Fall is here, and that means it’s time for a steaming bowl of hearty soup.  With a pot of soup on the stovetop, a soul satisfying meal is never far away.  Soups are the easiest, most forgiving of all winter fare. You can stick religiously to a recipe or use it as a jumping off point. Keep some onions, carrots and celery in your larder and bay leaves, lentils and pasta in your pantry.  Stock your freezer with a couple of quarts of chicken stock or broth, and you are ready to make soup.  For extra flavor, keep a rosemary plant in your garden.
 
I use lentils all year round.  In summer they make appearances in salads, but in the cooler months I depend on them to lend body and earthy, rich flavor to soups.  Packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, they are available in a variety of sizes and an array of colors.  I prefer Italian lentils grown on the fertile Colfiorito plain by La Valletta Farm.