Showing posts with label kumquat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kumquat. Show all posts
Monday, May 6, 2013
Angel Hair Mushroom Saute Bento
This one involved cooking, but only very minimally, which made it an easy Monday meal. I sauteed a variety of mushrooms (crimini, beech and enoki) in butter and some olive oil until softened, along with minced shallot and garlic. Salt and peppered to taste, parsleyed, and grated some aged manchego into the pan with the heat turned off. Tossed the cooked angel hair into the pan with the mushroom sauce, and it was done. And the kids gobbled it up! I packed some for MisterMan's bento, topped with some dark-skinned purple sweet potato which I found locally. He also gets the first baby nectarines I've seen at the market this year, baby strawberries, and fresh pickled cukes, kumquats, and watermelon radish. Happy Monday!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
May the 4th Lentil Sausage Bento
I know it's not May the 4th yet, but since it falls on Saturday this year, I'm sending MisterMan to school with his Star Wars bento today. I tried a new lentil potato sausage chard "salad", which can be served hot or cold. If you want to serve it cold, you can toss with balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar. I cooked French lentils with diced purple potatoes, then added pan-fried chicken artichoke sausage, mushrooms, onion, garlic and celery. I tossed in shredded chard at the end just to wilt it a little. If you omit the sausage, it could be a vegetarian option. I thought it was pretty good, and refreshing on this hot day. The top tier holds a big strawberry, carrots, fancy-cut radish, broccoli, and pickled turnips and kumquats. Do you see the Star Wars reference? It's very simple, but I hope he gets it. Light sabers were cut from red sweet pepper and cucumber. Happy May the 4th (a few days early)!
P.S. You can see the other Star Wars bento I have made in the past here.
P.S. You can see the other Star Wars bento I have made in the past here.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Vegetarian Spices LunchBots Bento
So today we are starting a week of unseasonally warm temperatures over here in the Bay Area; today was predicted to be the warmest, and it reached the upper 70s in my 'hood. It was a fantastic harbinger of summer! I decided I wanted to not-cook tonight, and just have salads, in honor of the heat and also the fact that it's Earth Day. I almost did no cooking, but I did griddle up some veggies to go with the chickpea salad. It didn't take long, though. I sliced some eggplant, zucchini, shallots, tomatoes and garlic, and fried in olive oil until tender. I drizzled honey and sprinkled oregano to taste -- very simple. The chickpea salad is simply fork-mashed chickpeas tossed with sliced onion, cilantro, cumin, lemon, salt and pepper. The next section has grated carrot and beet salad (tossed with cider vinegar, pomegranate juice, a sprinkling of ground ginger, salt and pepper), beside the pickled cucumbers, daikon, baby turnips and kumquats. I also added pickled red onion since she likes that. Some fresh farmers market strawberries and a little sprig of broccoli for color round out this fresh vegetarian bento for TinySprite. Happy Earth Day!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Lemon Garlic Salmon Bento
Salmon today was broiled in olive oil with pepper, garlic and lemon juice. I served it with potato "chips" that I tossed in the same pan to crisp up. Also in this bento is steamed broccoli, yellow carrot flowers and cherry tomato ladybugs with nori detail. I stuck the nori on with olive oil. You can't use water; you'll find the nori will just curl up and fall off. The bugs are sitting on steamed baby potato halves. Everything looks so garden-y in the lettuce leaf, doesn't it?
For fruits he gets red grapes, a kumquat for contrast, a luscious strawberry and some cara cara orange wedges. These oranges are back in stock in a big way at my local market. Yay! Good thing too, since we probably each eat one a day.
Don't forget to enter the Hawaii's Bento Box Cookbook giveaway here!
For fruits he gets red grapes, a kumquat for contrast, a luscious strawberry and some cara cara orange wedges. These oranges are back in stock in a big way at my local market. Yay! Good thing too, since we probably each eat one a day.
Don't forget to enter the Hawaii's Bento Box Cookbook giveaway here!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Mushroom Orzo "Risotto" Bento
Haven't used this cute box in awhile, and I forgot how nice it is to pack. You have to think about four different food groups in four different colors. You can't avoid it. It's an easy way to make sure you have a balanced bento. Today he gets whole wheat orzo with crimini mushrooms in a lettuce cup, sprinkled with fresh grated parmesan. This dish is vegetarian, with no dairy used (except the cheese on top). It is made like a risotto, but with vegetable broth. It's pretty good! I got the recipe from a book called 10 Things You Need To Eat, by Dave Lieberman and Anahad O'Connor.
After mushrooms have "liquified", about 10 minutes, stir in 1t ground allspice and fresh ground black pepper. Add 2C whole wheat orzo and mix together.
Add 3C vegetable broth and bring to simmer, stirring often, until absorbed and risotto-like, about 20 min.
Top with grated Parmesan and crushed toasted pecans.
He also gets a sprig of steamed broccoli, some purple carrot discs, and baby carrots. I put a bunch of red grapes in, and the red section contains cottage cheese topped with sliced strawberry + kumquat, and a blackberry. I tossed some chopped almonds over that. Finally, I steamed a purple Okinawan sweet potato and cut it into a flower shape, poking a few holes with a straw. The leaves were cut from cucumber. Luckily this box has a convex top, so the flower will not be smushed. I should really use this box more often; it's so pretty. :)
Here it is:
Cook 10oz roughly chopped crimini (or other) mushrooms and 1 finely chopped onion in olive oil.After mushrooms have "liquified", about 10 minutes, stir in 1t ground allspice and fresh ground black pepper. Add 2C whole wheat orzo and mix together.
Add 3C vegetable broth and bring to simmer, stirring often, until absorbed and risotto-like, about 20 min.
Top with grated Parmesan and crushed toasted pecans.
He also gets a sprig of steamed broccoli, some purple carrot discs, and baby carrots. I put a bunch of red grapes in, and the red section contains cottage cheese topped with sliced strawberry + kumquat, and a blackberry. I tossed some chopped almonds over that. Finally, I steamed a purple Okinawan sweet potato and cut it into a flower shape, poking a few holes with a straw. The leaves were cut from cucumber. Luckily this box has a convex top, so the flower will not be smushed. I should really use this box more often; it's so pretty. :)
Monday, April 5, 2010
Smoked Salmon Bagelwich Bento
Can't believe our week off is over already, though in a way it feels like I've been away for quite a long time! I haven't been thinking about bento at all this past week, so it was tough to get back into the bentomaking routine again. Today was a beautiful day and we enjoyed our lunch outside in the garden. As I was eating, I thought, what a delicious lunch....why not make it for bento?
I used whole wheat bagel thins (just like sandwich thins but with a hole!), spread with cream cheese, and layered smoked salmon. If I had pickled onions and dill I would have added it, but then again I think my boy prefers not quite so many levels of aromatics. I placed some green lettuce around it, and he can put it in the quartered bagelwich if he likes. I also gave him a cup of spring greens with sliced peppadews and twin kumquats. I had this exact lunch myself today, so I know what a great combo it is! For dessert I threw in a strawberry and some grapes. Since this bento looks a bit ordinary, I added a couple of cute animal baran to go along. There; now it's a fun bento!
Happy Monday!
I used whole wheat bagel thins (just like sandwich thins but with a hole!), spread with cream cheese, and layered smoked salmon. If I had pickled onions and dill I would have added it, but then again I think my boy prefers not quite so many levels of aromatics. I placed some green lettuce around it, and he can put it in the quartered bagelwich if he likes. I also gave him a cup of spring greens with sliced peppadews and twin kumquats. I had this exact lunch myself today, so I know what a great combo it is! For dessert I threw in a strawberry and some grapes. Since this bento looks a bit ordinary, I added a couple of cute animal baran to go along. There; now it's a fun bento!
Happy Monday!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Tiger Sandwich Bento
My Year of the Tiger bento!
Yes, he's a pointy-headed tiger. I'm pretty fixed on the pointy headed animals; don't know why. Maybe I should have made the ears bigger to compensate. Anyway, it's a sardine sandwich, made with tomato, basil, and celery, and I actually fit two sandwiches in this box. The lid is raised pretty high, so you can cram a lot of food in these little boxes.
In the mama box I put some kale I baked with olive oil, a la Steamy Kitchen, and it was crispy and awesome when fresh, but it probably won't be by MisterMan's lunchtime. It's okay. I'm betting he'll still inhale it :)
Finally, in the baby box I managed to squeeze in some blood orange slices, a strawberry and a tiny kumquat.
The photo is a bit busy, but I really wanted to use this bamboo forest fabric for my tiger bento, so that's how it goes. Here's how they look all closed up. It's a hippo family set!
Yes, he's a pointy-headed tiger. I'm pretty fixed on the pointy headed animals; don't know why. Maybe I should have made the ears bigger to compensate. Anyway, it's a sardine sandwich, made with tomato, basil, and celery, and I actually fit two sandwiches in this box. The lid is raised pretty high, so you can cram a lot of food in these little boxes.
In the mama box I put some kale I baked with olive oil, a la Steamy Kitchen, and it was crispy and awesome when fresh, but it probably won't be by MisterMan's lunchtime. It's okay. I'm betting he'll still inhale it :)
Finally, in the baby box I managed to squeeze in some blood orange slices, a strawberry and a tiny kumquat.
The photo is a bit busy, but I really wanted to use this bamboo forest fabric for my tiger bento, so that's how it goes. Here's how they look all closed up. It's a hippo family set!
Happy Chinese New Year, friends!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Teriyaki Salmon & Pink Heart Rice Bento
Today's bento has teriyaki salmon on a lettuce wrap, with a roasted sweet yellow pepper vase of roasted pencil asparagus. Two red radish heart details make it eligible for the RED contest at hapabento's blog!
I also made a pink heart riceball using beet. On top of it I place a carrot sakura blossom with peapod and sesame seed detail. As an aside, I thought I would try to make pink rice during cooking by throwing a washed, peeled raw beet into the rice cooker. Maybe some of you have tried this before? I thought all the beet juice would come out and soak into the rice while cooking. Ha! What I ended up with was a nice cooked beet sitting on top of a nice batch of rice-colored rice! So I had to dye the rice afterwards, in a small bowl with the chopped up cooked beet and a little extra water.
Fruit side has blood orange slices, red grapes and kumquat halves. I put nori detail on them, which sounds weird, but kumquats have a strange taste -- kind of tart / a bit sweet -- anyway, so what's a little nori gonna do?
You'll also notice new utensils I got as a gift from a dear friend! It's keroppi, and his little face is stamped on the fork and spoon! So cute, thank you!! I have more too... and you will see them in the near future... ^_^
I also made a pink heart riceball using beet. On top of it I place a carrot sakura blossom with peapod and sesame seed detail. As an aside, I thought I would try to make pink rice during cooking by throwing a washed, peeled raw beet into the rice cooker. Maybe some of you have tried this before? I thought all the beet juice would come out and soak into the rice while cooking. Ha! What I ended up with was a nice cooked beet sitting on top of a nice batch of rice-colored rice! So I had to dye the rice afterwards, in a small bowl with the chopped up cooked beet and a little extra water.
Fruit side has blood orange slices, red grapes and kumquat halves. I put nori detail on them, which sounds weird, but kumquats have a strange taste -- kind of tart / a bit sweet -- anyway, so what's a little nori gonna do?
You'll also notice new utensils I got as a gift from a dear friend! It's keroppi, and his little face is stamped on the fork and spoon! So cute, thank you!! I have more too... and you will see them in the near future... ^_^
Monday, February 1, 2010
Lentil Curry Bento
Starting the week with the 4-square 4-color bento box!
Here's a little historical tidbit: Many moons ago, when hapabento and I were just young'uns, we each had a round bento box. We also had other boxes, but we noticed something interesting. Whenever we used the round box, the bento looked beautiful. Even when we were tired that day and only had leftovers, somehow the food you threw in the round box became a lovely bento. Try it, you'll see. Amazing, right? So, this box was christened The Magic Round Box. Its status remained until the appearance of hapabento's 4 Square Box. I was skeptical at first, but then I got one, and lo, it's true. I mean, look at it -- it's got 4 boxes within another box, all perfect stylized squares of varying colors. You can color-coordinate or not, mix and match flavors or textures, use a theme, the options are seemingly endless. Very cool, right? And so, the Magic 4 Square Box was born!
Anyway, back to today's bento: MisterMan got lentil curry over rice with carrot butterflies, purple potato chips, spring greens salad with peppadews and radish mushroom, and fruit box with grapes, red pear and sliced kumquats.
Radish has a heart shaped spot, did you notice it? And the red spotted background is one of a few that I got as a gift from a bento buddy... thank you!! It's just right to start off the "red" month of love... ^_^
Happy Monday bento friends!
Here's a little historical tidbit: Many moons ago, when hapabento and I were just young'uns, we each had a round bento box. We also had other boxes, but we noticed something interesting. Whenever we used the round box, the bento looked beautiful. Even when we were tired that day and only had leftovers, somehow the food you threw in the round box became a lovely bento. Try it, you'll see. Amazing, right? So, this box was christened The Magic Round Box. Its status remained until the appearance of hapabento's 4 Square Box. I was skeptical at first, but then I got one, and lo, it's true. I mean, look at it -- it's got 4 boxes within another box, all perfect stylized squares of varying colors. You can color-coordinate or not, mix and match flavors or textures, use a theme, the options are seemingly endless. Very cool, right? And so, the Magic 4 Square Box was born!
Anyway, back to today's bento: MisterMan got lentil curry over rice with carrot butterflies, purple potato chips, spring greens salad with peppadews and radish mushroom, and fruit box with grapes, red pear and sliced kumquats.
Radish has a heart shaped spot, did you notice it? And the red spotted background is one of a few that I got as a gift from a bento buddy... thank you!! It's just right to start off the "red" month of love... ^_^
Happy Monday bento friends!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Quinoa Salad Froggie Bento
I made quinoa salad for this bento. There are several different varieties of quinoa, which you may know about. I took a picture of the four that I happen to have in my pantry right now: clockwise from top left. Black, regular, red (Peruvian) and tricolor (which is just obviously the previous 3 kinds, already mixed together).
This time I used tricolor quinoa. It's so easy: just saute the veggies first (I used yellow capsicum, onion, garlic, carrots, zucchini), then add the quinoa and broth in a 1:2 ratio. It cooks in 15 minutes. After taking off heat, stir in diced celery, spring onion and almonds for crunch. Use your favorite flavorings: I used garlic powder and cumin this time and it was pretty good. This meal is healthy and tastes good at any temperature; even as a cold salad, making it perfect for bento. Quinoa is also a "perfect" protein, as it contains essential amino acids and yet is a (plant) grain. Plus, it's quick and easy to prepare. It's also good mixed in with oatmeal or other hot cooked cereal for breakfast.
In addition, he gets carrots, grape tomatoes, romanesco, and a cucumber frog. For fruit he has cherries, kiwi flowers and sliced kumquats. Ribbit!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Keroppi Rollups Toddler Bento
It's Keroppi! If you follow my tweets, you'll know that I was so excited to find this vintage Keroppi bento box in a second hand store I was browsing through in Hawaii recently. I was such a big fan of Keroppi as a schoolgirl, which does date me I suppose. Anyone else with me on this?
Anyway, it's such a tiny box...it's really kind of impractical. So, I decided its inaugural use would be as a snack for my toddler. After I made the rollups, though, I realized it was a pretty hefty meal after all. I used a fried egg and rolled with ham, spinach, and grated cheddar cheese, which promptly melted nicely on the hot egg and ham. I added a couple of grape tomatoes for color, which she loves, and in the tiny divided section I put 3 kumquats and some kiwi flowers.
Well, she took one bite of the kumquat and politely handed it back to me. It wouldn't be the first time I was the recipient of half-masticated foodstuffs. Such is the job of the mom, right?
Next time I think I'll slice them up thin and mix them in with pineapple or something else intensely sweet. Ha! I'll figure something out. ^_^
Anyway, it's such a tiny box...it's really kind of impractical. So, I decided its inaugural use would be as a snack for my toddler. After I made the rollups, though, I realized it was a pretty hefty meal after all. I used a fried egg and rolled with ham, spinach, and grated cheddar cheese, which promptly melted nicely on the hot egg and ham. I added a couple of grape tomatoes for color, which she loves, and in the tiny divided section I put 3 kumquats and some kiwi flowers.
Well, she took one bite of the kumquat and politely handed it back to me. It wouldn't be the first time I was the recipient of half-masticated foodstuffs. Such is the job of the mom, right?
Next time I think I'll slice them up thin and mix them in with pineapple or something else intensely sweet. Ha! I'll figure something out. ^_^
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