Bean and macaroni soup

I made this recipe from Sparkpeople for dinner tonight. Pretty good for being relatively healthy, so I thought I'd pass it along. I didn't use mushrooms or the bay leaf, I used canned petite tomatoes, and I used marjoram instead of sage (didn't have any sage--but yet I had marjoram...weird). I didn't realize it would make so much, so I decided to freeze a bunch. I love freezing leftovers--dinner suddenly becomes so easy!

Bean and Macaroni Soup

Serves: 16

This cholesterol-free tasty dish is virtually fat free and is prepared with only 1 tablespoon of oil for 16 servings.

INGREDIENTS

2 cans (16 oz. each) great northern beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup onion, coarsely chopped
2 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup celery, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups peeled fresh tomatoes, diced, or 1-1/2 lbs. canned diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf, crumbled
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni

DIRECTIONS
1. Drain beans and reserve liquid. Rinse beans.
2. Heat oil in a 6-quart kettle; add mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, sage, thyme, oregano, pepper, and bay leaf.
4. Cover and cook over medium heat 20 minutes. Cook macaroni according to directions on package using unsalted water. Drain when cooked. Do not overcook.
5. Combine reserved bean liquid with water to make 4 cups.
6. Add liquid, beans, and cooked macaroni to vegetable mixture.
7. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer until soup is thoroughly heated. Stir occasionally.

NUTRITION INFO (per 1-cup serving)
Calories: 148.4
Fat: 2.1 g
Carbohydrates: 26.6 g
Protein: 7.0 g