1 cup California Arborio White Rice

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 large onion chopped

4-5 cups hot stock  (I use vegetable bouillon cubes, you can use chicken stock or bouillon)

½ cup dry white wine (optional)

Heat olive oil in heavy, non-stick, 2-quart pot. (A Wok works great)   Sauté onion in oil until translucent.  Add rice and stir rice until grains are coated with oil.  Add wine and stir constantly on medium heat until wine is absorbed.  Add 1-cup hot stock, stirring until liquid is absorbed.  Adding the remaining liquid, one cup at a time, wait to add more liquid until the cup before is absorbed.  Stir often to avoid sticking. (Do not stir constantly or it will get sticky) This rice creates its own creamy sauce.  For variety add fresh herbs and vegetables during last 5 minutes of cooking. Yield:  6 ½ cup servings

I usually bake a butternut squash, cut it in chunks, cook sliced mushrooms and add this during the last 5 minutes of cooking.  I also add basil, pepper or any other spices you might like.

2 cups elbow macaroni

1 onion, chopped

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

1 ½   cups water

4 teaspoons mild chili powder*

¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder

10 ounces frozen corn kernels

1 16-ounce can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 to 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

5 cups thinly-sliced kale (thick stems removed before slicing) or other greens**

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water until tender. Drain. Saute onion in a non stick pot until translucent. Add remaining ingredients, as well as cooked pasta for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

*This is chili powder, not pepper, a mixture of mild chili peppers and cumin that heat to the dish. If you want it spicy, add cayenne or additional chipotle chili powder.

If you use a faster-cooking green such as spinach, add it during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

Makes 6servings. Per serving: 259 Calories, 2g Total Fat, (6% calories for fat)

This is a delicious autumn soup, and virtually fat-free.  You must use a very good and good squash and fresh, sweet corn for this, for those are the ingredients that most define the flavor.  If you can’t get Tahitian squash, try Kabocha, Buttercup, or Hubbard.  You will not get the same results with butternut or banana squash.

4-5 branches young kale                                        
1 large potato, cut in ½-inch dice
3-4 cups cubed Tahitian squash                                   
1 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled and                            
      coarsely chopped                                           
¾ cup chopped green onions                                       
1 medium green bell pepper
1 medium red bell pepper
4 large ears sweet corn
3 cups vegetable broth
1 ½ Tbs. cumin seeds, lightly toasted
       and ground
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 ½ large onions
1 tsp. salt, more to taste                                        
1 Tbs. olive oil (or sauté in non-stick pan with water)

Garnishes:  fresh lime or lemon wedges
         chile salsa or chile flakes to taste

Trim the stems from the kale, cut the leaves in half lengthwise, then thickly slice them.  Combine the kale, potato, squash, tomatoes, and green onions in a large pot and add enough water to cover and a teaspoon of salt.  Simmer these vegetables until the potatoes and squash are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the onions and begin sautéing them in the olive oil in a medium non-stick pan.  Trim the peppers, cut them in ½-inch dice, and add them to the onions.  Sauté? the vegetables, stirring often, until the onions begin to brown.  At the same time, slice the kernels off the corn – you should have about 4 cups.

When the potatoes are tender, add the sautéed vegetables and the corn kernels to the soup, along with the vegetable broth.  Continue simmering for about 10 minutes.

Lightly toast the cumin seeds in a little skillet, then crush them in a mortar and stir them into the soup.   Stir in the chopped cilantro leaves.  Taste the soup, and correct the seasoning if needed.

Serve the soup with a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice, and pass the chile salsa or the chile flakes.

Serves 10.