Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried split peas
• 1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into bite-size florets
• 2 1/2 cups broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite-size florets
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 3 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced in half (optional)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (no substitutes, please)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add peas, reduce heat to a slow boil for approximately 25 minutes, until barely tender, drain and cool (1/2 cup split peas will basically double in size after cooking).

2. In a large bowl, mix together cauliflower, broccoli, onion, cheese, crumbled bacon and tomatoes. Add cooled peas.

3. Mix dressing together in a medium size bowl and check for taste before putting it on the salad. Add more lemon juice if you want the dressing to challenge your taste buds a little.

4. Cover and refrigerate prior to serving, anywhere from 3 – 24 hours for the best flavor.