Smoky Vegan Split Pea Soup

This is the ultimate un-fussy soup for getting high-quality plant proteins into big and little bellies alike. We all love it. Like, fight-over-the-leftovers love it. And it takes a whole five minutes to chop a couple of onions and carrots. I can get this going on the stove AND clean up while my two-year-old plays in the next room, which says something. It says, "yes!" And, "yum!" A fresh green salad or herby coleslaw pairs perfectly.

The inspiration for this soup came from this recipe from 101 Cookbooks.

Smoky Vegan Split Pea Soup
60 minutes (fewer than 10 minutes hands-on) -- Serves 4

1 pound green split peas (2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 + 1/2 medium/large onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
juice from half a lemon
few dashes smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt

In a medium-large pot over medium heat, fry onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add split peas and 5 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for fifteen minutes.

Add the carrots and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until peas are almost completely broken down.

Remove from heat and add salt, lemon juice, and smoked paprika, one or two dashes at a time, until the soup is just a bit smoky. (Be careful with this stuff. It's very smoky, so start small.)