Vegetable Rice Soup

*Homemade vegetable stock, 6 cup
Carrots, raw, 3 medium
Celery, raw, 2 stalk, medium (7-1/2" - 8" long)
*Progresso Canellini Beans, 1 can (cup) rinsed and drained
Spinach, fresh, 2 cup, coarsely chopped
Bullion Cube, Vegetable, Low-Sodium, gluten free -3 small cubes
Thyme, fresh, 2 tsp or 1 tbsp dry
Brown or white Rice, long grain, .5 cup
Bay Leaf, 1 small leaf
Kosher Salt, .5 tbsp (or to taste)
Pepper, black, 1 tsp (or to taste)
Onions, raw, 1 small
Olive Oil, 2 tbsp
Garlic, 2 clove
Medium stock pot with lid

Thinly slice carrots and celery
Chop onion finely
mince garlic

Add olive oil to stock pot and saute together above vegetables. Add salt, pepper, bay leaf & thyme.

When onions are translucent add bullion cubes and stir until dissolved.

Then add vegetable stock and fresh chopped spinach. Bring to a boil. Then add rinsed and drained rice to the pot.
Return to a boil over medium-high heat. Stirring occasionally.

Cover and bring heat to low/simmer for 20 minutes.

** DO NOT open the lid or the rice will not cook properly!!

After the 20 minutes is up... stir in rinsed and drained Cannellini Beans.

Cover and cook another 10 minutes over low heat or until the cannellini beans are heated through.

(Add more salt & pepper to taste)

Also, if you like your soup a little thicker (stew like) just add 3/4 to 1 cup of rice to pot instead of 1/2 a cup. And if using brown rice I would add on about 10 minutes as it may take a bit longer to cook than white rice. :-)

**Don't forget to remove the Bay Leaf before serving! :-)

Serves 8-10

Submitted by:
E. Bourne - Fort Worth, TX

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LIZARD1280.