I call this a "soup-stew" because it has the the thickness and heartiness somewhere in between a soup and a full-on stew. This is one of my favorite soups.

I invented this soup out of what I had available in my pantry when I needed to make a vegetarian-friendly meal. It was a big hit, but it can absolutely be modified to suit personal tastes. The measurements are all approximate and can be adjusted.

Ingredients

1 cup mushrooms chopped
1 whole onions chopped
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 zucchini chopped
1 yellow squash chopped
1 large jar of diced tomatoes (jar rather than in a can preferred)
1 1/2 cups barley
3 cups chick peas (soaked)
4+ quarts of vegetable stock (or saved steamer liquid)
3 T butter
Salt and Pepper

In the bottom of a large soup pot, sauté the onions in 2 T of butter until starting to brown. Add the mushrooms, garlic, a pinch of salt and another T of butter and sauté until the onions have caramelized. Add the vegetable stock, jar of tomatoes with juice, chick peas and barley. Bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 20-30 minutes. Add the zucchini, another pinch of salt and some pepper. Allow to simmer until everything appears cooked through (approximately 20 minutes). Taste, and add salt as needed.

This is a great, warming, butternut squash soup for cold weather with a coconut-curry spin.

Ingredients

1 large butternut squash
2 Tbs olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 large apple peeled and chopped
1 14 ounce can of coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth (or saved steamed vegetable liquid!)
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp ginger powder (or fresh grated)
1/2 tsp allspice
salt and pepper
cinnamon

1. Bake the squash. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice the squash into 1/2 - 1 inch thick pieces. (The thinner the slices, the less bake time.) Wrap the slices up tightly in a giant piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-50 minutes depending on the size of the slices. You want to be able to easily remove the skin. Peel squash and set aside.

2. Saute Onions. In the bottom of a big soup pot, saute the onions over med-low heat until they golden.

3. Add. Add the apple, squash, broth and spices. Simmer until the apples are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

4. Process. Transfer the solids to a food processor and blend until smooth, then transfer back to pot. (Or use an immersion blender inside of the pot if you have one.)

5. Finish. Add the can of coconut milk and simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add cinnamon to taste if you so desire. Lastly, you can serve with a dollop of greek yogurt (or non-dairy yogurt). Enjoy!

Recipe modified from A Thanksgiving Feast, No Turkey's Allowed published in The New York Times November 1, 2011.