Mostly Vegetarian Beanie Soup

When the weather turns cold enough to break out the sweaters, soup is the perfect meal. This is a simple, tasty soup I made up one night this week. Notes for vegetarian options at the bottom.

Start to finish: About 30 minutes
Yield: About 4 servings

Mostly Vegetarian Beanie Soup
2 leeks, white and light green portions only, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup baby carrots, quartered
7 oz smoked turkey sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces (half the package, use all if desired)
4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons cumin
1 bag (6 oz) fresh baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a soup pot, saute leeks, garlic, carrots, and sausage in a little oil until the vegetables are slightly softened.
2. Add the broth, beans, bay leaves, and cumin. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove pan from heat, and discard bay leaves.
4. Stir in spinach, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve immediately.

Notes:
*For a vegetarian version, simply omit the sausage and use vegetable broth.
*If you won't be eating all of the soup right away, you might want to add the spinach to individual bowls of hot soup. That way, no matter when you eat it, the spinach is bright and fresh.