Revamped recipes!
Lately, I feel as though all I do is talk about soup…I write soup recipes, I post pictures of soup in fancy tea cups, I dream of new spring creations. But I can’t help it…all I want to eat at this time of year is soup…old-school, hearty, fill-you-up, serve-it-with-crusty-bread soup! Like the kind you had in your thermos for lunch when you were a kid, the kind your mum had simmering in the crock pot for hours, “the soup that eats like a meal” (minus all of the unpronounceable chemicals of course!) My personal childhood fave: pea soup! Remember Habitant? My sister and I CRAVED that soup each snowy winter when we were kids. So several years back, prior to my full-blown venture into the fresh-food world, I found myself craving a big, steamy bowl of pea soup. Now, I’m no fan of eating from a can, but I thought I would make an exception…how bad could it be, right? Well, little did I know that the third ingredient on the list was LARD! Seriously….LARD! In what I thought was a vegetarian soup! GROSS! So thus ended the craving…until I learned to make my own. It’s rich, it’s hearty, it’s delicious, nutritious, easy, and most important….it’s lard-free. And if you’re more concerned about the calories than the gross-out factor, feel free to stock up on extra bread. This one’s weight-watcher friendly!
Enjoy.
Split Pea Soup
What’s In It 3 cups dried split peas, rinsed 1 1/2 pounds organic russet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks 7 carrots, cut into chunks 1 organic green bell peppers, cut into chunks 4 stalks organic celery, cut into chunks 2 medium onions, cut into chunks 2 cloves garlic, minced olive oil 1 teaspoon dried thyme Salt and pepper NSS (No salt seasoning) 6-8 cups of vegetable stock (more to thin out if needed) Hot sauce – optional
How to Make It
In a large pot, heat a good glug of olive oil and saute garlic and onions. Add split peas, potatoes, carrots, peppers, and celery and heat through, stirring regularly. Add seasonings and herbs and mix. Slowly add stock until all vegetables are covered. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover partially, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until peas have broken down and liquid has thickened, about 45 minutes. Add extra stock as necessary and skim foam from the surface as needed. Once vegetables are soft and peas have broken down, puree with an immersion blender or traditional upright blender in batches. Season soup with salt and pepper and hot sauce, if desired.