Orzo Salad Bento

Orzo Salad Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

It looks like we are finally getting our summer weather this week. Today was a hot 80F and more of the same is forecast in the near future. So I took advantage of the summery vibe and made an orzo salad. When MisterMan was a toddler, he had a friend whose mom always made spinach and orzo. It seemed so curiously healthy; I'd never heard of it before. So finally, numerous years later, I'm making it. Whole wheat orzo tossed with spinach-y pesto and topped with feta and more fresh shredded spinach. You could add olives too, if you like. I supplemented this meatless Monday bento with corn on the cob, peapods, carrots, grape tomatoes, a smiling apple-shaped Okinawan sweet potato, strawberry, and a pluot! I couldn't believe I found more pluots at my farmer's market this past weekend. One vendor still had them and when I saw that I scooped them up. Well, now I know why they're hard to find. They are no longer in season. Juicy, yes, but not sweet. Aww. The memory of the ultra sweet deliciousness from earlier this summer will have to suffice. Until next summer.