Soups

Perfect as a light meal, dal is a traditional Indian dish made with lentils, beans, or peas.

Spicy and smoky chipotle pepper pairs well with dark chocolate.

A tasty makeover of a classic!

Almond butter lends this hearty autumnal soup a velvety, creamy texture. Add chicken, lamb, beef, or pork, if you like. Or, for a vegan soup, use vegetable stock as a base.

Blending seeds into soups and stews adds a naturally creamy quality to the dish. This soup is delicious served warm or chilled.

Sweet potatoes add a contrasting sweetness to spicy green curry. You can substitute chicken, shrimp or tofu for the pork.

Toasted millet can be used to thicken soup instead of a roux — it creates a creamy base in this mushroom soup without using any dairy. Its earthy and nutty flavor adds complexity to the soup while adding a boost of vitamins and minerals.

Homemade turkey stock is a great base and perhaps the most important part of this wholesome soup. With its whole barley, carrots, celery, onion, kale, and chopped fresh parsley and cubed turkey meat, you have truly nurturing soup.

Leftover turkey makes an excellent curry dish, especially when served with brown rice. If you don’t have all these spices on hand, don’t be shy about buying them (most are available in small quantities in the bulk-spice section of natural markets).

Nothing beats vegetarian chili for a protein-packed dinner. This colorful version includes lots of veggies to round out the beans.

Almost as easy as opening a can — and far more enjoyable. This version amps up the flavor by using coconut milk instead of cream.

This soup is very quick to prepare and can also be made with chicken, pork or beef. Add a handful of chopped baby bok chou, Napa cabbage or kale if you want more greens.

Adding refried beans helps make this soup thicker and richer in flavor. To make an even heartier dish, add chicken, chorizo or andouille sausage.

This basic version of a classic Asian beef soup makes a little beef go a very long way. For a vegetarian option, replace sirloin with extra edamame beans.