Wouldn't it be nice if we could all sleep in on Saturday. Actually my fat cat sleeps in on Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday too. Can you tell...It's so difficult to move him when it's time for me to lay down. I must just be jealous. Can you roll yourself into a cotton ball?
Today's bento is full of color and different foods from the food pyramid helped along by lots of leftovers. Backed chicken breast, steamed white rice, ginger, soy/mirin glazed eggplant, clementine wedges, mixed nuts/dried fruit and mini treat. Wow a feast... 
Lunch tomorrow is a flower bed of treats. Jasmine rice with pickled ginger, tamago with furatake, spinach roll, cherry tomato and mixed nuts. I think I have included most of the colors in this balanced vegetarian bento, lowfat and full of variety. Lunch is looking up. 
Tomorrow's bento is filled with white bean chicken chili and sweet rice. I am into experimenting with my rice cooker and trying different varieties of rice. This rice is new to our family. It is very small grain and almost clear when cooked. It is called Golden Crane Premium Sweet Rice which was purchased at an oriental grocery store in Homestead, Florida. If I were more authentic I would have purchased pickled plums to top the rice but at $5.99 for a tiny jar I wasn't feeling the need to be too authentic. Instead I have topped the rice with pickled ginger which I know I love. At first my teenage girls were very suspicious of my new rice selection. Once they tried it, it was an instant success. In fact, they ate their father's portion so I had to make a new pot for his supper. 
My second take at Artesian Bread using my new Christmas cookbook (Artesian Bread in 5 Minutes a Day). This crunchy loaf just out of the oven is approximately a two pound loaf baked on my tried and true pizza stone. The bread is 50% whole wheat and 50% white flour. This was the first time I have ever used a steam pan while baking bread, it really worked. Lots of fun and it tastes good too. My first loaf was almost completely consumed before I got my camera out. 
Smile! It's Wednesday and it's warming up in Miami. Today's bento is a ham and spinach sandwich on whole wheat roll with clementine and mini golden raisin fruit cake. The thermos is filled with turkey noodle soup. Lots to eat, but in my defense my afternoon snack is in there somewhere. Have a great day. 
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It's cold every where in the nation, but when it snows in Florida you know it's cold. We, the spoiled ones of the south, rarely buy sweaters and never buy coats unless we are traveling north. My girls were making fun of me at church because my winter coat is a hand me down from my sister and it is 18 years old. They are especially embarassed by the thick shoulder pads in the sleeves. I love it. It is warm. This bento will also be warm. I will not bore you with my simple sandwich, just flash my shiny new thermos. The container is actually a food jar with a wide mouth that could hold any hot casserole, chili, or liquid without fail. The performance rating states it will keep foods hot 7 hours and foods cold for 9 hours. The container holds 16 oz. and has lots of bento potential. Stay warm...They can laugh, but I'll be toasty.
These tiny condiment bottles arrived in a Christmas gift box weeks ago. They are bento perfect. 1.4 oz size. For now I will use up the gourmet mustards and jellies. Later they will hold skim milk for my coffee, salad dressings and other liquids. How easy to "re-purpose". Is that even a word?
Something about this bento called to my heart and as you know by now, that's all it took. These cute little bento girls were under my Christmas tree this year with one click of the mouse and remind me of my sisters. We are three in a row, I am the one in red (my favorite color). Today's bento is fruit and vegetable heavy, no starch. Chicken breast, grapes, and oven roasted peppers. The little green bento is papaya for my snack at 4 pm. My sisters and I are scattered across the country with families of our own. Today I will miss them a little less. They are my best friends.
Back to bento, time to get with the program now that I am back to school. Today I started using my bento to create Weight Watcher lunches. My goal is to gradually lose 10 pounds over the next few months. I intend to be good to myself eating healthy foods whenever possible. I intend to monitor portion sizes very closely by measuring when serving and creating meals. My other New Years resolutions include: be more creative, and complain less; be more grateful and desire less possessions; trust more and worry less; reflect and journal more; appreciate those around me more and take better care of myself. I know this is a tall order but that's what self reflection is all about...improvement. Wish me luck!
