Healthy dining-in stresses good taste

When it comes down to it, a healthful, nutritious diet really depends on who's doing the cooking.

How do you find enough variety to keep family members interested without stuffing them with fat- or calorie-laden dishes? How do you provide a concentrated balance of nutrients without appearing to feed them health foods?

It takes some work and experimentation. There are plenty of health-oriented cookbooks to peruse. But most good home cooks learn to transform what they find in the fridge into delicious meals.

One of the best ways to make healthful food is through soups and sauces, which can include a variety of ingredients and lose few nutrients during preparation.

The secret of good-tasting soups and sauces begins with a rich stock. Stock can come from a powder base, bouillon cubes or cans, all available from supermarkets (look for low-sodium, low-fat styles). Or it can be a homemade broth made with simmered bones, meat scraps and veggies (skim fat, don't salt).

Here's a nutrient-dense recipe made with seasonal vegetables that has a high concentration of complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber.

Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped
• 1 butternut squash (about 1 1/4 pounds) peeled, halved, seeded, coarsely chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon each: turmeric, ground coriander
• 6 cups vegetable, chicken stock or water
• Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 1/3 cup or more chopped fresh cilantro, including stems
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add squash, carrots and sugar; cook, stirring, 10 minutes. Add paprika, cumin, turmeric and cori-ander; continue cooking, stirring, 10 more minutes. Add stock or water and heat to boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until squash and carrots are soft, 30-40 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working with 2 cups of soup at a time, puree in a blender on high speed until very smooth and light, about 3 minutes (keep lid slightly ajar). Transfer to saucepan. If soup is too thick, thin with a little water until consistency of heavy cream.

Over medium-high heat, warm to serving temperature. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste. In a small bowl, whisk water into yogurt until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into warmed bowls and drizzle with yogurt. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 145 calories, 810 mg sodium; 6 g fat; 8 g protein.