OK, I know, it’s not easy to find whole dried peas*. But my father preferred whole dried peas over split peas in his pea soup, so of course, so do I. And yes, you can buy them on Amazon. But rest assured, if I could buy dried whole peas in my local grocery store, I would. But I can’t. So, Amazon prime, do your thing! Anyway…..

This is my recipe for an old favorite from my childhood. Savory, wholesome, and just plain delicious. And perfect for someone trying to be good. Someone working on lowering her A1C numbers. (I wonder who that could be?) But still be able to put something tasty on the table that her housemate would enjoy. (That would be Mr. C.)

So, not only is this soup easy to prepare, amazingly filling, and of gourmet restaurant quality, the nutritional value is off the charts. For more information, read a bit about this amazing ingredient below.

Well, that’s it for today. Mr. C. is making a Costco run and I asked him to bring home some fish. So, I thought I better research a low fat, low calorie, new way of preparing whatever type of fish happened to take his fancy. (We love fried fish, but my doctor would not be pleased if I didn’t make an effort to change my evil ways.) (She’s basically no fun at all!) (But she’s right!)

And sorry about no picture. I made this soup just before we left on vacation, and I think my mind must have been elsewhere when I should have been taking a picture.

Until next time, be happy, stay healthy, and take good care of those around you.

Peace and love to all.

1 c. dried whole peas

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1½ c. chopped onion

2 carrots, diced

2 celery ribs, diced (include leaves)

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

6 c. water

3 T. vegetable base (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)

1 smoked ham hock

2 bay leaves

2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried savory

1 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

Place the dried peas in a large bowl. Add water and cover with 3 inches of water. Cover and soak the peas for at least 8 hours or overnight in your refrigerator. Drain and rinse before adding to the other ingredients.

Heat the olive oil in a large, covered pan. (I use my Le Creuset Dutch oven.) Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the water, drained dried peas, vegetable base, ham hock, bay leaves, thyme, savory, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes.

Remove the ham hock and continue cooking the soup until the peas are tender. Let the ham hock cool, then separate the meat from the bone and fatty tissue. Chop or shred the meat and add it back to the pot.

When the beans are tender, add the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Discard bay leaf before serving.

*Peas are thought to have originated somewhere between the Middle East and Central Asia; and, until the 16th century, when more tender varieties were able to be cultivated, were almost exclusively consumed by humans in their dried form.

According to whfoods.com “Dried peas, a small but nutritionally mighty member of the legume family, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only can dried peas help lower cholesterol, dried peas are also of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal.

Fiber is far from all that dried peas have to offer. Dried peas also provide good to excellent amounts of five important minerals, three B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. As if this weren’t enough, dried peas also feature isoflavones (notably daidzein). Isoflavones are phytonutrients that can act like weak estrogens in the body and whose dietary consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of certain health conditions, including breast and prostate cancer.

Check a chart of the fiber content in foods and you’ll see legumes leading the pack. Dried peas, like other legumes, are rich in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that binds bile (which contains cholesterol) and carries it out of the body. Research studies have shown that insoluble fiber not only helps to increase stool bulk and prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis. According to our rating system, dried peas are a very good source of dietary fiber.

In addition to its beneficial effects on the digestive system and the heart, soluble fiber helps stabilize blood sugar levels. If you have insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, legumes like dried peas can really help you balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy. Studies of high fiber diets and blood sugar levels have shown the dramatic benefits provided by these high fiber foods. Researchers compared two groups of people with type 2 diabetes who were fed different amounts of high fiber foods. One group ate the standard American Diabetic diet, which contains 24 grams of fiber/day, while the other group ate a diet containing 50 grams of fiber/day. Those who ate the diet higher in fiber had lower levels of both plasma glucose (blood sugar) and insulin (the hormone that helps blood sugar get into cells). The high fiber group also reduced their total cholesterol by nearly 7%, their triglyceride levels by 10.2% and their VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein–the most dangerous form of cholesterol) by 12.5%.”