Greetings from Tuesday night. Before I say another word, those were some amazing responses to my last post. Blogging is so funny; one never knows which posts will strike a chord. I was really into the topic (which, if you weren’t reading, had to do with the assumptions drawn about peoples’ motives for being vegan), but I didn’t know whether or not you would be as intrigued. I love when the topics I love to write about are the ones you’re most interested in commenting on. Thank you!
A week or two ago, I mentioned that I’ve jumped on the spring vegetable train a little late this year. It’s face-meltingly hot outside, and summer has most certainly arrived. In my kitchen, though, I’m still experiencing the best of spring produce, including freshly shelled peas. I enjoyed them in my spring quinoa pilaf, and recently, I enjoyed them again in a simple, delicious pea soup.
Raw soups rank second only to salads in the category of “dishes Gena can’t eat enough of.” If you’ve only been reading my blog recently, though, you might not know the depth of my passion for raw soup. Last spring, I was the queen of soup, whipping up blended salads galore, carrot avocado bisque, raw borscht, coconut red pepper soup, and more. The problem with raw soups is that they, unlike cooked soups, don’t keep or freeze well. Raw soups are best enjoyed straight out of the blender, along with a big salad and maybe a hunk of sprouted grain bread. Since I’m rarely home right now, it’s hard for me to make fresh soups, and I’d rather not spoil them by transportation.
Last weekend, thankfully, soup fever struck on a Saturday afternoon at home, and the soup queen donned her apron again. The result was this glorious, bright green bowl of deliciousness:
Before I share the recipe, it’s worth mentioning that you can either blend the peas raw or blanch them first. I highly, highly, highly recommend blanching or lightly steaming, as raw green beans and peas are typically too starchy to be palatable. (There’s some debate, too, over whether they’re toxic: I fall into the “who cares, they taste weird” camp.) In any case, raw purists can certainly take chances with raw peas; I blanched mine for exactly a minute and then submerged them into an ice bath pre-blending.
Pea Soup (serves 1 or 2)
8 oz peas, raw or blanched
1/2 cup nut or seed milk, unsweetened (I used homemade almond milk)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c water
1 tbsp lemon juice
Blend all ingredients till smooth. Check for seasoning, and garnish with a sprig of dill, a drizzle of hemp oil, and cubed sprouted bread or raw crackers.
I like to serve my raw soups cool, obviously, but there’s no reason you couldn’t warm this if you liked to. However you serve it, the soup is dreamy: a perfectly minimalist exhibition of the finest flavors of spring.
Now, if only spring temperatures would follow spring tastes. Sigh. A sweaty girl can dream, right?
xo
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Thank you for your simple, quick and not too expensive healthy pea recipe. Just what I wanted with only a few boxes of frozen organic peas in the freezer!
I just sprouted some garbazo beans. Now I dont know what to do with them? I love hummus and make it all the time using canned garbanzos? I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks 🙂
Hey Gena,
I’m wondering what kind of peas you use for this soup. What kind of plant do the usual frozen type peas come from? Can you use other sorts of peas like English or Sugar Snap? Sorry if this is a stupid question, I’m just a little confused.
What are the pea-like kernels in green beans?
Thanks!
Regular shelling peas!
HOW EASY!!!! Thanks for the recipe!!!
oh gosh Gena, I just made raw soup for lunch today and it looks NOTHING LIKE YOURS! mine was so gross. yours looks so GOOD and creamy! i’m sadly looking at the picture of your pea soup while slurping mine (which is kinda watery and tart – cos I didn’t have an avocado on hand to thicken it).
Anyway, thanks for posting all these lovely raw recipes. I love how healthy you are! I tried the banana softserve the other night and nearly swooned at how insanely GOOD it was. It’s a CRIME that the banana softserve recipe is not known by EVERYONE! and i mean, EVERYONE! WHat are people doing eating growth-hormone and antibiotic-ridden cow’s milk ice cream when they can just eat frozen bananas?!?!
“Who cares…they taste weird” camp? Love it! That’s funny.
Pretty pea pictures. 🙂
xoxo
This sounds so refreshing! I might even face my fear of peas and try it for myself.
I love how the ingredients are so simple, it’s stuff that anyone can acquire. It kind of reminds me of split pea soup, which i LOVE. So i imagine this will be no different. thank youuuuuu!!
And bright green is my favorite color, too bad i would look awful if i dyed my hair said color
That looks so delicious and easy. I just planned my menu for next raw Tuesday (next week), but I’m wishing I had that in my meal plan.
This looks wonderful, I adore split-pea soup and can’t wait to try this raw version. Thanks!
I tend to never cook with peas. I might have to start after seeing this recipe and the sprouted quinoa one! Looks super appetizing.
Oooh I’m bookmarking this recipe – so simple! Thank you so much for sharing it!
This looks delicious! I love pea soup! Never had it raw though! Soooo happy it is sooo much cooler out today!!! Enjoy!
I know where the peas that just came in my CSA bag are going!
I wanted to tell you that your presentation is exquisite! Did you make your own “croutons” too? They look scrumptious!
Most importantly, I love the minimalist approach to this soup–it springs with elegance and simplicity. 🙂
xo Aletheia
I did! Just ‘zeke bread, cut into squares 🙂
Ooh I was wondering about the croutons too. I thought they looked like ‘zeke bread. 🙂
love how simple this is! I like pea soup so I may give this a try soon! Maybe in the fall…that’s the season it reminds me off.
Ah the summer heat…
Gena,
I have some frozen raw peas that I’m going to try this out with tonight for dinner (or a post-yoga lunch)! I love your recipes, but you know I always add a clove or two of garlic to your savory recipes. (I have some roasted in the fridge, which I think would add some sweetness and depth to this soup).
-A
This is such a beautiful soup- I love the color! Cold soup is delicious, though I’ve never experimented with much besides gazpacho. It’s gotten a little cooler out here in PA, so hopefully NYC is a little more bearable now too!
Hey, I became a permanent reader of your blog today after making banana soft serve for breakfast for the first time (I know, I know, I’m very late getting on the boat). While I am not in a state to become vegan, I eat a mostly plant-based diet and am interested in incorporating even more plant foods. I also really like your body image topics.
The pea soup has a lovely, lovely color (and so simple) and sounds great with all the hot temperatures now. Peas are not my favorite vegetable, but I love green beans…even raw! I feel like we have to eat them in massive quantities to worry about toxins (I hope)
Have a great day!
–Caroline
Oooh…I didn’t know raw peas might be toxic! I was popping them like candy the other day!
This soup looks really tasty! So fresh!
Hi Gena,
Just wondering, do you never eat beans/lentils??
Is it one of those things you avoid?
Jo,
I eat beans and lentils literally all the time! If you scroll through my posts, you’ll see garbazos on salads and in hummus, navy or white beans in salads, and a lentil dip/pate. I prefer to eat legumes cooked, rather than sprouted.
G
Obviously not! I eat legumes all the time, and you’ll see them on my blog plenty.
Beautiful soup. My favorite summer lunches are protein and veggie packed salads and cold soups. Thank you!
That recipe sounds so simple and fresh. I planted peas in my garden too!
I posted last week about the toxicity (possibly) in raw green beans. Wow, funny you should mention it! Anyway, I am not a pea soup girl but my mother, this is a recipe that could convert a die-hard cooked-food woman into a raw pea soup lover, for sure!
I never thought that hot soup or tea or coffee would actually cool me down in the summer but oddly enough they do! And to think I never believed that old Indian tale. 🙂
I can’t wait for the fall…I hope temperatures get more tolerable for you Gena!
Funny how spring soups are so refreshing in summer. This looks delicious, Gena. Living in San Fran this summer, I’ve been lucky enough NOT to feel the summer heat, til I head back home, that is 😉
Enjoy your week. Looking forward to more recipes to beat the heat!
Meg