This week I was reminded of a lesson on the power of caring for one's self, from two incredibly beautiful women, who are both in their 60s
I settled onto the comfy sofa in the waiting room of Toyota's service department. As one hand rummaged through my backpack, my eyes caught a glimpse of People Magazine. “Oh my gosh, is that right?? Christie Brinkley is 60!”
60?!
No gimmicks or plastic surgery. Instead she's lived a life of clean eating, daily exercise, a positive attitude, and staying engaged with the world around her. Not perfectly, but consistently; for a very, very long time
(ps: She also credits monthly facials & hair extensions. I had to smile)
A few nights later, I stood in front of a room full of people; lucky enough to say a few words about each of the women I'd coached through the latest 9-week health challenge Each had done beautifully, accomplishing so very much; it was fun to celebrate not only for them but with them as well
As I neared the end of my stories, I grew ever more excited to share about a woman; I now get to call friend. In two short weeks, she'll be 67; as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside.
Her job is physical, working outdoors in the elements rain or shine, and logging more steps on her Fitbit than most will in their entire day. After work, she comes to a rigorous exercise class before heading home to a life filled with kids, grandkids, friends, and neighbors.
She's done it consistently for many, many years; never complaining, everything done with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. If you asked her (I did), she feels like she's 25.
I told her that night, in front of everyone that I hope I've helped her, but at the same time, she's done just as much for me. One day, when I'm her age, I want to follow in her footsteps. A shining example to someone else of the power of being kind to your body, feeding it well, staying in motion, and never slowing down on the journey to be just a little better each and every day
Over the weekend we cooked one of her favorite meals to give to her. Kik Alicha, a classic Ethiopian dish Kathie brought (from Minneapolis!) to January's food swap.
It's a simple stew; inexpensive to make, full of onions, garlic, and split peas. It's mild as well as savory, creamy yet not oily, a wonderful diversion from the spiciness that typically accompanies Ethiopian cuisine.
Serve with injera instead of eating utensils if you'd like to be truly authentic.
Enjoy!
xoxo
ps: Thank-you Kathie for making the 3 hour trip to come to our swap! The effort was non-trivial, and we're so very glad you did. Please, come again anytime ..
Kik Alicha (Ethiopian Yellow Split Pea Stew)
Ingredients
- 5 large purple onions
- 1 cup olive oil
- One 16 oz. bag yellow split peas
- 2 tsp tumeric
- fresh minced garlic, to taste
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- In large, heavy pot, cover peas with 3” water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook till tender, about 30-45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, puree the onions in a food processor or blender. Cook the puree in heavy pot until they're tender and just staring to turn brown (note: they will be dry).
- Add the olive oil, tumeric and strong pinch of salt, stirring to combine.
- Add the cooked split peas (water included) to the onion mixture, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook to a consistency similar to pea soup.
- Stir in garlic and serve with injera
94 Comments
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This looks outrageously good. I wouldn’t even need the injera…just a spoon! I adore Ethiopian food.
One of my staple snacks is a Greek variation of this. The recipe is similar, it is just served with olive oil, lemon juice and fresh onion sliced n top. Fingers crossed I too can be a fabulous 67 year old!
Can’t wait to make this! It’s my favorite dish at the neighborhood Ethiopian restaurant.
I have to confess I have never tried Ethiopian food but this split pea stew looks delicious! It looks very similar to daal!
This looks delicious! I love Ethiopian food but I’ve never tried making it at home – you make it look easy!
wow looks delicious. I have never tried Ethiopian food, I have discovered something new today.
I love the sound of the flavors in this veggie stew! So bright and colorful too.
I’m so excited to try this. We are an adoptive family and I have a son from Ethiopia. Not very many recipes out there so this will be special. I’m going to be 35 next week and I am trying my best to eat clean and be happy bc I want to live a long and healthy life.
I never tasted something like this or simmilair. I would have to try, it sounds amazing.
oh this looks and sounds pretty amazing and I really should give it a try for myself
This recipe looks delicious! and dare I say it, fairly straightforward and something I could definitely have a go at!
Lovely recipe and very healthy ingredients. I must try it. I love split peas.
I’ve never tried Ethopian food but this yellow split pea stew looks so yummy! Amazing recipe, I definitely should try to make it!
Hi Eugenia,
I recommend you try it out. Ethiopian food has a variety of vegetarian options that are healthy and full of nutrients.
This looks really delicious. I’ve never tried Ethiopian food, but I’d definitely try this!
Love Ethiopian food &love the lentil stew!!! Thank for sharing the recipe!
I love Ethiopian cuisine! Last month I went to an Ethiopian restaurant and tried Kik Alicha and loved it! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us!
Does anyone know a recipe for spicy peas with berbere? Years ago I found one and remember it had a cup of oil in the ingredients!!!! I won’t do that, but maybe your recipe would just require berbere instead of tumeric. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
I imagine the taste too foreign for me. I haven’t tried Ethiopian dish before so this must be interesting. There aren’t many people who at age 67 still are active in exercise. Good for her!
Another lovely health advice and recipe. Your posts help me to choose and prepare my weekly menu 🙂
Woow, that is something different to my tastebuds I think. I never tasted as such but I want to try. I want to taste the culture of Ethiopia. They say you can experience certain culture through food.
Ive never tried split peas! I’m not even sure where I would buy them, it sounds like something I would really love to try. I will check out the world foods section in my supermarket!
this looks andsounds actually nicer than i thought it would i would love to give this a try
What a lovely article, that lady sure sounds like an inspiration on how to age well. I think the recipe is interesting, too….I do like all the ingredients so I might just give it a go, thanks!
Loving this recipe, very different and looks like it will be well worth a go!! 🙂 x
Never tried yellow split pea soup… In fact, I don’t think I’ve tried any type of split pea soup. Gonna have to give this a go!
I can’t say I’ve ever eaten Ethiopian cuisine but I love that this has such few ingredients
This sounds delicious and pretty easy to make! Loved the article too. I can only wish to age as well as that lady, that’s for sure!
I’ve eaten Ethiopian food once before and it was so good. I made sure to go to a buffet so I could try several dishes.
This sounds so delicious. What an amazing blend of ingredients. We may have to try this.
Wow I have never made this before but it does sound delicious. I’d probably use carrot sticks with it as I’m trying to increase my vegetable intake.
Wow this looks amazing – I am going to give it a try, I bet my daughter would enjoy it too. And it looks quite good for you too – I need that in my life!
I am a vegan.This looks good for me:)..Thanks for the recipe.
I have never tried any dishes from Ethiopia before. I am really intrigued and delighted to give this a go, especially now that it has gotten chilly again, so this would be the perfect thing to warm me up.
This looks tasty, I wonder if I can get the family to try it! Maybe I’ll try it this weekend and see what they say, you know how kids can be. So picky but I love split peas myself!
I have a stack of your recipes to try, now I am going to have to add this. I want to try it for my church potluck!
I’m not sure if this is one that would tickle my taste buds. I do like garlic, but turmeric is hard for me. Super healthy, but not a taste I love. The bread looks yummy!
My goal for this summer as a university student is to learn how to cook, and I will definitely be adding this to my list. Thank you!
Wow. I have never heard of this. I am currently adding new recipes to my recipe book and I’m going to have to add this one. It looks absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing!
I have never heard of this stew recipe before. Sounds like a great one to try. Looks pretty easy to make too. Love that! Thanks for the great menu idea.
This looks like an interesting recipe! I’ve never tried split pea soup, to be honest, but my son loves it. May have to consider trying this. Thank you for sharing! I’ll be adding it to my recipe box.
There’s really so much that living a healthy can do. It’s not just about the weight loss or being fit, it’s also about aging gracefully without the threats of illnesses and such.
That’s lovely. I decided to live healthier this year as a promise to myself and my husband that I’d like to be more fit and healthy and able to do the things that I can finally enjoy. This sounds like a lovely recipe!
Once again you are introducing a recipe which is absolutely perfect for me! all those ingredients are those what I love to add into my cookings. Haven’t had a stew for a long time so it’s time to prepair one.
ps. I have tried to rate (5 stars!) your recipes but haven’t succeed in it.
Sometimes I also look at older women and admire how they’re leading their lives. It really goes to show how much difference diet and exercise can make x
This sounds like an interesting recipe. Thanks for sharing
I have only tried Ethiopian food once in my life and I remember that specific type bread that you grab the food with. I really enjoyed the ritual of eating Ethiopian food, as it is an actual celebration, with the big bread in the middle, with different dishes on top, like the yellow split pea stew.
This looks delicious! I’ve never tried to make Ethiopian food before but I might have to give this a go this weekend x
i am so open to eating food of different culture. I dont think I have had Ethopian food before but I would like to try it!
My dad is forever making different stews, so I will have to pass this recipe on!
Holy cow! I can’t believe she is 60 she looks incredible! I like that she is very natural and still hands on with her kids. I like the sound of this delicious looking split pea stew too x
I’ve never tried any Ethiopian food before but this stew looks delicious!
One of my favorites, veggies stew and the pancakes! Thanks for the recipe you share.
I have never heard of this dish. I love that this can be made with our eating regimen. Love the ingredients
This is making me hungry! Might try to recreate this at the weekend
This looks so great! It has to be a great dinner idea. I love everything in it too, so I will definitely have to try this out! Can’t wait to see how it turns out, YUM! Awesome dish and ooh I love your pictures!
Kik Alicha is one of my favorite foods. I discovered it eating out at Ethiopian restaurants. I was very excited to try this recipe. I was disappointed in the results. There are so many onions in this recipe that it takes more like onion stew then Kik Alicha. I tried making it with 1/2 the onions the second time and it was still hard to taste the peas. I think using fresh ginger and fresh turmeric would help. If anyone has a suggestion for making this taste more authentic, I’m very interested.
I have never tried Ethiopian food, but it looks delicious.
I have never tried Ethiopian dishes before. This looks really delicious and simple to make. I love that it is healthy. We are working on eating more healthy because we know it will help a lot physically.
This looks and sounds really nice and something I would really enjoy. Pinned it so I can give it a try
This looks very nice, I will have to make it one day! I will have to pin it for later
I cannot believe Christie Brinkley is 60! She looks incredible. I love this recipe too!
Wow, she sounds like such an inspirational woman. That stew sounds amazing to, adding it to my to-do list
Love this post very inspiring ? I feel every day that there are things to learn X
This looks deliscious its like one of those really heart at home foods I love that! Real good comfort food!
This recipe sounds seriously tasty and even better is looks super simple! Thank you for sharing it xx
This looks like a really comforting, healthy and budget friendly meal. It sounds delicious
oooo this looks so yummy, i need to give this a whirl xo
I made my first batch and it was AWESOME! For some reason, I had to cook for almost an hour and I think the peas could still have been softer. Also, I couldn’t find yellow so made it just with green. Thank you again!
Your friend sounds pretty amazing! I wish I had her energy and I’m only 40 🙂 And Christie Brinkley? She still looks amazing. Love the inspiration!
I’ve heard of split pea stew, but other than the obvious I actually had no idea what it really is. It sounds so interesting, I would definitely look to try it.
Aw it sounds like you’ve created quite the little community! We absolutely love Ethiopian food, it is so delicious, but I’ve never tried making it self–maybe it’s time?
I love trying new and different recipes. I don’t believe I have ever tried anything Ethiopian. Are you supposed to eat with your hands with this cuisine?
Gosh, I’m amazed at her stamina, how she’s able to do all she does at her age and still feel like she’s 25. I want to be like her too!
As an avid Ethiopian food fan since about 1998 when I first visited Axum in San Francisco. It’s been my favorite! This is such a great recipe and tastes authentic. Thanks so much for sharing!
I have never tried Ethiopian food of any kind. Our teenage daughter lives a vegan lifestyle, and eats mostly clean food. I suspect she will also look amazing at sixty.
I can not believe Christie Brinkley is 60! She looks amazing. I have never tried Ethiopian cuisine. This split pea soup looks like comfort food to me. I will have to try this recipe it wil be perfect with all the rain we have been having.
It’s nice to maintain an active lifestyle especially as we grow older. It’s nice that your friend even when she’s about to turn 67 remains to be a fitspiration.
I have been looking for a good homemade recipe of Kik Alicha. It’s one of my favorite Ethiopian recipes and I don’t get to eat it enough.
Now this is something new I’ve never tried! I’ll have to save this post to refer back to it and give this a try. I’m always looking for new foods to try and also so my kids are able to expand their tastebuds. Thanks!
I am terrible about caring for myself! It is something that I need to be better about, it seems like people who live long are good at caring for themselves.
I love split peas, they are full of protein and taste delicious. I can’t believe I have never tried to make a stew with them. Definitely trying these soon!
I must admit that I have never tried Ethiopian food because I tend to be a bit picky, but your pictures are stunning. It is great to eat with more adventure every once in a while.
If my family and I could eat Ethiopian food every day we would. I’ve tried hard to find great recipes online and also in different cookbooks and it’s hard – the books that are out there tend to be meat heavy. Really looking forward to trying this!
I have never tried Ethiopian food. I love to do culinary adventures and try recipes from other parts of the world. I think this split pea stew is tasty, even though it is made with simple ingredients. I love that it has turmeric. It has lots of healthy benefits that I need.
I was looking for a new Kik Alicha recipe and found this one. It was SO good – and is my new favorite. After sauteing the onion, garlic, and ginger, I added 1 Tbs berbere (love this!) and turmeric….then simmered until done. The extra garlic – more than I usually use – is great. Also the red onion. Delicious; thank you.
I love Ethiopian cuisine, too. I have a few recipes on my blog but Kik Alicha is definitely my favorite. Although it isn’t what most people associate with Ethiopian food because it isn’t spicy. I look forward to seeing what else you make. ?
Looks delicious and your recipes are always unique (in my opinion).
I just it is so much fun hanging out in your kitchen 😀
Wow, this recipe is SO DELICIOUS!!! Just made it today and was THRILLED with the results! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
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This was so great ! Thanks for sharing this!
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