Meatless Monday: Italian Soup

My Mom came up with this recipe and I am here to tell you it is fantastic. We made this the other night and both had huge bowls and then seconds even though our stomachs were full to hurting. It's that tasty. You can thank me when you wake up from the food coma. This makes a huge pot, so feel free to halve the recipe or just be thankful you have leftovers for lunch for a few days. Also, the orzo soaks up most of the liquid by the second day, so you might need to add more when reheating for round two.

Italian Soup a la Mama

olive oil (for sauteing)
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced (this is highly variable - Mom used 2, we used 5 or 6.)
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
2 stalks celery, diced
1 pkg Tofurkey Italian Sausage (or your fave vegan sausage), chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes (and juices)
2 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 bag frozen (organic) chopped spinach
1 pkg orzo or other tiny pasta
12 cups of water, broth or combo

Method:
Saute onions in olive oil for a few minutes to soften, then add garlic, fennel, celery and sausage. Once that starts smelling delicious and the onion is pretty translucent, add everything else except the beans (you don't want to burn or caramelize the onions and garlic, though so watch them and add in liquid before that point). You may need to adjust the amount of liquid based on the pasta you choose, and whether you want more of a soup or a stew. Bring to a boil and boil gently for 8-10 minutes to cook the orzo. Add the beans in and heat through for a few minutes. Serve as is or with garlic bread.