Soup Recipe: Green Pea and Mint Soup

Green pea and mint soup is a refreshing dish any time of the year. It's light, simple and still full of flavor. No surprise it's also packed with high nutritional value, so you can feel great knowing you're making a positive choice for your health. This is also a nice option for vegetarian folks! 

If you want to experiment with flavor, try serving this soup with a mixture of creme fraiche and heavy cream spooned into the bowl, top with bacon bits (if you're a meat-eater) or fresh chives. Keep reading below for our recipe...

Green Pea Mint Soup

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped leeks, white and green parts (about 2 leeks)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 6 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2/3 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion and leeks and cook, stirring often until onions have just softened (about 5 minutes).
3. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil.
4. Add peas, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for about 2 minutes, or until peas are tender.
5. Remove the pot from the heat. Add parsley, mint, and remaining 2 cups broth.
6. Puree soup in a blender or food processor, thinning with more vegetable broth or with water if the soup is too thick.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Top with creme fraiche and cream mixture, bacon bits, garlic croutons, or fresh chives.
9. Enjoy!

Soup Recipe: Split Pea with Ham

If you're at all curious about what to do with leftover ham, look no further than a delicious split pea soup! The soup mixes so well with the salty flavor of ham, and it's a great way to continue to enjoy it while still making a completely new dish.

For our recipe, we started off by making a slightly hammy broth by cooking the ham with the peas right from the start. The trick is to boil the ham right in the soup all in one piece. If you use a nice, large cut of ham, it'll flavor the soup, then you can take it out and set aside to shred after the peas and carrots have almost completely broken down.  Keep reading below for this delightful recipe...

Split Pea Soup with Ham

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• salt and pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 cups water
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1lb ham in large pieces
• 1 ham bone (optional)
• 1lb green split peas, picked over and rinsed
• 3 slices thick-cut bacon
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 celery rib, cut into 1/2" pieces
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently until softened (about 3-5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, chicken stock, ham, ham bone, peas, bacon, thyme, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender but not falling apart (about 45 minutes).
2. Remove the ham and ham bone, cover with aluminum foil, and set aside. Stir in the carrots and celery and continue to simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender and peas have almost complete broken down (about 30 minutes longer).
3. Once cool enough to handle, shred the ham into bite-sized pieces with 2 forks. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and bacon slices. Stir the ham back into the soup and return to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the lemon juice then serve.
4. Enjoy!