Creamy Coconut and Yellow Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

2 leeks, chopped

2 Bay leaves

1 cup yellow split peas, rinsed and picked over

8 cups (1.9 L) vegetable stock

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 small head cauliflower, chopped

2 cups coconut milk

cayenne pepper, to taste

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the carrots, leek and Bay leaves. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the peas to the pot. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock. Stir well. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce it to a simmer. Simmer the soup, partially covered, for 45 minutes or until the peas are tender.

When the peas are tender, using a whisk, whisk the soup to try to break up the cooked peas. Add the zucchini and cauliflower to the soup. Using a spoon, stir well, bring the soup to a boil, reduce it to a simmer, cover and simmer the soup for 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender.

Add coconut milk, cayenne pepper, salt and fresh ground black pepper to the soup. Serve.