Spicy Tomato Soup

This is probably the quickest and easiest soup I've ever made from scratch (about 15-20 minutes total prep and cook time) and it was so much tastier than something out of a can. It was warm and comforting-- perfect for a cool fall evening.

Recipe* (as seen on "Everyday Italian" on the Food Network)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (26-ounce) jar Marinara sauce
28 ounces low sodium chicken broth (vegetarians can substitute vegetable broth)
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (These are white kidney beans. If your grocery store doesn't carry them, you can substitute navy beans or red kidney beans.)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pastina (small sized) pasta (I used little shells)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and saute until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add the jar of marinara sauce, broth, cannellini beans, red pepper flakes, pasta, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

(I recommend serving with grilled cheese or garlic bread. Keep it simple and yummy!)

Now that I've tried the recipe, I'll do two things differently next time. My husband thought it was a little too spicy, so I will go with 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in the future. If you like more spice, of course, you can increase the red pepper flakes. Also, the carrots were a little al dente for my taste, so I will probably saute my veggies for 4-5 minutes before adding the liquids next time.