Food Processor

This dairy-free “cream” soup, enhanced with any of the garnishes recommended, makes a hearty (but not heavy) introduction for a spring meal.

If you like broccoli, you’ll love this nourishing bowl of comfort.

Cashew butter makes an offbeat, rich-tasting soup base. This luscious soup is good hot or at room temperature.

If you’re looking for a mild, soothing soup for a rainy spring evening, here’s a pleasant choice.

Nutty-tasting Japanese soba (buckwheat noodles) add an offbeat touch to this soup. Look for them in natural food stores or Asian groceries.

Here’s another soothing, mild soup for cold weather. This is delicious with Garlic Croutons (page 159).

The sweetness of baby carrots and a pretty, pale-orange color make this an uplifting dish for a chilly winter day.

Here’s a favorite nursery food converted into a mild, high-protein soup.

Peanut butter gives this soup a rich flavor. In my home, this is a fall favorite!

The classic Middle Eastern team of chickpeas and tahini (sesame paste) is combined in a tasty, offbeat soup. Serve with fresh whole wheat pita bread. Middle Eastern bulgur salad (tabbouleh) and a steamed green vegetable round this meal out nicely.

Elegant and richly flavored, this soup features almond butter as its base. Fresh whole-grain bread and a salad of tomatoes and mixed greens make excellent companions.

With any of the muffins, pages 149 to 151, and a simple salad, this soup is the basis of a filling and hearty meal. I especially like this with Cheese and Herb Corn Muffins (page 150).

This cheerfully colored soup brings you a hint of sweetness and the pleasant crunch of turnips. Once you’ve got the squash baked, the rest is a snap.

Make this soup a few hours ahead of time, if you can. The unusual combination of flavors benefits from having time to blend. You can use butternut squash instead of pumpkin, if you prefer.

This warming soup tempts the eye with an appealing golden color, and pleases the palate with the delectable flavor of sweet potatoes.

Jerusalem artichokes (sometimes marketed as “sunchokes”) are a hardy fall root vegetable. Their appealingly offbeat flavor and texture, something of a cross between potatoes and water chestnuts, will appeal to adventurous soup-makers. Barley or Rice Triangles (page 152) complement this soup nicely.

Though beet borscht is generally eaten cold, the addition of potatoes creates a more robust version for fall or winter. Onion-Rye Scones (page 155) complement this soup well. Unless you are fond of hand grating, using a food processor makes the job much easier.

Onions, garlic, winter squash, and silken tofu are all enveloped in the familiar flavor of potatoes, making this a wonderful vehicle for getting a lot of nourishing ingredients into younger (or fussier) soup eaters.

A super-smooth, pale puree with a colorful garnish, this soup exudes both comfort and elegance. If you can, use the big, pure white onions that are abundant in the fall.