1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, cook, stirring occasionally until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add squash, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add apples, salt, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, stock, and the water (just enough to cover). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
3. Puree in batches in a food processor or blend until smooth, and return to saucepan. Heat over low, thinning with more water if necessary. To serve, ladle into bowls, garnish with chives or diced apples and sour cream if desired

1. In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, heat oil until hot. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute more. Stir in cumin, oregano, [q:3/8] teaspoon chipotle chili powder, and [q:1/2] teaspoon salt. Stir 1 minute more. Add black beans, chicken broth or vegetable stock, and cinnamon sticks.
2. Bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until soup has reduced by about a third (to about 8 cups) and has thickened, 40 to 45 minutes. Season soup with salt to taste, and with [q:1/8] teaspoon chipotle chili powder if you’d like more heat. Remove and discard cinnamon sticks. (Soup can be prepared one day ahead. If preparing ahead, cook to this stage; cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat over medium heat, stirring often. If soup is too thick, thin with more broth.)
3. For the Lime-Pickled Red Onions, peel and then halve onion through root end. Cut each half crosswise into very thin slices to yield [q:1 1/2] cups. Transfer onions to a medium nonreactive bowl and toss well with lime juice, salt, sugar, and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Marinate onions for 30 minutes; they will still be crisp. (Onions can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Keep covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using.)
4. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with pickled onions (spooning a little of the marinating liquids along with them), diced avocado, and a sprinkle of cilantro. Pass extra onions in a bowl.

1. Heat oil in a large pot set over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for 5 minutes. Add carrots, cumin, and coriander and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
2. Add vegetable stock to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes.
3. Remove pot from heat. Add coconut milk, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Purée soup in a high-speed blender, working in batches. Serve. 

1. Place all ingredients (except those for garnish) in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.
2. Ladle mixture into soup bowls. Garnish, if desired. Serve chilled.

1. Chop zucchini in large chunks.
2. Add broth to a soup pot, bring to a boil and add zucchini. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until zucchini is barely tender but still bright green, Remove from heat and cool.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small, non-stick frying pan. Add onion, chile, fennel, cinnamon and cumin, and sauté until onion is soft but not brown and spices are fragrant.
4. Put both mixtures into a food processor and pulse until well chopped but still with some texture.
5. Pour into a bowl and stir in kefir and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Chill for at least 2 hours. Serve garnished with a sprinkling of cilantro and added drops of lemon or lime juice to taste.

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add vegetables and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add diced tomatoes and their juice and broth. Bring mixture to a simmer.
5. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add pasta to soup. Serve or transfer to an insulated food container for lunch.

1. Bring broth to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Sauté onion in oil and 1 tablespoon water for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add peas, followed by boiling broth, and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add herbs, blend until smooth, and season to taste.

1. In deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in ginger root, garlic, curry paste, salt, and pepper and cook one minute.
3. Pour in coconut milk and chicken stock and bring to a boil.
4. Add squash and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add apple and chicken and cook just until apples are tender but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes more.
6. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with warm bread or cooked basmati rice.

Pumpkin Tureens

1. Slice the tops off of the pumpkins you would like to use as bowls. The size of the pumpkins will vary depending on whether you will be serving the soup as an appetizer or a main course.
2. Scoop out the flesh and seeds of the pumpkins.
3. Reserve the seeds to toast as a garnish or as a snack.
4. Sprinkle [q:1/2] tsp salt and sugar on the inside flesh of each pumpkin.
5. Place the pumpkins and top lids flesh down on a baking sheet and bake them at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes, or until tender. The cook time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkins. (You will not cook them as long as you would cook a pumpkin to eat because you want them to keep their shape as a bowl.)

Pumpkin Soup

1. Heat 1 Tbsp butter in a large pan over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped leek and cook it for 5 to 7 minutes or until soft and tender, but not browned.
3. Add the pumpkin/squash purée and 2 cups of chicken broth.
4. Simmer the mixture for 20 minutes.
5. Then purée it in a blender until smooth.
6. Return the pumpkin/squash mixture to the pan.
7. Add 1 cup chicken broth, salt, black pepper and curry powder (if desired).
8. Add additional chicken broth if you want a thinner soup.
9. Heat the soup through and serve it in warmed bowls or pumpkin tureens.
10. Garnish the soup with roasted pumpkin seeds, croutons or chopped cilantro.