Split Pea Soup
Many years ago, I found this recipe on a packet of Hurst split peas. And it's unbelievably simple: you just throw the ingredients into a pot and let it cook. It takes a little while for the flavors to develop, but prep time can be reduced by buying pre-chopped onions and grated carrots. The croutons aren't essential... well actually they are if you want to make this a really yummy soup! For the soup, I like to use organic carrots and butter from pasture-raised, grass-fed cows.
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Ingredients
12 cups filtered water 2 1/2 cups green split peas, rinsed and sorted 2 extra large carrots, grated 1 yellow onion, chopped 4 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper to taste |
Directions
1) Place all the ingredients (except for the salt and pepper) in a large pot.
2) Bring to a rapid boil and cook for 30 minutes.
3) Reduce heat, add seasonings, and gently simmer for about an hour or until peas soft. Stir occasionally and add more water as needed to keep it "soupy."
And that's it! You can add cooked ham or bacon if you'd like a meatier soup. I think this tastes even better the next day, but be sure to add extra water when heating it up.
1) Place all the ingredients (except for the salt and pepper) in a large pot.
2) Bring to a rapid boil and cook for 30 minutes.
3) Reduce heat, add seasonings, and gently simmer for about an hour or until peas soft. Stir occasionally and add more water as needed to keep it "soupy."
And that's it! You can add cooked ham or bacon if you'd like a meatier soup. I think this tastes even better the next day, but be sure to add extra water when heating it up.
Crispy, Cheesy Croutons
Before seeing a recipe from The Pioneer Woman, I just tore up buttered slices of bread and added it to my soup (which is good too if you want something quick. ) Although I love all sourdough bread, I like to keep it as healthy as possible, so these croutons are made with whole grain, sprouted sourdough bread (from Alvarado Street Bakery.)
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Ingredients
2 to 3 slices of bread, cut into squares (crusts removed.) Olive oil Parmesan cheese, grated salt and pepper to taste garlic powder to taste (optional) |
Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Add bread to a large bowl. Add seasonings and parmesan cheese, and drizzle with olive oil. Gently toss to mix.
3) Spread cubes out on a baking tray lined with foil (lightly greased with olive oil) and cook for 5 minutes.
4) Turn cubes of bread over and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Add bread to a large bowl. Add seasonings and parmesan cheese, and drizzle with olive oil. Gently toss to mix.
3) Spread cubes out on a baking tray lined with foil (lightly greased with olive oil) and cook for 5 minutes.
4) Turn cubes of bread over and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
You can check out The Pioneer Woman's crouton recipes here