Lentil and Sausage Stew

I was quite pleasantly surprised and impressed with how tasty and flavourful this stew was given the simplicity of the recipe. A+: would make again!

Lentil and Sausage Stew
Slightly adapted from realsimple
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2-3 ribs celery, chopped
2-3 medium carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
15 grinds black pepper
~1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
dash cayenne
200-300g sausage, chopped (original recipe calls for kielbasa; I used saucisson sec)
2 c. French (green) lentils
5 c. stock (I used 1 c. beef stock + 4 c. chicken stock)
5 c. water
1/4 c. fresh parsley
Cheddar cheese

1. Cook celery, carrots, onion, and garlic in oil over medium heat until softened.
2. Add bay leaf, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne and cook another 2 minutes.
3. Add sausage, lentils, stock, and water.
4. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. Top with parsley and grated Cheddar. Serve with red cabbage and crusty bread.