1-First, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and sauté the finely chopped yellow onion until slightly browned.

2-Next, add 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 stalk of diced celery, and 2 large peeled and chopped carrots; sauté for about 10 minutes until the vegetables soften and brown slightly for flavor.

3-Then, pour in 1/3 cup of white wine and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.

4-After that, add 3 cans (15 ounces each) of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of salt (or to taste), 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper (or to taste), 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (if using), and 2 1/2 to 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth (start with the lower amount); stir well.

5-Bring the soup to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the 2 bay leaves, transfer 2 1/2 to 3 cups of the soup to a blender and blend until smooth, then return the blended soup to the pot and mix well. Adjust the consistency by adding more broth if needed, stir in 2 cups of chopped kale (stems removed and finely chopped) and simmer for a few minutes until wilted.

6-Finally, taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Serve warm, optionally with rustic gluten-free bread for dipping. This white bean soup can be customized with a white chocolate raspberry trifle as a sweet follow-up dessert.