Silly Tourist on a Hill

That's me in Ireland with a great big smile on my face. I just got back from a 13 day tour of  the entire coast of Ireland and had the best of times. We started out in Dublin and traveled south around the entire coast of Ireland . Along the way we visited in many little towns and cities and learned so much about the history of this beautiful country. It was a true joy for me since my ancestors stem from Ireland and it was like I was hearing their story for the very first time through their eyes. What a joy! I only took about one thousand photos and I    have already printed over 500 of them to scrapbook and share. They should keep me busy for a while. Along the way I will post a few on my blog to share the journey and some of the food, but mostly the beauty.

Double Spinach Rollup

Sandwich roll ups are a grab and go basic for "Back to School" in my bento recipe box. They look a little like sushi rolls when they are tucked away in the corner of the box but are quick and easy to roll in the morning.These rolls are on a low fat, high fiber spinach tortilla with goat cheese and baby spinach leaves. I have also tried whole wheat tortillas with peanut butter and banana slices.
The possibilities are endless. Think cream cheese and strawberries, yum.

Lasagne Cupcakes Bentoriffic

This summer I am trying out new low fat recipes for use during the school year and in bento lunches. This recipe is from the HUNGRY GIRL cookbook series by Lisa Lillien called "300 under 300. I treated myself to her latest cookbook yesterday at the bookstore. Each portion is less than 200 kcal and chunk full of lean ground turkey, mushrooms, onions, fat free ricotta cheese and spinach. The mock noodles are wonton wrappers. They were a great success at our dinner table and will definitely make their way into our lunch routine.

Granola Bars with Blueberry Jammy Bits

 The best buttery homemade granola bar ever. Definitely not low calorie. These babies are created with walnuts, macadamian nuts, blueberry bits, oatmeal, sugar, cinnamon, butter and butter. That's not a typo. My husband loved them. They taste more like a cookie bar than a granola bar. I followed the recipe for homemade granola bars on the King Arthur Flour Recipe Blog. I am going to have to serve these slowly over time to spare the calories. I guess you only live once, these buttery sensations are definitely a calorie splurg.

Berry Berry Fruit and Yogurt Muffins

These delicious muffins are based upon the recipe High Fiber Fruit and Yogurt Muffins  from King Arthur Flour's recipe blog. They are part of my summer baking challenge to create from scratch and use up bits and pieces in the house. The original recipe called for one cup of dried fruit so I tossed in 1/2 cup of raspberry jammy bits and 1/2 of blueberry infused cran-raisins. The muffin papers are from Ikea and they are the best.

Homemade Furoshiki

Yesterday I decided to try my hand at making a reversible furoshiki.The dimensions are 21 inch by 21 inch which is large enough to cover a two tier bento box (medium size). I used two pieces of fabric each 5/8th of a yard and trimmed them to 22" by 22". The project cost me about $7.00 to complete and encouraged me to pull out the old sewing machine. After a little dusting, maybe I'll be inspired to repair a few garments before putting the old girl back in the closet. :)

School's Out for Summer, Time to Play

I apologize for the long absence from blogging but it's been a very busy school year. I have continued my committment to creating bentos everyday but have not had time to photo document. Walking through Borders the other day, look who I found looking up at me. She is an adoreable sushi bento girl. She is part of a new Borders collection. They look like paperchase made specifically for Borders. She has a little hashi set that includes, spoon, fork and chop sticks. The bag is bright with sakura design. She will be a nice addition to my Back to School gifts from me to me. I need something to keep me motivated year after year. Eleven years teaching middle school students, that's alot of packed lunches.