Spicy Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 5 cups water (or stock, vegetable or chicken)
• 2 cups split peas, rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (or sliced almonds)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• zest of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

1. in dutch oven, saute chopped onion in olive oil for 3-5 minutes, until translucent
2. add water (or stock), split peas, bay leaf, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and salt, and bring to a simmer
3. simmer for 40-45 minutes, until peas begin to fall apart
4. pour soup into food processor
5. add nuts, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then pulse to blend

I may experiment with this recipe a bit to increase its protein and vitamin levels. Some initial thoughts include smoked tofu, spinach, kale, and carrots.

First up, the publication of The Pentagon Papers.

Pentagon Papers Roll On

Jacques' right eye shortly after LASIK treatment.

My left eye looks fine — the suction cup hematoma is underneath the eyelid.

They're back, baby!

I was absolutely delighted to learn that Comedy Central has ordered 26 new episodes of Futurama. First episodes to be shown mid-2010.

I think someone else was using that ball....

Earlier this week, our 1-year-old French Bulldog Stitch had “an incident” at doggy day camp. As a member of the day camp staff described it, “she got another dog’s tooth caught on her head.” Basically, Stitch saw a tennis ball in the mouth of an older black lab, and hurled herself at it in an attempt to wrest it away. She succeeded only in scraping one of the dog’s teeth across her scalp.

You lookin' at me?

When I picked her up a few hours later, she was running around crazily with a Scottie, a little patch of skin showing where the on-site vet had shaved it to assess the seriousness of the injury. It doesn’t seem to bother her in the least.