Hi friends!
Happy almost Thanksgiving! I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite easy homemade soups. It’s warm and savory and packed with nutrition. It’s perfect for this time of year! I love making a batch of this and having it on-hand for lunches and dinners during the week. It has so much flavor, AND it’s one of those recipes where the longer it sits in the fridge, the more flavor it seems to get! You can also freeze this soup to reheat when you want it at a later time!
I just recently did an instagram post and wrote a blog article for Scottish Rite on the importance of staying hydrated in the cooler weather. Many times people think water is the only thing that counts towards their hydration goal. However, you can actually get fluid from a variety of foods and beverages as well such as: milk, yogurt, fresh or frozen fruit, and soup!
If you and / or your athlete is struggling with staying hydrated as the weather gets colder, try adding in some foods with fluid to the meal and snack plan. I love this soup because:
Most importantly, it’s delicious :)
It is a great vegetarian source of protein!
It not only makes a great meal for the athlete, but it also makes a great recovery snack! Need an easy “Dinner #2” after an evening game or practice? This soup would be a great choice because it provides protein and quality carbohydrate from the split peas and fluid from the broth! Not to mention it’s packed with antioxidant-containing veggies. (See my blog post on navigating evening games & practices where I talk about “Dinner 1” and “Dinner 2”)
You can make it ahead of time and reheat whenever you want to serve and the flavors only get better!
I hope you guys give this soup a try. You won’t be disappointed!
Happy Fueling!
Taylor
Garden Split Pea Soup
Serves 2 to 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion (~1/4 medium onion)
1 cup diced carrots (~2 large carrots)
1 cup yellow split peas
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (One 32 oz box)
2 cups sliced & quartered yellow squash (~1 medium squash)
2 cups broccoli florets (1 small bunch)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard (plus more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
In a medium soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook about 10 to 15 minutes or until very tender and the onion has browned, stirring occasionally.
Add the split peas and 2 1/2 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Add a couple of pinches of salt and pepper.
Simmer until the split peas are tender and cooked, about 35 to 45 minutes.
While the soup simmers, toss the broccoli in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread onto half of the lined baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
While the broccoli roasts, toss the squash in 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle with pepper.
After the broccoli roasts for 10 minutes, remove from the oven, toss with a rubber spatula and then add the squash to the other side of the pan and roast for another 10 minutes.
Add another 1 cup of broth to the soup mixture and then add the thyme, marjoram, Dijon mustard and 1/8 teaspoon salt to the simmering soup and stir.
Continue to cook on low for 5 to 10 more minutes, stirring often.
Once the squash and broccoli are all cooked, add to the split pea soup, stirring to incorporate all ingredients.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to the pot and let simmer for about 5 to 10 more minutes until the soup is heated through.
Divide the soup evenly between bowls. Top each bowl with 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese, if desired, and enjoy!
Serve It Again!
This soup is a great way to get your protein, quality carbohydrates and vegetables all in one easy dish! It’s delicious the day of cooking but is also one of those dishes that is even better the next day after the flavors have melded together. Enjoy it for a quick and energizing lunch the next day!
Also, if you want more of a variety of vegetable, you can decrease the squash and broccoli each by 1/2 cup and add 8 ounces of quartered baby bell mushrooms.
