Here’s a hearty soup for when you want something filling. For this delicious blend of legumes and vegetables, you can soak the black beans overnight. Then boil them the next day according to the instructions on the bag, or you can speed up the process considerably by using a pressure cooker. As a last resort, you can always use a can or two of black beans.

However you get here, set the cooked black beans aside. The amount of beans you put in depends on how much you want the beans to dominate your soup. (I used about 2 cups in mine.)

Empty a 16-oz. bag of yellow split peas into a wire mesh strainer; make sure it has narrow slots so the peas don’t go through them. After washing the peas thoroughly, transfer them into a stock pot and place it on a stove burner, under medium heat. Pour in 32 oz. of vegetable broth and rest the lid on the pot in such a way so it doesn’t fully cover it. This is so you can prevent the liquid from overflowing when it starts boiling. Stir it occasionally.

After the split pea soup has been cooking about 30 minutes, chop 1 onion and mince 3 garlic cloves; set them aside. Peel and chop 1 sweet potato and add the pieces to the soup. Stir and partially cover. After another 15 minutes, put in the chopped onions and garlic. Cover and turn down the heat a little if the soup is boiling. Wash 1 bunch of fresh cilantro and ½ bunch of fresh kale, then set the kale aside. Cut the cilantro in half and add to the soup mixture. Stir. By this time, the consistency of your split pea soup will be somewhat thick. Put in a 26.46 oz. carton of chopped tomatoes (I use Pomi brand). Stir and time it for 10 minutes, after which you will add the kale and black beans and cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper if you wish.

Accompany the soup with homemade beer bread and you’ll think you’re in a cozy cottage with the early settlers.

Happy slurps!