Souper Freak

At last we are entering the post holiday feast season! No more decadent Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas cookies to tempt me at every turn, beckoning me to allow another bite (or, ahem, plate) with the justification that, well, “it’s the holidays!” It’s time to stop eating like a lumberjack and go back to basic healthy-eating principles and sensible portion control.

And so today Tyler and I trekked to and from Trader Joes to stock up on the necessities for a new season of healthfulness. For me, that meant the building blocks for a big pot of split pea soup. I’ve had the split peas just waiting to be made, so it was simply a matter of buying chicken broth, onions, garlic, carrots, and turkey bacon — this last ingredient to add a little meatiness without the fat of regular bacon or ham.

The recipe was simple: chop and fry up the bacon, add the onion and soon after the garlic, then stir in the broth, split peas, two bay leaves, a pinch of sugar, about a teaspoon of dried thyme and some freshly ground pepper. A bit later I added some sliced carrot so it wouldn’t be mush by the time the peas were tender.

The verdict? The flavor and texture are both ok. It’s not the best dish I ever made, but then again, I’m trying to keep it plain and simple — with a focus on nutrition, and eating what I need, rather than having my mind (and diet) blown with every meal. It’ll do for many of my lunches and dinners for this week, and be a good jump start to a healthy 2011.

If this turns out to be my last post of 2010, Happy New Year!