to about 3/4 full. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until puffed or set to the touch.

Recipe provided by 123Diet Official Phase 2 Recipes

While Hunter F. Thompson was obviously speaking metaphorically when he famously suggested that "a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio," you, on the other hand, may actually be able to make your exercise routine a good deal more productive if you choose the right jams!

Tempo also seems to play a big part in your musical advantage. One study of music's effects on cycling performance found that participants' heart rates fell if they were played low-tempo music, as did their enjoyment of the music and the amount of miles traveled. All these findings were reversed for athletes in the high-tempo condition.

However, the high-tempo men actually reported feeling like their workout was harder, which suggests that music may have less of an effect on how difficult a workout feels than how willing athletes are to push past the pain. Additionally, the physical effects music can bring on, including higher heart rate and faster breathing, may itself translate to increased motivation.

Of course, there are upper limits to this tempo effect; research has found that music with a tempo above 140 BPM (beats per minute) didn't help as much during moderate to intense activity as did songs with tempos ranging from 120-140 BPM. For slower-paced warm-ups and cool-downs, experts recommend sticking to 80-90 BPM instead.

Other research has found that cyclists who rode in time to music used less oxygen than those who didn't. However, all these musical perks tend to disappear once you get to the top of your physical limits.

A study done on experienced runners undertaking difficult workouts failed to find the increase in heart rate or distraction from fatigue that were found during more moderate activity.

This may be because these superstars' heart rates were so high already, and the physical exhaustion resulting from such hard work overtook even music's substantial powers.

Yet even these runners reported more enjoyment from their workout than did non-music-listeners! Plus, some gym junkies find that music enables them to concentrate on their workouts more deeply, though plenty of casual exercisers instead enjoy music as a distraction from their hard work.

In the end, the fact that listening to music is currently banned by USA Track and Field in all professional races acknowledges that, at least under some circumstances, music may work similarly to a performance enhancing drug.

Luckily, music comes without all the icky side effects of actual performance-enhancing drugs, and a few health benefits of its own! For instance, listening to music has been shown to reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, lower stress levels, improve your sound processing, improve your heart health, and even reduce your pain.

If you don't have much of a musical side but would still appreciate a distraction to help pass your workout time, you could try watching TV, listening to podcasts, or even reading a magazine or book if you're pedaling or jogging at a relatively slow pace.

You should also be wary of listening to music during outside workouts unless you're in a designated safe area—you don't want to be so "in the zone" that you miss the sound of an oncoming car!

There's no shame in choosing silence either; plenty of athletes find that quiet workouts help them feel more in touch with their environment, or with their own thoughts.

It seems as if there are pros and cons both to chilling out with a cold drink or warming up with a hot one. Thus, your answer may be informed by your health, your goals, and the particular environment in which you wish to imbibe.

Then again, if you drink your recommended two liters of water a day, you'd find yourself burning 66 more calories daily; not enough to give you the body of your dreams, but enough to compensate for three Hershey's kisses or half a grapefruit.

Another time cold water wins out is during intense exercise. Cool fluids are both easier for most people to drink and processed more quickly by the body, leading to quicker re-hydration.

Cold water may also be the better choice in other situations where your temperature may be raised, such as excursions outdoors in particularly hot climates or times when you find yourself fighting a fever.

Also, unlike, warm or hot water, there is no point at which cold water becomes too cold. While you may certainly find drinking freezing water unpleasant, even ice can be safely eaten with no risk of burns or tissue damage.

So what's the warm water got going for it? Well, in contrast to cold water, drinking warm water may benefit your digestion, speeding food's movement through the stomach and increasing blood flow to the intestines. Additionally, a glass of warm water on an empty stomach is thought to be particularly beneficial in fighting constipation.

Warm water also helps remove toxins from your body by improving circulation and stimulating your endocrine system. This improved circulation may then translate to pain relief as more nutrient-rich blood makes it to the site of your injury or ailment.

There is, however, a point when warm is too warm. Unfortunately, commercial hot beverages are often served so hot that you may risk being burned. This can occur on your tongue in a too-eager sip, or it may end up affecting your skin if you, like me, are prone to spilling things all over yourself.

If you're going to switch off between the two temps, your warm water is probably best taken with meals to combat indigestion. You may also enjoy a cup of warm water or herbal tea when winding down near the end of your day, since many people also report that hot water helps ease their anxiety.

On the other hand, cold water might make the most sense as a between-meal refresher or a gym essential. Then, for your first glass of the day, you may want to go for a warm beverage if you've been dealing with tummy trouble, but feel free to choose its colder cousin if you'd rather get your metabolism right into gear or shake off your sleepiness off a little faster!

The eating of chicken soup is almost as old as the domestication of chickens themselves, which may have taken place as many as 10,000 years ago! Most every part of the world has its own regional variations on this staple, like Mexico’s sopa de Fideos, China’s QiguoJi, Iraqi Shorba Bi Djaj and Indian Marag.

However, prototypical American chicken soup, which tends to contain mostly root vegetables to bolster its poultry, seems to have been brought over by Scottish and Polish immigrants.

They in turn seem to have picked it up from Mennonite, Amish and Jewish communities around Europe. The most distinctly American alteration to chicken soup was the addition of corn, which we'd picked up as a foodstuff from neighboring Native Americans.

This chart illustrates our belief in chicken soup's powers by comparing the number of cold and flu appointments made on the online medical care appointment booking service Zocdoc with the number of soup orders made on food delivery service Grubhub.

Could this almost-universal enthusiasm for chicken soup mean that its healing powers are all they're cracked up to be? Tentatively, the answer seems to be yes!

On a somewhat less plausible note, the 12th century Jewish philosopher Maimonides suggested that chicken soup was was even rumored to be able to cure leprosy.

However, chicken soup changed for the worse in 1934, when ubiquitous company Campbell first began adding noodles to its version of chicken soup. Unfortunately, this "chicken soup," iconic as it may be, has a whole lot of problems.

For one thing, low-nutrient white-flour noodles are a poor substitute for hearty, filling veggies. Then, though a can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup is admittedly low in fat and calories, it's also surprisingly low in protein; most all of the soup's calorie content comes from the noodles' simple carbohydrates.

This is unsurprising given that actual chicken meat makes up less than two percent of this "chicken" soup. So while a one-can serving of Campbell soup provides only two grams of protein, one serving of any of the recipes below will provide over 30!

Chicken Meatball Soup

Meatballs aren't just for spaghetti! Why not soup them up? Estimated nutritional value of 224 calories, 4g fat, 63 mg cholesterol, 10.2 carbohydrates, 1.8 g fiber, 39.3 protein, and 4 g sugar.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 30 Minutes

Yield Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable, 1 Melba toast)

Ingredients

• 1 chicken meatball recipe
• 2 cups homemade chicken broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup broth)
• 2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
• Chopped celery or tomato
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic crushed and minced
• 1 bay leaf
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Combine ground chicken breast with spices, chopped garlic, onion, and crushed Melba toast. Form into balls. Bring broth to a boil; add spices, vinegar, Bragg’s liquid aminos, and chicken balls. Reduce to a simmer and cook a minimum of 30 minutes adding the celery or tomato the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

Recipe provided by Emma Moroni

Savory Chicken Soup

This easy soup is sure to fill you up! Estimated nutritional value of 244 calories, 6g fat, 64 mg cholesterol, 13.3 g carbohydrate, 3.2g fiber, 33.3g protein, 6.8 g sugar.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Yield Makes 1 serving (1 protein, 1 vegetable)

Ingredients

• 100 grams chicken breast cubed
• 1-2 cups chopped celery or tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth (or substitute 1 cup water for 1 cup of broth)
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic crushed and sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon organic poultry spice blend
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions
Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add onion, garlic and spices. Add chicken and vegetables and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes or more until chicken is tender and fully cooked. Serve hot. Sprinkle with chives or parsley if desired.

Recipe provided by Emma Moroni

Hot And Sour Chicken Soup

This healthy soup has an Asian twist, a great taste, and no health downsides! Estimated nutritional value of 198 calories, 0.5g fat. 64mg cholesterol, 9.6g carbohydrate, 2.9g fiber, 33.2 g protein, and 3g sugar.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Yield Makes 1 serving (1 protein)

Ingredients

• 100 grams chicken breast diced
• 1 cup homemade chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
• ½ lemon in quarters with rind
• 1 clove garlic crushed and minced
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Pinch of chili powder or red chili flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Stevia to taste (optional)

Directions
Boil lemon wedges with rind in 1 cup of water until pulp comes out of the rind. Scrape out additional pulp and juice. Add the diced chicken, spices and chicken broth. Simmer until cooked. Variation: You can add orange juice as an option (before 12 pm if on phase 2) and your choice of approved vegetable or substitute shrimp for chicken.

Phase 3/Maintenace Modifications
Add a small amount of fresh pineapple juice. Add vegetables such as zucchini, cauliflower, small amount of carrots etc. Add a little chili oil or paste to the soup for added heat and flavor.

Recipe provided by Emma Moroni