Toast Of The Day: Avocado, Cheesy Eggs, Hummus & Tomato!

Why did it take me so long to discover cheesy eggs? My feelings toward scrambled eggs have changed forever. 

You guys might already know this, but the key to fluffy eggs is to cook low and slow. That is, low heat with constant stirring until you feel the liquidy cheesy egg start to develop form. I mixed my egg with a big spoonful of cottage cheese; you could use ricotta or whatever cheese your little heart so chooses. At that point, turn off the heat and let finish to your desired fluffiness. If you want to pile sky high on avocado toast, who's stopping you? 

And then just because I happened to have a pretty gradient of grape tomatoes, I made another toast on hummus. Come to think of it, I could have combined everything into one deliciously massive towering architectural wonder.
Architoastual wonder.
Next time!
😊❤🍱

Baked Spaghetti Bento

Quick and simple one using leftovers from last night's dinner of baked spaghetti and steamed broccoli, including cheese blossoms, strawberries, cottage cheese topped with sunflower seeds and more blossoms cut from Okinawan sweet potato. Have a great Thursday friends!

😊❤🍱

Toast Of The Day: Beets!

I know it's not a bento but my toast was just so good today I had to share it. I got the idea for this one from the cookbook Umami Bomb by Raquel Pelzel. The bomb is provided by the caramelized onions. I think I'll be adding it to all my meals from now on.

On this whole wheat pita: no salt cottage cheese, caramelized onions with thyme, pea sprouts, chopped beets, cracked black pepper.

Perfect. You should try this combo! 😊❤🍱

Salmon and Veggie Yumbox Bento

This bento might not look that pretty, but it's full of good stuff. The compartmentalized box is practical for those times when you happen to have a bunch of this and that to pack for lunch. You ever have days like those?

Furikake salmon pasta, veggie hash with celery, bell pepper, and butternut squash, cucumber tomato salad with pickled red onions, strawberries and cottage cheese with granola. A few chocolate raisins finish out this Yumbox. Have a yummy day!

First Day of Spring Bento!

First day of Spring and of course it's gray and cloudy outside. So we'll celebrate with a cheerful bento! 

Inside our Yumbox: quartered cheese - tomato - lettuce - avocado toasted sandwiches (skewered because I saw trhe idea in Sarah Michelle Gellar's cookbook "Stirring Up Fun With Food" [I really don't have any affiliation with her or her publisher; I just happened to find a few cute ideas in there]😆), mini peppers stuffed with cottage cheese, sunflower seeds and a bit of granola, cara cara oranges, steamed Okinawan sweet potatoes, corn, radish ladybug, and chocolate raisins.

One nice thing about the cool weather is my sweet violets love it! Mine are the super fragrant pink "Rosina" variety. Happy Spring, friends!

Anpanman Turkey Burger PlanetBox Bento

Round sandwich thin in the square section. It works! And the PlanetBox Rover smushes it down just enough so Anpanman's face doesn't move around. Score! Turkey burger with melty Swiss, romaine lettuce, and varied tomato and Okinawan sweet potato decoration, An ombre selection of blood orange segments, a little cup of cottage cheese with sunflower seeds and granola, carrots, asparagus, and pickled lotus root. Oh and a tiny cup of arare (rice crackers). Happy Bento!

Smart Planet Ultrathin SaladBook Lunch Box Review

Today we're using the SaladBook by Smart Planet that I used once previously to pack the Totoro Soba Bento last month. Remember that one? Today I've packed a Salad Bowl containing curried chickpeas, cottage cheese with sunflower seeds, cinnamon apples, pickled carrots and daikon, fresh steamed corn, pickled cucumbers and wakame, pickled red onions, and blackberries - atop tossed romaine lettuce. I am really into the bowl-type bento these days, and this kind of container is ideal because no divided sections are necessary. And there are so many possibilities!

This box is unique in that it is "ultrathin," meaning that the roundish single section container is only about one inch in height yet manages to provide 20 fl oz (591 ml) of volume. 

You can see that this container is quite wide and shallow.

The box has a leakproof gasketed lid which is held in place by four tight clips which are an integral part of the lid itself, and seal by latching to the underside of the box. While this mechanism seems to work very well at keeping the box watertight, I found that the latches are so tight they can be challenging for small hands to pull open.

Here you can see the latching mechanism of the clips. There are 4 clips and they snap closed on the bottom of the container. If your (or your child's) hands aren't strong enough to push off the clip, I've found that pressing the lid and container together will release pressure on the clip and it will be easier to push up.

The box comes with an insulated zipper tote with a handy mesh pocket and a spork in a color that matches the box lid. This is a somewhat minor point, but I found it curious as to why the pocket opens downward so that when you open the lid, the spork falls out. I solved this problem by attaching an adhesive velcro closure, which works very well.

The spork now stays in place in the pocket until you choose to remove it. Yay!

The profile of the entire SaladBook after it's packed and ready to go. I found it to live up to its "ultrathin" billing quite well. I mentioned the box itself being about one inch high; when zipped up the whole bag will only take up about 2 inches of depth in your backpack (or briefcase or similar).

Alternately, you can carry it separately by the short handle strap located at the pointed end of the tote. So convenient!

The last item included in the SaladBook set is a little dressing container. It consists of a collapsible soft silicone pouch with a hard snap-close lid which also screws off for easy filling and washing. It's a great idea, but in my experience the cap opens very easily because of the soft nature of the container. I wouldn't pack it next to the box inside the tote because it might pop open and leak. But I don't think this matters too much because since the box itself is completely watertight, you can simply drizzle the dressing atop the salad before packing. That's what we did in the Totoro soba salad bento and it worked just fine.

The salad we packed today didn't require a separate dressing, so we didn't worry about it. 

Overall, I think the Smart Planet Ultrathin Saladbook is a good buy; it retails for $14.99 and comes with a spork, dressing container, and insulated zipper tote. It is practical, sturdy, dishwasherable, and lightweight. Its storage profile is slim and convenient; it is leakproof and spacious. I recommend this container for kids and adults alike. 

Pizza in the PlanetBox Bento

Like I mentioned in the last post, we've started the new school year with a brand new bento box system: The PlanetBox Rover. I was very excited to test it out! So far we've used it only a couple times, but I can't wait to show and tell you about it already. Our first packed PlanetBox is shown here:

We packed homemade pepperoni/spinach/onion/red pepper pizza in the largest, square section. I separated the two pieces with wax paper. Since the lid is convex, you can pack more than you think, a feature I love! In another section I packed a cabbage/carrot/daikon slaw and grape tomatoes, a selection of strawberries and super-red elephant heart plums (my current season favorite), cinnamon cottage cheese in the little dipper, corn sheets, and some sunflower seeds in the tiniest center compartment. That little space is supposed to be reserved for a small indulgent treat, like maybe a piece of candy or something. 

I'm not sure how much each section holds, but the website says this entire box has a capacity of 4.5 cups -- I'm assuming that means packed to the gills up to the top of the recessed lids. The box itself is not leakproof, so they don't recommend liquids like gravies or sauces, but the lidded containers (I've only shown the small one) are reported to be leakproof.

My experience with the PlanetBox Rover?

The little round dipper was indeed leakproof, and my son said everything stayed inside its separate section without problem. He had no problem opening and closing the box, and he ate everything we packed. As a bonus, his fork fit into the long section after he was finished, so as to keep the inside of the carrying case clean. I did see some liquid spilled into the case, however, but I think it was the pickling liquid from the slaw. If I were to pack slaw again, I would make sure to drain it first, or else pack it in one of the dippers. Otherwise, it is a great option for bento packing, and I recommend it. Cleanup is easy; I washed everything in soapy water (they are also dishwasher safe) and towel-dried. The only reservation I have is the somewhat higher than average retail price of $49.95 for this box set; there is a smaller one that sells for less (Shuttle, $34.95) and a larger one that sells for more (Launch, $55.95), but I expect this box to last for many uses, making it a quality long-term (hopefully lifetime) investment. We're looking forward to using this box much more throughout the school year!

Breakfast For Lunch Bento

Breakfast For Lunch Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

I find that I tend to use the LunchBots Quad to try to give me some inspiration on days that find me kind of tired (or lazy). They're great for using up whatever odds and ends you happen to have lying around that don't seem to be enough for a whole lunch. Well, guess what? When you put them all in here, they somehow come together to add up to a complete and filling meal. I had a couple eggs and a sweet Italian sausage so I quickly tossed them in the frying pan to scramble up together. Topped with a few green onions, it'll make a tasty protein serving for TinySprite. The last of the roasted Brussels sprouts and a few carrots fill out the veggie section, and I squeezed a cup of cottage cheese / blueberries / pumpkin seeds alongside some baby super-ripe strawberries. The last section holds watermelon balls, because we're clinging to summer no matter what the calendar says. How about you?

Enchiladas of Love Bento

Enchiladas of Love Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

The kids get chicken enchiladas today, made with corn tortillas and filled with shredded chicken, onions, olives and cheese; smothered with red sauce and topped with more cheese. I packed MisterMan's in the rectangular two-tiered EcoLunchbox. The enchiladas lay on a bed of lettuce, with cilantro and tortilla "I love you" cutouts. I used the teeny tiny alphabet cutters that I think I found at Daiso. All the letters fit on three round plastic wheels, so there aren't a bunch of little letter cutters to get lost. It's so convenient! The upper tier contains cottage cheese with sunflower seeds and blueberries, alongside a handful of homegrown tomatoes, dinosaur egg pluot, strawberry and grapes.

My Dreamy Bento

My Dreamy Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

We're Baaa-aaack (to-school)! Almost. It's been quite awhile since I've posted here. The truth is, we are finished with summer vacation. As of yesterday. So over the last week we were determined to milk every last drop of freedom with carefree youthful abandon. Remember doing that when you were a kid? Summers seemed to last for ever and ever back then! I still love summers; in fact, I just might love them even more than my kids. MisterMan is still at the age when he looks forward to going back to school and seeing his friends; and TinySprite is starting kindergarten this year (brand-new school and brand-new friends). They both couldn't be more excited about all this. As for me, I need a little transition time to get back into the bentomaking groove, and the homework, and tests, and all that stuff. SIGH.
Here's a beautiful bento I made for myself to pick up my mood. I used my gorgeous and insanely cute Oyako Kuro goldfish box to pack one of my favorite comfort foods. If I were going back to school, this is what I'd want to eat on the first day (omega-3s to kickstart brain function and all): butteryaki salmon, little wedges of kabocha steamed and then pan-fried in the same sauce, alongside garlic spinach hapa rice. A little star radish (pickled would be even better). And an adorable sweets box of cottage cheese, sunflower seeds and sweet ripe strawberries. Yeah. A bento like this would almost get me looking forward to school! Almost. ^_^

Cheesy Stuffed Tomato Bento

Cheesy Stuffed Tomato Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

I sent TinySprite to summer school with this stuffed tomato duo nestled in a lettuce nest aside some crunchy fresh carrots. The tomatoes were halved, hollowed, and filled with a mixture of cottage cheese, parmesan, rice, chopped spinach, minced garlic and seasoned with salt and pepper. You could add bacon or prosciutto to the mix if you like. I topped with cheddar and melted it just a little under the broiler, but these are good without any cooking at all. Plus they are very refreshing on a hot summer day. I made these for #twittercheeseparty, July edition, but they are great for bento too. The other side holds a little cup of blueberries, some fresh corn off the cob, white peaches, raspberries, and a watermelon ball caterpillar. Happy Summer!

Children's Day (こどもの日, Kodomo no hi) Bento

Children's Day (こどもの日, Kodomo no hi) Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Happy Children's Day (こどもの日, Kodomo no hi)! The 5th day of the 5th month used to be called Boys' Day (with Girls' Day falling on the 3rd day of the 3rd month) when I was a kid growing up in Hawaii, but now it has been generalized to include all children. I will always think of this day as boys' day, though, symbolized by the carp. I made gluten-free pepperoni pizzas to commemorate. This is the same dough I used last time, pressed into a fish shape before topping with cheddar cheese, quartered pepperoni scales, and a zucchini/pepperoni/mozzarella/kale eye. Underneath this fish pizza is a regular shaped pizza topped with shredded kale, julienned zucchini, pepperoni and cheese, and in the top tier of this EcoLunchBox is cottage cheese/sunflower seeds/wheat germ, blood oranges, strawberries and blackberries, and carrots. Happy Children's Day to all the littles out there!

Pizza Bento!

Pizza Bento!, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

I haven't used my Keroppi sandwich bento in a long time; it's nice for certain foods that are large and bulky - like sandwiches. I used to pack bánh mì in the top portion for MisterMan in summertimes past. Today I used the extra-tall part to pack a pizza for TinySprite. This one is homemade with arugula, sauteed mushroom and zucchini and melty cheesy toppings on a gluten-free crust. I used Bob's Red Mill gluten-free pizza dough mix for the first time. It's very, um, different than regular pizza dough. If you weren't exactly sure what gluten is or does to baked goods, try this pizza dough and you'll understand. For one thing, it's not stretchy or elastic at all. It's also very wet and doesn't stick together very well. While I was rolling pressing it out, I wondered how in the world this was going to make a pizza. It came out pretty nicely crispy though, and held up to the toppings very well. I think the trick is to press it as thin as possible. TS loved it, so that's what matters! On the bottom section I gave her some cottage cheese with sunflower seeds, by her request, and some carrots, strawberry and blackberries. Gluten-free experiment seems to be progressing quite well!

Hello Kitty Pizzawiches Bento

Hello Kitty Pizzawiches Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

TinySprite gets pizza today, but in little mini sandwich form. There's grated cheddar, shredded spinach and mini pepperonis inside two toasted whole wheat sandwich thins for her, with a cheese/carrot/nori/red pepper Hello Kitty face to greet her. I squeezed in some steamed broccoli, Okinawan sweet potato, carrots, a cup of cottage cheese with blueberry topping, a big strawberry and some blackberries. Since her cast came off yesterday, we're bulking up on dairy and other calcium-rich foods to ensure maximum new bone growth. It shouldn't be hard, since she's a real cheese lover.
Next week there's an exciting surprise coming up on Happy Little Bento: it has to do with cool new bento stash, and there's even something in it for YOU too, so be sure to tune in!

Spaghetti Squash Bento

Spaghetti Squash Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

This quickie bento is an adaptation of one of my basic pasta stand-bys: spaghetti with sauteed onion, zucchini, mushroom and nitrite-free chicken sausage. It still contains all those things but I intended to substitute the whole wheat spaghetti with spaghetti squash. I've never made this squash before; have you? All you do is bake it for awhile, then slice it open lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and then pull out the spaghetti-like strands of flesh. I was skeptical, but that's really how it turned out! I tried it out on the kids, and they seemed to like it just fine. If I had tossed it with tomato sauce or pesto, I bet they'd like it even more. I ended up not completely omitting the pasta, just so that they'd have some comfort food in there too. I filled up two sections of this bento with this one-dish meal, and saved the 3rd for cottage cheese topped with berries and carrots.

Wings of Bento, and a Celebration

Wings of Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

As I was going through my bento stash, I found this two-tier rectangular stainless steel Ecolunchbox set. It comes with a smaller, lidded box that fits into the top tier and is useful for packing things that you'd like to keep contained. The other Ecolunchbox I have (the oval one you can see here and here) also includes a separate small box, which seems to be where this company stands out. I like the quality of these boxes; the metal is sturdy and well-constructed enough to survive a typical lunchbag-swinging kid. This one, like the other one, has a tight latch, which you might need to practice with your child to make sure he can open and close it easily. Here I've packed some tebasaki (Japanese Grilled Chicken Wings with Sea Salt - method and recipe here), roasted diced taters and asparagus spears in the lower tier, and strawberries, carrots, blood oranges in the top tier, along with cottage cheese and blueberries in the little tin.

As for the kids' accomplishments last Friday, MisterMan finished first in the 3rd Grade District Spelling Bee! He beat out 27 other kids from 8 other schools to take home the medal. Interestingly, although the kids were given a list of about a thousand potential words to study, the second half of the bee drew from a secret list that the kids would only have been able to recognize from their reading. Not surprisingly, most of them were eliminated during that half; and some of those words were tough! MM never cracked under pressure, and spelled the winning word, "admirably", admirably. So proud of him! As for TinySprite, she appears to have performed well in her Kindergarten Readiness Interview, as we received her positive evaluation today. So as promised, they celebrated with their own double ice cream cones this past weekend: pistachio and chocolate chip for him, and chocolate and blueberry cheesecake for her. ^_^

First Bento of the Year!

First Bento of the Year!, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Hellooooo out there! I haven't posted a bento for, um, it seems like forever. We had a school break over the Christmas and New Year holidays, and I didn't make a bento the whole time. Didn't even think about bento. I was afraid I'd forgotten how to make one again. But here I am, 3 weeks after the last one. It might look a bit messy and thrown-together, but it qualifies! I found a beautiful wild salmon filet so decided to roast it with a splash of olive oil, garlic powder and dried herb mix. And since the oven was on, of course I also threw in some halved brussels sprouts and sliced kabocha. While everything roasted away, I got the brilliant idea to try slicing the kabocha thin into chips. Could I get the kids to crave them if I called them kabocha chips? And would they get crispy? Wait til the end of the post to find out! I placed everything into some green leaf lettuce, and tucked in a red radish and some Okinawan sweet potatoes for color, and used the (included) stainless steel cup for cottage cheese with blackberries, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. There are also a few raw carrots in there. The cup comes with a tight-fitting plastic lid to ensure the contents stay put, which is very convenient. Oh, and about the chips? Although they didn't crisp up completely, I played them up, made lip-smacking yummy sounds, and sure enough they clamored for "More chips! Kabocha chips!" Success. Muahaha!

Oops! Santa Bento

Oops! Santa Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Today I packed cheesy enchilada casserole topped with cheesy snowflakes. I don't have a mini snowflake cutter; can you believe it? But since no two snowflakes are alike, I took some liberties and just created some using the flower and star cutters I already had. Looks like Santa is heading into the snow-covered chimney! I saw this idea as a cupcake somewhere, and decided to make a bento version. The snow is cottage cheese, Santa's pants are apples, and his boots are grapes. I held them together with dried spaghetti, which will soften by lunchtime. In order to close this Lunchbot box, I moved the silicone cup to the center between the orange slices. Ho ho ho! I hope he makes it okay! ^_^

Added to Allergy-Friendly Lunchbox Love.

Orange Pepper Jack O'Lantern Bento

Orange Pepper Jack O'Lantern Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

I happened to find the most perfect pumpkin-shaped mini orange sweet pepper at the farmers market last weekend. It just begged to be carved, so how could I resist? I stuffed it with cottage cheese and sunflower seeds after seeding and carving it. This box is convenient for deconstructed fish tacos in that the cod can go in one section while the tomato-onion-avocado-cilantro salsa goes in another. Of course, you can put them together, but it's prettier this way. You can pack the tortillas separately if you wish. I put a fruit selection (strawberry, plum and grapes) in the last compartment, and topped with a purple Okinawan sweet potato bat. I think it looks fresh and colorful. And my boy really did eat the whole pepper, cheese and all ^_^