Green Split Pea Soup...Frugal Deliciousness!

 St. Patrick's Day... 

such a fun time of the year where everyone wears green 

and makes sure to add green things to eat to their menu plan!

I'm not someone who likes to dye things green 

and so I like to make things up to eat that incorporates green using natural things.

Green Smoothie and eggs for breakfast,

Mint Chocolate Cookies for a treat

and for dinner a bowl of Green Split Pea Soup 

with either French Bread, or Cornbread!!

If I were to think of my very favorite soup, 

it would be a tie between 

Green Split Pea, OR, Ham & Bean Chowder (here)

 I love the thrift of taking a handful of dried beans, peas, or, legumes and making a big pot of healthy soup for my family!  

It's amazing how just a few simple things added to a pot of soup and left to simmer for awhile, can be so flavorful and keep you coming back for more! 

Such is the case for Split Pea Soup!

Green Split Pea Soup

1-1/4 cups green split peas
Ham hock (OR 1/2 cup chopped ham...I usually pull a bag of ham out of my freezer that I freeze from the ham we cook up at Christmas or Easter)
8 cups water
2 large onions chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2 large potatoes diced
2 more cups water
(salt and pepper to taste) 
Combine 8 cups water, peas and hamhock in a large pot and bring to a boil and gently simmer for 1 hour.
Add in onions, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes 2 more cups water and salt and pepper to taste. 
Simmer gently for 1 more hour until veggies are tender and soup is really thick.

YUMMY! 

Great with a dollop of cottage cheese, 

a sprinkle of hot pepper sauce 

and not to forget homemade bread of some kind!

Enjoy a frugal, yummy pot of soup today 

and if it happens to be a holiday that has 

GREEN as part of it, you can be festive as well!