Gingered Yellow Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup

Step 1: Vegetable Base ... Add the butter, along with the sweet potato, onion, celery, garlic, ginger, and red bell to a large soup pot; and, bring to medium heat. Saute the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Season with a little salt, pepper, a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Step 2: Soup ... Add the broth and split peas (which I rinsed first), to the vegetables; mix, and bring to a boil. Then, cover and simmer for 1 hour stirring now and then.

Step 3: Finish ... After the soup has cooked 1 hour; and, the peas and vegetables are tender; puree using an immersion blender. If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender can be used. Just puree in batches. Once it is smooth; return to the pot. Season the soup with salt and pepper if necessary.

Step 4: Serve and ENJOY! ... Ladle up the soup; and, finish with pepitas and a dollop of Greek yogurt; sour cream or creme fraiche can also be used. You can also toast the pepitas first, which does add extra flavor. To toast the pepitas, simply add them to a dry saute pan, and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. When you can smell them, they are done. Stir them often. It isn't necessary; but, a nice touch.

Step 5: A simple salad; or, crusty bread is a great side. Makes for a perfect lunch; or, a light dinner. And, it freezes perfectly.

Step 6: Note: I used chicken broth in mine; but, if you use vegetable broth, it can be vegetarian. Either way, it is delicious.