White Bean Soup

Directions

1. 1
   Saute carrots, celery and onion in olive oil.
2. 2
   Add soaked beans and fill pan with water and chicken broth.
3. 3
   Cook until tender, about 2 or 2 1/2 hours.
4. 4
   Add the fennel seed after the beans have been cooking for an hour.
5. 5
   Cook small tube pasta until firm; add to beans.
6. 6
   Add chopped raw spinach.
7. 7
   Cover, shut off stove and let spinach cook in the soup.
8. 8
   Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. 9
   Add garlic cloves if you want when you saute carrots and celery.
10. 10
    Add water or broth if soup gets too thick.