Even after a long day at work, I can put a pot of homemade soup on the table in less than 45 minutes. The secret is using a pressure cooker.

I know this old-fashioned appliance has a scary reputation, but it’s really quite safe. Just follow the directions that came with your cooker and you will be fine. No spewing stews, no exploding stoups, just a hot meal in a fraction of the time it would take on the stove.

My grandmother made this split pea and barley soup, my mother makes it and I make it all winter long. I started calling it “green soup” when my children were little, thinking they’d turn their tiny noses up at eating something called split peas. They’ve long known the truth, but in my house, that name remains.

Split Pea and Barley Soup

Yield: About 6 servings

1 meaty beef shank bone

1 large onion, chopped

About 4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

About 4 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

1 rib celery, chopped

1/2 cup pearled barley

1 cup split peas

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Cut off fat from meat surrounding shank bone. Place bone in pressure cooker; add water, filling about 1/3 of the cooker. Bring to a boil, then skim off foam and fat.

Add remaining ingredients. Close cooker. Bring to 15 pounds pressure, then cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat for 5 minutes, then reduce remaining pressure quickly. (I put my older pressure cooker in the sink and run cold water over it for a few minutes.) Open pot and serve.

This soup freezes well.

Per serving: 246 calories; 2g fat (7 percent calories from fat); 1g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 11g protein; 46g carbohydrate; 10g sugar; 11g fiber; 705mg sodium; 81mg calcium; 951mg potassium