Add olive oil to the pot, and place all the chopped ingredients in the pot. Sauté all of the vegetables for 5-7 minutes.
Now add 4 cups of broth, lentils and seasoning to the pot. Let cook on medium until the vegetables are cooked through. If you are using uncooked lentils, let the mixture simmer for longer and add more broth if necessary, until the lentils are soft. Simmer for about 50 minutes
(Optional) Take out one ladle of the soup, and puree it in a blender. I used my ninja and it worked perfectly. Add the puree mixture back to the pot, this really helps create a velvety texture to the soup.
Now stir in the kale.
Let the pot simmer for a while.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and then serve with a generous amount of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.