Mini Muffins Jag

Thanks to one of my favorite bloggers I have gone on a mini muffin rave. Over the weekend I made this batch of fat free cranberry orange muffins (mix) and stashed them in the freezer for lunches. I love the little size for bento and portion control. Yesterday I made banana nut muffins. They started out as a low fat recipe mix until my DH asked me to add walnuts. Oh well, I tried...Today he packed his banana nut muffins for lunch. Does packing six muffins at a time count as portion control.  I know they are little but that's ridiculous. 

Enoki Roll Snack

While wandering through a local Oriental Market on Friday I found this little packet of enoki mushrooms for $1.00. These little mushrooms fall in the category of cute without even doing anything. They are pretty, delicate and have such cute little tops. I remembered a recipe for bacon wrapped enoki and scooped them up. Instead of bacon I wrapped these beauties in thin sliced Canadian bacon strips, secured them with a toothpick and broiled them. They are displayed in my small bamboo steamer. The whole batch were 1 weight watcher point. I think they would look grand in a bento and also taste great while watching World Cup don't you?

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

Trick or Treat Bento #17

Halloween Bento lunch composed of Cashew Chicken, white rice, orange slices and pumpkin bread. How can I resist the urge to nibble before lunch. I am really looking forward to Halloween this year even though my kidlets are all too big to Trick or Treat. Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. I am very partial to candy. The pumpkin bread was at special request of my dh. He saw pumpkin muffins in Whole Foods today for $2.50 a piece. Despite the fact that he was drooling I couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money on one muffin. Instead I went home and made two (2lb.) loaves from ingredients I had on hand. Does that make the pumpkin bread free? I did only pay .25 cents for the can of pumpkin several months ago. One loaf is destined for the deep freezer, the other loaf will be history in short order. YUM!

Lightly Falls the Leaves of Autumn: Bento # 17

I tried to come up with some clever title for this autumn post but it's really hard to stay focused in October when it's 85 degrees outside. Our leaves only change two colors: green and yellow (then their dead). I vaguely remember reds, oranges, yellows and brown from my childhood in upper New York State. I think it may be time for a road trip. I digress. Today's bento is composed of a ham sandwich on whole wheat bread with a mixed salad filled with cashews, cherry tomatoes, provolone cheese leaves and mint. I am trying to work on incorporating some healthy nuts into my diet. My little snack is cheese and crackers with a sprig of mint for color.