Dash white pepper, or

Rinse peas. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine peas, water and salt. Bring to a boil; remove from heat and let soak for 1 hour. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat; add bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Stir in onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent; add to peas in saucepan and stir to combine. Add remaining ingredients except parsley and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent mixture from sticking to bottom of pan, until peas are softened and mixture thickens, about 45 minutes. If soup becomes too thick, add up to an additional cup of water. Serve each portion sprinkled with fresh parsley.

[Weight Watchers New International Cookbook]