In a heavy bottomed pot, fry up the bacon. Line a plate with paper towels to absorb excess bacon fat. I usually pull the bacon out of the pan when the edges start to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Pour out some of the bacon fat, leaving about 1 1/2 tablespoons of fat remaining.

Heat pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato chunks and cook for another 2 minutes. Add minced garlic and miso paste and stir for a minute. (NOTE: If this is your first time using miso, add only 1 tablespoon. If you love miso flavor, add 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of miso.) Throw in the peas and mix everything for another minute. Pour in the broth and 1 cup of water, saving the rest of the water for later.

Bring the soup to boil. Stir in the thyme and reduce the heat to low. Let the soup simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check the peas at 45 minutes. If all the liquids are nearly gone, add 1 to 2 cups of water, depending on how brothy you want your soup. I turned off the heat at about 55 minutes so that the beans are just tender. Keep cooking them for another 15 to 20 minutes if you want mushier peas. You may need to add more water to prevent the beans from drying out. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Crumble the bacon into smaller pieces and mix them into the soup. Serve with crackers or bread, if you like!