Beany Minestrone Soup

Ingeredients:

1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
6 1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
6–8 fingerling potatoes, sliced
1 1/2 cups fat-free refried beans
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons parsley flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat pasta elbows
2 cups chopped Swiss chard
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Place the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots in a large pot with 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened. Add the remaining broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, potatoes, refried beans, bay leaf, parsley, basil, oregano, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to smooth out the refried beans. Add the kidney beans, corn, and whole wheat elbows. Continue to cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the chard and balsamic vinegar and cook an additional 10 minutes until the chard is softened. Remove the bay leaf before serving.