Packaged Mixes Handy For Creating New Dishes

Packaged mixes save time when you’re trimming the fat from your diet. They’re also handy for creating a meal at a moment’s notice.

With a few ingredients from your pantry, you can turn a mix into a whole new dish. For example, the recipe below transforms a fiber-rich lentil pilaf mix into a chunky, lowfat soup that contains only 2 grams of fat per bowlful.

Curried Lentil and Bean Soup

3 cups water

14 1/2-ounce can lower-sodium chicken broth (about 1 3/4 cups)

6 3/4-ounce package lentil pilaf mix

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 cup frozen peas

16-ounce can lower-sodium tomatoes, cut up

15-ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

In a 4-quart Dutch oven combine water, broth, dry lentil mix and seasonings from packet, and curry powder. Bring mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add peas; cook, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes more or until lentils are tender. Stir in undrained tomatoes and beans; heat through.

Yield: 4 main-dish servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 388 calories, 2 grams fat (5 percent fat calories), no cholesterol, 19 grams protein, 68 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 1,157 milligrams sodium.