My mom's split pea soup recipe

My mom passed away in 1988 when I was at the tender age of 24. Some of my most vivid and happy memories of family gatherings and parties and dinners include this soup. The smell and the taste of it take me back quicker that anything. I thought the recipe was lost forever, but it turns out that it lived on in my sister-in-law's recipe box. It's delicious! In the photo below you can see my sister-in-law's copy which I've typed up here, and I've noted modifications to make it vegan, still very tasty, and leave the carrots with a little structure.

Sylvia's Split Pea Soup

1 package of split peas
3 boullion cubes (I use gluten-free and vegetarian G Washington's Seasoning and Broth packets, but you could replace some of the water with GF veggie broth too)
4 cups of water
1 onion, diced
3 stalks of celery and tops
1 large clove of garlic, or 1/8 tsp of garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp salt, and seasoning salt to taste
5 whole pepper corns
6 whole allspice
1 bay leaf
2-3 drops of gluten-free liquid smoke (if you aren't using meat)
Gluten-free ham or ham bone (optional)

Bring peas and boullion to a boil in a large soup pot. Add ham or ham bone (if you must) to the boiling water and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for an hour and a half, stirring frequently. As soup thickens, continue adding water to desired consistency. I added a full four cups of additional water to the peas the last time I made this.

My modifications to mom's recipe: Saute the onions and garlic in the bottom of the soup pot in a little olive oil for a few minutes before adding water and peas. Add all the ingredients except the carrots; after the soup has simmered for 45 minutes or an hour add the carrots so that they retain some personality.

Enjoy!