Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Thyme (1 teaspoon)
• Bay leaf (1)
• Vegetable broth (6 cups)
• Garlic (2 cloves, minced)
• Celery (2 stalks, chopped)
• Carrots (2, chopped)
• Onion (1 large, chopped)
• Green split peas (1 pound)

Instructions

1. Rinse the split peas under cold water and set aside.
2. In a large pot, sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in a little bit of oil until the vegetables are softened.
3. Add the split peas, vegetable broth, bay leaf, and thyme to the pot. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about an hour, or until the split peas are tender.
5. Remove the bay leaf and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until it's smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can transfer the soup to a regular blender in batches and puree it that way.
6. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, then serve.