1, 14 ounce bag of green dried split peas
4-5 quarts water
1/4 cup butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, diced
2 carrots, grated
3 garlic cloves,minced
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
salt to taste
4 yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup barley, rinsed
1 cup minced fresh parsley

Split pea soup is high in protein and fiber, and with a few additions, you can make the traditional pea soup a bit more interesting and hearty.
DIRECTIONS:
Rinse the peas well. In a large stock pot, sauté the onions, celery, green pepper, carrots and garlic in the butter for 7-10 minutes, until softened, but not browned. Add green peas, water, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt to the stock pot, bring to a boil, simmer for 2 hours or until the peas have “dissolved”. Add the potatoes, barley and parsley and simmer for an additional 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.