Give Eli Manning 30 Minutes a Day

The New York Giants quarterback led his team to a Super Bowl victory. Now Manning wants to help lead you and the nation to be more physically active. So as you'll see in this short video, Manning kicked off the National President's Challenge, sponsored by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sport. It runs until May 15. Learn more about the challenge in today's Lean Plate Club column and then join me and the Lean Plate Club Group for the challenge. Register here. Registration ends April 3. It's fast and easy: When you log in, join the Lean Plate Club group, which has this number--69734. There are more than 100 activities that you can choose to do, from archery and gardening to tennis and walking.

How do you plan to meet--or exceed--the President's Challenge? Tell us now. Then check the Lean Plate Club Web chat transcript at your leisure. Or join the LPC Web chat live from 1 to 2 p.m. ET. E-mail me at leanplateclub@washpost.com.

Cantaloupe Salmonella Outbreak

Fifty people in the United States have become ill from salmonella linked to cantaloupe imported from Honduras, the Food and Drug Administration reported Saturday. Here's what the FDA recommends doing to help prevent salmonella or other food-borne illnesses contacted from eating cantaloupes:

* Buy cantaloupes that are not bruised or damaged.

* Refrigerate any fresh-cut cantaloupe promptly.

* When buying fresh-cut cantaloupe, be sure that it is either refrigerated in the store or surrounded by ice, then refrigerate it promptly after purchase.

* Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupes.

* Scrub whole cantaloupes by using a clean produce brush and cool tap water immediately before eating. Don't use soap or detergents.

Have you ever suffered a food-borne illness? Tell us about it. Did it change the way you prepare or eat food? E-mail me anytime at leanplateclub@washpost.com.

Successful "Las Vegas" Loser

Our latest addition to the growing gallery of Lean Plate Club successful losers comes from Las Vegas. Christy Zerkich participated in a year-long challenge with the Las Vegas Review Journal, one of the Lean Plate Club subscribing newspapers, and shed 49 pounds. Read more about her efforts here.

Eggs Redux

After last week's column on eggs, a Lean Plate Club member called me (you can, too, at 202-334-5018) to express concerns about how chickens are raised. So I was interested to see this video about chickens on our Web site. And while the price of eggs has risen nearly 30 percent in price this past year, they still remain a relatively inexpensive source of protein.

Tax Soft Drinks with High Fructose Corn Syrup?

That's what the San Francisco mayor has proposed. The surprise? Two groups that don't normally see eye to eye have teamed up against the proposal: The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocacy group, and the Corn Refiners Association, an industry group, don't think this plan is a good idea. The reason? High fructose corn syrup is proving to be no different than any other added sugar--despite what fears about it have been. What do you think? Tell us now. Then check the Lean Plate Club Web chat later. Or join the chat live from 1 to 2 p.m. ET today.

What's for Dinner Tonight?

Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard is hearty and provides plenty of protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates and is packed with a day's worth of vegetables. It's from Bon Appetit magazine, which didn't provide nutrition details, but I did a quick calculation and figure it has about 450 calories per serving.

Cioppini is a fish stew with Portuguese and Italian roots. This quick version from Gourmet magazine takes only 10 minutes of prep time and 40 minutes to simmer. (You could put some music on and dance to meet the President's Challenge.) It has 436 calories per serving and 16 grams of fat--but only two grams are unhealthy, saturated fat.

Beef, Vegetable and Wild Mushroom Soup could be a main course for dinner with a side salad or a hearty lunch. It uses boneless chuck, porcini mushrooms and has 350 calories per serving.

Garlic-Rosemary Roast Chicken from Self magazine has 221 calories per serving. Team it with Polenta and Vegetables, which has 280 calories per serving. Another option: asparagus and wild or brown rice. Or try this Quinoa Vegetable Salad from the Dallas Morning News, a Lean Plate Club subscribing newspaper. It has 99 calories per serving and is made with a healthy, whole grain. (And if you'd like to read the Lean Plate Club column in your hometown newspaper, e-mail the name of the paper to leanplateclub@washpost.com and I'll pass it along to my colleagues at the Post Writers Group.)

Wonderful fresh fruit is just starting to hit the markets. This Master Vinaigrette from the Oregonian--another Lean Plate Club newspaper--can provide a good counterpoint to fruit salad. The best part is that you can use any oil or vinegar you choose to vary the taste. In this recipe, it's paired with oranges, paprika and onions. (Scroll down to see the full recipe beneath the vinaigrette.

What are you cooking this week? What healthful foods finds have you discovered? Share them with us now. Or join the Lean Plate Club Web chat live from 1 to 2 p.m. ET. E-mail me anytime at leanplateclub@washpost.com.

Mine is a bowl of shelf-stable, cooked brown rice, $1.69 at Trader Joe's. A single serving has 340 calories. Add a little chicken or beans or tofu or shrimp or beef plus veggies and you've got a meal with healthful, great-tasting whole grains.

Get the latest Lean Plate Club columns with this widget, which is available for free and easy to download. And for daily updates about the latest in nutrition and exercise, join me daily on the Lean Plate Club discussion group. E-mail me anytime leanplateclub@washpost.com.