Looking for a food that is chock full of fiber and protein and rich in vitamins and minerals to boot? Look no further than split pea soup. While all soups are comfort food, split pea soup is a stick to your ribs soup. And for those wanting to stretch their food dollar and not spend hours in the kitchen, it is inexpensive and quick. Unlike most legumes, split peas don’t require much soaking (for most, you must soak overnight or one hour after a quick boil) and there are even no-soak recipes. For those watching their waistlines, a meatless version is low in calories and fat. A homemade vegetable broth can really enhance the flavor and while this takes about 45 minutes to make, preparing it in advance can expedite your cooking time. While canned soup broths are convenient, their sodium content is outrageous and they subtract more dollars from your food budget than a homemade broth. A popular canned broth contains more then 30% of the daily value of sodium in a one-cup serving. I’m not sure about you, but I can easily eat two cups of soup at a lunchtime meal. With canned broth, I’ve now consumed more than 60% of my sodium limit for the day. Are you beginning to see the importance of not resorting to canned broths? If you’ve made soup for a family of six and you are a party of one, do not fret: split pea soup freezes wonderfully. Just remember to freeze it right away so that when you defrost it, it will hardly be considered a leftover. For a great meatless recipe, check out the Kripalu Cookbook, Gourmet Vegetarian Recipes (kripalu.org). For an easy vegetable broth, try the one in Deborah Madison’s cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (deborahmadison.com). Split pea soup, it’s “mmm, mmm good”….
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