Italian Orzo Spinach Soup

Now that it's so cold out here in Georgia all I want to do is sit in front of the fireplace with my hubby and eat soup. I really think the only thing I like about cold weather is snuggling, hot cocoa, holidays, and soup. Other than that I truly dislike being in the cold. One of my favorite warm soups is Italian Orzo Spinach Soup. I found the recipe originally on Pinterest. It's a vegetarian soup, but obviously you can add chicken or sausage if you'd like. I especially like this soup because it's healthy with all the veggies and whole wheat pasta. It's delicious. The smell alone had my stomach growling as it was cooking. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 6 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) DeLallo whole wheat orzo pasta
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 4 cups loosely-packed spinach (thawed)

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 4 minutes, until soft. 
• Add carrots and garlic and saute for an additional 3 minutes. 
• Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, orzo, thyme, oregano, rosemary and stir to combine. Bring soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.
• Stir in the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is bright green and wilted. Serve warm & ENJOY!

I think next time I make this soup I'll try adding other veggies like peas, corn, and broccoli. I'm a huge fan of my vegetables, so the more the better to me.