French Yellow Split Pea Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 cups yellow split peas (rinsed and picked over)
8 cups vegetable broth (low sodium or homemade)
1 large sweet onion, or 2 small, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 celery ribs, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 tsp Herbs de Provence (or a mix of rosemary,
thyme, savory and/or basil)
3 small bay leaves
1 tsp Dijon mustard (do not use yellow mustard or
spicy mustard)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp Herbamare or salt (or to taste)

Directions:
Place ingredients into a slow cooker such as the
Ninja or a pressure cooker.

Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
Alternately you can cook it in a pressure cooker for
about 7 minutes.

When split peas are at desired tenderness, mash or
blend part of the soup for a creamier texture.

Add dijon mustard and stir and season to taste with
Herbamare or salt and pepper.

Serve with whole wheat bread or over rice.

Additional Tips:

Make sure to use fresh split peas (meaning not ones
sitting in your cupboard for the past year, and
preferably not from a bulk bin). Using "old" split
peas that have been through various temperatures
and humidity can leave them hard and difficult to
break down. You'll know you had old peas if at the
end of cooking time they are still rather hard and
intact. No amount of cooking will soften them, you'll
just end up burning the bottom of the soup to the pot.
(I have had this happen many times from bulk split
peas) Pick up a fresh set of split peas for your soup
recipe instead.

If too thick, a a little broth or water for desired
consistency.

Add diced potatoes or other seasonings to this soup
to mix it up.