If you live in a certain type of climate (like, for instance, if you're lucky enough to live in New Jersey), then you would have to agree that we are entering the season of soup.  Even if you generally only cook for one or two people, a hearty but healthy soup is the most convenient tool during the colder months because you can make a big pot like this on a Sunday afternoon (or Monday night, if you run out for ingredients right now) and use it for sporatic meals and warming snacks throughout the week.  Add rice.  Serve it with warm, whole grain bread.  Do a soup and salad for lunch.  Slop it on the floor and roll around in it.  Whatever. 

Clearly, you're not required to use these exact ingredients, though they do go nicely together-- but instead use only the ones you like or whatever autumn vegetables have been languishing in your fridge.   

Prep Time:  20 Minutes
Cooking Time:  20 Minutes 
Yield:  4-5 Servings
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, chopped
3-4 Stalks of Celery, sliced
1 Medium Butternut Squash, sliced into 1” chips
1 Large Carrot, sliced
6 Sundried Tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
¼ Tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
1/3 Cup Pesto (Or just throw together enough pine nuts and fresh basil—plus one small garlic clove-- to equal about 1/3 cup once blended in a food processor.  Don’t stress about exact amounts.  Then add 1 tsp sea salt or a handful of grated parmesan when you put it into the pan.)
5 Cups of Vegetable Stock
¼ Cup Cooking Sherry
Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
1-15 oz Can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Directions:
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onions and celery.  Saute for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add squash, carrot, sundried tomato, cayenne pepper, and pesto (or basil/pine nut mixture).  Stir to combine.  Add stock and sherry.  Turn the heat up to bring to a bubble, cover, then turn down heat to low.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until carrots and squash are softened.  Using either an immersion blender or by transferring 1/3 of soup to a food processor or blender, puree about 1/3 of the soup.  Stir the pureed soup back in to the rest.  Season with sea salt and black pepper, to taste.  Garnish with sliced scallions.  Serve.