Split Pea Soup

I kind of feel like I’m working backwards – I’ve posted a few recipes lately, but this was actually the first blogworthy recipe I made after getting back from my trip to PA singing with Laudate Mennonite Ensemble a month ago. Why split pea soup? Well, I hadn’t been to the grocery store yet after my trip so I was trying to concoct something simple using the staple ingredients I had on hand. And some celery that had been cut up in the fridge since before I left two weeks earlier…and some deli meat scraps that Ryan had bought in PA for pennies on the dollar and frozen in his cousin’s freezer, then brought home in his suitcase on the plane. I have an ingenious husband.

The soup was amazing. Hearty, with simple flavors. In case you’re wondering what the other thing in the pictures is – that would be a dairy-free cornbread experiment. It didn’t exactly turn out, and I’ve tried it again a few times since then and it’s still not right, so we’ll see if some more experimentation can turn it into something tasty before soup weather is over. I’m not sure that soup weather is upon us yet here in Louisiana (in fact, I’m pretty sure it’s not), but the air has gotten a little less heavy lately…or maybe that’s just wishful imagination on my part. Ryan and I both like soup, and done in the slow cooker like this it’s so easy and heats up the house less than turning on the oven, so I don’t mind soup in summer.

Want some cornbread to eat with the soup? Try these older recipes (not dairy free): Sour Cream Cornbread (THM FP) and Budget-Friendly Cornbread (THM E).

Note: Recipes posted here on my blog after May 2018 will not be in my second cookbook coming out soon, so if you like hard copies, print them for reference.  🙂  The second cookbook is made up of 50% cookbook exclusive recipes and also includes the recipes published on my blog from August 2016 (where Necessary Food stopped) through May 2018. The upcoming cookbook includes lots of soups, stews, and curries perfect for fall and winter, so be sure to grab your copy when preorder opens in the next week or two!

You may also enjoy:

• STARTING THM

• my recipe index

• recipe index by fuel type/allergy/theme

• Black Bean Stew

• Hearty Barbecue Soup 

As always, check out the Notes section of the recipe for extra info. Check out the links in and below the recipe to see the products I use and recommend. Some of the links included in the recipe and blog post are affiliate links, which means that if you make purchases through these links, I make a small commission (but your price doesn’t change).

THM Natural Burst Extracts are here!

Trim Healthy Mama just released the first 6 extracts from its long-awaited natural extract series. They’re on sale at an introductory price right now (through September 4, 2018), and you can find them at the following pages:

• Natural Burst Extract: Caramel
• Natural Burst Extract: Cherry
• Natural Burst Extract: Coconut
• Natural Burst Extract: Maple
• Natural Burst Extract: Pecan
• Natural Burst Extract: Pineapple
• Natural Burst Extract: 6 Pack (Caramel, Cherry, Coconut, Maple, Pecan, Pineapple)

NOTE: these Natural Burst extracts are much stronger than the regular extracts you’d buy at your local grocery store, so you may only need about half of what my recipes call for if using these Natural Burst extracts instead of the Watkins brand I usually use (which I find at Walmart). Taste and adjust.

Grab a copy of my cookbook to get nearly 400 RECIPES to jump start your healthy journey! You’ll find lots of our Thomas family church cookbook favorites made healthy in this easy-to-use, hard cover/spiral bound book. CLICK HERE for details! 

Split Pea Soup

 

Author:

Briana Thomas

Serves: 6

Print

 

THM E (or XO - see note), low fat, healthy carbs, gluten/egg/dairy/nut free (Watch for contamination. Tony's seasoning is not certified allergy friendly, so you may need to substitute another Creole/Cajun seasoning or make your own.)

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry green split peas
• 6 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 3 medium carrots (peeled, coined)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 cups chopped lean meat scraps of choice (see note below)
• 4 large garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (original or mild)
• ½ teaspoon each smoked paprika, black pepper
• 1 teaspoon each oregano, parsley flakes
• -
• 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning (or more, to taste)
• Dash liquid smoke

Instructions

1. Combine everything but the Tony's seasoning and liquid smoke in a slow cooker and cook on High for 5 hours or until the peas are soft and broken down. (I used a 4-quart slow cooker.)
2. Add a dash of liquid smoke and Tony's seasoning to taste. I used salted chicken broth, but if yours was unsalted you'll need additional Tony's seasoning or salt to round out the flavors. Taste and adjust as needed, then serve.
3. The Budget Friendly Cornbread here on my website (or Necessary Food, pg. 168) would be great with this soup!

Notes

-Use lean meats (chicken or turkey breast would be good) to keep this soup a THM E. Fattier meats such as pork or beef would make this a THM XO. Ryan found a bunch of deli meat scraps at a discount grocery store, so I used deli ham chunks for a great flavor in this. The meat wasn't in its original packaging so I don't know how fatty it was, but some deli ham may be acceptable in this amount in an E setting. Keep the total fat from the meat to 30 grams or less (5 grams or less per serving) and you'll be fine as a THM E.
-I can find Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning in my local grocery store in Louisiana (it's the universal seasoning around here), but if you can't find it locally, you can get it here off of Amazon.

3.5.3251

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