Recipe - The best Lentils and Rice I've ever made!

Ingredients:
one can of lentils
olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 bay leaves
canned baby onions in a jar (in brine), like 1/2 cup (remove brine)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 Tablespoon Simply Organic brand All Purpose seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
2 small cans or 1 large mushrooms, stems and pieces, liquid dumped
one can of zucchini with tomatoes (has garlic in it, also)
one can of artichoke hearts in brine, remove brine
one cup uncooked rice, whatever variety you like
2 cups water
butter, 2 dollops (can be omitted if just using olive oil) (a dollop is 1 Tablespoon or less)
parmesan cheese
extra water as needed

First, I put the can of lentils in a pot (deep with lid possible, like when making soup) and add a generous helping of olive oil (approximately 1+ Tablespoon) and around a cup of chicken broth. Heat on Med High. Add 2 bay leaves. Add onions. Stir. Bring to a boil. Add cumin, all purpose seasoning, salt and pepper and stir until mixed. If the liquid decreases too much, add more water. We're aiming for mildly liquidy soup.

Start the rice now, by adding 1 cup dry rice to two parts water. So, if you want more or less rice, adjust accordingly. I like to add in a dollop of butter and a pinch of salt when I cook rice. Stir and bring to a boil on Med High, then turn temperature down to low, put a cover on, and wait the allotted time. (Depending on the rice, it could be between 20-30 minutes.)

During this time, keep an eye on the lentil mixture and the rice. When the rice starts to look almost done, move on to this next step.

Remove the bay leaves. Add mushrooms, zucchini, and artichokes to lentil mixture. We don't want the artichokes or zucchini to get overmushed, so we're trying to heat them up, make them soft. Stir this every few minutes.

When the rice is ready, add another Tablespoon of olive oil to the rice OR a Tablespoon of butter and stir completely. Add 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese to the rice, and mix.

When the rice is still moist but slightly like a risotto parmesan sauce, and the artichoke and zucchini is warmed, lentils mushy, you can combine the rice with the lentil mixture. Stir well!

Serve immediately, and enjoy.