Four soup recipes to help keep you warm and cozy this winter

When January arrives, my mind and my menu turn to comforting cold-weather soups. Rich and creamy, light and healthy, warm and mellow — I love them all.

When I make soup, I like to experiment by adding coconut milk, curry or garam masala powders, Thai chilies, cliantro and turmeric. You’ll also find a variety of vegetables readily found in the winter: onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, corn and squash. I also add ingredients that serve as the backbone of a hearty soup. I like to cook with quinoa, oats and lentils.

Here are four of my favorite cold-weather soup recipes. Most of them can be broken down into three easy steps: Saute, puree and simmer.

These soups are all vegetarian, but you’re welcome to add your choice of protein — perhaps chicken, sausage or bacon — to any of them to make an even heartier stew.

Vegetable quinoa sprout soup

This is a hearty and refreshing soup of vegetables, sprouts and quinoa.

1 cup quinoa, raw

4 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Thai green chili, minced

¼ teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon curry powder

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 cup potatoes, cut into chunks

1 cup bean sprouts

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic and green chili for 1 minute on high, then reduce to medium. Add potatoes, carrots and sprouts, and saute for 2 more minutes. Add quinoa and saute for another 5 minutes. Toss in the spices and saute for 1 minute.

Add the broth, bring the soup to a rolling boil, then turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Oats corn cilantro soup

This soup is perfect for dinner — or even for breakfast — because it’s so warm and comforting.

1 cup quick cooking oats, raw

1 cup red onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup scallions, finely chopped

1 cup corn, fresh or frozen

4 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup of cilantro, finely chopped plus a few sprigs for garnish

Heat oil in a pan and add the onions, green chili and garlic. Saute for 1 minute.

Add oats and saute for 3 minutes. Throw in the corn and spinach. Saute until the spinach wilts.

Add vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a rolling boil, and then turn the heat down low to simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Add scallions and cook for just 1 minute. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot. Makes 4-6 servings.

Spinach and lentil soup

This soup is a delicious combination of fresh spinach and yellow lentils.

4 cups of fresh spinach, washed and drained

1 cup shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 cup yellow lentils

1 Thai green chili

1 tablespoon coconut milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the lentils in about 3 cups warm water for 20 minutes. Cook lentils on a stovetop, until they are mushy, or about 20 minutes. Set aside.

In a pan in medium heat add shallots, garlic and spinach; cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Let cool and puree the vegetables along with the cooked lentils. Put the pan on low heat. Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, salt and pepper.

Put into soup bowls and garnish with cooked corn. Makes 2-3 servings.

Squash turmeric soup

This soup can be made with pumpkin or your favorite winter squash. I like to make it with acorn squash.

2 cups fresh squash, cubed

2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic

½ cup coconut milk

½ teaspoon garam masala powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric

A few sprigs of dill for garnish

Cut squash into ½-inch cubes.

Saute squash, onion, garlic together in olive oil until the pumpkin is soft. Add the spices and saute for 1 minute until aromatic. Turn off the heat.

Add a little stock and then puree until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in coconut milk.

Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh dill. Makes 2 servings.

Reshma Seetharam’s blog, My Foodarama, can be found at www.reshmaseetharam.com.