Minestrone Soup

1 onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic finely minced
2 stalks celery diced
2 large carrots peeled and sliced
1 large zucchini diced in medium chunks
1 cup medium-diced potato
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
2 cups frozen spinach
2 15-ounce cans fire-roasted chopped tomatoes
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 can of your favorite beans rinsed and drained, or a mixture of your favorite beans
4 1/4 cups vegetable stock or vegetable bouillon
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons dried or 2 Tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano &/or basil or an Italian herb mix
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup dry macaroni - preferably whole wheat - Acini di Pepe or small elbow macaroni

In a large casserole pan or soup kettle, saute onion, celery, and carrots in 1/2 cup vegetable stock with 1 teaspoonful of olive oil, until carrot is just starting to become tender.
Add garlic and cook 1 - 2 minutes, do not let it burn.
Add zucchini, beans cabbage, tomatoes, tomato paste, potato, spinach, remaining 4 cups of stock/bouillon, and the herbs and bay leaf.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover.
Simmer for 1 hour, add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook the pasta separately and add some to each bowl before serving, that way the soup doesn’t get too thick and the pasta doesn’t become overcooked and soggy.
If you have left-over vegetables in the refrigerator that need to be used up, they can be added to the soup.

Serve with a nice crunchy sour dough bread for a hearty meal.