Thursday, January 20, 2011

Pork Edamame Rice and Bunnywich Bento


Pork and Edamame Rice Bento, originally uploaded by sherimiya ♥.
Did only limited cooking for this MisterMan bento. I used the last of the shoyu mirin pork frozen from last time, tossed hot mixed grain rice with edamame, and wrapped those in lettuce leaves. I fried some kabocha slices in the leftover shoyu mirin sauce in the pan after heating up the pork and placed two carved carrot flowers in the last remaining space in the lower tier of this super cute panda box. In the upper tier I put sliced blood oranges and some cherries. This tier comes with a tight-fitting lid that goes on before you put the panda face lid on, but I left it off so that I'd have a bit of extra room on top. So happy I got a pretty good variety of colors in this one. This week's bento have all been healthy and balanced, but without any cute details. The whole bentomaking process goes faster for me if I don't have to think about a cute element! But if you make sure you've got a mix of different food groups, I find that the food often can't help but look beautiful and appetizing. It must be nature's way of helping us to eat well.
For TinySprite's bento I used a Hello Kitty cutter set that I got from my cousin for Christmas. She's so sweet. Thank you Darlene! I used the two cutters to make two mini sandwiches (kitty and bunny). They are cut from sweet potato bread, which doesn't taste like sweet potato at all; more like sweet buttery butter bread [read: delicious!]. I smeared the bread with cream cheese and added a few slices of nitrite-free turkey meat. I decorated the bunny face with nori eyes and a carrot nose (stuck on with cream cheese), and some pretty picks. I didn't bother to decorate the kitty since it is in back anyway, heh. The raised cover allowed me to leave the sandwiches like this, with just a little smushing down. On the side she gets some tangerines, a cup of edamame, some cherries and some chunks of kabocha. Last two bento of the week. Woohoo!

14 comments:

  1. Ooh, I don't know which bento meal I'd eat first.. they both look so good. I can't tell you how much I love rice with lettuce leaves! That was our fave summer staple when I was a kid.. So good. It's the panda vs the bunny.. who's the cutest? lol.. so yummy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The bunnywich is so cute!!! Both bentos are yummy and gorgeous as always. :) I love the color of those blood oranges.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Really Chantale? Rice in lettuce? That sounds super healthy! I only use lettuce as baran and noticed that MM doesn't mind eating it, so I use it even more, heh.

    Susan, the blood oranges are really awesome looking. It's really too bad they don't taste sweet to me :(

    ReplyDelete
  4. Both are yummy and gorgeous. Love it..

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oooh - I haven't packed in our Panda box in a long time. Time to dig it out. I'm too always amazed at how "pretty" the boxes look with just a variety of colors and maybe a little food pick. Even without any fancy cutting. Nice to be able to take a break from time to time and still produce something appetizing. These are lovely. Have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  6. hmm... did you change your site style and I only noticed today? I like it!

    Oh so good looking bentos! I will start with TS´one and then eat MM´s :P. Ha! ok ok... ^_^. But hey! Those blood oranges are screaming to be eaten by me! (ahahah).

    Lovely bunnywich and kittywich!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ooo, I like the new pink background and new font for your header! And these are adorable bentos. We've both got blood oranges in our bentos today, and bunnies! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I just have to tell you that I love reading your blog! I don't have kids, can barely pack my own lunch while running out the door, but I so look forward to what you make everyday! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh I love both of these bentos! The sweet potato bread sounds great! ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love that your bentos are so full of natural, sweet vitality and your insight about combining different food groups for natually appealing results rings SO true...you show us how every week.

    Cute bunnywich is the happiest sammy I've seen in a long time :D

    ReplyDelete
  11. Greetings from Southern California :-)

    I added myself to follow your blog. You are more than welcome to visit mine and become a follower if you want to.

    God Bless You, ~Ron

    ReplyDelete
  12. Karina, So agree. The box is almost half the fun of eating :)
    Karaimame, I just changed the layout yesterday, just a little. Heheh, thank you :)
    Sonoma Bento, thanks for noticing. Bunnies and blood oranges are in the air I guess :)
    Cosmic Noodles, Thanks a lot; that's really sweet!
    OhayoBento, thanks. I like to eat the potato bread like sweet bread. Just with butter or cream cheese. Yum!
    Thank you Bentobird; your words are so kind, as always :)
    Thanks Ron :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. WOW!!!!!!!!!!! VERY CREATIVE I LOVE ALL UR IDEAS =)

    ReplyDelete