Split Pea Soup

I love split pea soup! This version is really healthy and can be made as a meat dish or easily without the meat for vegetarians...and both ways are delicious.

1 large yellow onion chopped
2 carrots (cut into quarters and chopped)
2 russet potatoes (pealed and cut into 1/2' cubes)
4 Tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves of garlic (3-4 small cloves), minced
2 cups dried green split peas (rinsed well and picked through for anything that is not a pea!)
1 lb. beef meat for stew, cut into even pieces ---if making meat version
8 cups of water
1.5 chicken (or vegetable) bullion cubes
Salt and Pepper to taste

(The water and bullion can be substituted for 8cups of chicken or vegetable stock if you have some on hand) :)

Place 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Brown the meat in the hot oil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the meat has good color remove it from the pot and place it to the side.
  (If you are making the vegetarian version you will want to start here). Place the remaining 2 tbsp. of olive oil in the soup pot and over medium heat sweat the onions and carrots (about 10 min). You will want the onions to become translucent but not to brown too much. After the onions have sweated, add the minced garlic and potatoes and cook together for another minute or so.  Add the  rinsed split peas, water and bullion (or stock). Bring to soup to a boil and add the browned stew meat. Reduce heat to low and simmer the soup, stirring occasionally, for about 1.5 hours, or until the peas have broken down. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!