Recipe: California Minestrone Soup

This was entrant #5 in our 2013/14 Fall & Winter Soup Contest. Full discussion of this soup here. All about the soup contest + links to all soup contest soup recipes here.
 
From Valentino’s, an old school Italian restaurant in Santa Monica, CA  

CALIFORNIA MINESTRONE SOUP  
Serves 6-8 

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 C celery, chopped
1 C onions, chopped 
1 C carrots, peeled and diced 
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (not olive oil) 
½ tsp dried thyme, crumbled 
½ tsp dried oregano, crumbled 
2-3 bay leaves 
16 oz tomato puree 
10 C water 
2 bunches fresh spinach, chopped, OR 1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach 
16 oz can green beans, drained 
16 oz can green peas, drained, OR 10 oz package, frozen 
16 oz can red kidney beans, drained 
8 oz shell macaroni 
Salt, pepper, to taste 

Heat oil in large kettle or Dutch oven, and sauté garlic, celery, onions, and carrots until vegetables are fresh-tender. Add thyme, oregano, bay leaves, tomato puree, and water, bring to a boil, add spinach, green beans, peas, and kidney beans, bring again to a boil, and add macaroni. Reduce heat and simmer until macaroni is cooked al dente. (Don’t overcook.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.