Monday, February 11, 2008

Recipe - Split Pea Soup

Winter seems to be heaving one last, big gasp in many parts of the country, one of them being where I live. Even though we know spring is just around the corner, on cold days like today, one of the things I love most is a wonderful bowl or two of soup. A big plus is that most soups are quite healthy as well as delicious. The low fat, high fiber spilt pea soup presented below is both warming and filling. Pair it with some crusty homemade whole grain bread and I can't think of a better way to welcome your loved ones home from school or work, or just to treat yourself.

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

1 T. canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, diced
1 stick of celery, chopped
1 small russet potato, peeled and cut into pieces
4 Cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 Cups of water
1 1/2 Cups dried split green peas, picked through and rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pot.

2. Sauté garlic, onions, carrots and celery for 3-4 minutes, until softened.

3. Add potatoes, broth, water and dried split peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

4. Allow soup to cool a little. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.

5. Season to taste.

Serves 6

I've now presented three soups that are wonderful for wintertime dining and extremely healty as well. I hope you'll try at least one of them and let me know what you think.

Bon Appetit!

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