Braised Stuffed Dates

Ingredients

• 20 large medjool dates
• 1 4oz package of shitake mushrooms, sauteed and coarsely chopped
• ½ pound ground beef (or beef alternative)  
• 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed and soaked 1 hour, then drained well
• ¼ cup roughly chopped parsley
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp Shawarma East blend
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup red onion, finely diced
• ½ cup pitted olives, chopped
• 1 cup lentil (green or brown), rinsed
• 1 14oz can tomato dice
• 3 cups water