Lentils are one of my favourite foods. Delicious and nutritious they are a versatile store-cupboard staple. This salad can be eaten both warm and cold depending on the season. It makes a heathy lunch or a light supper. I also like to chop and change the ingredients - you can add different onions, roasted squash, beetroot, really any seasonal vegetables. Plus if you double-up on the ingredients once made it keeps in the fridge for a few days. So delicious sometimes I even have it for breakfast!

Ingredients: 1 cup cooked brown lentils

1 cup of roasted chickpeas

1 medium courgette, sliced

1 ripe avocado

1 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme

10 cherry tomatoes cut in half

½ cup finely chopped red cabbage

2 handfulls of organic rocket

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions: 

Cook lentils according to package directions and leave them to cool. Rinse the chickpeas and dry them fully. Place the chickpeas and the sliced courgette on a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven and a sprinkling of tumeric for around 20 minutes. 

The tomatoes - these can either be roasted for the final 10 minutes with the chickpeas and courgette or left raw, it's up tp you. I like the combination of cooked and raw so tend to leave these uncooked.

Slice your avocado and tear the rocket.

To make the dressing simply combine the olive oil, balsamic, dijon, salt and pepper in a jar and shake!

To make the balsamic Dijon dressing for the lentils, simply mix the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt, and pepper in a container and whisk. Toss the cooled lentils in this mixture.

All that's left to do is to arrange the ingredients as you like. Mix it all together or layer the dish, lentils at the botton, chickpeas and roasted veg next and finally the tomatoes, rocket and parsley. Sometimes I add lightly roasted sunflower seeds and pine nuts. Season and enjoy!