Warm Puy lentil and cranberry salad

I can't claim this recipe is original - it's based on the one in the Audrey Eyton F2 Diet book, which in turn is based on a recipe by Leon Lewis. But it is delicious and healthy, and takes about 25 mins start to finish.

It's a real star - the earthiness of the lentils, the crisp but tender vegetables, and the sweet tanginess of the cranberries, wrapped in a garlic and parsley dressing.

My version also keeps the washing up to a minimum - 2 pans, a chopping board, a knife, a colander and a garlic press, plus a tablespoon to measure the oil and vinegar.

Put 300g puy lentils in a pan with a generous teaspoon of veg. bouillon powder and 850ml boiling water.
Bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and cover.
In another pan, warm 1tbsp olive oil and add 3 chopped celery sticks (about 7mm dice). While the celery is sizzling, peel and chop 2 good-sized carrots - again, about 7mm dice - and add them to the celery and stir. Then peel and chop 2 onions - I used 1 red, 1 white - and add those to the veg pan. Stir some more, then chop a courgette into - you guessed it - 7mm dice and add that to the pan. Stir again.
Next, go out into the garden and pick a generous handful of parsley (5 or 6 chunky stalks). Wash the parsley, and chop the stalks finely and add those to the veg pan (stir!), then chop the parsley leaves and put into a large bowl. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, a good grinding of black pepper and about a level teaspoon of salt, and stir. Peel 3 chunky garlic cloves and squidge them through a garlic press into the bowl, and stir again. Add 100g dried cranberries and stir.
The veg will probably be tender (but with a bit of bite still) by now - perfect. Turn off the heat and let them cool for a couple of minutes. Test the lentils to see if they are cooked - you want them yielding, not bullet-like.  When they are cooked, drain them, and leave them to cool for a couple of minutes.
Add the vegetables to the bowl, and stir well to mix with the parsley and garlic and cranberries. Add the lentils and stir again.

Serve warm, and if there is any left over, it is wonderful cold too the next day.