Cook for about 40 minutes until the rice is chewy, but not mushy. It will absorb most of the water. You may need to add a little water as it cooks.
Lentils
Put the lentils, bay leaf water, vegetable bouillon and pepper in a pot.
Heat on high heat until it comes to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium low and cover the pot.
Cook for about 20-25 minutes until the lentils are crisp tender, but not mushy. It will absorb most of the liquid. If the liquid begins to cook off too soon, reduce the heat or add a little more water.
Vegetables
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.
Add the onion and red pepper and sauté until the onions become transparent (about 5-6 minutes).
Add the rosemary, Herbes de Provence and minced garlic, and continue cooking for about 1 minute.
Combine Rice, Lentils & Vegetables
Mix the rice. lentils and vegetables and set aside.
Roasted Eggplant
Cut the stems and leaves off the eggplants.
Slice the eggplants in half, lengthwise.
Slice a lenghtwise cut almost all the way through the eggplants (inside).
Coat the eggplants on both sides with olive oil. I do this by putting the oil on a baking sheet and then rubbing the eggplant around in the oil, flipping it over to coat both sides.
Place the eggplants, cut side down, on the baking sheet and bake at 425F degrees for about 20 minutes until the flesh of the eggplant is starting to brown a bit.
Remove the eggplants from the oven and reduce the temperature to 350F degrees.
Toasted Pine Nuts
Broil the pine nuts in a single layer in a toaster oven until brown (about 5 minutes or less, depending on the toaster oven) or cook them in a dry pan on top of the stove over medium heat (watch carefully, they burn easily) for about 2-5 minutes.
Stuffing the Eggplant
Turn the roasted eggplants onto their skin side.
Open the flesh where you sliced previously.
Top with about 1 cup Lentil Rice Stuffing
Bake at 350F degrees for about 15-20 minutes until hot.