a year and a half late Thanksgiving Soup

a year and a half late: this is the Tuscan White Bean Soup recipe that I made for my All Crock Pot Thanksgiving in 2013:
Cooking Light Tuscan White Bean Soup

Ingredients

6 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson) 

1 1/2 cups chopped onion 

1 cup diced carrot 

1 cup diced celery 

5 garlic cloves, chopped 

4 fresh thyme sprigs 

1 bay leaf 

12 ounces dried Great Northern beans 

3 cups kale, stemmed and chopped 

2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste 

3/8 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 pound hot Italian sausage links, casings removed 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, shaved (about 1/4 cup)

Preparation

1. Place first 8 ingredients in a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. Discard thyme and bay leaf.

2. Stir kale, tomato paste, and salt into bean mixture. Shape sausage into 32 meatballs; arrange on top of bean mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH 30 minutes or until meatballs are thoroughly cooked. Stir in juice. Divide soup among 8 bowls; top with cheese.