Creamy Italian White Bean Soup

1.5 tbsp Olive Oil
1.5 cup, chopped Onions, raw
1 cup, diced Celery, raw
2 clove Garlic, smashed or minced
3 cans Cannellini Beans White Kidney Beans
4 cup Chicken Broth - Kirkland (one carton)
2 cup (8 fl oz) Water,
.25 tsp Pepper, black
.25 tsp Thyme, ground
2 cup Spinach, fresh--rinsed and thinly sliced
1.5 tbsp Lemon juice

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Saute onions and celery for 5 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, continually stirring. Stir in beans, broth, water and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and then simmer for 15-20 minutes.

With slotted spoon, remove 2 cups of the beans and vegetables and set aside. In a blender or with an immersion blender, blend remaining soup smooth (in batches if using a traditional blender). Put beans and soup back into stock pot and bring back to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach and cook a minute or two, until spinach is wilted.

Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Serve with freshly grated parmesan if desired (not included in calorie count).

Serving Size: Makes about 6 - 1 1/2 cup servings

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user JENNKV.