Minestrone in the Crockpot

Minestrone in the Crockpot
From: Dolores Reborn

(adapted from Robin Miller)

3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
2 small-to-medium chicken breasts, diced and sautéed (or any cooked chicken - raw would work, too, I suppose)
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can white (cannellini or navy) beans, rinsed and drained
handful of baby carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
2 bay leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups cooked ditalini pasta
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen spinach, defrosted
grated parmesan, for garnish (optional)

In a slow cooker, combine broth, chicken, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 12 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Thirty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. (I actually transferred the soup into a large pot, as I wasa running out of room.) Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Serve with pasta in the bottom of the bowl, and garnish with grated parmesan.