Crockpot Cooking: Split Pea Soup

What kitchen appliance takes an old-fashioned approach (a lot of heat and time) to address one of the biggest challenges of modern life (no time)? It’s the crockpot, also known as a slow cooker, one of the hands down handiest kitchen appliances! Throw in a whole bunch of ingredients, turn it on, leave it for the day and come home to a prepared dish--that’s all, folks.

You can make breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, soup, stews...it just takes a little effort to get so many rewards. There’s a bonus: if you use cheaper cuts of meat, they will emerge tasty and tenderloin-soft, saving you dollars and energy in the process. It's a win-win!

That's why this month on Honestly, we’re featuring 4 delicious crockpot recipes to excite newbies or experts alike. For those of you who aren’t Split Pea Soup lovers, we hope this recipe changes your mind. It looks simple--and it’s even simpler to make--but the flavors are so rich. Split peas are packed with protein and fiber, vitamins and minerals, making this a satisfying meal in itself.  Pair it with a good, crusty whole wheat bread and voila! Instant classic.

Crockpot Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

(Use organic when possible)

1 pound Split Peas

Mirepoix (chopped carrots, onions, celery- approx 1/2 cup each)

3 sprigs fresh thyme

6 cups water

salt - 1/2 teaspoon

ground pepper - several turns of the grinder

Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients to your crockpot and set to low for 8 hours. (You can also set to high for 4 hours, but I find that I get better results with a longer cook time at a lower temperature.)

2. Taste when done, add salt and pepper as desired.

3. Enjoy!

Sure, this Split Pea Soup is perfect to feed your family with wholesome heartiness for the colder months ahead, but why not save time with crockpot cooking all year round? Let us know your favorite slow cooking spin in the comments below!