Three Bean Soup With Pesto

It's been a long time since I mentioned food around here (which is odd because I cook all the time).
This recipe was snatched up from Real Simple magazine (April 2008) and then modified to suit my personal taste. I think they were calling it "Three Bean Chili With Spring Pesto" but it's not anything like the chili I usually make, so there you go.
The soup is a wonderful combination of beans and cooked veggies topped with a fresh pesto. I highly recommend pairing it with a crusty bread. A nice cup of black tea is not a bad idea, either.

Three Bean Soup With Pesto (Modified from Real Simple Magazine)

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small to medium yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 and 1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp pepper
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 15.5-ounce can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 15.5-ounce can azuki beans (red beans are fine), rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (washed and stems removed within reason)
Crusty bread (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their liquid, 2 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring everything to a boil. Add the chickpeas, black eyed peas and azuki beans and cook until heated (3-5 minutes).

Combine the garlic, pine nuts, parsley, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a food processor and pulse to reasonably creamy (pesto texture).

Divide into 4 bowls and top with the pesto (I mix mine in) and serve with bread.

You can easily add veggies into the mix or subtract things you don't like. I changed the beans from the original recipe because I like these better. I had a friend use cilantro instead of parsley and she said it worked out great. I bet you could add pasta or rice to this as well.