Tuscan Bean Soup

Tuscan Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 to 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) low-salt chicken broth
1 can (17 ounces) Baby Lima beans or 1 1/2 cups cooked dry-packaged Baby Lima beans, rinsed, drained
1 can (15 ounces) Garbanzo beans or 1 1/2 cups cooked dry-packaged Garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained
1 can (15 ounces) Red beans or 1 1/2 cups cooked dry-packaged Red beans, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons low-sodium tomato paste1 1/2 cups cooked regular or quick-cooking barley
1 large Idaho potato, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces1 cup sliced carrots1 cup packed sliced spinach leaves

Method:
Sauté onions, celery and garlic in oil in large saucepan 2 to 3 minutes; stir in flour, herbs and pepper and sauté until onions are tender, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Add chicken broth, beans and tomato paste to saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes, adding barley, potato, carrots and spinach during last 10 minutes of cooking time. Discard bay leaves.