Wednesday, April 8, 2009 http://tias-place.blogspot.com/2009/04/bento-5.html go here for pictures
Bento # 5!
Actually, I am not really sure what number I am on. Packing a Bento has been pretty hit & miss the past few weeks since I started doing this. I am trying to average packing at least 3 a week. Last week I got 2 done & this week this is my second....so this may actually bento #8? I dont Blog every bento I make, just the ones I take the time to make look nice :)
Today for Lunch I am using the "Pink" Sandwich case wich is very nice. It seems a little bigger than my Natural Lunch 2 tier box.
In the top tier I have:
"Arnold" whole grain sandwich round, cut in half.
Diced Rotisserie Chicken breast.
Green Olives Stuffed with Garlic Cloves & capped with little Tiny sweet/hot peppers
Under that is a boston lettuce leaf.
In Mr. Penguin is Wasabi Mayo ( YAY I get to use the Penguin!)
& the apple has Italian dressing
other than the olives this all gets layerd into a nice chicken salad sandwich.
in the bottom tier I have:
Homemade Hummus
Carrot sticks
Baybebel cheese
and Grapes
I also have an apple as a side.
Here is my recipie for Hummus:
1 can Chick peas drained & rinsed
2+ Tsp Olive oil
1/4 C Lemon Juice
1 Tsp Chopped Garlic
Spices are estimated amounts, I dont usually measure I just add "To Taste"
1 tsp ground sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red curry
1 tsp oregano
The easiest way to do this is just put it all in a food processor & blend till smooth.
If you notice it being a bit Lumpy & tastes dry, drizzle with more olive oil and blend some more.
For this bento I made the hummus last week & froze it into individual portions using mini containers I found at the Dollar tree. A whole round just fits in a medium silicon baking cup I got from Ichiban Kan. A whole round is actually quite a lot so I cut it in half wich was perfect for lunch.
Hummus freezes well, & it didnt get watery after it thawed out either.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Bento Lunch Follow up
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Bento Lunch Follow up
I learned a few things from packing a bento on Monday.Dont put red peppers in your california roll, they over power all the other tastes.Dont pack your HBEgg next to the california roll the Nori color "Bleeds"Dont over blanch broccoli, cold mushy brocoli is gross.I need the little fishie bottles of soy sauce, that would have been nice for the california rolls. & Vinegar would have perked up the broccoli.I am goingto have to rethink my bentos, while it was crammed to the gills + I ate my back up apple at lunch. By 3 I was in a slump, Tired & Cranky.I have to cut carbs, so I dont want to add more rice, Maybe a second egg & veggies. I will have to plan that out for my next bento. I'll have to pick up cucumbers I cant stand celery sticks.Or maybe make the Carrot Kinpria I keep hearing so much about. http://justbento.com/handbook/recipes-side-dishes-and-space-fillers/easy-sugarfree-carrot-kinpiraI have some roasted portobello caps left over so I want to try using them up in steamed dumplings.
Bento Lunch Follow up
I learned a few things from packing a bento on Monday.Dont put red peppers in your california roll, they over power all the other tastes.Dont pack your HBEgg next to the california roll the Nori color "Bleeds"Dont over blanch broccoli, cold mushy brocoli is gross.I need the little fishie bottles of soy sauce, that would have been nice for the california rolls. & Vinegar would have perked up the broccoli.I am goingto have to rethink my bentos, while it was crammed to the gills + I ate my back up apple at lunch. By 3 I was in a slump, Tired & Cranky.I have to cut carbs, so I dont want to add more rice, Maybe a second egg & veggies. I will have to plan that out for my next bento. I'll have to pick up cucumbers I cant stand celery sticks.Or maybe make the Carrot Kinpria I keep hearing so much about. http://justbento.com/handbook/recipes-side-dishes-and-space-fillers/easy-sugarfree-carrot-kinpiraI have some roasted portobello caps left over so I want to try using them up in steamed dumplings.
Bento Gear & 1st bento Lunch
This was originally posted in my main blog on 2/23/09 http://tias-place.blogspot.com/2009/02/bento-gear-first-official-bento.html you can go there to see photos
My Bento gear arrived on Friday from Ichiban Kan, http://www.ichibankanusa.com/
I ordered the Natural Lunch Two tier & the two tier oval boxes both in greeen
I also got the flower & bear rice moulds, bear & bunny egg moulds, Happy Fruit mayo cups, The Penguin mayo cup, & the 3 piece mini containers.
Upon opening my box I was a bit dismayed! Since I had spent the last month reading & looking at pictures of fabulous bentos that looked Bursting with food....these boxes seemed WAY TO TINY!
As I sat and pondered I realized, since we tend to eat on a Flat plate that most of our food is spread out. A bento would force you to squish things into a more compact space. hmmmm
I thought some more, The American view for food protions is horribly screwd, just this winter our local arbys started asking what size value meal we wanted, I usually get medium for everything...when my order came out is was double what I had been getting, I realized the small was the portion I needed. At Mcdonalds A Happy Meal is the correct adult size portion as well.
With all of that in mind I set out yesterday to make my First Bento, in my nifty new box. I also made A nifty Furoshiki and Bento Belt from this Tutorial on Just Bento http://justbento.com/forum/how-make-furoshiki-and-matching-bento-belt
I had a packet of smoked salmon in the fridge so I decided to use that up by making a california-ish roll, Smoked salmon, carrot, & grilled red pepper strips, Ginger Wasabi Sauce, black sesame seeds, All wrapped up in rice & Nori, YUMMM. 2 sections of that became the one end of the top tier.
Next came a hard boiled egg, shaped into a bunny. A note here...Grade A Large eggs dont work so well in the egg moulds. I will have to start getting the smaller ones. Bunny was sliced in half and sprinkled with sea salt & cracked black pepper.
This took my box to just over the half way point in the top tier being filled. What on earth could I put in the next spot?
When making the rice for my calofornias rolls I decided to try out the rice moulds....they fit perfectly in the last spot! I pan fryed the out side in olive oil & sesame oil for a bit of flavor. To give them a lift in the box I made carrot sticks & they are tucked underneath, there is a side car of Hummus to dip them in too. Broccoli florets that have been blanched filled in the gaps.
The bottom tier was the easiest. The mini containers take up a little over half of the space, so I filled that with Plain yougurt, honey on top & added some red seedless grapes to fill up the end.
I am really curious to see if this will fill me up at lunch & keep me full untill I get home.
If it doesnt I have a backup to keep me from getting to crabby in the middle of the afternoon, An apple.
My Bento gear arrived on Friday from Ichiban Kan, http://www.ichibankanusa.com/
I ordered the Natural Lunch Two tier & the two tier oval boxes both in greeen
I also got the flower & bear rice moulds, bear & bunny egg moulds, Happy Fruit mayo cups, The Penguin mayo cup, & the 3 piece mini containers.
Upon opening my box I was a bit dismayed! Since I had spent the last month reading & looking at pictures of fabulous bentos that looked Bursting with food....these boxes seemed WAY TO TINY!
As I sat and pondered I realized, since we tend to eat on a Flat plate that most of our food is spread out. A bento would force you to squish things into a more compact space. hmmmm
I thought some more, The American view for food protions is horribly screwd, just this winter our local arbys started asking what size value meal we wanted, I usually get medium for everything...when my order came out is was double what I had been getting, I realized the small was the portion I needed. At Mcdonalds A Happy Meal is the correct adult size portion as well.
With all of that in mind I set out yesterday to make my First Bento, in my nifty new box. I also made A nifty Furoshiki and Bento Belt from this Tutorial on Just Bento http://justbento.com/forum/how-make-furoshiki-and-matching-bento-belt
I had a packet of smoked salmon in the fridge so I decided to use that up by making a california-ish roll, Smoked salmon, carrot, & grilled red pepper strips, Ginger Wasabi Sauce, black sesame seeds, All wrapped up in rice & Nori, YUMMM. 2 sections of that became the one end of the top tier.
Next came a hard boiled egg, shaped into a bunny. A note here...Grade A Large eggs dont work so well in the egg moulds. I will have to start getting the smaller ones. Bunny was sliced in half and sprinkled with sea salt & cracked black pepper.
This took my box to just over the half way point in the top tier being filled. What on earth could I put in the next spot?
When making the rice for my calofornias rolls I decided to try out the rice moulds....they fit perfectly in the last spot! I pan fryed the out side in olive oil & sesame oil for a bit of flavor. To give them a lift in the box I made carrot sticks & they are tucked underneath, there is a side car of Hummus to dip them in too. Broccoli florets that have been blanched filled in the gaps.
The bottom tier was the easiest. The mini containers take up a little over half of the space, so I filled that with Plain yougurt, honey on top & added some red seedless grapes to fill up the end.
I am really curious to see if this will fill me up at lunch & keep me full untill I get home.
If it doesnt I have a backup to keep me from getting to crabby in the middle of the afternoon, An apple.
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