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For a delicious spaghetti sauce, process in a blender 2 cups of leftover soup with 1 small can tomato paste, ⅛ to ¼ cup oil, and Italian herbs to taste. Toss in ½ cup cottage cheese, too, for exact smoothness and flavor. Ladle into bowls, garnish, and serve.

Complementary protein: beans + wheat

Cream of Anything Soup

6 servings

This recipe and the variation are favorites of Kevin Onderdonk of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, who wrote his own cookbook, Spaceship Earth Cookery, for the students in a nutrition course he taught.

4 cups of vegetables (your choice), chopped

½ cup margarine

2 to 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon arrowroot powder (optional)

½ gallon low-fat milk

2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon basil

1 cup cooked rice (optional)

Steam vegetables in a steamer or simmer in a pot until tender. In a blender, purée a third to half the vegetables with the steaming water. Melt margarine in a large pot. Add flour and arrowroot (optional), stirring until flour bebins to brown. Slowly add milk. Add both puréed vegetables and steamed vegetables, soy sauce, basil, and rice. Simmer for 20 minutes. Do not boil.

Variation: For Dairyless Cream of Anything Soup, soak 1 part cashews overnight in 4 parts water. Process for a few seconds in a blender. Now you have cashew milk to replace the low-fat milk.

Complementary protein: milk product + rice

Carrot and Onion Soup

4 servings

This soup is simple yet has a unique quality that makes it a favorite with my family and with guests. I like it especially because I almost always have the ingredients on hand. Any homemade bread would make this soup into a special supper. I cut the carrots and onions into big chunks and reduce them to tiny slivers in the blender.

3 tablespoons margarine

4 to 5 medium carrots, grated

1 medium onion, minced

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch tarragon

½ cup rice

4 cups Seasoned Stock

1 to 1¼ cups hot milk

Croutons (optional)

Heat margarine in a heavy pot or pressure cooker and gently sauté carrots, onion, salt, and tarragon for about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir into mixture. Add stock and cook until rice is very well done, about 45 minutes (only 25 with a pressure cooker). You may want to sieve the soup or purée it in a blender; I purée only half, so that some chewiness is left. Return it to the pot and add milk to your preferred consistency; do not let it boil. Add a pat of margarine and serve with croutons.

Complementary protein: rice + milk

Tom’s True Grits Chili

7 to 8 servings

A favorite of Tom Greensfelder of Chicago. Like his sister Claire (see Betty the Peacenik Gingerbread), Tom has a flair for cooking. Due to popular vegetarian demand, he changed his hamburger-based chili into what you see here. Meat eaters love it too.

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup soy grits

1½ medium onions, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

Two 15-ounce cans tomato sauce

3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Two 15½-ounce cans kidney beans

3 canned green chilies

1 tablespoon each cumin and chili powder

Oregano to taste

1 cup grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté grits until golden. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Stirring, add tomato sauce, tomatoes, beans, chilies, cumin and chili powder, and oregano. If not spicy enough, add more chili powder or cayenne pepper. If it’s too thick, add water. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve in bowls and pass the cheddar.

Complementary protein: beans + milk product

Lentils, Monastery Style

4 to 6 servings

This soup is especially delicious when served with corn muffins.

¼ cup olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

½ teaspoon each thyme and marjoram

3 cups Seasoned Stock

1 cup lentils, rinsed

Salt to taste

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

One 1-pound can tomatoes

¼ cup dry sherry

2/3 cup grated Swiss cheese

Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions and carrot for 3 to 5 minutes. Add herbs and sauté 1 minute. Add stock, lentils, salt, parsley, and tomatoes and cook, covered,