Pikachu Bento!

Totoro got me thinking about Pokemon, and especially Pikachu. I don't think I've made one in a long time, so here's a snack bento with a Pikachu cut from a turmeric hard-boiled egg. I sliced the egg in half lengthwise so I could use the other half for ears, tail, hands and feet. I used nori for detail, and apple peel for his cheeks. Also in our Lunchbot Clicks: black rice, carrots, lettuce, and plum.

There he goes. Can you catch him? ^_^ 

Pikachu Chili Bento

Pikachu Chili Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Today the kids got vegetarian chili in their bento; chock full of whatever I could find in the fridge and pantry. The top tier has the usual colorful fruits and such, along with what's currently pickling in my fridge: carrots + daikon, red onions, and bittermelon + cauliflower. That last one is kind of a tough sell. I think I'm going to try adding something else to counter the bitterness; I have some ideas. And since I was in a creative mood, I decided to freehand a little cheddar Pikachu. I used my tiny paring knife and carved out his face and body, but don't look too close at his back leg. A little nori and carrot detail and voila! Hey, it wasn't that hard after all. ^_^

Pikachu and Pokeball Bento

Pikachu and Pokeball Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

This is a no-cook bento using (by request) the last of the pizza we got from Tony's. I supplemented with two hard-boiled eggs: one chicken egg dyed in golden beet juice and decorated as Pikachu with nori details, and one quail egg placed inside a matching sized halved cherry tomato and decorated as a pokeball with nori details. I cut all the nori by hand, which was definitely the most time-consuming part of making this bento. I packed everything together with the usual sides: steamed broccoli and Okinawan sweet potato, carrots, grapes and a big juicy strawberry. Pika!

Meowth Pokemon Bento

Meowth Pokemon Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Okay, not an Easter bento but MisterMan requested a Pokemon bento so here it is. I had to scan the Pokemon directory (yes, such a book exists, luckily in his library) to find one with "a round face with bumpy edges" to match the ravioli I had. Have you heard of Meowth? Well, I hadn't -- but apparently he is a talking Scratch Cat Pokemon member of Team Rocket, who does much of the brain work behind their criminal schemes. I decorated the spinach and three cheese ravioli with carrot, radish and nori details for his face, and used somen for his whiskers. He is accompanied by peapods, tomatoes, grapes, and a strawberry. Hurry and eat this one before the Pokemon get it... they look hungry...

Chili and Corn Bento

Chili and Corn Bento, originally uploaded by sherimiya ♥.

Today's bento has veggie chili with 3 kinds of beans, as well as chopped cauliflower and zucchini hidden within. If you do this, you might want to chop the veggies small enough that they are unrecognizable, depending on how astute your kids are. I got lazy and just threw in the chunks, so my kids immediately pointed out that those white things were cauliflower and not tofu, which is what my hubs initially assumed.

I also put in a piece of yellow corn. Doesn't it look bright and summery? I love yellow in bento. Besides corn, I like yellow carrots and sweet yellow peppers; I think this color really makes the food look cheerful and delicious :) I decorated the corn with a carrot flower and cilantro leaves. And because chili goes with rice, I put some in a little cup as well, with nori and ume furikake sprinkled on top.

We have some nice fruits in the house right now, and I was able to give him cherries, a big juicy sliced strawberry, and some kiwi flowers.

All packed up in my new Pokemon box!! Isn't it cute? I got it at Ichiban Kan, which I was surprised to discover is now carrying "designer" bento boxes now. They always in the past had stocked a few Hamtaro and Hello Kitty bento accessories, but usually the boxes were other, widely available brands. So, my boy will be happy to see this at lunchtime. He is still very excited about the Pokemon books these days ^_^

Koffing Bento

Koffing Bento, originally uploaded by sherimiya ♥.

Koffing Pokémon, made of Okinawan sweet potato with satsumaimo and regular sweet potato detail. Toxic yellow cauliflower "gases", atop homemade vegetarian pad thai. Peapods, purple cauliflower, and "lotus cut" radish. True lotus should have been more curving at the bottom; I will try again next time. It added a bit of bright red accent to this side which I felt it needed.

Fruit section has red grapes, strawberries, raspberries, green plum, orange sunsugar cherry tomatoes. No-salt cottage cheese with pumpkin seeds and wheat germ. Usually I put fruit in here, but probably my boy will eat it with the berries anyway.

MisterMan has currently interrupted his Star Wars phase to obsessively read the series of Pokémon books he inherited from his cousins when we visited over Labor Day... he would stay up all night if we let him :|