Vegan, Fat Free, Minestrone Soup

This recipe is modified from the Barefoot Contessa's original non-vegan recipe.

Ingredients:

1½ cups chopped yellow onions 
2 cups (½-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots) 
2 cups (½-inch) diced celery (3 stalks) 
2½ cups (½-inch) diced peeled butternut squash 
1½ tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves) 
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves 
26 ounces canned or boxed chopped tomatoes
6 to 8 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade 
1 bay leaf 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 
2 cups cooked small whole grain pasta
8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
1 zucchini cubed
1/2 cup good dry white wine 
2 tablespoons pesto (recipe follows)

Dry sauté the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Remove and move ingredients to Crock Pot.

Add the tomatoes, beans, 6 cups of the vegetable stock, the bay leaf, and one-teaspoon pepper to the Crockpot. Cook on low for 4 or more hours.

Discard the bay leaf. The soup should be quite thick but if it’s too thick, add more vegetable stock. Just before serving, add the spinach, zucchini, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Add the cooked pasta and serve.

Note. If you are planning on having leftovers, keep the pasta and soup separate.  Add ¼ cup cooked past to each bowl of soup before you serve it.

Pesto:

1 bunch basil leaves

1 clove garlic

1 T nutritional yeast

1 T lemon juice

Process in a food processor until smooth.  Add entire contents to soup.