This Winter I’d really been craving soup and all it’s healing power as I had been battling the most annoying (and badly timed) head cold.

But I don’t get to make soup for the whole family all that often, because my son doesn’t like soup.

Isn’t it interesting how as mums, we tend to push our own needs to the side, in so many little ways without even realising we’re doing it.

But I digress …

So, when thinking of a soup I could make which might appeal to said child’s tastes, Pea and Ham soup sprang to mind.

When I broke the news to him that it would be soup for dinner, it was insisted upon that I make garlic bread to go with it, given the sacrifice he was making : )

And guess what?

That was the first time he happily polished off an entire bowl of soup! Acknowledging this himself!

Now I know the soup looks a bit orange for a Pea and Ham soup, but of course I’m always adding extra vegetables wherever I can, and in this case it was carrot.

This soup is perfect for dinner, be sure to make double to pack to take to work or school for lunch.

I’m often asked how to keep the food hot until lunchtime.

Well, it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Boil the kettle and then pour the water into the thermoses, be sure to pop the lids on
2. Heat up the food
3. Pour out the hot water  add the warmed up food into the container,  then pop the lid on immediately.

Here are my fave insulated jars which have lasted me years:

Thermos 450ml Wide Mouth Food Jar with Folding Spoon
In these containers I pack soups, pastas, any hot meals and also cold salads.

GoKleen Kanteen TKCanister with insulated lid 8oz 237ml
I like this smaller size option to keep things warm like the chicken nuggets or smaller serves of things like soup, stew, pasta and even dumplings. They’re also great to keep things cool like yoghurt, granola and fruit, overnight oats.

There’s even a delicious recipe for Kale and Cannelleni Bean Minestrone which my kids love taking to school in their insulated container.

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be sourced from my one-stop-favourite, organic wholefoods online store, The Wholefood Collective. They go to great lengths to ensure everything they source is amazing quality, they stock all my favourite products and I don’t even have to leave the house! Oh and the cherry on the cake is they donate profits to improve food security for vulnerable Aussies.

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need:

Olive oil
Sea salt
Bay leaf
Chicken stock
Black pepper

Print

Pea and Ham Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Servings 8

Author Brenda Janschek

Ingredients

• 500 grams green split peas
• Sea salt
• Warm filtered water
• Yoghurt 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 celery sticks diced
• 1 potato or sweet potato peeled and diced
• 1 kilo ham hock
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chicken stock (or water if you prefer)
• 6 cups water
• sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Soak the split peas in warm filtered water, sea salt and yoghurt for 6-8 hrs then rinse well. This is to make the peas more digestible but you can skip this step if you don't have time.
• Heat oil on medium heat in a large pot and saute onion for a few minutes until the soften up
• Add garlic, carrot, celery and potato and sweat with the lid on for 5 minutes
• Pop in ham hock, chicken stock, water, split peas, bay leaf, sea salt and pepper and bring to boil
• Turn heat down, cover and simmer for around 2 hours or until peas are cooked and soup has thickened.
• Using tongs, remove hock and remove skin and fat and chop up the ham to use to top the soup.
• Blend remaining soup to your preferred consistency.
• Serve in bowls topped with chopped ham.
• Serve with garlic bread

Notes

Alternatively, you can put all these ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hrs or high for 6hrs.

This recipe can be frozen.

If you know someone who could use some inspo in the kitchen, please share this recipe with them and while you’re at it feel free to share my FREE breakfast ebook below : – )

And if you make any of my recipes please take photos and send them to me, or if you share them on instagram, remember to tag me @brendajanschek. I get a total kick out of seeing you make my recipes!

For more nourishing and soothing recipes, check out my soup round up, 7 Soup Recipes To Soothe the Soul. 

Bren x