Kicking Holiday Heartburn + Split Pea Soup From Scratch Recipe

Momma Told Me: Taste the season to be jolly.

Don't judge- but for me, the holidays are all about food.


From January through October I exercise impressive self control when it comes to my at home, and even social eating. Don't get me wrong, I still love food during the rest of the year, but it's November and December I specifically reserve my splurging for. There are simply too many events, and seasonal specialties, I just can't turn down. And I may be shoveling every delicious homemade thing in sight onto my plate, or into my mouth, but that doesn't mean I'm not cultivating priceless memories at the same time. Because it wouldn't be the holidays without the seasonal flavors, and those flavors wouldn't tickle my tummy, and delight my inner child without all of the warm memories associated with them.

For example, ginger cookies remind me of the time I ate too many, gave myself a horrible tummy ache, and wound up with my head in my grandma's lap- her gently comforting caress of my hair, one Christmas Eve. The smell of molasses reminds me of the time my Uncle tried to smoke our holiday ham and we nearly wound up with the fire department at our Thanksgiving table. And coriander reminds me of that mysterious potato salad that would always wind up on my plate, whether I wanted it or not. Yes, food is one of the big reason's we get together- and it's the cornerstone of so many amazing memories and traditions. But for people like Jay, holiday cuisine can be a cruel mistress.

When we first met there was a slew of things Jay wouldn't eat- it not only dictated his food choices, but where we would go to eat for events such as dates. And, while there are many foods you may think of as triggers for heartburn, the ingredients and dishes which most greatly impact a frequent heartburn sufferer is as unique as the individual them-self. For example, Momma used to tell me to drink milk whenever heartburn would flair- but fatty foods such as milk and cheese actually increase Jay's discomfort, as they slow digestion and result in increased intestinal pressure.

When our first holiday season came around Jay began to make a fuss about sitting out family events- You can imagine the thoughts going through my head, I was certain it was all about me, and him not wanting to be around my family. As it turns out I was wrong. (Don't let him read that.) It soon came out that he didn't want to feel uncomfortable around all of the trigger foods he would inevitably want to eat. Frequent heartburn can truly sideline someone- and the holidays are no time to be feeling left out!

What's one of my biggest holiday indulgences? The holiday honey baked ham- you know the one- that sweet pork meat candy glazed with a golden sugar coating so aromatic you wish you could spritz your tree in it. (No, just me?)

Our family is big on the holiday ham tradition- we always make sure to order triple what we need to feed our guests and we still end up with minimal leftovers and a giant ham bone.Of course no matter how slick the family 'carver' thinks they are, there's still plenty of delicious ham flavor left on that bone, so I traditionally make a rustic split pea soup. It's kind of a holiday tradition.

Start by taking the bulk of the leftover meat off your ham bone with a paring knife. Reserve this meat, and any scraps/leftovers, diced, for the finishing touches at the end of your soup's creation.

Place a thick pad of butter in the bottom of an 8 quart pot and simmer your onion, celery, and carrots until they begin to turn soft, opaque, and slightly golden. Add some minced garlic and dried marjoram spice to really highlight the ham flavor you're about to introduce.

Add your ham hock/bone and the diced/trimmed ham to the pot and stir over medium heat just until sufficiently combined.

Next add your split peas and water, bringing the mixture to a simmer before lowering the heat and putting on a lid.

 Your soup won't look like much at this point, more of a vegetable stew, really, but shortly after adding the water savory aromas will begin to fill your kitchen thanks to the ham hock and marjoram.

You can't really over-cook your soup, aside from perhaps baking it to the bottom of your pot due to lack of stirring, so feel free to let it simmer until the ham is virtually melting off the bone.

Once your bone is clean, fish your hocks/bones from the soup carefully and smooth the mixture in a food processor a couple of cups at a time- I like to maintain a little texture, so I reserve 1-2 cups of the thicker soup as it is. Once processed, pour your blended coup back into the pot with the last of your reserved ham, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve this delicious rustic homemade split pea soup with a variety of toppings to garnish. Some of our family favorites include sour cream, bacon crumbles, bell peppers, cheddar cheese and fresh chives. Split pea soup, and all of the 'fixings' used to be a big trigger for Jay's frequent heartburn but Nexium® 24HR Capsules have changed the way his stomach greets seasonal cuisine.

Okay, now that his Holiday Heartburn Face is gone, he might be enjoying those holiday refreshments a little too much. Jay said this was his 'I'm drinking something I'm not supposed too, but I'm not going to pay for it later' face.

But in all serious-ness, I was trying to capture a nice holiday photo for our holiday cards, and the excitement of eggnog apparently got the better of both of them. Like father, like dog? I'm okay with it though, I'd much rather have a heartburn free partner in crime to eat my way through the holidays with than a scrunchy faced grinch! Do you have a traditional holiday dish you look forward to each year?


What Daughter Says: Don't sideline yourself this holiday season.

Rustic Split Pea Soup

***Click here for the printable Rustic Split Pea Soup recipe.

Egg-Free Raw Cookie Dough + Creamy Broccoli White Bean Soup Recipes

This post was sponsored by S&W Beans and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. All photos contained below are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2017.

While I may not be able to tell it by the weather, here in SoCal, the immediate over-saturation of Pumpkin Spice everything, and the stunning photos of leaves changing on Facebook tell me that Fall has arrived.


Since I may not notice much of a difference between the seasons, until those clocks Fall back in a few weeks, I'm relying on some classic comfort foods to help get me in the mood. Of course, one way in which I know it is indeed Fall is my increasingly packed schedule. As the days and weeks progress towards the end of the year, with holiday gathering and shopping sprinkled in, I will find myself with less and less free time. Every now and then I'll get wrapped up in a busy work week, or the start of our Fall bowling league, and find myself swamped with things to do.

Because of this simplicity is definitely one of my key words this time of the year. and simplicity not only means time-saving in the kitchen, but but more robust flavors, and delicious filling snacks and meals as well.

Earlier in the year I shared a few of my favorite unexpected ways to add a little extra, affordable, protein, fiber, and vitamins into my everyday cooking and snacking routines; the fabulous, varied, world of beans. I also shared that S&W Beans, a standard leader in the industry for over 120 years now, is my preferred brand of canned beans not only for the 7 types of beans, across over 40 varieties, they offer, but for the picture perfect quality that lends itself to that 'eating with your eyes' recipe finish. S&W Beans also offers a Recipe Collection, Low Sodium Options, and the new Organic range of beans, so you can always choose what fits your family and recipe best.

But don't take my word for it, find an S&W Beans retailer near you then take advantage of this special limited time printable coupon for $1 off of 2 cans of S&W Beans (Now through 12/31/2017). Not only is that an amazing high value coupon, it's the perfect excuse to try a new recipe, or even variety of beans! Not sure how to think outside the can when it comes to beans? Feel free to take a peek at our previous S&W Beans post for a light and easy Bean Salad preparation and Vegan Black Bean Brownies recipe. You can also follow the brand on Pinterest and Instagram for some amazing bean inspired recipes ans serving ideas!

And, of course, I can't leave you hanging without some fresh seasonally inspired recipe creations- so I took to the kitchen, beans in hand, erm can? To begin I decided to make a nice, simple, yet filling and creamy soup offering. This Creamy Broccoli White Bean Soup recipe requires a quick reduction on the stove-top, followed by a few pulses in an immersion blender. It's base recipe is vegan and dairy free; thanks the the S&W Cannellini White Kidney Beans it has a rich and hearty texture that needs no added cream.

The secret to this recipe is simmering the shallot and garlic in your olive oil until just fragrant and browned. This helps release the flavors that will infuse your broccoli and beans as your reduce them.The trick to getting a great creamy texture, without dairy, is in the high quality S&W Kidney Beans, pre-cooked to the perfect texture. During the simmer process these beans slowly cloud the broth releasing an even protein rich base that blends perfectly into the broccoli for a satisfying mouth-feel you typically only find in cream based soups.

At the bottom of the post I've included the recipe for this Creamy Broccoli White Bean Soup, at it's most simplest base. Feel free to ad some chili flakes during the reduction process, or to top with a sprinkle of fresh cracked pepper for a little extra bite. Because this soup tends to be thick and creamy serve it piping hot!

The second recipe I want to share with you is another one of those 'secret ingredient' recipes you'll love fooling guests with. Cookie dough may not seem like a traditional Fall recipe, but I think all things under the 'comfort food' umbrella fit in with Fall, and raw cookie dough is definitely a comfort food for me. However you bill this to those you serve it to, 'raw cookie dough,' 'egg-free cookie dough,' or even 'vegan cookie dough,' you're sure to trick taste-buds with a classic texture and taste that is guilt free.

My secret ingredient in this particular recipe is S&W Premium Organic Garbanzo Beans (or, as Jay calls them, chickpeas)- I'll be honest, I've only cooked with garbanzo beans a few times, so I was a bit intimidated at first. Thankfully my S&W Beans were already cooked to the perfect texture, and the Organic variety meant there would be only the purest of light flavoring in the background of my 'dough' base.

If you are a bit shy of trying such a radical recipe then go ahead and use regular dark chocolate chips, instead of a dairy free/vegan variety- it may help ease younger family members and skeptics in. You can also increase the amount of maple syrup added for additional sweetness, though this exact recipe fooled my father on the first try. He said it was delicious, and asked if my 'raw cookie dough' could be baked. Haha- not quite, dad.

For those wondering this Egg-Free Cookie Dough will store in the fridge and keep texture, just make sure it's in a sealed container- I also suggest allowing it to sit at room temperature for 3-5 minutes prior to digging in- though it never survives long enough for us to have leftovers to store!

So there you have my two favorite ways to infuse 'outside the can' thinking into some Fall comfort staples with S&W Beans. Be sure to grab the printable coupon for $1 off 2 cans of S&W Beans, and share with me your favorite beans, and how to prepare them! Also, please let me know if you try either recipe!

Egg-Free (Vegan Option) Cookie Dough

****Click here for printable Egg-Free Cookie Dough Recipe