week 1 included split peas.

For my first new meal of the year, I made split pea soup. I found the recipe here (by following a link from a link from a link - you know how that goes) and served it tonight. My mother- and father-in-law liked it, Brian and I liked it, Asher liked it. My brother-in-law did not, but he doesn't like any food that carries any pretense of being good for you. I liked it a lot. It's not low-fat but it is healthy, and Asher and I need fat in our diet right now anyway. By the way, I put it in the crockpot and FORGOT TO TURN IT ON until I checked it two hours later. So it cooked on the stovetop for an hour or so and it turned out just fine.

Anyway, the split pea soup was a hit. We'll have it again. Here's a copy of the original recipe (I hope hope hope I can't be sued by reprinting someone's recipe if I say vehemently that it is NOT MINE, it is Natural Mommy's - doesn't that title make you want to sing? You make me feel like a na-tur-ral mommy), in case there's anyone interested.

Surprisingly Good Split Pea Soup
1 lb dried split peas
1 lb smoked sausage of your choice, sliced and halved
5 cubes chicken bouillon (for an even healthier alternative, use 5 cups chicken broth)
1 1/2 c. chopped carrots
1 c. chopped celery
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 1 clove pressed)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 onion, chopped
water

In a 5 qt slow cooker, combine the peas, sausage, bouillon, carrot, celery, potatoes, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, and onion. Add enough water to fill the crock pot. Not so much that it will bubble over. Cover, and cook on high for 4-5 hours (or low for 8-10 hours). Remove bay leaves before ladling into bowls.

The sausage makes the recipe, to be sure. I used the less-fat version but Conecuh sausage (can you buy Conecuh sausage outside of Alabama? I'm not sure) or another spicy sausage would be the best. I cut down on the chicken bullion (from 5 to 2, because 5 is a LOT of sodium), added a potato, used less celery and less onion (3/4 instead of one whole), based on the tastes of my family. It was good.

Happy Saturday everyone.