Chopping the Italian vegetables into bite-sized pieces.

• Peel and slice the carrots, slice the celery, and prepare the squash and zucchini by cutting them in half lengthwise, then halving those pieces again and chopping them into chunks.
• Put all the fresh vegetables into a large Dutch oven and drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat them lightly and prevent sticking.
• Stir-fry the vegetables over high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions become translucent.
• Then sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and stir to combine.
• Give the vegetables and seasoning a quick stir to release their flavors, then continue stir-frying until the vegetables are nicely caramelized.
• Add the tomatoes along with their juice to the soup, then stir well to combine.
• Drain the chickpeas and black beans into a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water. 
• Add the rinsed chickpeas and black beans to the pot with the chunky vegetable soup, then stir to combine.
• Add the water and chicken (or vegetable) broth, then stir gently until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
• Add the spinach or kale and cook until just wilted (kale will take a bit longer than spinach).Note that both greens offer excellent health benefits, but kale holds its texture far better than spinach in soup.
• Season with salt and black pepper to taste. 
• Serve the soup hot, topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired.