When I lived in The Jungle By The Sea in Mexico, soups were a daily fare. With no refrigeration and only one burner temperature setting, the soup was boiled each time anyone in the house had hunger. Being a "picky eater", I provided many rolled-eyed laughs for my generous, next door neighbors, as I preferred sandwhiches over the "mystery" re-re-re-boiled soups.

It has been said good French cooks always have a soup of some sort simmering on the back of their stoves. I am not French, let alone, a good cook. My saving grace is my husband will eat anything, including my cooking.

Three years ago I insisted my husband visit a physician when he mentioned he had not seen one since 10 years before I even met him. In one fell swoop he was diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes 2, prostate cancer, and coratid artieries 50% clogged. In addition to my continuing dilemma with $70,000+ in medical bills, I have had to learn how to cook, and, in an entirely different manner from what I had learned from my mum: healthy, tasty, and very inexpensive. I really do prepare other things, but these are two soups I put in the crock pot:

SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH GARLIC DILL BREAD

2-1/2 cups of dried split peas from the bulk food department

4 cups chicken stock (your own is best to cut back on sodium)

4 cups water

2 tbs minced garlic

5 bay leaves (from the bulk food department)

-- Place all the above stuff in the crock pot and turn on the machine. I always make the Garlic Dill bread in the bread machine for this one. Note: Splenda will not work in a bread machine. One must use real sugar to feed the yeast. I freeze any split pea soup leftover, wait 14 days to warm it up and serve it again.

CHILI WITH CORNBREAD - This is the most expensive one.

1 lb. ground turkey, browned

whole kernel corn - 1 can

dark red kidney beans - 1 can

black beans -1 can

chopped onion - 1/4 cup

chopped celery - 1/4 cup

V-8 Juice - large can

1 tsp Splenda (takes bite out of tomato "acid")

whole tomatoes, large can

black pepper, cumin, chili powder to taste

(no salt - already in the canned stuff)

-- Place all the above stuff in the crock pot and turn on the machine. Sometimes I don't bother with the cornbread. I freeze any chili leftover, wait 14 days to warm it up and serve it again.

Healthy eating habits are important and should be employed early on to prevent health problems in the future. We can't live forever, but if we aren't healthy it will seem like forever.