As a baker, I love how ripe with opportunity the holidays are.
Nothing is off limits, no sweet is too indulgent, and I get to satisfy my urge for vegan dessert experimentation.
It is a fun time in my kitchen!
Flour is flying everywhere, sweetener is never far, and my passion for baking vegan desserts is as strong as ever.
Despite my love for baking around the holidays, the fact that I try to lead a balanced and healthy lifestyle remains unchanged.
Desserts and cookies are certainly a part of my family’s holiday tradition, but I also try to achieve a balance during this time of the year. I eat holiday desserts in moderation and the rest of the time I try to base my diet around whole grains, protein sources, vegetables, and fruit, just like I do any other time of the year. Now of course, this doesn’t mean that I never over-indulge- because trust me, as a bakery owner and food blogger I do- but I try to get back on track and fill up on the proper fuel for most of the time.
Today’s post is not about cookies, or pie, or cake, even though those surely do have their place in my balanced diet.
Today’s post is about planning for our health.
I decided to make a healthy and festive holiday soup that I could bring when visiting family this weekend. This Green Monster soup is a fun take on the traditional Split Pea Soup and it is packed with protein that will keep you going for hours and hours! It never hurts to have a few healthy foods around in case we should become so sick of sweets and desserts that we just can’t bring ourselves to eat one more holiday cookie.
It has never happened to me personally, but I imagine that it could…
Oh She Glows
High Protein Green Monster Holiday Soup
This is a fun take on traditional split pea soup with a sneaky vegetable hiding inside. Packed with protein and fiber, this soup will keep you buzzing along for hours.
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.
Yield: 10-11 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
- 1.5 large sweet onions, chopped
- 1/2-1 teaspoon kosher salt (use less if using vegetable bouillon)
- 2 cups uncooked split green peas (~450 grams dry), picked over and rinsed, makes 4 cups cooked approx
- 5 cups boiling water + 1 vegetable bouillon cube, dissolved
- 1 large handful of spinach, rinsed
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice (reserve the zest)
- Smoked paprika, to garnish (or use regular paprika if necessary)
Directions: In a large pot, add olive oil over medium heat. Stir in onions and salt and cook until the onions soften, just for a few minutes. Reduce heat if necessary so you don’t burn the onions.
Add the uncooked split peas and boiled water + bouillon mixture. Bring to a boil, dial down the heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through (but do not overcook). The peas should still be slightly crunchy.
Ladle half of the soup into a bowl and set aside. Using a blender, puree the other half of the soup. Add a large handful of spinach and blend until smooth. The soup will be a gorgeous green colour.
Stir the reserved (chunky) soup back into the pureed mixture – you should have a soup that is nicely textured. If you need to thin the soup out with more stock do so a bit at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary.
Scoop into bowls or cups, and serve each with a swirl of olive oil, a pinch of smoked paprika, and lemon zest. Makes about 10-11 cups.
What I love about this split pea spinach soup is that it could not be any easier! The only chopping you have to do is for the onions.
Gather your rinsed and uncooked split peas, onions, olive oil, salt, lemon.
Grab a huge handful of spinach and set aside…
The spinach makes the soup go from blah yellow-green to a gorgeous bright green just like a Green Monster!
Add your olive oil to a pot over medium heat and sauté your onions for a few minutes.
Now add split peas and your 5 cups of vegetable broth. I made my broth using 5 cups of boiling water and a bouillon cube. If you use a bouillon cube you will probably need less salt, so adjust to taste and always add the salt slowly.
Cook for 20-25 minutes over medium heat. Now take 1/2-2/3 of the soup and place into the blender.
Add the spinach and blend until smooth.
If I wasn’t mistaken, I would think this was a Green Monster for breakfast!
Add it back to the other reserved potion of the chunky, non-blended soup.
Stir well. Add lemon and adjust seasonings to taste. Alternatively, you can blend the entire soup until smooth. It just depends on what you prefer. I did not blend all of it because Eric has some texture issues with blended soups. He likes it nice and chunky!
Ladle into bowls and add a swirl of olive oil, a pinch of smoked paprika, and a dusting of lemon zest.
Perfecto!
This soup is LOADED with protein and fibre! Did you know that split peas have 23 grams of protein and 17 grams of fibre per 3/4 cup?
Amazing!!!
Eric loved this soup and he is not a soup fan by any means. He said the green colour scared him at first, but he actually enjoyed it! I was floored. He also said it tasted a bit like mashed potatoes and it would go nicely with ketchup.lol. He kills me, he really kills me.
If you have never had split pea soup before, prepare yourself because it is more of a bland tasting soup, but with the right seasonings it tastes lovely. I think the only thing I would change next time is that I would blend more of the mixture to create a thicker soup and leave less of it chunky. I am used to eating Amy’s brand split pea soup and I love how it is very thick and 100% pureed. It is a personal preference though!
You can play around with it to suit your needs. This soup also goes lovely with fresh bread or crackers.
I will be bringing a big container of soup this weekend so I have a high-protein option whenever I need it for lunches.
I’ve also got some Wheat Grass powder in my holster if things get ugly…
If you are looking for another easy + festive holiday soup, I highly recommend this Holiday Soup For The Soul. It’s one of my favourites.
Now that the holidays are here, are you thinking about how you will achieve a balance? Do you plan in advance or make any healthy dishes?
{ 87 comments… read them below or add one }
that soup definitely looks interesting! such a bright green, but it looks very tasty and chrismasy.
this holiday season i will just watch what i eat, and make sure not to eat without thinking! i’ve got a big vacation coming up in a month so i cant afford to gain weight over christmas!
That soup is gorgeous! I love the green!
I’m trying to just be aware of what I’m eating during the holidays and practice moderation…. which includes leaving room for Christmas cookies as an essential food group ;-)
The holidays can be a tough time to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I try to bring a healthy option to any parties I go to. For tomorrow night, Greek salad bites! I think will power is most important though. There are so many sweets at work today. I just stared at a chocolate chip cookie for about 5 minutes before grabbing my Greek yogurt from the fridge and going back to my desk. I love indulging, but I almost always feel ill after I do. Not worth it! By the way, that soup sounds so good. I bet I could try it with some green lentils too!
You’ve got a neon soup over there! I am newly in love with peas. The sweeter the better. Happy Holidays, Ange!
Never used green split peas before, but I’m sure they are as delicious as the yellow ones. And packed with protein, fiber and all the health benefits of spinach, this soup is definitely a delicious way to detox and support your body during the holidays. I bet it’s also very heart-warming…
i’m totally drooling…i would even add more spinach too! what a fabulous and healthy soup :) served with some of that no-knead bread and i’d be a happy camper :)
I hear you, sister! I’ve been baking for the past few days (cookies make great gifts after all!), and I feel SO overloaded on sugar. I made a green monster for breakfast which got my day off to a great start, and I’m looking forward to a veggie filled lunch. Your soup looks great– I can’t wait to give it a try!
i had a GM for brekkie too,….felt SO good!
When my husband saw me drinking it he said, “those veggies are going straight into your bloodstream!” haha That’s how I like it. :-)
That soup looks so great! I love how green it is! Perfect for the holidays!
The green monster soup looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it. Just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your entries in Project Food Buzz and was voting for you and keeping my fingers crossed that you would win. I will remain an OSGite.
I had no idea split peas had so much protein in them! This sounds delicious, especially right now because my fingers are so cold! I’ve never tried wheatgrass powder, but tried some wheatgrass juice that I got from WholeFoods as while ago by adding the frozen cubes into my green monsters each day. I think they boosted my energy because I certainly felt quite alert – at least I like to think they had a positive effect!
I love those frozen cubes! I had some last month, but sadly ran out. I felt so amazing when i put them in my GM’s!
this is a great post and a good reminder to maintain (or try to maintain) balance through the holidays! i love split pea soup, especially when it is homemade!
This soup looks amazing! (and so festive in the red bowl!!) Soup is SOOOO good any time of year! (and I have a cold at the moment, so if you could ship me a vat of this, that would be great!! Sooo kidding of course :) – well, about the shipping, but I would like a vat of it! )
I think I’m making this tonight. Lord knows I need some nutrients in my system.
Now you tell me! I have to balance out my diet, I can’t just live on all the sweet baked goods this holiday season? BAHAHA!!!
Just kidding! I am going to make a big bowl of hearty green chili stew with a ton of veggies.
mmm that sounds good!
That soup looks so delicious. I had no idea split peas had that much protein in them!
Angie you will be so proud!
You have two more male converts to green monsters. Another male who thinks he might drink them once in awhile and the dog. Nick 15 now drinks them every day, Jesse 14 who does not eat anything veggie drinks one every day and Cory is welling to drink them once in awhile. The dog loves them. I made the first one from your standard recipe; they were only ok with it. I then added a half teaspoon of vanilla and they fell in love with them, I also let them blend until they are really foamy. Nick has moved on to using chia seed in his now. Keep up all the good work Angie, we will have the men in our lives eating better, it just takes moving a few mountains first.
Sherry
That is great news!!! The addition of vanilla is such a good idea too.
Thanks for this! There are so many dessert recipes up this time of year, and as much as I love them, I need real food too! Split pea soup is one of my favorite things in the world. This bright green version looks so delicious, I’ll definitely be giving it a try.
I had no idea split green peas had so much protein! When I first read the ingredient list I thought, “high protein??? where?” Now I see :)
This looks great and I love the olive oil drizzle on top!
I indulge with desserts and try to eat healthy with my meals. I have never liked my family’s cooking and so it isn’t a problem to me to skip the high calorie dinner foods. Now dessert…let me at it! :)
We usually have leftovers for lunch so I will make that as healthy as possible. My family also goes for a lot of walks during the holidays. Family time and exercise, can’t think of anything better!
I love holiday walks! Will be doing some of that this weekend :)
I usually just try to stick in veggies wherever I can. I also just try to eat smaller(ish) portions. But overall I just let myself enjoy the holiday. It’s Christmas!
ph perfect winter nourishment. I bet this soup tastes amazing post run in the snow!
I am so totally going to make this tonight! It sounds soooo perfect! This holiday season I am pregnant for the first time and finding balance is a constant challange. It’s so cliche to over indulge because your pregnant, but even more so with the holidays thrown in there! Being vegan makes it important to be intentional with my nutrition and I am really finding a great happy medium between nutrition packed options and pumpkin gingerbread :). It makes me happy to know that my good food choices are setting up my little girl for a lifetime of health!
that actually looks a little good. not gonna lie it didnt make me salivate or anything though! haha. but spilt pea is okee doke. not my favorite though!
Holiday soup for the soul…NOW WE’RE TALKIN! That looks gorgeous angela.
You always take beautiful photos.
I don’t think there’s anything as too many cookies either. This soup looks really good
I love how there are a few shots of the soup that make it look like it’s smiling :) Now how could I resist a soup that smiles at me!
My boyfriend thinks everything tastes better with ketchup. I’ve gotten over being insulted by it :D This looks wonderful; have a great holiday Angela!
Oh that soup looks amazing! I think that shall be on the dinner menu for this evening despite how packed the grocery store will be. I’m on serious sugar overload from a work holiday party so I’m taking the next few days as an opportunity to eat much more green!
I’ll have to try this one as your Holiday Soup is a huge, huge hit with me and my husband! I’m sure this won’t lead us astray!
I dont like this one better than the holiday soup…BUT I have always enjoyed split pea soup so I guess that helps me love this one too. I find when ppl are trying it for the first time, it can go either way! I love how high in protein it is and that I can have a bowl and be full for hours.
Looks awesome. I have everything in my house right now to make this – except for the spinach. But I do have kale, so I think I’ll try that instead. :)
Great post, Angela! I was actually *just* prewriting some of my posts for the next few days and was going to ask if people were sugared/desserted/cookied out? Because yes, around this time of year it’s in abundance. And I love desserts like nobody’s biz but I also balance it with exercise, a healthy diet, and a good attitude..and moderation. I don’t deny myself things if I want a bite or two, but that’s what I have. I dont need to have 4 cookies if all I want is a bite. That’s how I balance. Such a great question.
And my mom made split pea soup as a kid. I can still smell it. lol. To me, it has a very, ahem, unique smell, when it’s cooking :)
I could never have just one bit of a cookie, I at least want one. I give you credit for your will power, though. Each person has their own level of moderation I suppose.
Sometimes I have 2 or 3 cookies…at once. Sometimes I have two bites. It just depends. Wasn’t trying to say that I always just have a bite. Sometimes yes, but not always :)
Bring enough for the kids this weekend.. the true test will be if the 18 month old will eat it.
:)
uh oh pressure is on!
my boyfriend loves split pea soup but I have never made it because it looks so gross to me! this one actually looks better because of the bright green spinach; I might give it a try!
haha…. that’s a whole lotta green! :)
green? What green? lol
Thoughts about my health are even more prevalent now that the holidays are here because I’m so out of my element. It’s pretty tough being back home in the American south where most people love barbeque, burgers and steaks- here I come: this vegetarian chick… Many people here (including family members) are shocked and bewildered by my eating habits but I enjoy explaining it all to them. Hey, maybe it’ll make in impact on the way they think about eating :)
i love your positive attitude towards it!
I had no idea that split peas had so much protein! Split pea soup here I come! :)
Loved your Holiday Soup for the Soul. Can’t wait to try this one. I’m always looking for a good protein source.
I love split pea soup, and love the idea of adding some spinach to it for extra greenery. I’ve never blended mine though, since I find it cooks down so much that it doesn’t need it.
I used to make pureed soup with whatever green veggies I had and it never failed to disappoint. Creamy green goodness. Its great with nutritional yeast too. But, really. What isn’t?
mmm i would have never thought to add nooch….I cant wait to try this!!
Love this BRIGHT green soup — and blenderizing it probably speeds up what is otherwise a several hour cooking process with split peas. The next time you make guacamole, try adding some cookied (fresh, cooked) mashed peas — it’s a nice twist, and adds a great fibre/protein boost to the healthy fats — a favorite of mine on a tortilla.
Yep — I LOVE holiday sweets, but I do try to have a couple of days “off” of sweets each week. That way, I never lose my taste for all the holiday goodies! I also like to treat myself to healthy treats — things that I always like to eat/drink, but don’t because of cost, for instance. Tonight it will be a huge Siam salad with marinated tofu from Mixt (http://mixtgreens.com/). I’ll be working another late night at the office, and it’s either a speciality salad or a speciality cookie — and the 24th and 25th are set aside for cookies already!