Split Pea, Leek, and Potato Soup (4 Points+)

This post has been waiting to be published for a while... Still a mostly Paleo option. 

 
Wow, it certainly has been a while since I've posted anything. The holidays came and went and I have not been making many original recipes lately and have, instead, resorted to old standbys. Below is a recipe I adapted to utilize what I had in the fridge and pantry.  If you decide to make this 4 hearty servings, as opposed to 6 servings, each is 6 Points+ values. Otherwise, leave it at 6 servings and serve with a big salad.  For a more Paleo compliant version, omit the peas.

• 6 slices turkey bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 leek, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 40oz chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups green split peas
• 2 baby red potatoes, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Place bacon in a large pot, and cook over medium heat until crisp. Stir in onion, leek, scallions, carrot, and garlic; cook until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Pour in chicken broth. Stir in split peas, potatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary. Bring to a boil (important step if you want the soup to finish quickly). Reduce heat to low; cover, and simmer until peas are cooked, 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.   

If you prefer to have the soup cook longer, put it in the broth in a slow cooker on high while you do the same bacon and veggie prep as above. When the bacon is cooked and veggies are soft, add it all to the broth in the slow cooker along with the peas, potatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary.  Turn the slow cooker down to low and let simmer all day.

This dish yields 6 1 cup servings.  Each serving is 4 Points+ values and costs about $1.00 (organic veggies, potatoes, and peas). 

Slow Cooked Mustard Greens (2 Points+)

Lots of goodies in our produce share this week.  Mustard greens, collard greens, Swiss chard, butternut squash, radishes, beets, turnips, apples, oranges, and two types of potatoes! I only made minor tweaks to this recipe from Urban Acres, but it was too delicious not to share. I am still trying to figure out what to use in place of the bacon for a vegetarian dish, so if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!  

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
• mustard greens, stemmed and chopped
• 3 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 3 cups water

The night before or morning of, combine the vinegar and red pepper flakes in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. At least an hour before your meal, cut the stems of your mustard greens. Thinly slice the stems and roughly chop the leaves. Get a large pot and combine the greens, bacon, butter, sugar, salt and water bringing it all to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for at least an hour.

Or, after the dish has been brought to a boil, place in a slow cooker on low for 4 hours. 

Serve the greens with quinoa or rice (or whatever sounds good) and with a drizzle of the spicy vinegar on top. 

Each serving is 2 Points+. If served with 1/2c of quinoa, add 3 Points+ values.