Split pea soup with bacon

INGREDIENTS

2 cups dried split peas
4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
4 slices bacon, cooked and broken into pieces
1 bay leaf
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the carrots, peas, and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes. Skim off any foam. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for another 45 minutes or until peas are soft. Add more broth or water as necessary to achieve desired consistency.

NOTES

Stir frequently to keep the solids from sticking to the bottom.
Add-ins: More bacon! Top with parmesan cheese.

MORE NOTES

Although Yoda prefers a traditional rootleaf stew, we can’t seem to find any of his planet’s swamp flora in Ohio, so he has to make do with peas. He also likes to chew on the bay leaf, so be sure to save it for him.

More stew info at https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rootleaf_stew

White Tea Turkey Kale Soup

White Tea Turkey Kale Soup

1 16-oz. box of Imagine No-Chicken Broth
1 16-oz. box of Imagine Vegetable Broth
2 turkey thighs (about 1 lb.)
1/4 cup brown rice flakes (or just brown rice)
1/4 cup brown lentils
olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
2 cups of mini bella mushrooms, chopped
5-7 small kale leaves (or more, to taste), cut into small pieces
olive oil
3 white peony tea bags

Pour both boxes of broth in a large pot. Add a cup of water and heat to a boil. Add the brown rice flakes, lentils, and 2 turkey thighs. Reduce heat to medium.

Meanwhile, saute the onion in about a tbsp of olive oil on medium-low heat until translucent. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for another couple of minutes.

Take a large mug and scoop out a cupful of the broth. Take out the turkey, which should be almost cooked, and set it aside. Add the teabags to the broth and let steep for about 10 minutes. 

Add the onion mixture to broth. Cut up the turkey and add back to broth. Add the kale and the tea mixture (discard the tea bags).

Saute the mushrooms in another tbsp of olive oil and set aside.

Cook on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. When the rice and lentils are soft, the soup is ready. Add the mushrooms and serve. 

Tomato Coconut Soup

 

Creamy Tomato Soup

4 sun-dried tomatoes

1 large onion, chopped

5-6 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup coconut milk

dash of red pepper flakes

a handful of fresh cilantro

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Cover the sun-dried tomatoes with boiling water. Let them soften for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the onion in the olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook over medium heat until the mixture boils. 

Chop the dried tomatoes and add them to the mixture, along with the coconunt milk and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and add the salt and pepper to taste. 

This also makes a nice, creamy sauce to put over pasta. 

Russian Cabbage Soup

Russian Cabbage Soup

Ingredients

1/2 a head of cabbage, cut into small pieces
3-4 carrots, sliced
1/2 an onion, diced
olive oil
1/2 box of Beef Broth
2 cups water
1/4 cup beef, cut into small pieces
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove of garlic per bowl, minced (optional)
sour cream or almond milk (optional) 

Instructions

Saute carrots, beef, and caraway seeds in olive oil until they are slightly browned. Add to pot. Saute the onions until they are translucent, then add them to the pot. Pour the beef broth and water over them. Heat to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Add the cabbage and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook on low heat for 45 minutes or until the carrots are soft and tender.

Ladle into bowls. Stir in a dollop of sour cream (or a teaspoon of almond milk) and minced garlic.

Note

I added almond milk to my bowl instead of sour cream to make it a little creamier, and was surprised at how much of a difference it made. It really brought out the flavors of the cabbage and caraway seeds.