When my husband takes the boys up to the mountains for a night or two, first I call Martha for a hike. Then, I go into soup mode.

For me, soup is all about simplicity –vegetables and protein in a one pot meal. I make soup for dinner and often end up eating it for breakfast and lunch the next day. My husband cringes when I tell him this; he has a strong dislike of leftovers, and has not yet discovered the appeal of eating dinner for breakfast. Those who cook non-stop definitely get the leftover thing –and the charm of last night’s dinner first thing in the morning.

Tonight’s soup was exceedingly hearty –filled with chicken stock, legumes and mushrooms, three nutritious, filling foods that could easily make meals in and of themselves.

Yellow Split Pea Soup with Smoked Paprika
1 cup yellow split peas
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 quart vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 cup kale, chopped and steamed
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring split peas, water, bay leaves and paprika to a boil
2. Reduce and simmer for 1 hour, until peas break apart
3. Remove peas from heat, discard bay leaves and place peas in vitamix
4. Puree peas on high speed, until smooth, then set aside
5. In a large sauce pan, heat oil and sauté onion over medium low until translucent, 10-15 minutes
6. Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté until tender
7. Stir pureed peas, stock, kale and salt into onion, mushroom mixture
8. Warm and serve

For this soup, you can definitely use veggie stock instead of the chicken stock; I like chicken stock as it gives the soup a good hit of protein. These days I’m focusing my diet as much as possible on protein and greens –and of course, dessert.