Wash a large bunch of kale and rip the leaves off of the hard stem and set it aside.
Boil pasta in salted water according to package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the bottom of a large skillet and saute vegan Italian-style sausage in the oil until cooked through then add the minced garlic, stir and turn off the heat until you are ready to add the kale.
About 5 minutes before the pasta is done cooking, toss the kale into the pasta water and blanch it in the hot water. (It will turn bright green.)
After about 2 minutes, scoop out the kale with a slotted spoon or tongs and add it to the sauteed sausage and turn on the heat to medium. (You won't be able to get all of the kale, that's okay.)
When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and add it to the sauteed sausage and kale.
Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. Give it a shake or two of red pepper flakes or cayenne for a spicer dish.
Notes
Blanching the kale breaks down the cell structure and makes it tender without having to do the work of massaging the kale.
Don't worry about getting all of the kale back out of the pasta water. It will get mixed in when you drain the pasta and toss it with the sausage.