Last week was quite an experience, getting to know new professors, new classmates, and a new internship. Not to mention administrative details, paperwork, and trekking to and from the city in awful weather. But one thing is certain, the fact that I packed most of my meals this week kept me fueled with healthy foods. I could have used a few more snacks, but otherwise I think I did pretty well. Besides a couple of trips to Starbucks for hot tea, and one Odwalla bar, I had all my meals covered. Finding a relaxing place to eat these meals was a challenge, but that’s a different post.
So in getting ready for Week 2, I knew I needed a soup packed with vegetables and protein. I still had yellow split peas left over from my dal experiment, and I decided to use them in this soup. I substituted canola oil for grapeseed and Swiss chard for kale, but kept in all the spices, including my new favorite smoked paprika. I certainly did not need to put the cooked split peas in a food processor, they were perfectly pureed after an hour on the stove. The soup came together easily, and with a dash more salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, it was seasoned well. This is not your typical split pea soup; the peas simply add more body to the stock. The mushrooms and Swiss chard are what you remember from this soup, and that’s fine by me.
Recipes that Fit 