Zesty Split Pea Minestra

This is another delicious, heart-warming all-in-one meal that is really wonderful for cool days!

Add a delicious crusty bread and you've got a whole meal very easily! Personally, we like to accompany this delicious soup with a whole grains Peasant bread and slices of avocado with just a sprinkle of salt in them.
Have it as you like, it is absolutely scrumptious!

1 1/2 cups dry split peas
5 large potatoes
3 large carrots
1 1/2 cups sweet yellow squash

1 large onion plus 1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 large tomato
1/2 cup sweet green peppers
1/4 cup sweet red peppers
2 cup rigatone or penne rigati
1/2 cup angel hair pasta
2 Tbsp. sweet paprika powder
1 tsp. Herbes de Provence (this is an herb blend that contains 2 Tbsp. dried savory, 2 Tbsp. dried rosemary, 2 tbsp. dried thyme, 2 tbsp. dried oregano, 2 tbsp. died basil, 2 Tbsp. dried marjoram and 2 Tbsp. dried fennel. If you can't find the herb blend already made, you can make your own using these quantities, once you have the blend prepared, take 1 tsp. of it ONLY for this soup. Keep in a tight-lid container for use in soups and sauces.)
Salt to taste
water

Peel and cut the potatoes, peel and slice the carrots. Cut the tomato in chunks. Peel the onion and cut it in half. Peel and squash and cube it.
Fill a large pot to the middle with water, and after rinsing them, put the split peas to cook till soft, together with the brown rice.
Check it out after 30 minutes, continue cooking till the split peas are tender and the rice has opened. When the split peas and the rice are ready, add the vegetables and the seasonings. If the water has reduced, add more water.
After the vegetables have boiled for 15 minutes, add the pasta. Continue to cook till vegetables are done and the pasta is tender. if you would like to make this soup for more people, increase the amount of potatoes, squash and carrots, also add more pasta.

Yield: 4 servings

Variations:

1-You can slice one of our vegan sausage recipes into this soup when you are ready to serve it!

2- Sprinkle vegan Parmesan cheese into it and add some homemade croutons (especially delicious if the croutons are toasted with Pimento vegan cheese! Recipe can be found on this blog also).

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