Eco-friendly Bento Find

I found these glass containers at the Container Store sitting next to lots of other lovely bento quality containers. They are refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher and microwave safe. I was sold when I saw the colors and the cute pop art flowers etched into the glass. They look like Spring to me and remind me of the 70's. They are made by an Italian company called Bormioli Rocco (you can google them, they have a website). The large container is 600 ml and I intend to make large leafy salads in it for lunch. The smaller side car is deceptively big. It is 500 ml, with taller sides. It works well if your placing food that needs to be reheated on a bed of rice. They are sturdy, although I would not use them in a child's box. I bounced one off the floor in my lunch box two days ago and it survived without damage, so I think they are tough enough for clumsy adults like me.

It's all a blur...

I think this picture is a fine expression of my Christmas season thus far. Starting today, I intend to slow things down a great deal and enjoy the little moments. Lots of good food consumed and friends enjoyed, it is time to begin the New Year with more time for myself and contemplation. Wishing all of my bento friends a Very Blessed Holiday and Happy New Year.

Thank You Mr. Postman

Look what the postman brought me after a quick click of the mouse on the internet. I have been saving my pennies for months to purchase this beauty and scouring internet ads. Thanks to all of the good advice from my friends on Just Bento.com I decided on the 10 cup version since I have a big family. I think they will be seeing a lot of rice this year. One of my new years resolutions is to enjoy my home appliances more and cook away. The simple pleasures in a very busy world.

Winter Bento #30

Today's bento continues along the desperately seeking low fat bento category. The white rice is about a half cup with furatake in the snowman container. I considered making the rice into a snow man but I am out of steam. The broccoli and orange slices accompany leftover pot roast slices. The side car is for snack time. I do love my new little glass bento box. It is only 500 ml but contains enough to be satisfying for lunch.

Mini Christmas Bento # 29

In keeping with my need to reduce calories this morning's bento is in a small bento box with an even smaller snack container for afterschool. The glass bento is filled to the brim with a serving of brown rice, furitake, tuna and dried tomato salad, cherry tomatos and orange slices. The snack bento is filled with the remainder of half an orange, dried cranberries and a nibble of cashews. Lots of Mono Unsaturated Fats in this duo for the day.

After Thanksgiving Remorse Bento #28

What a lovely Thanksgiving Weekend with lots of food. Thus today's bento filled with lettuce, tomato, hearts of palm, chopped egg and sliced turkey. The container looks huge from this angle but it is around 600 ml. This turkey needs to get seriously low -fat this week.

Peanut Butter&Jelly Warm Up Bento #27

Since I will be consuming massive amounts of turkey over the next three days I decided to go vegetarian today. A simple pbj with cheese stick, whole wheat toast and a cereal bar for the end of the day. I will be fortified and ready for some serious "stuffing" by Thursday:). Wishing all of my cyber friends a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Please...Stay Home Today Mom

Every morning after the teenagers fly off to school with my husband, I get this face. She follows me from room to room with toys stuffed in her mouth. She cries like she has lost a puppy in the fray and she sulks. If you do not own a dog or have not known a dog well, I am sure you think I am nuts. If you are a dog person you understand. My dear girl is 10 years old, grey nozzled and slower now but she still needs to play. Just one or two tosses and shes lays down to nap. How can I resist!

Blessings for a Fruitful Thanksgiving, Bento #26

This little turkey sandwich is surrounded by grapes, pineapple, and orange slices. He's actually a vegetarian of course made out of peanut butter, jelly and whole wheat. Safe for now!

Healthy Kitty Bento # 26

Today's lunch is composed of Japanese meatball skewers. diced pineapple and steamed edamame. The great big apple is my afternoon snack afterschool. Light and easy for this Wednesay morning. Have a great day.

Savory Maple Glazed Pork Bento # 25

My lunch bento was last night's dinner. Maple and mustard glazed pork, sweet carrots, and roasted red pepper. Dessert is a little container of plum flavored applesauce. Simple, quick and good.

My Newest Acquistion

I purchased this cute little lunch kit last week at my daughter's school. The school was conducting a fund raiser for their tuition assistance program and held a holiday bazaar. One mom was representing her new endevour as sales representative for Green Irene LLC. The kit is made by Kids Konserve. I am very pleased with the quality of the lunch kit, stainless steel beverage bottle, two stainless steel food containers(275ml. each), a cloth napkin, plastic coated fabric pouch to wrap sandwiches and a cotton lunch sack. It was a little pricey I think at $40.00 for the set but I was able to feed my obsession and support the cause at the same time. Sneaky huh...it worked on my husband. Ho, ho, ho...tis the season.

El Cheapo Bento Find

The top containers were found in the baby care of section of Family Dollar Store for use as snack containers. They are not very sturdy but would be useful if you are not confident your container will always make it home. I am pretty dependable so they will last for me. The Christmas containers were intended for bubble gum cannisters. I tossed the gum and cleaned out the bases carefully. The design is a sticker but they will work well as mayo/mustard cups this season. What can you expect for $1.oo for an 8 pack.

Back on the Wagon Bento

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement. I'm back on the wagon. Today's bento is leftover spagetti, cheese crackers and mandarin oranges-simple but quick. I am in the process of replacing my refrigerator which is slowly dying. For the next week and a half we will be eating through what's left in the frig in order to prepare for the arrival of a brand new stainless steel refrigerator next Saturday. We have been saving for the new appliance for the past three years , crossing our fingers, hoping the old one had a few more months. Recently the refrigerator section had lost the ability to keep food really cold, an important factor for most cooks. Food has been spoiling super fast. Vegetables in the crisper are lasting three days from the store. The time has come to say goodbye-out with the old in with the shiny just in time for Thanksgiving.

Agaste and Agag-No Bento Today

I slipped out of the house today without packing a bento. I thought about it but didn't feel so bad since it was actually the first time I had not packed a bento since the beginning of school in

August. I packed a simple turkey sandwich and a cereal bar with a stainless steel water bottle. At lunch is when the slippery slope struck. As I saw the children in line with hot "Picadillo" and Rice for lunch my turkey sandwich did not look at all appetizing. Next thing I knew I was buying hot lunch for myself. How quickly we go down that slippery slope...It looked good, but it didn't taste as good as I had remembered. Worse though was the looks I received when I sat down to eat at the faculty table. Mouths dropped and I got lots of comments from the peanut gallery about my bento downfall. The shame was too much, I'll pack tomorrow I swear...

Target Find for Christmas Bento

Did you ever notice that everything looks like Bento these days. Target is just starting to put out it's Christmas collection in the dollar spot. This silicon mold was actually $2.50 on the higher end side of the display. There were Christmas Trees and Snowflake molds as well. They are muffin pans but I think they could be used to mold anything your little heart desires since they are heat resistant and silicon. Keep your eyes out for some snow action in Miami this holiday season. I have to get my snow fix somehow and it's much more fun than shoveling snow on the way to work in the morning. Ha Ha Ha or should it be HO HO HO!

Sunburst Bento on a Blustery Day

With Hurricane Ida in the gulf the winds are really blowing in our little town this weekend. This is my lunch for today. Roast Rosemary pork with baked new potatoes, and roasted herb vegetables on the side. The side car is my afternoon snack chedder shapes and WASA crackers.

Kamaboko Bento #22

This bento is filled with Kamaboko slices, edamame, pickled ginger, soy, furatake and white rice. For those unfamiliar Kamaboko is a white fish roll that is purchased in Oriental Markets. The taste is vaguely similiar to imitation crab meat but fishier. Last minute I added sliced lemon wedges to squeeze over top at lunch. I highly recommend the lemon twist.

Boring Bento # 21

Some days lunch is just lunch. Today is one of those days. This bento is last nights supper with edamame tossed in for added nutrition. It's typical school night fare. Barbeque baked chicken breast, steamed white rice, furitake and microwaved edamame. Seems awefully tame compared to some of my October Bentos but that's life in the fast lane. I did toss in a piece of Halloween candy for dessert at the last minute. A Saint I am not! Have a great day.

Sunny Sandwich and Soup Bento #20

This lunch bento is composed of a deconstructed flower sandwich (ham and cheese with whole wheat bread rounds). The soup is called "Two Bean Soup with Kale". I found the recipe in Cooking Light Oct. 2009 edition recycled from my mom's magazine pile. I guess you could say we share the subscription. She pays for it, reads it first and then I get to keep it. Pretty good deal on my part. Wouldn't it be great if friends could create more magazine circles to share the wealth. The soup is all vegetarian with vegetable broth, cannellini beans, black beans, diced canned tomatoes and fresh kale. It is very tasty. I don't think I have ever tried kale before but I really liked it in the soup. I cooked this version in the crock pot. One of my best friends as you well know. The recipe in the magazine says it can be prepared in 30 minutes start to finish (also a bonus).

Remarkably Carmel Confection

This is my treat this Halloween season. The trick or treaters have come and gone but these sticky confections are hiding in my refrigerator. As you can see I only made six of them to reduce the temptation. Gave two away and then there were three. Hee. Hee. Hee.

A Touch of Autumn

Sending all of my bento pals a touch of Autumn in the form of a sunflower bouquet. My husband was kind enough to escort me to the Farmer's Market on Saturday. I spied these beautiful sunflowers and decided they were destined to come home with me. I love the farmer's market since the food is incredibily fresh and cheap. I just wish they opened earlier on Saturday. I have to twiddle my thumbs to wait for 9 am to roll around. Saturday hours are very precious and I like to get as much done as possible before noon. Happy Autumn!

Two Pumpkins in Paradise Bento #18

My last bento before Halloween and I am pooped. Ran out to a parent meeting at my daughter's school last night only to find out that the meeting is actually in two weeks. I think I'll send my husband to that one. On a bright note since I arrived forty minutes early I did get a chance to read a magazine. This bento is composed of two pork buns on parchment, an edamame pumpkin patch with yam circles, cranberries and cashew smiles. Wishing you a happy day before Halloween.

Pasta Palace Perfect to Quick Bento

I know that "Bento Purists" will not see the link between gourmet style pasta and bento, but for this busy mom it's perfect. During the holiday season I am noticing special edition shapes like pumpkins, fall leaves, and turkeys that make great bento salads when combined with brightly colored vegetables. I have been using cherry tomatoes, orange and red bell pepper and cucumbers for quick crunchy additions. Toss with a low fat salad dressing and maybe a little mozzarella cheese shreads and you are good to go.

Happy Howlers Bento # 18

Boo! to you today. Lunch bento is filled with whole wheat ghost and provolone cheese slices, lettuce, ghostly cookies. Snack bento is filled with cranberry and apple salad for later in the day.

Hope you have a spooky Wednesday.

Pasta Pumpkin Bento # 18

Look carefully into my box and you will see what looks like shrunken heads of Jack-o-lanterns. Boo....I bought these irresistible pasta shapes that are Jack-0-lanterns with dreams of pasta salad and artichokes. Did you notice I forgot the artichokes? I think it is because I was at the point of brain freeze when it came time to make lunch. I had just finished two hours at Party City looking for Halloween costumes for my teenage daughters. We left the store empty handed. "Just shot me now!" and put me out of my misery, please. The bat box contains more of the yummy pumpkin bread with tiny Peanuts characters made out of fruit. Get it Charlie Brown in the pumpkin patch? Any hoot...the pumpkin box contains sliced pear with two caramels.