Pea Soup
Recently, I realized that some of my favorite recipes have very few ingredients. I keep gravitating towards the whole "less is more" concept. Plus, this whole "peasant food" kick that I've been on has been good on my waistline and my credit card statement. I just looked at the percentage of my hard-earned money that goes towards my groceries and it ain't pretty. I guess I am just the kind of girl who would rather buy morels and oyster mushrooms than a pair of Jimmy Choo's.
Here's to hoping that recipes like this one will help my grocery store overspending issues.Spring started on Friday and the fresh peas that I have been lusting for are on their way. But, for now, I will be using frozen peas that were plucked off the vine during the peak of their season and I recommend for you to do the same if you are a mid-westerner or northeasterner. You people in nicer climates where the warm sun might be beaming on your face at this very moment, can go take a walk, and pick up some fresh peas while you're at it.I'm not going to lie- I'm getting very sick of this weather. My love for my native land, New York, runs deep, but it's getting harder and harder to picture myself here for all of my days when the winter drags on in this fashion.
I guess it could be worse... I could have been living in Boston, and after this winter, that would have been my straight up nightmare.Anyway, this soup with keep you warm and skinny, which are two of my favorite things. I made it recently when I was having a girl's night in with a bunch of my favorite gal pals and they all thought it was a hit. In fact, one of my friends who is a CrossFit junkie threatened me if I didn't post this recipe ASAP. She's a tough cookie now with her no-nonsense muscles, so I figured that I better listen to her and post my pea soup.If you feel the early signs of a cold, you should make this soup tonight!
Health benefits of....Onion: Onions improves blood circulation, disperse cold, damp, and mucus from the system, and help detoxify. Onions have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and anti viral properties. When buying, select firm onions that have a papery, dry skin with little or no neck and no soot. Avoid onions that are light for their weight or are beginning to sprout.
Olive Oil: Nearly three quarters of olive oil's fat content is monosaturated fat, which lowers your LDL (bad cholesterol). Extra virgin olive oil is highly regarded for its ability to support the liver and gallbladder functions.
Peas: Green peas are high in vitamin A and B-complex and are a good source of calcium and potassium. While shopping, look for peas that have small, crisp, shiny pods that squeak when rubbed together. Refrigerate and use immediately.
Crushed Red Pepper: Crushed red pepper is a great addition to a meal and can help reduce inflammation. If you want more flavor in your food plus health benefits like weight loss and pain relief, try adding crushed red pepper to your meals. In traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, a traditional form of Indian medicine, red peppers have been used to treat digestive problems, circulatory problems, infections and arthritis. Most crushed red pepper mixtures contain a variety of different peppers such as bell, jalapeno, ancho and cayenne peppers, which range from mild and peppery to hot and spicy. If you have pain or inflammation in your body, eating more crushed red pepper may help. Capsaicin is a compound in peppers that gives them a hot and spicy flavor and is also responsible for reducing pain.
Pea Soup
Author: Michele Wolfson
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
6 cups vegetable stock
5 cups freshly shelled peas or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen peas
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add onion, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is tender. Add the vegetable stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peas are tender. (Frozen peas will take only 3 minutes.) Off the heat, add the salt, and pepper.
Puree the soup in batches: place 1 cup of soup in a blender, place the lid on top, and puree on low speed. With the blender still running, open the venthole in the lid and slowly add more soup until the blender is three-quarters full. Pour the soup into a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is pureed. Serve hot and top with crushed red pepper.