White Bean and Kale Soup with "Sausage"

(adaption of a recipe from Whole Foods Market)

Serves 8 to 10.

8 cups vegetable broth
1 package Gimme Lean vegetarian sausage, sliced
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
salt & pepper to taste
7 cups cooked white beans (cannellini, navy, or great northern)
1 bunch kale, stems and tough ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped

Heat 1/4 cup broth in a large pot over medium heat.  Add sausage slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and sausage is just browned, about 10 minutes.  Add onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes more.  (Add a generous splash of broth to the pot if the onions begin to stick.)

Meanwhile, put 3 cups beans and 2 cups broth into a blender and puree until smooth; set aside.  Add remaining broth to sausage mixture in pot and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits.  Add kale, reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until wilted and softened, about 5 minutes.  Uncover, add remaining 4 cups beans, bean puree, salt and pepper and simmer until hot throughout, about 5 minutes more.