Simple Split Pea Soup

It was so cold today and I was not ready.  I was running around all day on campus and utterly unprepared (i.e. hatless and gloveless) for the freezing cold weather.  This morning I looked out my window and it was sunny, not to mention I didn't want to be late for my first class, so I ran out the door and immediately regretted my sparsely chosen outerwear. 

The problem with the cold is that it makes me want something hot and comforting, which usually also means something creamy and fatty and unhealthy.  I bought a bunch of great salad ingredients at the grocery store but with this weather, I can hardly imagine eating them.  So to satisfy my craving for something that would warm my insides yet still be healthful, I decided to make split pea soup. 

I looked at a bunch of different recipes but couldn't find any the suited the ingredients I had on hand and the amount of effort I felt like exerting, so I made up my own.

Simple Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups split peas, rinsed

1 1/2 tbsps olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

3 cups water

3 cups vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

fresh chives to cut over top

Preparation

After split peas have been rinsed submerge them in the 3 cups water which will later be added to the soup.  They will soak and soften up a bit this way as you chop the vegetables.  Add olive oil and chopped vegetables to a large pot and sauté until soft but do not brown, about 8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the split peas with the 3 cups water they have been soaking in as well as the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Once the mixture is boiling turn down the heat and let simmer for about an hour and a half.  It will be ready when the liquid has reduced and the split peas have broken down.  Garnish with chopped fresh chives, salt and pepper.