Instructions: Peel and chop carrots, onion, and garlic. Drain and rinse beans. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, combine carrots, onion, garlic, beans, celery, tomato juice, broth, basil, thyme, and rosemary. Cover pan and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, trim and discard root end and tough green leaves of leek. Split leek in half lengthwise; rinse well. Thinly slice leek crosswise and add to broth mixture.

When soup is boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced, about 10 minutes.

Stir in pasta; simmer, covered, until pasta is just tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute. (If soup is thicker than you like, stir in a little water.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into soup bowls. Add cheese to taste.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

Comments: Christine Datian cooks a big batch of this vegetable soup on weekends, then reheats it to serve on weeknights.

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