Split Pea and Veggie Soup with Croutons

This rich and nourishing soup is a meal in itself. It’s an ideal choice for a chilly winter day.

Ingredients:

1 cup of yellow or green split peas sorted and soaked overnight.
8 cups of water
1 cup each of the following diced veggies: onion, carrots, celery and red potatoes
1/8 cup of quick oats
4 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 ½ tsp of curry powder
½ tsp of ground coriander
1 vegetable broth cube
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs olive oil for sauté
1 or two cups of water if the soup is too thick

Preparation:

1. Sort through the split peas and remove any debris. Place in a bowl, cover with water and soak overnight. Drain, rinse and drain again.
2. Place peas in a large pot, add the 8 cups of water, the bay leaves and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and maintain a low boil. Stirring occasionally. It should take about an hour for the peas to cook down.
4. Add the olive oil to a frying pan, and warm over medium heat.
5. Add the spices to the pan and let them heat for a minute.
6. Add the diced veggies, salt and pepper and sauté until the potatoes have some give when cut with a spatula (about 7 minutes).
7. Once the peas are cooked down and getting soft, add the veggies to the pot.
8. Add the quick oats and the veggie broth cube
9. Add a cup of water and bring back to a boil. ( If the soup is too thick just add water by the cup to thin it to your taste)
10. Reduce heat and let the soup simmer at least 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves and serve.

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Croutons

Prep and baking time: 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

4 cups of bread cubes
2 tbs of olive oil
1 tsp of Italian Seasoning
¼ tsp garlic salt
1 tbs parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation:

1. Take 6 to 8 slices of day old bread and slice them into 1 “ cubes to make 4 cups
2. In a small bowl mix the olive oil, Italian seasonings and garlic salt together.
3. Put the bread cubes in a large bowl and pour in the olive oil, seasonings and parmesan cheese.
4. Mix well to evenly coat the bread cubes
5. Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet and put in a preheated oven set at 300 Degrees
6. Bake on 300 degrees for 20 minutes or until the croutons are browned and crunchy.

Garnish the bowls of soup with the croutons and serve!

Cook’s Notes:

You can use any type bread you have on hand. Even day old bagels work well. The baking time will vary depending on the type of bread you use and whether the bread is fresh or day old. White bread will bake faster than whole grain bread.
Double up the batch and store the remaining croutons in an airtight container. They go great on salads.