Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup is a fantastic thick, warming soup on a cold winter evening. This version, a vegetarian recipe, is filling, healthy and has a great taste.
Submitted by David McCarthy, Australia

Ingredients

14 cups water
2 cups onions, diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
2 cups celery, diced
2/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
4 green onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, quartered & sliced
1/3 cup green split peas
1/3 cup yellow split peas
2 1/2 Tablespoons barley
2 Tablespoons baby lima beans or other tiny white beans
3 Tablespoons ajuki beans
1 Tablespoon powdered vegetable broth or cube
dash seasoned salt or any salt-free seasoning
dash freshly ground pepper

Method

Bring water to a boil in a large soup pot. Add the ingredients in the order given, except for the salt and pepper, which can be added at the end of the cooking process.

Return soup to a boil, skimming off any foam that comes to the surface with a large spoon. (Repeat this skimming process several times in the first half-hour of cooking, until no more forms.)

Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer soup for 2 1/2 hours, stirring periodically to ensure that the barley isn't sticking. At end of cooking time, adjust seasonings to taste.