something green: hearty split pea soup

It would take a professional food photographer to make this soup look yummy in a photo.

I thought we should have some green recipes for St. Patrick's Day this week. This is referred to as "that green soup" around here so this fits the bill.

Besides being downright delicious let me tell you what else I love about this recipe: one serving (1/2 cup) has only 198 calories , 11 grams of fiber (wow!) and 15 grams of protein. It also only has 2 grams of fat, only a trace of that being saturated fat.

All that, plus its easy to make. I love it.

I found it in The Taste of Home Cookbook on page 75.

Hearty Split Pea Soup

Prep: 15 minutes CookTime: 1 1/2 hours

1 package (16 ounces) split peas

8 cups water

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 large onions, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 cups cubed fully cooked lean ham or cooked corned beef

1/2 cup chopped celery

5 teaspoons reduced-sodium chicken bullion granules

1 teaspoon dried majoram

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/2 - 1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

In a large Dutch oven or soup kettle, combine all ingredients; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until peas and vegetables are tender.

Yield: 12 servings (3 quarts)

(This reheats very well and I can eat it for lunch all week.)