Rinse and soak the peas in filtered water for 2 hours. Optional to add salt or a bit of lemon juice. Then drain before cooking.
Heat the oil over medium heat in soup pot, add the onion and a bit of the salt. Saute until translucent.
Add the carrot, garlic and continue to cook until very fragrant.
Add the broth and water (if using), granulated onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
Add the rinsed peas and reduce the heat to allow to simmer for about 2 hours or until peas are cooked/tender.
Add the rest of the salt (to taste) and pepper. Add any additional herbs, if desired of your choosing and/or butter, then simmer a bit to meld the flavors.
Remove bay leafs and use either an immersion blender or a high speed blender (see below) to blend to desired consistency.
If using a high speed blender, allow soup to cool before adding to blender. Remove small center lid and use a folded towel to allow steam to escape while blending. Hot foods can break glass or plastic and too much steam can cause lid to blow off during blending.
Optional-use garnish of your choosing. Pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, chives, green onion or whatever you prefer.
This soup freezes well, so you can have leftovers at another time.
