The Modern Nonna

10 Thaw the bag of spinach in the fridge overnight or leave it out on the counter to soften for about an hour before using. 
0 In a big pot on medium-high heat, add and heat up the olive oil.
2 Add the finely diced onion, carrots, celery, garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
3 When the vegetables are translucent, stir in the tomato paste. 
5 Add in the thawed chopped spinach and cook for a few minutes. Add a big pinch of salt and the rinsed rice. Stir. 
6 Note: Salt is always to taste, start with a teaspoon and taste and adjust for more when the soup is ready. Add a little at a time until the soup is flavourful otherwise the soup will taste bland if you don't add enough. 
4 Add the tomato sauce and unsalted veggie broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and semi-cover with a lid (leaving an opening). 
7 Cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. 
8 Take the soup off the heat, add in a splash of cream and enjoy! 
11 Please also feel free to make a Bulgarian "Zastroika" if you know how to. Take a look at this method below. 
9 Zastroika:  is very common soup method in Bulgaria and how we finish off our soups. In a separate bowl, we add one egg yolk with some milk (or plain yogurt) in it. We then take the spinach soup broth (one ladle at a time) simultaneously whisking it into the egg and milk mixture off the heat. Once the egg has "tempered" we add it all back into the soup! This method adds a creamy richness without the need for cream.