Breakfast For Lunch PlanetBox Bento

Breakfast For Lunch PlanetBox Bento

Working the PlanetBox Rover again, we played out one of our favorite themes: breakfast for lunch. Today's included pan-fried sausage and hard-boiled eggs. I guess the plain tart yogurt with fresh fruit topping (and pumpkin seeds) falls into the same category too. A side salad of chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, parmesan and fresh ground pepper pulls the whole thing into a more lunch-y type mode. I'd say. The yogurt is completely sealed inside the big dipper once the box is latched, so there'll be no leakage. I omitted dressing on the salad, because that won't stay in the section. If you so desire, you could send dressing along in the little dipper, which would sit in the section where the egg is (and there is definitely enough room to double up the eggs and squeeze it in. Quick and easy! I'm really liking this box already.

Eggplant Curry Without Okra Panda Bento

Eggplant Curry Panda Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

I packed eggplant curry for this TinySprite bento (see my method and recipe here), although I had to omit the okra (my favorite element) because I couldn't find any. Perhaps it's out of season. It was still tasty, just without the added special texture that okra brings. It's topped with chopped cilantro. The top tier of the panda bowl holds strawberries and blueberries, a baby satsuma mandarin, grapes, pumpkin seeds, and a tomato with some carrot curls. We have a short week due to the Presidents Day holiday and other activities, so after Valentines Day parties and fun we'll be closing in on the weekend. Woohoo!

Added to What's For Lunch.

Black Bean and Sausage Stew Bento

Black Bean and Sausage Stew Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

When the weather turns frigid our thoughts turn to... warming soups and stews. How about you? This time it's a black bean and chicken sausage stew packed in TinySprite's Hello Kitty thermal food jar. The cute stainless-lined snack pack box contains (on one side) Greek yogurt topped with pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, and the usual assortment of berries and nominal veggies. If the main dish is already packed with vegetation, then I can go easy on the side box. Plus, both my kids are drinking homemade green drinks daily, which ensures another big serving of both fruit and vegetables. Win!

Added to What's For Lunch.

Penne Pasta Bolognese Bento

Penne Pasta Bolognese Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Last time I made bolognese (here) I showed you TinySprite's bento. This time I'll show you MisterMan's version. It's the same, except he gets regular wheat pasta; this penne is made with tomato and carrot puree so it looks orange. I lay the pasta on a bed of lettuce, then spoon the sauce over, and top with parmesan and a few steamed Okinawan sweet potato cut into star shapes. In the upper tier of this cool EcoLunchBox he gets Greek yogurt with pumpkin seeds and wheat germ, and the usual fruit and veggies to the side (carrots, broccoli, strawberries and grapes).

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?

LunchBots Quad Review for TinySprite Bento

LunchBots Quad for TinySprite Bento, a photo by sherimiya ♥ on Flickr.

Today's bento for TinySprite was packed in the 4-sectioned stainless steel Quad bento box made by LunchBots. When I first saw this box I was so excited -- it combined my two favorite bento box elements: divided compartments and stainless steel construction. LunchBots has offered the 2-sectioned Duo and the 3-sectioned Trio previous to the Quad. I have both of those, and I know the quality and durability are excellent, but I was curious to see whether the design of the Quad is as practical as it seemed. First of all, the all-stainless steel box is as well-made as the previous versions, as far as I can tell so far, and I've used this box a handful of times already. The smaller sections make it perfect for a child with a smaller appetite, who might welcome a greater variety of food in lesser amounts, especially if they are kept separate and not touching. So here I've packed a cheesy turkey dog whole wheat rollup, cut into fourths, which fit perfectly in one section. I topped the pieces with cute picks and a few steamed Okinawan sweet potato cutouts. In another section I fit a silicone cup of yogurt topped with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ. A few steamed broccoli florets fill out the rest of the section. A selection of fruit occupy the third part, and the last contains a homemade whole wheat blueberry muffin and some raw carrot sticks. Verdict? She loved it! I have to admit it looks pretty fun and interesting with all the different components. Keep in mind this box (like the Duo and Trio) does not keep the sections completely watertight, so I would refrain from packing saucy or drippy foods. Notice that for the yogurt I used a silicone cup, which successfully kept it contained. The lid is tight (not watertight), and will not fall off during normal usage, although you can easily slip an elastic band around it for extra safety. My preschooler can remove the lid herself without problems. In short, I love this box -- it's perfect for a child-size appetite and appeals to the younger set's natural preference for variety and separation. If you'd like a chance to win this box (or any other LunchBot of your choice), leave a comment at the giveaway post here and I'll pick a winner at random on Friday. I've been reading lots of great ideas for bento-packing there so far!

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!

Red Spring Bento

Red Spring Bento, originally uploaded by sherimiya ♥.

This bento ended up with lots of red in it, which wasn't planned, but which nicely represents the feeling of spring awakening with lots of color!

Along with more chicken and furikake rice, I added a piece of steamed broccoli and a giant cherry tomato. The salad is composed of watercress tossed with diced Cara Cara oranges (with their nice dark orangey-red hue) and crushed walnuts. The third section has cottage cheese studded with ripe strawberry slices and sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and wheat germ.

And because I am currently obsessed with beet-painting satsumaimo sakura blossoms, there are a bunch of those too! Instead of fingerpainting them, you can also simply steam a slice of satsumaimo with a slice of beet on top (you can layer them alternately too) and the beet color will stain the imo it's touching. The color comes out uneven, lending a kind of "tie-dye" effect which is really cool! It might have been prettier to make a lighter pink color, but I guess I got kinda carried away. Well, plenty of chances to try again! ^_^

Honey Shiso Pork Bento

Honey Shiso Pork Bento, originally uploaded by sherimiya ♥.

MisterMan gets honey shiso pork in this bento. The meat was marinated in cider vinegar, honey and julienned shiso, then grilled. The recipe actually calls for pork chops, but I used pork strips for ease of eating. You could also simply cut the meat off the bone after cooking as well. Next to the pork I packed roasted brussels sprouts and diced purple potatoes. The sprouts and potatoes were roasted side by side, tossed in olive oil and garlic powder, as per my usual custom.

The other sections contain juicy ripe strawberries, blueberries, and a little cuplet of cottage cheese scattered with chopped raspberry jewel plum and wheat germ. On top, I placed a clover of pumpkin seeds -- after all, it's nearly St. Patrick's Day. Happy St. Patty's Day, bento friends!