Lite and Easy Spring Vegetable Soup

Name: Lite and Easy Spring Vegetable Soup
Ingredients: spray vegetable oil, preferabbly Olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 4 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced; 3 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth; 3⁄4 lb tiny new potatoes, quartered; 1⁄2 lb baby carrots, scrubbed, 1 inch pieces; 1⁄4 teaspoon salt (or more); 1 1⁄2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme; 8 thin asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed; 1⁄2 teaspoon chili flakes (or less); shaved parmesan cheese (optional)