Bare Fruit

Our family loves fruit in all its forms, including dried.

My struggle with buying dried fruit is that it often has added sugar and preservatives.

Short of drying fruit ourselves (which we do sometimes), our only option was preservative laced dried fruit -- until now.

I came across Bare Fruit the other day and it is nothing but bake-dried organic fruit.  No added sugar or preservatives.

We bought the dried mangos, but the Washington based company also sells dried cherries, pears and Fuji, Granny Smith and cinnamon apples from Washington State.

The taste is fantastic and you can feel good knowing that only organic fruits are entering your body.  Find them at a grocery store near you or on Amazon.com.

Natural Vitamins for Children (and Adults)

Parents want the best for their children and many supplement their children's nutritional needs with a daily vitamin.

If asked, many doctors will say to make sure to look for certain levels of vitamin, otherwise brand doesn't matter.  Or does it?

When we went looking for vitamins for our children, we found almost all of the chewable vitamins for children contain wood pulp (disguised as microcrystalline cellulose), many artificial colors (including those with aluminum like Yellow 6 Aluminum Lake), silicon dioxide (associated with several health risks), artificial sweeteners and flavors and lactose (milk) to name just a few.

Then we discovered Gummy Vites brand.  They contain no wheat, milk, eggs, peanuts or soy.  The colors are derived naturally from annatto extract, black carrot juice and turmeric.  The flavors (cherry, strawberry, tropical punch, orange, lemon, white grape) are also from their natural source.

I think the assumption is that vitamins are automatically healthy.  In truth, many carry the same junk as in highly processed foods.

We like the Gummy Vites brand (made by Northwest Natural Products) for the kids and the MultiVites for adults.  Our kids love the taste and they come in the traditional gummy bear shape.

What do you use and why?

Cacao or Cocoa Nibs

Some recipes call for cacao "nibs".  A nib is simply a small piece of the larger cacao bean.

Many people don't know that the cacao bean comes from a collection of seeds within a pod grown on the cacao tree in tropical regions.  It is surrounded by a sticky substance and locals call it a "jungle M&M".

The beans are cleaned and traditionally sun-dried.

Cacao Nibs

After they are dried, the bean can be ground into powder.  A "nib" is simply a small piece of the dried bean.  The nib is bitter with a coffee/ nutty taste.

Nibs are sometimes called for in cookies, smoothies, oatmeals, cereal, yogurt and more.  It's a great way to  add nutrients and antioxidants to some foods without adding the sugar and fat usually associated with chocolate.

Enjoy a few nibs (or grind your own from whole raw cacao beans) -- found at your local health foods store.

Cacao Tree

Cacao Pod 

Dried Cacao Beans

Jicama Fries

Our family was introduced to Jicama (pronounced as hikema) today in a fun and creative way!  Fries!

As a side to our bison burger, we made raw jicama fries (without any frying, of course).

Jicama, similar to water chestnut in texture and closer to an apple in sweetness, is sometimes referred to as the "Mexican potato".  Most grocery stores of size carry jicama in a variety of sizes and reasonable prices. 

They don't taste anything  like a fried potato stick (french fries).  But, they did fool the kids in appearance (they thought they looked like cheese curls) and they did eat several of them -- and we're happy with that as it was a new food for us.  And feel free to dip them in ketchup (as our kids did) or eat as is (which we did).

There are countless ways to prepare jicama, but we used a recipe from the Boutenko book, "fresh:  The Ultimate Live-Food Cookbook", page 91:

• 1 pound jicama sliced in french-fry shapes
• 2 Tbs quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. onion powder
• 1 Tbs. paprika
• sea salt to taste

Simple!  Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix with tongs (or your fingers) and plate!

If you haven't already, introduce yourself to the nutricious jicama.

Choose a 1 pound jicama.

Cut both ends off to create a flat surface.

Use a good knife to peel the jicama.

Slice the peeled jicama into 1/4" slices.

Cut each slice into fry-like shapes.

Toss and coat "fries" with oive oil and seasoning.

Finished and ready to plate.

When Cheese Isn't Cheese

 My wife's doctor told her to cut back on dairy products a couple of years ago.  It seemed like the end of the world.  After all, dairy is a part of a lot of the foods we eat every day.

In the end, it hasn't been that challenging and has even been rewarding discovery of new flavor and healthier options.

One of the things we replaced was traditional cheese in our house.  We did this with help from Galaxy Foods that prepare cheese-like products.

We replaced slices of cheddar block cheese with "Veggie Slices" cheddar flavor slices.  The other flavors include pepper-jack, American, Swiss, mozzarella, smoked provolone, and cheddar with jalapenos.

In every taste-test (grilled cheese or sandwich), nobody could tell the difference.  Our family and friends have had it on their sandwiches without notice.  The flavor and texture is great and it melts easily.

The base for this product is soy flour rather than milk.  It maintains a 3 grams of protein but without any cholesterol.

I recently purchased their "Vegan" version as it was on sale.  The protein is derived from peas rather than casein (a milk derived product) giving it a firmer texture and slight green color.  The first thing I noticed between the Veggie and Vegan options was the color and how much firmer the Vegan cheese slice was.

The Vegan cheese slice melts okay and the taste is similar, but using it cold will be a definite giveaway as it is not that flexible and has a different mouth texture.

If you are a first-time purchaser and can choose between the two options, try Veggie first.  I would recommend this product to anyone wanting to reduce their cholesterol intake or who is looking for a healthier option for cheese slices.

At health food stores, you can buy a package of veggie slices for $3.99, but our regular grocery store also carries them (by the bagged lettuce) for $2.99.  There 12 slices in a package for the Veggie slices and 10 for the Vegan version.

I have not tried Galaxy Foods other cheese-like products, but there are many.  Based on my experience,  I would think they would be really good.  The company also the Carbon Fund for carbon free shipping of their products.

World Nutella Day

Everyone has a favorite binge food.  Our son's is Nutella.  And I am okay with most of the ingredients.  The primary ingredients are skim milk, hazelnuts (also known as filberts) and cocoa.  Palm oil, soy lecithin and vanillin round out the list.  If it weren't for the vanillin (why not the real vanilla?), I would give it five stars.

I first tried Nutella on a missions trip to Spain many many years ago and distinctly remember wishing we had such a treat in the United States.  Since that time, it has become a regular on grocery store shelves.  We get our at Costco at a hefty discount over grocery store prices.

If you've never tried Nutella, your truly missing out on a great food pleasure with a uniquely addictive taste.  It's a guilty pleasure with a touch of healthfulness.  And now, those who love it so much can unite thanks to "World Nutella Day" slated for February 5, 2012.

The uses for this delicious treat are countless and people in its cult-like following have posted photos of their favorite concoctions using Nutella and offered hundreds of recipes.  Could there by a bad one?  The Nutella company offers no recipes other than to spread it on toast in the morning.

There's even a book, "The Unofficial Guide to Nutella:  history, stories and recipes" you can devour.

In brief, its history began in the 1940's when Pietro Ferrero, a pastry maker, devised a way to extend the rationed cocoa supplies during World War II.  He used hazelnuts which were plentiful in the Piedmont region of Italy.  Originally named "Supercrema gianduja", it was renamed in 1964 at "Nut" (for the hazelnut) and "ella" as a soft-sounding filler to lengthen the name.

While it has been a favorite in Europe for 40+ years, the spread first arrived in the Northeastern United States in 1983 and has expanded nationwide since then.

You can easily recreate a Nutella-type spread using a Vitamix or food processor.  There are a number of recipes.  I have not tried them myself because the shelf-life is only a couple of weeks and we just don't consume enough to justify making our own.  But if you are interested, take a look at these trusted sources here and here for recipes on making your own Nutella-type spread.

This February 5, buy a jar of Nutella and spread some joy on World Nutella Day!

Update 01/31/2012:

I was told that Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter is also a very good and perhaps more nutritious option.  I haven't tried this yet but will in the future.  Has anyone else tried Justin's who can offer an opinion?

The ingredients for Justin's are:  Dry Roasted Hazelnuts, Dry Roasted Almonds, Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Natural Vanilla, Sea Salt.

There's Gluten on my Shredded Cheese?

I did a double-take when my wife first came home from the Dr.'s office and said she needed to be gluten free and that things like shredded cheese were off the list.

Did I hear that right, cheese?  I thought cheese was a product derived from milk, not wheat.

That's when I learned that a bag of pre-shredded cheese has more than just cheese in it -- something I had previously not recognized.  The added ingredient was traditionally flour.

Why the addition?  If you've ever shredded your own cheese before, you know that the shreds can stick together.  To prevent this from happening, companies add an ingredient or two to prevent the shreds from sticking.

That was a couple of years ago and many cheese companies have found different ways other than glutenous products to prevent the natural stickiness.  But, you should still be aware of this new addition to your cheese.

For instance, instead of flour, the Sargento cheese company uses a few different things in their shredded cheese, including wood pulp or cotton.  Yep, wood, on your cheese.  You won't find wood mentioned in the ingredients, instead it will read "powdered cellulose" or microcrystalline cellulose.  The other items in this brand could include potato starch and calcium carbonate.  The good news is that these don't have gluten.  The bad news is that you may just not want to eat it though they are presumed to be safe.


The other large national brand, Kraft, had nothing on their web site regarding their shredded cheese, but I found numerous blog posts that mention similar/same extra ingredients.

What we do to solve our issue is buy block cheese and shred what we need with a nice microplane grater.  There are a few of benefits to this including knowing where your cheese comes from (perhaps you want cheese made from grass-fed dairy cows), that there are no added by-products, and saving a bit of money by not having your cheese pre-shredded.

Even if you're not concerned with gluten, get yourself a nice microplane grater (I got mine at World Market for $9.99), some nice cheese and start shredding.  I think you will like having more control.

Organic Packaging Surprise

I wanted to make some fresh hummus for lunch today and reached for a can of garbanzo beans (chick peas).

We don't have many canned items in our house because they leach BPA into the food, but we do have some canned beans (in case I miss the 12-hour window of soaking time) and some tomato products (really just an excuse for not getting around to canning them last fall) on hand.

I was met with two options of garbanzo beans when I opened the pantry.  I don't know the reasons, perhaps I picked up the non-organic one by accident, but I had one can of organic garbanzo beans and one that was not -- by the same grocer brand name.

I thought a bean is a bean, except one is organic, right?  I was surprised by what the labels disclosed.

Organic Canned Garbanzo Bean Ingredients

In the organic beans I found the ingredients:

• Organic Garbanzo Beans
• Water
• Sea Salt

Traditional Canned Garbanzo Bean Ingredients

In the traditional beans I found the ingredients:

• Prepared Garbanzo Beans (they never say what "prepared" means)
• Water
• Salt
• Calcium Chloride (Firming Agent)
• Disodium EDTA

The only other significant difference was in sodium.  The organic garbanzo beans had 100 mg per serving versus a much larger 330 mg of sodium in the non-organic beans.

This helped make clear that decisions are not simply as easy as organic or not.  Organic or not also affects the handling and packaging too.  And organic clearly wins.

I pledge to read labels more carefully when shopping.

As for pricing, the non-sale prices were $.88 for the non-organic beans versus $1.25 for the organically grown beans.

Vitamix Makes Hummus
in About 15 Seconds

If your interested in making a great hummus dip, here was my recipe for today:

• 15-ounce can of organic garbanzo beans drained and rinsed and placed in blender/food processor
• 1/2 cup filtered water (more or less depending on how smooth you want the final product)
• 1 larger organic clove of garlic
• 1 Tablespoon organic lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons of organic olive oil
• Sea salt (to taste)
• 2 small pieces of fire-roasted red pepper (optional)

*blend until smooth

Enjoy!

Fire-Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

"spindrift: a fresh take on sodas"

According to an article in February's issue of Fast Company magazine, the average American drinks 50 gallons of soda annually.  A lot of that soda is made with up to 55% fructose (an ingredient linked to health troubles) and a host of artificial colors and flavors.

The article highlights a fresh new approach and company to the soda industry.  Enter Spindrift.  Made of soda water combined with fresh squeezed fruits with nothing artificial.

This is how they are different from every other soda maker:

• They never use juice from concentrate.
• They never use artificial sweeteners.
• They never use preservatives.
• They never use artificial colors.
• Each bottle contains 50-100% juice portion.
• Juice fibers are maintained which helps your body.
• They use FDA-certified "fresh" nectar from four suppliers.
• They refrigerate their product once made (it's required with fresh ingredients unlike the syrups that are shelf-stable at room temperature for months).
• They contract delivery of the finished soda with distributors of fish, produce and cheese because traditional soda distributors only deliver with warm trucks.
• *And one of my favorites.  They are members of 1% for the Planet, a collection of environmentally aware companies that donate 1% of their sales (not profits) to non-profit organizations that preserve and protect the environment.  In this case, Spindrift donates their money to the preservation of water resources nationally and globally.

I have yet to find any flavors in Michigan and the article said there were only 200 retailers at the time of print.  But it will be coming and I look forward to writing a follow-up to this post.

For now, here is a list of the flavors from their web site:

1. Sparkling Grapefruit (1/4 of a fresh squeezed grapefruit and fresh squeezed lemon)
2. Sparkling Blackberry (8 whole blackberries and fresh squeezed lemon juice)
3. Sparkling Mango Orange (1/2 of a fresh squeezed orange and alfonso mango puree)
4. Sparkling Lemonade (1 whole fresh squeezed lemon)
5. Sparkling Half & Half (Half fresh squeezed lemon and half fresh brewed tea)
6. Sparkling Cranberry Raspberry (Made with 16 raspberries; 9 Vermont cranberries and fresh squeezed lemon juice)

I presume you will find these in the refrigerated section of your grocery store -- if you're lucky enough to have it as an option in your neighborhood.  To find the location nearest you, click here.

Since I can only applaud the how and why this new product is made and not the taste, I will rely on those who have tried it.  Please comment on this post and let us know what you think of the taste, where you found it, how much it cost, etc.

The owner has a great story of being raised on only natural ingredients and lots of homemade food right down to the making of their own butter.  He is now raising his own kids in this tradition, but found a contradiction to this lifestyle with his frequent consumption (described as an addiction) of Diet Coke.

He sought to create a fresh, non-syrup, solution to traditional soda and ran into a few entertaining bumps.  Read the full story here.

P.S.  If your curious what spindrift means, dictionary.com defines it as "spray swept by a violent wind along the surface of the sea".

Here's to hoping the spray from a violent wind hits the shores of Lake Michigan soon!  Strong hints go out to Meijer, D&W and Spartan Stores along with West Michigan restaurants and hotels.

UPDATE:  01/18/2012

I received this message from owner Bill Creelman on the current locations to find this soda:

Hi!

Thank you for your store locator inquiry to Spindrift Soda. Unfortunately we are not sold in your area. Today Spindrift is only sold in New England, New York, and select parts of the eastern seaboard. We are starting to make our way around the rest of the east coast so stay tuned for further details!

We are always looking for other passionate partners so if you have any amazing cafes, bakeries, burrito shops, or a favorite sandwich spot, please forward them along and we will reach to introduce our product.

In the mean time, you can purchase product from our website or follow us onhttp://www.facebook.com/spindriftsoda or www.twitter.com/spindriftsoda for frequent new store openings.

Thanks again for your Spindrift inquiry!

Best wishes,

Bill

Easy Homemade Peanut Butter

Your favorite peanuts + a high-quality blender (with a tamper) = amazing and healthy peanut butter!

We ran out of peanut butter this morning, so I took some of our favorite peanuts from Costco (I'd prefer organic peanuts, but their harder to find than a Santa in July around here -- but that's another post) and threw them in our Vitamix for a quick spin.

Once the peanuts were in, I turned the machine on high and used the tamper to keep things moving.  Within 30 seconds, I had a fresh and warm batch of peanut butter.

In a nutshell (pun, yes!), choose your favorite raw, dry roasted or oil roasted peanuts.  If your from New Mexico or Georgia, your selection should be much better with organic options.  Throw them in your blender.

I usually add about a tablespoon of peanut oil to keep things loose.  You don't have to use any oil, I just like a looser product for easier spreading.  If you decide to add oil and don't have peanut, any other low-flavor oil such as Canola will work too.

Add a touch of salt if you wish.  The peanuts I used were pre-salted and that works for me.

Then turn on your Vitamix (or other high-power blender) on high-speed blend until you get a creamy base.

At this point, you can get creative.  I tend to be a peanut butter purist and leave it alone, but in this case I added about 3 tablespoons of raw honey from a local apiary to make honey-peanut butter.  I have also added a teaspoon or two of organic molasses in the past that darkens the spread and adds a nice taste.  Others have added various spices or cocoa, but you can experiment with what you like.  Add it in and continue spinning until smooth.

When finished, spoon your peanut butter out into a storage container.  I like to use a caning jar for ours.  If you will eat it within three months, store it in your pantry.  If you need it to keep for 6 months, place it in your refrigerator.  Just keep in mind that a refrigerated product won't spread quite as easily unless brought to room temperature.

If you like a crunchy peanut butter, chop some extra peanuts up and set them off to the side.  When you are done making your peanut butter, throw in the chopped pieces and stir.

Enjoy your homemade peanut butter.  It will taste better and probably be better for you.  If you aren't convinced check out the ingredient label on your store-bought peanut butter.

A Bread Pan Designed for Gluten Free Bread

A special bread pan for gluten free breads?  Yep!  And it really works!

It's slightly narrower than a traditional pan and slightly taller.  The measurements are 9" x 4" x 4".

This pan is made by USA Pans for King Arthur Flour and can only be purchased there for $17.95.  It features a lifetime warranty and is coated with an all-natural silicone that releases breads with little or no greasing.

King Arthur occasionally run a discount of 20% when three USA Pans are purchased at one time through them, which is how I got ours.

Why this pan?  Because gluten helps traditional bread rise, gluten free yeast breads tend to be squat in appearance compared to their wheat counterparts.  This pan gives them the added support needed to create a more traditional looking loaf of bread.

While this is designed for gluten free yeast breads, I made a gluten free banana quick bread using the pan today and it turned out better than when I use a traditional pan.  The loaf had great form and the bread was baked nicely throughout.

I use it for gluten free yeast and quick breads and highly recommend it.

By the way, I used the gluten free banana bread recipe found on the back of Bob's Red Mill 32-ounce all purpose flour bag that can also be found here.

The bread was so delicious the kids each had three slices!

El Matador Tortilla Chips

This may prove to be one of my most controversial posts because it directly relates to a beloved tortilla chip from  Michigan.  This company was founded in 1976 and people throughout Michigan seek it out as part of a tradition.

Here's my concern.  I went to the grocery store last week for some tortilla chips.  I typically buy the large bag of organic tortilla chips at Costco, so this was a special "Oh, no!  We're out of chips!" run.

I quickly surveyed the shelves and grabbed a bag of El Matador chips strictly because I wanted to support a local company.  Before I checked out, something prompted me to read the ingredients.  Most tortilla chips read something like this:

• Stone Ground Corn
• Oil
• Salt

So I was surprised when I read this ingredient list for El Matador chips:

• Stone Ground White Corn
• Oil (Combination of Soy, Canola and Sunflower)
• Salt
• Seasoning (salt, artificial butter, yellow 5, yellow 6, tapioca dextrin, modified food starch, soy oil, soy flour, artificial flavor)
• Lime

Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and artificial flavors?!!!  (Read my post on artificial colors here.)

I returned the chips to the food isle and read every other brands ingredient list including the store brand to find that all of the others had three (some four) ingredients with no food dyes or artificial flavorings.  I eventually opted for On The Border brand-based mostly on price.

I did some research on the El Matador company and discovered it was sold in late 2007 to Garden Fresh Salsa of Ferndale, Michigan.  They produce the well-known Garden Fresh Gourmet Deli Chip -- that doesn't have the added ingredients.

The El Matador tortilla factory still operates in Grand Rapids at 45 Franklin Street SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49507.  They do not have a web site, but do have a facebook page.

In the end, I am happy I checked the ingredient list; I am sad that I couldn't support a local producer; and I hope they find a way to make this regional favorite truly natural in the future.

Cancer Fighting Eggs

I own and have read a copy of the late David Servan-Schreiber's (MD, PhD) book, "Anti Cancer:  A New Way of Life."

One of my many takeaways was the powerful anti-cancer combination of Turmeric, Virgin Olive Oil and Black Pepper.

David says of olive oil, (pg. 112) "olives contain an abundance of antioxidants such as acteosides, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, and phenylpropionic acids.  The direct effect of such molecules is to limit the initial development of cancer.  Particularly when it is virgin, olive oil also contains secoiridoids and lignans, both known antioxidants that have been linked with slower progression of cancer."

Of turmeric, he writes (pg. 114) "No other food ingredient has such a powerful antiinflammatory effect.  The principle molecule responsible for that effect is curcumin.  In the labratory, curcumin inhibits growth in a large number of cancers:  colon, prostate, lung, liver, stomach, breast, ovarian, brain, and leukemia, for example.  It also inhibits angiogenesis and forces cancer cells to die (through the process of cell suicide known as apoptosis.  In mice, curcumin prevents the development of several types of tumors caused by chemical carcinogens.  Additionally, curcumin inhibits the growth of human tumors when implanted in mice."

He mentions that Indians consume and average of 1/4-1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric each day and experience 1/8 as many lung cancers, 1/9 as many colon cancers, 1/5 as many breast cancers, 1/10 as many kidney cancers, and 1/50 as many prostate cancers as Westerners of the same age.  He cited this database.

BUT, here is the key.  He writes (pg. 116), "..when [turmeric] is not mixed with pepper or ginger -- as it has been in curry -- turmeric does not pass the intestinal barrier.  Pepper increases the body's absorption of turmeric by 2,000%.

So what do my eggs have to do with it?  Well, I was using organic (cage free) eggs and organic extra virgin olive oil anyway when I fried an egg. And I also always use fresh cracked black pepper.  After reading this book, I simply add a good does of organic turmeric to the mix and I have cancer fighting eggs!

Turmeric is not overpowering, so it doesn't alter the taste of the eggs much.  The most notable difference is the distinct yellow color.  But I am proud to explain to visitors why their eggs are yellow.

Try it at home and enjoy your own cancer fighting eggs and let me know how you liked them.

Add virgin olive oil, fresh cracked pepper and turmeric to other dishes as often as you can and pick up a copy of the anti-cancer book.

Pizza Fusion

Is there a Pizza Fusion near you?

Pizza is one of the most desired foods by Americans.  I can't tell you how many times I have thought about where the ingredients on my pizza come from when I consume a slice from XYZ company.

Like a lot of restaurants, most pizza places are most concerned about the bottom line.  They offer a lot of food at the cheapest price and highest margin.  And factory farms fit neatly into this equation.

I have been looking at a few business models/opportunities that match my interests and came across Pizza Fusion last week.  The nearest one is quite a distance away, but I like their business model and based on the online reviews, many like the food.

Here is what they serve:

• Various traditional and unique flavor pizzas with organic ingredients
• Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free pizza options
• They serve a nice selection of organic wine and beer
• A variety of salads and a few sandwiches
• A selection of appetizers
• Natural colas and teas
• A couple of desserts

Other than quality, local (as much as possible) and organic ingredients, here is why I like their concept and mission:

• The person who makes the pizza signs his/her name on top of the box (a matter of pride)
• The buyer can return the box for recycling and a $.25 credit
• The empty glass drink bottles are used to create the counter tops for new stores
• The buildings they lease/buy are LEED certified (think recycled jeans as insulation)
• The pizzas are delivered by hybrid vehicles
• The pizza oven can make up to 18 pizzas with one heat source
• The pizza oven's heat is used to heat the water
• All of the electricity is derived from wind power sources
• And my favorite -- they have kids organic classes every third Saturday morning of the month

If you've eaten at a Pizza Fusion, let us know what you liked.  If you like the concept, let us know why?  And if you think it would be welcomed in West Michigan, I want to hear from you too!

Leftover Holiday Ham Split Pea Soup

If your family is like mine, every holiday get-together involves some ham.  And there are always leftovers sent home with various recipients.

And, if your like me, that ham sits in your refrigerator for a day or two waiting for a decision.  You can have ham-on-bun for days on end (I've recently done that and it wasn't pleasant), throw it in the freezer and parcel it out, have it for dinner with a different side for several days or make soup!

I've been reading a slow cooker (or crock-pot) recipe book titled, "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow", by Stephanie O'Dea and used her recipe (pg. 208) for split pea crock-pot soup as a guide.  The only change I made was to use leftover ham slices rather than the bacon or ham hock she suggests.

These are the ingredients I added to the crock-pot:

I started with a pound of organic split peas from our local health foods store for about $2.75 and soaked them with water overnight in the refrigerator -- though soaking isn't necessary if you plan to have them in the crock-pot for 8 hours.  For soaking, I placed mine in a large bowl and covered with water about 2 inches deep.

Next I diced up 1/2 a yellow onion, 1 potato (peeled), and 1 cup of carrot.

 I didn't have vegetable broth on hand, so I used 4 cups of organic chicken stock from Costco.

 I cut the leftover ham slices into chunked pieces reserving some ham to add in later.

Next, I threw it all in a 6-quart crock-pot along with an additional cup of water a tsp. of salt and a bit of fresh ground black pepper and cooked it on low for 6 hours (you may need two more hours if you didn't pre-soak your peas).

After six hours of low and slow cooking, I ladled the ingredients into the Vitamix Blender and blended on high for about 20-seconds before returning the smooth and creamy soup to the crock-pot.





I then added some additional ham chucks to the soup for texture and put the crock-pot on warm until we were ready to serve it!







A delicious and satisfying post-holiday soup for those cold winter days!