Whether they're called potages, broths, chowders, gumbos or consomme's, there's something about a good pot of homemade soup that just plain feels good... Especially during the cool autumn months when people start to come indoors to warm up.

The best soups start with a good base. Most of the time, I use chicken stock because it noticeably enriches the undertones of the soup without dramatically altering the flavor. For most soups, the stock isn't the target flavor. The function of the stock is the "behind the scenes" taste to enhance the soup's highlight: the beans, veggies, meats and spices.

Making your own soup stock is the best way to go, since you're in control of the final flavor, spicing and saltiness. But don't kick yourself if you don't have the time or energy to make your own. I find organic pre-made chicken stocks to be just as good. I do prefer to make my own vegetable stocks, though. The pre-made varieties are too starchy for my taste; I like a thinner, brothier stock.

Stock Recipes: Vegetable Stock, Chicken Stock

Soups of the Season and recipes continued at bottom...

Winter Squash

Winter Squashes keep us going through the cool autumn and winter months, offering good sources of complex carbohydrates and necessary minerals and vitamins. Since these are true winter vegetables, they taste best when they've been exposed to the cooler weather of autumn and winter.

The deep orange flesh of winter squash means they are loaded with beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the body. According to Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition, Vitamin A is known for immune support, enhanced eyesite (especially night vision) and aiding the digestive tract, where 70-90 percent of our immune system is located.

My personal favorites are kabocha (deep orange, eliptical shaped) and turban (the ones that look like UFO's). Don't be afraid of the weird shapes and sizes. Once you break open the alien shell and cook it up, you'll wonder what you ever waited for.

Sweet and Sour Mediterranean Squash Served as an appetizer in Italy, Mediteranean vinegars and white wine balance the sweetness of the squash and currents... Get Recipe

One Pot Meal! Butternut Quinoa Pilaf with Ginger-Almond Sauce Warming and mildly spicey, this high-protein pilaf makes an easy weeknight meal for the fall and winter months... Get Recipe

How To Cook Winter Squash

Removing the Skins - Cut the squash in half with a very sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. With the cut-side down on the cutting board, sliver away the tough skins from the meat. Be very careful and use the sharpest knife you own, as dull knives slip and can be dangerous.

Roasting - This is the best way to get all the sweetness from the flesh. Roasting caramelizes the squash, bringing the natural sugars to the surface. It's also the easiest way to cook it; you don't have to deal with cutting away the dangerously hard skin. Use in soups, dollop on top of casseroles, or drizzle with butter, maple syrup and cinnamon.

Braising - Cooking in a liquid (braising) gives the hard squash a chance to soften up and bring out it's delightful flavors. The squash is skinned and diced into chunks for pilafs, curries and stews.

Steaming - Given a little extra time in the steamer basket (20-25 minutes) these once rock hard nuggets will soften up like butter. Serve on top of a grain and drizzle with a creamy dressing or soy sauce.

Trick or Treat? Fair Trade Halloween Chocolates!

Buying fair trade Halloween chocolate is easy! Global Exchange has individually packaged chocolates online. I'm doing the gold coins this year!

There's a bittersweet tale behind chocolate. As much as we love to see our kids in funny outfits parading through the neighborhood for sweets, kids on the Ivory Coast of Africa (where 43 percent of the world's cocoa is produced) are sold into abusive child labor camps on the cocoa farms. Young kids are forced to work excruciatingly long hours with very little or no pay under extreme conditions.

This is largely due to the insufficient income for cocoa farmers. The major chocolate companies (Hershey's, M&M/Mars and Nestle) still refuse to pay a fair trade price for chocolate. Why? Because Westerners are addicted to getting chocolate for cheap. Since we can get it at such a low cost and at an arm's reach, we assume chocolate is a dime a dozen. In all actuality, chocolate should be pricy; it is an arduous crop to produce, taking 400 pods of cocoa to yield just one pound of chocolate.

The "fair trade" label is part of the solution. Buying fair trade is a commitment to pay a little more so that farmers get their fair share. It also means that the chocolate was purchased from farms that do not practice abusive child labor.

What can you do? This year, purchase fair trade chocolate to hand out to your little ghouls and goblins (see sidebar). It's a little step, but a little goes a long way.

For store bought chocolate, the following companies produce fair trade chocolates. They can be found at grocery and specialty stores:

Equal Exchange (100% fair trade)
Divine (100% fair trade)
Ithaca Fine Chocolates (100% fair trade)
Dagoba
Green and Black's
Endangered Species

Salvaging Your Soup

What do you do when your homemade soup just isn't right? Here's some tips to save that soup:

Not Enough Flavor - It's amazing what the right amount of salt can do. What was once bland and lifeless is now a symphony to the senses. Go slow, adding 1/4 teaspoon at a time until the flavors of the soup start to pop out in your mouth.

Too Salty - Once you have it right, don't add more salt! Salting can be dangerous - what was once a symphony to the senses is now a feast for the garbage disposal. The only way to salvage a too-salty soup is to add stock and/or cream until the saltiness dissolves.

Too Bitter - Add 1-2 teaspoons sugar, maple syrup or agave nectar. If it's still too bitter, add 1/4 teaspoon at a time until the bitterness balances out. Milk or cream also balances bitter flavors.

Too Boring - Add 1-2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice to give it some kick. Yogurt also gives bland soups some life. Whole milk or cream adds richness. You can also try adding more herbs and spices, 1/4 teaspoon at a time. Let it sit 5-10 minutes before going overboard - the flavors take time to develop.

Lentil and Sausage Soup with Spinach A warming autumn or winter soup with hints of cumin and coriander. The addition of tahini makes a rich and creamy cup... Get Recipe

Kabocha Squash Soup with Roasted Red Pepper Puree Red and orange colors pop out of the bowl to brighten any autumn potluck or family meal. Taste and presentation A+... Get Recipe

Alison Anton - Alison is a nutritional chef, food writer, cooking instructor and meditation instructor. Alison's food articles have been published online at USAToday, Reuters, iVillage and more, and her popular food blog was listed under Fox News' "Best Health Blogs" in August and September, 2007.