This split pea soup recipe is a twist on the saying, “Hard work pays off.” I dare you to find a recipe this good that is this easy.  I made and blogged about this recipe in the fall.  Those who tried it got rave reviews from spouses and kids alike and said this pea soup was going to be “added to their dinner rotation”.

Now its winter and I am thinking about warm, hearty, satisfying meals.  Split Pea Soup with Smoked Turkey Thighs fits the bill.  It gets bonus points for fast and easy preparation too.  I served it with an oatmeal muffin recipe that I baked in an 8×8 pan to keep things easier. Try it and let me know what you think!

Oh, and if you do have a recipe that is this good and this easy, please share!!!!

Recipe

Split Pea Soup with Smoked Turkey Thighs and Oatmeal Muffins

Serves 10-12 (2 dinners for families of 4 plus lunches)

Ingredients

3 C (1 lb.) Split Peas

10 C Water

1 C Celery, chopped

1 C Carrots, chopped

2 C Onions, chopped

2 Bay leaves

3 Garlic cloves, minced

2 t Ground cumin

½ t Dried thyme

2 T Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids or low sodium soy sauce

½ t Salt

2 Smoked turkey thighs

Dr. Oetker’s Oatmeal Muffin Mix (or other preferred muffin recipe or box mix) and whatever ingredients you need for the mix.*

*Note: Dairy and/or egg allergies? Substitute applesauce for the oil and 1 T of Flaxseed meal + 3 T Water for the egg. Gluten allergy?  There are many good gluten-free muffin mixes to choose from.

Instructions

1. Put everything in a crock pot and cook on high for 6-8 hours.

OR

1. You can also cook on high for 3-4 hours the night before, put in the fridge before you go to bed, and finish cooking the next day.  Taking into account that the soup will be cold, cook on high for 6 more hours.
2. Once soup is done, remove the smoked turkey thighs discarding the bones and skin.  Shred the meat and return to the soup.
3. Serve with a dense whole grain bread (optional but delicious), and see how many recipes you can think of that taste this good and are this fast!