My Favorite Soup Recipe

It's been really cold lately - was 30 below on Sunday morning - and a good soup tastes wonderful on such a day.  This is my favorite soup that I am giving the recipe for here.  It's a meatless soup, low in fat, very inexpensive to make, and has a good protein content!   I have served this to non-vegetarians over the years and they also love it.  I got this recipe back in the 1980's from a vegetarian cookbook called Laurel's Kitchen.  She called it "Golden Broth Noodle Soup" but I wish I could find a better name for this soup, because it really isn't a broth in the strict sense of the word.  Please do try this soup - I know you will love it, too!

GOLDEN BROTH NOODLE SOUP

For the soup base: 

1 medium sized onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled but left whole

1/2 c. yellow split peas

1 vegetable bouillon cube (optional but I think it adds a little to the taste)

2 qts of water (8 cups)

     Simmer everything together for about 40 minutes or so.  The garlic will be floating at the top of the liquid, and mash the garlic clove against the side of the pan with a large spoon.  Mix everything up good.  If the yellow split peas have not almost disintegrated, mash things up with a potato masher. 

Now, add : 

a couple of potatoes, peeled and diced

1 or 2 carrots, diced

1 stick of celery, chopped

1 tsp. salt (might need a bit more)

ground pepper, to taste

     Let all this simmer for a while, then add a small handful or so of noodles.  Simmer the soup a little more until the noodles are done.   I like to use Kluski brand noodles - they are like thick homemade type noodles.   You can also use small shells or broken medium wide noodles or fettuccine.

     You could also add frozen peas or lima beans, or chopped zucchini at this time also. 

Makes about  10 cups of delicious soup

The yellow split peas add color and protein - nobody will miss the meat in this great tasting soup!  And you only need 1/2 cup of the split peas to make a big pot of soup.  Really tasty soup!