Angella's Hearty Homemade Minestrone

From Angella Kay, thelightkeeper.com

This is one of my favorite wintertime meals - it's delicious with a loaf of sourdough bread and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. When I submitted this recipe to World Wide Recipes, I got a lot of great feedback! It's also good for curbing the appetite! 

2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
1/4 c. onions, diced (optional - I use dehydrated onions)
2 15-oz cans chopped tomatoes in liquid
2 15-oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry macaroni noodles, uncooked (I also like to use corkscrew or rotini noodles)
Italian seasonings (oregano, bay leaves, basil, thyme)
1 bunch spinach, rinsed, drained and torn
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepot sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, saute garlic, carrots and onion for about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes (including liquid), beans and broth. Heat to boiling and then add noodles and seasonings. Cook for about 15-20 minutes or until noodles are cooked.

Add spinach and stir. Serve in soup bowls, garnished with Italian parsley and Parmesan cheese and served with sourdough bread or mini-pizzas.

Note: If you're out of spinach, use 1 cup frozen green beans instead.

Enjoy!