Restored Energy

So now that I know I have mono, it sort of makes sense why for the last month or so I've felt extra lazy. It hasn't been uncommon for me to come home from work to go directly to the couch and take a 2 or 3 hour nap. In the last week I have felt an increase in energy, which makes me very happy. One task that I decided to tackle was to go through my pantry and find all those little bags of ingredients that pile up in the cabinets. You know, that recipe that you needed 1/2 cup of lentils for, but wasn't good enough to make again, so now you have a bag of lentils. Well, I scoured my cookbooks and the internet and found recipes to try to use up all of these ingredients. Here's a list of the ingredients and the recipes I plan on trying:

• jasmine rice, cashews, canned pineapple: Thai Pineapple Chicken Curry. I actually made this the other day and it was amazing. Sweet with coconut milk and pineapple, but alot of spice with the curry paste. In our house if leftovers get eaten, the recipe is a keeper.
• apples, puff pastry: Apple Turnovers. These were amazing!!!! And so easy.
• diced tomatoes, risotto, and parmesan cheese: Gourmet Mushroom Risotto with Braised Balsamic Chicken.
• diced tomatoes, couscous: Balsamic Chicken with baby spinach and couscous.
• lasagna noodles, bacon: Pierogi Lasagna
• quinoa: Quinoa Cakes with Eggplant Tomato Ragu
• egg noodles: Swedish Meatballs
• orzo: Orzo Stuffed Peppers
• polenta: Polenta and Roasted Vegetables with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

So as I make these, I will let you know which ones are keepers. By the way, I still haven't found a recipe that looks good to make with lentils...maybe I just don't like lentils.