Salmon Hash ECOlunchboxes Bento

Today because I happened to have potatoes, I decided to make salmon hash instead of the usual broiled teriyaki or furikake method. I made a kind of pistou with parsley and broccoli, with garlic and olive oil, to go with it. I also added some yuzu too. It was pretty good. A hash is nice because you cook it all in one pan, and you can add whatever extra veggies you have. I had some kuri squash so I diced it along with broccoli stalks and onions. It would have been good with sweet peppers too. This ECOlunchbox Oval comes with a separate container for the nectarine and grapes, so they stay out of the salmon. So handy and practical!

Chinese New Year 2014 Bento: Year of the Horse!

Chinese New Year 2014 Bento: Year of the Horse!, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Happy New Year! And Happy Chinese New Year too! This year the Chinese (Lunar) New Year falls on the 31st of January, and will be represented by the Horse. To celebrate, I've made a brand new bento with a horse theme! This one is for me. I used my super kawaii red goldfish nesting bento box because when you turn it on end, it has a horse shape. Can you see it? I made kabocha curry yesterday, so I packed some curry and rice in the big box with a cucumber separator. I decorated the rice with broccoli and cucumber to create a horse face, and added grape tomatoes for nostrils. The baby fish box holds Greek yogurt with raisins, a tiny satsuma mandarin, some carrots and a cheese nori face. This one is a pony. Awww! I hope this upcoming year brings you and your loved ones much happiness and good health. Kung Hay Fat Choy!
Added to What's For Lunch.

Sticky Rice Panda Bento

I made sticky rice today, which I love to do on extra busy days because all I do is throw everything into the Zojirushi and walk away. This batch is made with half white half brown glutinous (sticky rice) which I presoaked overnight to make sure it got nice and soft. About midway through cooking I tossed in finely chopped baby bok choy, sliced shiitake mushrooms, sliced lup cheong, and cubed kabocha. Yes, the kabocha goes really well in this dish! You won't hear any complaints about it. I guarantee it. After cooking, sprinkle some green onions on top for a fresh look. The top tier of the cute panda box holds strawberries, grapes, and persimmon from a neighbor's tree. I know you are excited to hear about the winner of the ECOlunchboxes Tri Bento -- the winner has been chosen! I'm waiting to hear back from her, and if I don't get response (or if she is located outside the U.S.), I'll have to pick another. Check your email! Maybe it's YOU! Stay tuned!

Mac and Cheese, Broccoli, Kabocha and Soyrizo Bento

Mac and Cheese, Broccoli, Kabocha and Soyrizo Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

With the cooler weather upon us, I'm thinking about warm foods. And that means more thermal bento. Today I made TinySprite's absolute favorite food of all time: mac and cheese. I used whole wheat elbow macaroni, with cheddar cheese, grated kabocha, ,minced broccoli, and crumbled soyrizo. Oh so good. There's a smiling mozzarella cloud there to greet her at lunchtime when she opens up her Thermos Hello Kitty thermal food jar. The side container holds the reds: sugar plum, tomatoes, and strawberries. Stay tuned next week for an exciting new product I'm reviewing, and a giveaway to boot!
Added to What's For Lunch.

Salmon, Kabocha and Potatoes LunchBots Bento

Salmon, Kabocha and Potatoes LunchBots Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

It's still pretty cold (around freezing temps at night), but we're taking a break from the thermal soups and stews to get in some omega-3s. I made salmon butteryaki, which is my favorite way to make this fish. I first slice it into portions, then pan-fry in olive oil on all sides, a few minutes, until crispy. At the end, drop a pat of butter down the side of the pan, swirl all around the fish until sizzling. Turn off heat and drizzle with shoyu. Yum! I also cubed some kabocha and fried them in the same pan, then sprinkled them with garlic powder and parmesan. There's also a sprig of steamed broccoli tucked in next to the fish. I oven-baked some potato wedges to go with the fish, tossing in olive oil, garlic powder and dried parsley (p.s. potatoes are delicious with cracked black pepper too!). There are a few house-pickled cucumbers in there as well. Finally, a little fruit section: strawberries, blackberries and blueberries -- finish out this colorful LunchBot Trio for TinySprite.

Curry with Carrot Jack Bento

Curry with Carrot Jack Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

The cooler days call for warmer foods, so the last Halloween bento is a curry bento decorated with a carrot (freehand cut) jack-o-lantern. I used the method and recipe here. I used TinySprite's favorite panda bowl again, with the upper tier stocked with colorful corn, strawberries and grapes. I also packed a cup of house-pickled cabbage and cucumbers. I'm slowly getting my kids used to the pickled flavors we adults like so much; yay! They're even eating the sauerkraut I fermented at home in all its tangy glory. Score! I'm typing up this post while running to the door to appease the hundreds of costumed candymongers that are beseiging me. Laters!

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. ^_^

Salmon and Lil' Mouse Bento

Salmon and Mouse Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

This week's salmon and rice format is packed in a newish two-tier strawberry shapes bento set from Daiso; so cute right? And only $1.50; you can't beat that. The only problem is that it's just a tad bit big, so I think the salmon layer probably moved around a bit by lunchtime. TinySprite gets red rice and salmon with furikake kabocha, a little cup of steamed corn off the cob, and a cute radish mouse. The lower tier contains white peach slices, cherries, blueberries and homegrown sunsugar and yellow pear tomatoes. Simple but satisfying.

Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese Bento

Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Yes, it's the peak of summer and I made mac and cheese. It's TinySprite's favorite, and she's been asking for it, so how could I refuse? She ate two bowls for dinner, and requested another serving for lunch, packed in her Hello Kitty thermal jar. So here it is: my special version of ka-broc-mac and cheese. There's a side box of summer-ripe cherries, homegrown sunsugar orange cherry tomatoes, a homegrown yellow pear tomato, a cup o'blueberries, and a sweet lil' lychee. See how Korilakkuma looks like she's hugging it? That's just exactly how I feel about lychee too. ^_^

I've posted my ka-broc-cheese recipe before (here) but this time I've made it wheat-free and soy-free. The only changes are a substitution of brown rice flour in place of the whole wheat flour for making the roux, and the omission of the spicy soyrizo. Actually, I made this batch in parts, because I happen to love the soyrizo in here, so I just kept it separate to mix in later. I also had to make separate kinds of pasta (quinoa elbows for the gluten-free version and whole wheat elbows for everyone else). It was a bit complicated, but totally worth it. If you don't have any issues with wheat or soy, I would keep to the original recipe; it works and tastes just as good as this one. I know, I know, it is totally untraditional, and the cheese isn't smooth and creamy with everything I've thrown in. But it is substantial, and it fills you up, and you don't even have to worry about a side salad or something. Cuz the veggies are already IN THERE. Woot!

Wheat and Soy Free Mac and Ka-Broc-Cheese Method/Recipe

Cook 8oz (or more if you like) quinoa (or corn) elbow macaroni, 10-12 minutes or until just al dente. Drain.
Steam or microwave 5 slices kabocha (or more) and one small head of broccoli until softened.
Grate the kabocha and mince the broccoli.
Melt 3T butter in a saucepan over medium low heat.
Whisk in 3T brown rice flour, 1tsp dry mustard, a few pinches of pepper, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper until smooth, a few minutes.
Add 2 cups milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6-8 minutes, until milk comes to a boil.
Add: 2C (or 3C, or more) shredded cheddar, parmesan, or whatever cheese you happen to like. Stir to incorporate.
Add the grated kabocha and the minced broccoli. Stir.
Add more cheese if you like it cheesier.
Add pasta, stir to completely incorporate.

Is it more cheddar on top of my lovely creamy cheesy sauce? 

No.... muahahaha!!

It's shredded kabocha. Really.

Look: you can barely tell it's in there.

I'm serious. The cheesalicious flavor overpowers the kabocha.

Yeah, that's a lot of broccoli.

Okay, it's kind of lumpy now. 

If you don't like it, go ahead- add more cheese.

Go on, it's okay. It's cheese! It's all good.

Salmon Butteryaki and Furikake Rice Bento

Salmon Butteryaki and Furikake Rice Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

This one is a classic favorite bento of mine: pan-fried salmon butteryaki with furikake rice, fried kabocha and steamed broccoli. TinySprite's version is miniature-sized for her preschool appetite and packed in the adorable pink Hello Kitty bento box I found at Japanese Lifestyle (I think). She won't be able to use these tiny boxes much longer, so I should really use them now as much as I can. I have a Cinnamoroll one too; I really love them a lot. The removable smaller section contains a mini clementine with a star-shaped cutout which I cut by hand using a small paring knife, some blackberries and a grape tomato. Colorful, balanced, nutritious, and gluten-free. Win!

Mama and Baby Easter Chicks Bento

Mama and Baby Easter Chicks Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

TinySprite asked for a Mama and Baby chicks bento, so here they are! I'm not expert with the egg white zigzag cut, especially when the yolk is so close. I'm told if you want the yolk to be perfectly centered, you must constantly roll the egg during boiling. Um, okay; that's why mine will have to be off-centered. The trick is to use a small blade and work with a light touch, but you can see that I punctured the yolk a few times. No matter, TS was still thrilled to see this duo! I'm so happy I've been able to use my supercute wings picks so much this past week. Here, the mama is flapping her wings in happiness over her hatchling chick's appearance. Aww! There's also miso butterfish (method and recipe here), roasted kabocha (tossed with parmesan) and brussels sprouts. Yes, I've taken to tossing all kinds of vegetables with parmesan, and you know what? It suddenly makes them a lot more desirable to the kiddos. The rest of the bento contains ripe strawberries, blueberries and grapes. That's it for the Easter bento at our house for this year. Hope you all enjoy a wonderful weekend. Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

Butterfish Misoyaki Trio Bento

Butterfish Misoyaki Trio Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Butterfish misoyaki; woo! See the recipe and method I used here. In Hawaii you can find frozen butterfish everywhere, but here I buy it fresh. So good over hot rice. This Lunchbot Trio is perfect to keep the fish (and Okinawan sweet potato stars) separate from the roasted parmesan kabocha and pencil asparagus spears, with the final section going to the grapes, strawberry and cutie mandarin. I put the little piggie dango pick in because otherwise there's nothing very cute about this bento. But on the upside, it only took a few minutes (most of it going to the mandarin carving) to throw together. Yay!

Mac and Ka-broc-cheese-rizo Bento

Mac and Ka-broc-cheese-rizo Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

My kids have been requesting mac and cheese, so I decided to make a giant batch to last them a couple days. They can seriously put away this stuff. As usual, I packed the portions in their thermal food jars; this one is TinySprite's Hello Kitty Thermos brand jar, which holds 10 ounces and has served us well throughout most of her preschool lunch career. I know it doesn't keep the food as hot as long as MisterMan's Stanley food jar, because I've done a nonscientific, side-by-side comparison using hot water and a thermometer. It doesn't really matter for her since she eats within 3 hours or so after I've packed it, but my bigger concern now is that she may be outgrowing this little jar. The last few times I used it, it's come home completely empty -- which is good, of course -- but it just makes me wonder if I could pack a little bit more for her whether she'd eat more.

I've used several different recipes for mac and cheese (like Pioneer Woman's version here and Bacon Mac and Cheese here). Today's mac batch contains three extra ingredients. Can you guess what they might be? Soyrizo, diced kabocha and broccoli! It's not exactly a secret; I've done it before, and anyway I told them I'd put it in, and their reactions were mixed. TS: Yayyy! MM: Did you cut the kabocha super small and mix it in really well? Mmmkay. Can you tell my boy might not appreciate the finer aspects of this wonderful squash as much as my girl? I assured him I did. The other key is to use a lot of cheese. I mean a LOT. Like a whole pound or more. They love the gooey stuff, and I don't think they even noticed that it was whole wheat elbow macaroni. So there. The other container held all fruit, since I was pretty happy with the vegetable load they got in the mac: strawberries, kiwi, cara cara oranges, blueberries, blackberries, and grapes. And, there's a heart. Because it's the month of love. ^_^

Mac and Ka-Brocco-Cheese-Rizo Method/Recipe (I know, not a great name. But can you think of something catchier?)

Cook 8oz (or more if you like) whole wheat elbow macaroni, 10-12 minutes or until just al dente. Drain.
Steam or microwave 5 slices kabocha (or more) and one head of broccoli until softened.
Chop into small dice.
Whisk: 1C milk, 2T whole wheat flour, 1tsp dry mustard, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6-8 minutes.
Add the diced kabocha and broccoli.
Add a half link (or more, if you like) soyrizo. Stir it all in well.
Add: 1C (or 2C, or more) shredded cheddar, parmesan, or whatever cheese you happen to like. Stir.
Add more cheese if you like it cheesier.
Add pasta, stir to completely incorporate.

Added to Allergy-Free Lunchbox Love.

Salmon Trio Bento

Salmon Trio Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Today's Lunchbot Trio is packed with the salmon of the week, roasted in olive oil and shoyu. I also roasted some thinly sliced Brussels sprouts, after tossing with fresh-ground pepper and Parmesan. The kabocha slices were -yep!- roasted as well in the fish pan. There was just enough room in the vegetable section to slip some steamed Okinawan sweet potatoes and a grape tomato in there. The longitudinal fruit section holds cara cara orange wedges, a strawberry and some cherries. How handy is this box? This bento didn't take any time at all to pack. Of course, there aren't any cute details, but nothing that a few food picks can't fill in. Even on a busy midweek day, you can still find a few minutes to pack a cheerful lunch for yourself or your child. And to be honest, I always choose divided boxes on days like this because half the job of organizing the food is already done for me. I really recommend to have at least a couple of these boxes on hand. My other go-to is my round divided box (see it in action recently here). Happy Wednesday!

Thrown-Together Bento

Thrown-Together Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

This bento is from last week: it includes oven-baked "mochiko chicken" (method and recipe here) and kabocha in one tier, and a rainbow assortment of fruit and veggies in the other tier (strawberry, blood orange, carrots, yellow pepper, blueberries in a cucumber cup, grapes, and Okinawan sweet potato. I call it thrown-together because if you look closely you'll notice that I threw the kabocha chunks in there without roasting them! I usually roast some veggies when I make the oven-roasted chicken, since the oven is already hot and all. But my mind was out-of-sorts because I had received a phone call that afternoon; the kind a parent dreads: Your daughter was playing on the play structure, and we noticed her arm is a little swollen. When I got there I saw her cradling her arm gingerly. This girl never does anything gingerly! I rushed her to the hospital and we discovered she had sustained a supracondylar fracture at her elbow joint. She had surgery that night and is now wearing a cast for the next 3-6 weeks. We were worried and nervous, but surgery went well and we are hoping for a quick and successful healing process. TinySprite handled the whole ordeal like a pro, never complaining of pain or feeling afraid of her operation. In fact, the surgeon remarked on her loquaciousness and inquisitiveness about the procedure and the equipment. Even now, 4 days later, she hasn't lost her smile or dampened her high spirits. I've really gained a new appreciation of her fortitude and strength. And don't worry - after the picture I noticed the raw kabocha and quick-microwaved and pan-fried them in butter and shoyu for MisterMan. ^_^

Added to What's For Lunch.

Chinese New Year Dragon Bento 2

Chinese New Year Dragon Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Aaaand, it's another Chinese New Year bento! It's the Year of the Dragon - in case you forgot. Today I used my super cool slim stainless steel double box bento set (called "Zen" from Bento & Co) because I wanted to have a place for my dragon to rest until lunchtime. Each of these boxes is identical, and each has its own lid with gasket. When the two tiers are stacked and bound together with elastic, they are perfectly sealed. The left box contains salt grilled salmon with some lime wedges, roasted potatoes and kabocha strips (both sprinkled with garlic powder), and a bunch of grapes with a beautiful strawberry. The right box is layered with slices of cara cara oranges. I am super excited to see these fruit too! Now I am stocked up on blood and cara cara. They complement each other well -- the dark red blood oranges are tart and the pretty pink cara cara are sweeter. On top of those I lay my dragon made from cucumber, with quail egg and tomato eyes, tomato nostrils, and wispy green fire. I also cut some fierce fangs from the cucumber. His body is represented by the cucumber scales behind his head. Do you see him? I am trusting MisterMan with both tiers of this bento set for the first time, and I'm a little nervous! I hope he doesn't fling his bag around too much. RAWR!

Added to Allergy-Friendly Lunchbox Love.

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!

Heat Miser and Hermey Mac 'N Cheese Bento

Heat Miser and Hermey Mac 'N Cheese Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Okay, I'm almost too embarrassed to tell you about the mixed-up bento today. Almost. But it's done, and I didn't even think about checking the facts until afterwards. So confident was I! Anyway, I woke up wanting to make Mayor Burgermeister Meisterburger (remember him?) from the animated Christmas TV Special Santa Claus is Comin' To Town. It's a great one, right? But then I remembered the Heat Miser, and started singing his awesome song. You know the one: "Friends call me Heat Miser, whatever I touch - starts to melt in my clutch! I'm too much!" So then I decided to make him. But then I remembered the little misfit elf dentist-wannabe from the Island of Misfit Toys, and.... I think you may be starting to get the picture that I have TOTALLY mixed up all the stop-action Christmas TV Specials. But did that stop me? Noooooo. Never mind that Heat Miser was from The Year Without A Santa Claus, and Hermey the elf was from Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. They are both going in my bento; so there! Luckily the Mac and Cheese is a definite hit. I made it the way I did last month (in this bento), mixing in broccoli and diced kabocha to boost the nutrition. I also crumbled in some soyrizo, which is a chorizo soy substitute which adds spice and flavor. Super good. I packed it in my cute apple-shaped bento bowl, with the top tier holding the grapes, grapfruit, carrot, broccoli, and two quail egg Christmas characters who have NEVER ACTUALLY MET before this very day in MisterMan's bento. Pretty incredible day for them, I'd say. Wonder what they'd talk about? ^_^

Jack Skellington Chicken Bento

Jack Skellington Chicken Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Today's menu is tebasaki (grilled - or in my case broiled - chicken wings with sea salt). See the method and recipe I used here. When I make it, I always have to make several pounds (yes, you read that right) because I tend to snack while cooking. To monitor quality, of course. I sprinkle mine liberally with shichimi togarashi (Japanese red pepper mix), which makes it totally addicting. Even though the kids eat theirs plain, they are very tasty just with the sea salt. They can eat 10 or more wings each, and I packed their bento as full as I could, while still including pan-fried garlic kabocha, tomatoes, and Okinawan sweet potato. The fruit cup contains grapes and grapefruit, and a quail egg Jack Skellington wearing a mini sweet red pepper and radish santa hat. I was going to make Sally too, but after cutting out all those tiny features for Jack, I was done! I'm really not one for itty bitty nori cutting. She would have been very cool-looking though, so I'll have to make her another time for sure :)

Mackin Cheese Thermal Bento

Mackin Cheese Thermal Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Here's another time-saving meal that I really should make more often. Who doesn't love mac and cheese? And it doesn't have to be plain and boring; you can feel free to add all kinds of interesting and fancy ingredients. It's your meal and you can make it however you want! So here's an "interesting" twist on this batch. I usually make mac and cheese on the stovetop and finish it in the oven and under the broiler (like here and here), but I just didn't have time for all that this time. After mixing the macaroni with the milky, cheesy, creamy sauce, I had an urge to make it more nutritious (surprise). I was going to throw in some steamed broccoli florets (which I sort of did, as you can see), but then I had a genius idea. What about kabocha? Since everything was already basically cooked, I steamed the kabocha separately, just enough for it to keep its shape without getting mushy. Then I diced them and gently tossed and folded them in. Since the squash is orange, it blends right in. Not that I was trying to hide it or anything. But I was so pleased with myself that I waited until the kids had finished licking their 3rd bowls before I casually mentioned that I had added "like, a half a kabocha" in there. TinySprite wasn't phased. She was the one who, when I asked whether she wanted mac and cheese, responded "Sure! I love cheese. What's mackin?" But MisterMan's head snapped right up and he said "What?!" That's right, buddy! Muahaha!! Okay, maybe their taste buds aren't all that discriminating. Or maybe there was just so much real cheddar in there that they totally missed it. But I am inordinately happy that my kabocha passed itself off as cheddar so easily. I really love this squash, if I haven't mentioned it already. ^_^
Added to Allergy-Friendly Lunchbox Love.