1. Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels and crumble. You can substitute cooked ham, diced—my husband actually prefers the diced cooked ham to the bacon. (Nutritional analysis conducted using cooked ham.)
2. In a 3-4 quart crock-pot, combine bacon or diced ham with the Hearty Bean Master Mix, diced onion, stock and taco seasoning mix. Mix well to blend.
3. Cover crock-pot and cook on low for 10-12 hours until beans are tender.
4. Add tomatoes, stir well, and cook on low for 30-40 minutes or longer until hot. If you like, you can mash some of the beans for a thicker soup before adding the tomatoes.
   Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro. Serve with warm whole grain or multi-grain buns. Enjoy!

When checking your soup for doneness, the beans should be soft and the split peas should have dissolved into a thick rich gravy surrounding the other beans.