Split Pea and Greens Soup (vegan, wheat-free, gluten-free, nightshade-free*)

This is the brightest green pea soup you'll ever eat, and maybe even the tastiest! It's my favorite. I found this recipe in the Dairy Hollow House Soup & Bread Cookbook by Crescent Dragonwagon. My own substitutions and opinions are in italics. Sorry, I don't have a photo at this time.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1 c. dried split peas

7 c. vegetable stock

2 tbsp. white rice (or lesser quantity of sweet rice flour, which is commonly used for sauces and soups in gluten-free cooking)

1 bay leaf

3 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced (I substituted a similar quantity of parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes; the j. artichokes add a nice smoky taste)

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, diced

2 carrots, scrubbed or peeled and sliced

1 lb. assorted fresh greens, such as chard, turnip greens, spinach, collard greens and kale, rinsed very well and ribboned (most recently I used spinach and green chard)

2 cloves garlic, peeled and put through a garlic press or finely chopped

¼ c. chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley (in my humble opinion, it doesn’t matter what kind of  parsley you use, but the author seems to have a preference)

salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

juice of 1 lemon

paper-thin lemon slices, for garnish (I decided to forego these)

finely-minced fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions

Spray a large soup pot with the cooking spray, and in it combine the split peas, 4 c. of the stock, the rice or rice flour, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, covered, until the peas are done, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add the remaining stock and the zucchini and continue to simmer until the zucchini (or other vegs) are not quite tender, about ten minutes (or more).

2. Meanwhile, in a 10-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the celery and carrots; sauté another 2 or 3 minutes. Add the greens, pop the cover on, and lower the heat slightly. Steam the greens until wilted, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, steam 3 seconds more, and remove the pot from the heat. Transfer the greens mixture to a food processor with the herbs and a scoop of the split pea soup. Buzz smooth. (I really like this soup completely pureed, but we’re all different in our tastes.)

3. Return the puree to the soup in the pot and season with the salt and pepper. Heat through, then stir in the lemon juice just before serving. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with the lemon slices and minced parsley. Serves 4 to 6 as an entrée.

From the Dairy Hollow House Soup and Bread Cookbook: A Country Inn Cookbook, by Crescent Dragonwagon, Workman Publishing, New York, 1992.

*Nightshade-free: the nightshade foods are potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. These foods may cause joint/arthritis pain in individuals who are sensitive to them. Cooking may reduce the offending substances in these popular foods by 50%.

Wheat, gluten and dairy foods can also cause or worsen joint pain issues.