Souper fast Dinner

Here in the northwest we have been having our share of rain, rain and more rain. One of the few good things about a rainy day is that it makes a hot bowl of soup sound warm and filling. One of my tried and true favorite recipes is this minestrone soup. It is yummy and souper fast.
15-20 minutes!!

1/2 lb pasta shells, macaroni, or even spagetti broken into very small pieces
1 small zuchinni
2-3 carrots
1/4 cup onion (or 1 tsp. onion seasoning)
1 cup cabbage
1 15 oz can tomatoe sauce
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 or 2 cans beans of your choice( I use great northern)
2 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt
pepper
cooked chicken or other meat(opt)

First I get a 4 quart soup pan and fill just less than half way with water. Put veggies into boiling water. I use a different pan to cook the pasta in because it tends to get overcooked otherwise. When the veggies have boiled for about 5 min, add all other ingredients except pasta. Add water to fill up pot. I put the pasta in the soup pan just before serving. A loaf of french bread finishes off this meal nicely.