Garlicky Tortellini Spinach Soup

Remember the beets I got at the farmer's market on Sunday?  They came with a TON of greens on them.  I'm a super fan of beet greens and it's hard to find them in the grocery stores.  Usually the beets have been harvested way before they reach the shelves, so they cut the greens off to hide the fact that they aren't fresh.  Not the case when they're comin' straight from the farm.  So I didn't want them to go to waste! 

Enter this soup.  I make this ALL the time when the weather is cooler.  It's super fast, super easy and super yummy.  It calls for canned tomatoes, but you could certainly use fresh.  I obviously replaced the spinach with the beet greens.  I used the leaves and stems - yum!!!!!  I used dried mini tortellini this time around, but fresh are delicious, as well as any other pasta you like.

Here's the recipe with my notes:

Garlicky Tortellini and Spinach Soup
(I always double the amount of broth, pasta and greens to feed our piggy mouths)

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped
4 C (1 quart) homemade or packaged low-sodium chicken broth (substitute veggie broth for vegetarians)
6 oz fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, including liquid
10 oz fresh spinach, washed and stemmed; coarsely chopped if large (or any other greens you like)
8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped (plus more for garnish)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Add the tortellini and cook halfway, about 5 minutes for frozen pasta, less if using fresh.  Add the tomatoes and their liquid, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook just until the pasta is tender.  Stir in the spinach and basil and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.  Serve sprinkled with the grated cheese and fresh basil.

We had ours with a yummy loaf of bread.

Here's dinner in my bowl (thanks to The Dad's cell phone):

P.S.  Thank you to everyone's concern and sympathy comments on the death of my camera.  I called my brother-in-law begging, pleading and bribing, and asked him very nicely if I could borrow one of his for our anniversary this weekend.  Clearly this matter will need to be dealt with in a speedy fashion.  Now, if everyone could just mail me some money, that would be greeeeaaaaaat.  (please read in the voice of the boss from Office Space)