Bentocracy

Bento Italiano

2011-05-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like I'm still getting back into the bento groove...

Tomorrow's lunch is pan-grilled chicken tenderloins, a couple mushroom ravioli, and sauteed zucchini, with fresh raspberries and blackberries for dessert.

There's definitely not enough color or contrast in the main box :P

Most of my bento tools are still packed up in boxes (and are unlikely to be seen any time soon since we're moving when our lease is up due to our ridiculously loud upstairs neighbor--I think all but the essentials are just going to stay in the boxes), so I'm going to have to think more about color for decoration.

Market Fresh

2011-05-08T22:31:00.001-07:00

Sunday is Farmers' Market day here, which means I get great fresh local goodies for my Monday lunch.

Tomorrow, a mixed-greens salad with fresh red and golden raspberries, blackberries, and orange segments, topped with Craisins and walnuts.

Bento...maybe not quite. But I'm still looking forward to my fresh lunch.

Cakee Bites ZOMGFTW

2011-05-03T22:09:00.000-07:00

Hello all, and yes, I know, It's been a while...But I'm back...at least as regularly as I have ever been;) Since I last posted I've moved to a new city and started a new job. It's been a busy few months

I had a birthday recently, and a friend gifted me what has to be the next big thing in the dessert world.
Cakee Bites.

Ho-lee-cow.

That was (verbatim) my first thought as I bit into a red-velvet Cakee Bite. They're not just mini-mini-cupcakes or cupcake balls or donut holes. They're dense and rich and best slightly cool. They're a whole new thing. And the perfect size for a bento box.

Unfortunately, mine didn't last long enough to make it into a bento, so no in-situ pics. This time, at least.

Luxembürgerli!

2010-10-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

Luxembürgerli are luscious, bento-worthy cookies made by Sprüngli, a chocolatier / pastier in Switzerland.

They're like little macaroons (the European version, not the American cookie made with coconut)--little cookies sandwiching buttercream or chocolate ganache in the middle.

Flavors included chocolate and bourbon vanilla, but also champagne, salted caramel, hazelnut, mandarin, and absinthe.

The cookie is as light and melts away in your mouth with rich, sweet flavor.

They're heavenly...with a price to match. Sold by weight, the tiny little delights wind up being nearly 1 CHF each. But as a decadent once-in-a-while delight, why not?

Quick Quiche

2010-09-01T23:16:00.000-07:00

Another quick and easy lunch with a green salad, multicolored tomatoes, and red onions and two wedges of an egg-white and mushroom quiche.

I have to admit the quiche is straight from Costco. They're tasty, reasonably healthy, freeze well, and are easy to pop in the oven mid-week.

Tomato Salad Thursday

2010-08-19T09:12:00.001-07:00

There's a pretty decent Farmers' Market near my home on Tuesdays. This week I bought a bunch of organic heirloom tomatoes..purple, red, yellow, green, and orange. Delicious!

Here they are, cut into chunks and tossed with fresh mozzerella on a bed of arugula with a sprinkling of basil chiffonade on top. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar rounds out the salad.

Lettuce Wrap Lunch

2010-01-11T17:27:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I hope everyone had a great holiday season and the first weeks of the new year have been treating you right. My trip to Hawaii was great! We went scuba diving, hiking, and got to see Humpback whales. I'll post some food-related photos from the cruise in a few days or so.

Of course, I at waaay too much, so I'm trying very hard to be super healthy now that I'm home. I've been enjoying a lot of fish, but then I looked up the mercury content of what I had been eating--and discovered I had eaten the monthly recommended limit in three days.

Some days I feel like you can't win with food. Fish has mercury, soy can disrupt your hormone balance, meat is bad for your arteries, fruits and veggies are contaminated with pesticides....

Right now, Mr. Toro is in Kuwait (poor thing had to jump on a plane the day after we got back home), so today's lunch is mine. I made some chicken-mushroom lettuce wraps. They were super easy and turned out really tasty, even if they don't look terribly pretty.

Per serving:
4 oz. chicken breast
~1 cup crimini mushrooms
1 can water chestnuts
~1/2 cup cabbage

Cut all ingredients into a small dice. Cook until chicken is done and mushrooms have lost most of their water. Add in 1/4 cup dry sherry or sake or rice wine and 2T soy sauce and stir fry until mostly dry. Serve in lettuce leaves (I used romaine). You can serve with your choice of sauces as well--soya, thai peanut, and garlic chili would all be good.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-19T08:24:00.000-08:00

Hello, Bentocrats!

Once again, sorry about my absence--I had papers and finals December 5 through yesterday, so I've been busy and haven't been Bento-ing. I'm also leaving in a couple days for Hawai'i, so the gap will continue into the new year.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas (or had a Happy Hanukkah) and / or a great Holiday. Best wishes for a happy New Year!

See you soon,
Toro

Shrimp Enchi

2009-12-02T12:08:00.000-08:00

Today's lunch: shrimp and bean enchilada with salsa verde on red cabbage with a side of pico de gallo and guacamole.

My paper is due Friday, so I've been a busy bee with that. "Aviation, Climate Change, the EU ETS, and the Convention on International Civil Aviation: Conflict Over Air Quality and Air Travel." Wow, I'm putting myself to sleep with that one! :)

Orange / Orange

2009-11-30T17:33:00.001-08:00

A belated 'Happy Thanksgiving' to all. We spent the holiday in Los Angeles with some friends and family.

Tomorrow's lunch is Cajun-spiced Orange Roughy with red beans and brown rice, and cauliflower and broccoli. Dessert is orange wedges and giant red globe grapes.

This was a super quick dinner--it literally took less than ten minutes to prepare. I cooked up a pouch of 'Uncle Ben's Ready Rice,' then tossed it with a drained can of organic kidney beans. The fish got a sprinkle of Cajun seasoning, then a sear in a hot pan with just a brush of olive oil. The veggies got a quick steam in a covered pan, then a sprinkle of seasoning as well.

It was a really hearty, really healthy, darned tasty dinner--under 500 calories and 5 grams of fat, and I'm stuffed.

The Thanksgiving holiday, unfortunately, means finals are just around the corner, so I'm super busy with school work--I have a paper due Friday, and then my first final is next Wednesday. My brother and his family are also coming to visit for a week and a half starting Saturday, so I'm going to be juggling a lot. But I'm super excited to see my nephews, so I'll manage:)

Orange Chicken and Hawai'i Dreams

2009-11-16T20:55:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow's lunch is a quick bento of leftover orange-glazed chicken with water chestnuts, fried rice with snap peas and egg, and fried pot stickers.

Getting close to finals, so I'm starting to stress. I've been spending entirely too much time reading the U.S. Income Tax Code. Yes, it is as boring as it sounds.

On the plus side, my big brother and his family are coming to visit in just under three weeks...and a couple weeks after that, Mr. Toro, my parents, and I are going on a cruise to Hawai'i. We're definitely looking forward to getting away! Mr. Toro and I have been to O'ahu before, but it will be our first time to several other islands. We have a lot of great stuff planned, including whale watching, scuba diving, hiking, relaxing, and drinking fruity drinks with little umbrellas:)

Ugly Bento

2009-11-10T18:00:00.001-08:00

There's no structure to today's lunch...so it is the Ugly Bento.

Lunch is halibut fillets, coated in a spicy rub, then crusted with a little Parmesan cheese.

Underneath is a mushroom and Swiss chard risotto. I started with this recipe, but changed it fairly significantly.

First, I used omitted the scallops, so I skipped the first paragraph of the recipe. Then I used about a teaspoon of olive oil to saute the onions and garlic. After the mushrooms were cooked, as directed, I added a bunch of Swiss chard, cut into a fine chiffonade, and cooked it until it lost most of its moisture. Finally, I omitted the butter to keep the reicpe a little lighter; I also omitted adding the cheese, instead sprinkling a little on the top instead. I used chicken stock, but if you wanted to, vegetarian stock would substitute easily.

Guess What?

2009-11-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

Halibut!

Sorry, I know I'm not 8 years old, but that still cracks me up:)

My lunch for tomorrow is a Halibut fillet, quick seared in a pan, then simmered with broccoli and cauliflower in a yellow thai curry sauce, served over brown rice, and garnished with green onions and peanuts.

Three gyoza and some more veggies are in the bottom box. I wish I had some cute little sauce bottles to pack some soy sauce for the dumplings. Maybe I'll be able to get a couple packets of sauce from the dining facility at school.

I have a draft of a 30 page paper due on Friday on the legality of including international aviation in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (yes, it's about as interesting as it sounds :p), the obvious reason why I am blogging...the paper is almost done. Almost.

Ok, not quite. But it's getting there;)

Flying Fish

2009-11-01T21:25:00.000-08:00

So, after flying to Virginia last Monday, and back to California Friday, Mr. Toro is back on a plane to Virgina today for another conference. Crazy! So, today's Bento is another airline special--a good lunch for the cross-country trip.

Inside the bento is an assortment of home-made sushi, accompanied by some edamame, chicken and veggie potstickers, and seaweed salad.

The sushi selection includes tamago-yaki, California rolls, salmon, black cod in eel sauce, and albacore.

This is my first time making sushi attempting to buy only sustainable fish. Admittedly, it was hard passing up my favorites (tuna and yellowtail) but the store only had those from ecologically unsound sources. The end result was still mighty tasty, and I'm happy with myself.

OT: Hallowieners

2009-10-30T09:03:00.001-07:00

C'mon Mav! Do some of that pilot stuff!

Here's my doxies in their Halloween costumes. Pebbles has the faux-leather flight jacket, and Polly is in Nomex green.

Mr. Toro is wearing one of my old flight suits tomorrow, so the puppies are going to be his sidekicks;)

Jumbo Jet Bento

2009-10-26T11:41:00.000-07:00

Mr. Toro is off to Virginia today, so I packed him a jumbo bento to eat on the plane--hopefully it'll be better than airline food;)

In the bento: chicken seared in brown butter with heirloom tomatoes; swiss chard and beet greens tart; salad of spinach, roasted beets, and more; asparagus with olive oil and lemon juice; and roasted garlic bread.

As you might have guessed, I made a trip to the West Los Angeles Farmers' Market on Sunday, so dinner (and lunch leftovers) were chock-full-of fresh veggies.

Once again, I used this recipe for a delicious swiss chard tart. This time, I used 2/3 chard (beautiful golden stemmed swiss chard at the market this sunday) and 1/3 fresh beet greens, trimmed from the roasted beet roots in the salad. Also, I substituted Gouda cheese, just because.

The salad was amazing! I had a bunch of fresh spinach from the market which I tore into bite-sized pieces. Into the spinach, I tossed pomegranate seeds, walnuts, avocado, beets (roasted about 40 minutes with a sprinkle of salt and pepper), and cheese. The cheese was a find at the grocery store--a 'white Stilton,' meaning it wasn't made to mold into bleu cheese, with blueberries mixed in. It was creamy and sweet, and went perfectly with the pomegranate and other ingredients.

The chicken was cooked especially for this bento--for dinner we had orange roughy from the market, but I didn't think it would keep quite as well as chicken while Mr. Toro was traveling today--but it was cooked with the fish and the same way. I put about a tablespoon of butter in a hot pan and let it turn a nice caramel shade of brown. In went the fish and chicken, for a couple minutes each side. Into the middle of the pan I tossed an heirloom tomato, diced pretty small. The whole pan then went into a 350 degree oven for around 15 minutes or so. To serve, the buttery roasted tomatoes got spooned over top the protein.

Dessert last night was poached persimmon poured over vanilla bean ice cream. A dish of the poached persimmon is this bento's dessert.

The Invisible Bento

2009-10-21T07:53:00.000-07:00

For today's lunch, for a Halloween theme, is an Invisible Bento!

Okay, okay, I inadvertently deleted the photo before posting :)

Today's lunch is a fillet of pistachio-crusted Halibut on mashed sweet potatoes with a side of roasted asparagus.

I tossed a half-ounce of pistachios per 6 oz. fillet into a food processor. The fish then got a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper before a quick dip into a beaten egg (you could just press the fish in the nuts if you want to avoid eggs...the crust probably won't stick as thickly, but same idea), then a roll in the nuts. These got seared 3 minutes a side on the stovetop, then tossed into the oven at 400 F for another 10 minutes.

I tossed the asparagus on the side of the pan when I put the fish in the oven--the spears were nice and thin, so a 10 minute roast was perfect.

I made the sweet potatoes completely without fat--I 'baked' them in the microwave, then mashed them with a masher and a little water to loosen them up. Just a touch of cinnamon brought out their natural sweetness.

It was beautiful...I swear ;)

Spinach Pie in the Sky

2009-10-20T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today's lunch is a spinach pie made from the same recipe I used once before, but with some modifications. Instead of swiss chard, I used a 16 oz. bag of frozen chopped spinach I had on hand, as well as Gruyere cheese, and once again used cooking spray vice olive oil.

The result was a tasty tarte, although one with a more pungent flavor than the original recipe using chard. Both Mr. Toro and I agreed we preferred the dish with chard, however, this was still pretty tasty.

On the side is some sliced turkey breast and a half of a baked potato cut into slices. The potatoes we had for dinner were incredibly sweet--is that because there is a fresh crop right now? Regardless, they were very tasty.

Garnishes include sliced tomato, bleu-cheese stuffed olives, sun-dried tomato and olive tapenade, and some flat leaf parsley.

Hop Schwiiz

2009-10-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

Another not-too-exciting bento today--I have a paper due tomorrow, so the last few days have been all quick-and-easy cooking.

Lunch is sprouted-grain pasta topped with a ragout made of organic tomato sauce, grass-fed ground beef, zucchini, onion, garlic, and carrot. In the center is a little Swiss Cross made out of Parmesan cheese.

Mr. Toro is originally from Switzerland, which is why Swiss themes crop up from time to time. "Hop Schwiiz" is a crowd cheer for sporting events to support the national teams...usually accompanied by lots of cowbells ringing;)

Sprouted grain pasta is a new find for me. It's made from grains that have been allowed to sprout before they are milled into flour. Sprouted grain products are supposed to have higher levels of vitamins and nutrients, low glycemic index, and high protein as compared to regular flour products.

Taste-wise it's like whole wheat pasta. Texturally, it's a bit gluey, but it works just fine with heavier sauces. I wouldn't try it with cream sauces or broths.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Go Back Into The Water....

2009-10-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

I recently came across the Monterrey Bay Aquarium's website on issues related to the overfishing of the oceans, and was stunned by a lot of what I read. I supposed I always assumed that eating fish, any fish, was ecologically superior to meat or fowl, but overfishing, by-catch, and environmental damage are crushing the supplies of fish in the ocean.

I recommend everyone have a look at this website--it's full of great information written by experts in the field. And what's better is it's not just doom and gloom, but rather there are great guides on selecting fish from sustainable sources and suggestions for alternatives to unsound choices.

Tantalizing Thai

2009-10-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's lunch is leftover Thai yellow curry with rice noodles and mung bean sprouts.

This is a super easy weeknight dinner. I stir fried some fresh veggies--some from the farmers' market, and some from the grocery store--then added bottled curry sauce from Trader Joe's, then added some beautiful jumbo shrimp to poach in the sauce.

The rice noodles are a nice change from serving a curry over rice; I like the change once in a while. The bean sprouts add a nice fresh crunch.

A second look at my bento, and I notice the complete lack of contrast between all of the white ingredients and the white bento box. I think it might have looked a little more appetizing if I used one of my colored boxes or put some sort of garnish underneath to make the noodles and sprouts stand out. Oh well! That's one of the great things about eatable art--mistakes don't stay around too long;)

Yippie-yai-yay Mini Burgers

2009-10-13T22:54:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow's lunch is a pair of mini burgers topped with turkey bacon, lettuce, and golden heirloom tomato.

On the side are a collection of hand-cut sweet potato fries, a dish of organic cottage cheese, some more of those purplish cherry tomatoes from the farmers' market, and a couple of bleu cheese stuffed olives.

The mini burgers are made with grass-fed pastured beef from a small family farm in Northern California, the Lazy 69 Ranch

I ordered from this farm in the not too distant past and am beyond thrilled. I had been doing some reading on the health benefits of grass-fed beef, and went looking for a semi-local farm from which to order when I came across L69. Not only is it healthier than your standard supermarket grain feed beef, it is, in my opinion, much better tasting. Add in the benefits of spending my money supporting small farmers instead of feed lot producers, and I couldn't be happier. (Note: I don't have any relationship with this producer other than being a happy customer).

The sweet potato fries were sprayed with a little cooking spray, then baked at 350F for around 40-45 minutes. They're sweet and delicious, easy to make, and, according to a group of nutritionists, they are the most nutritious vegetable available. Win / win! I give mine a little sprinkle of sea salt when they're hot out of the oven, but Mr. Toro prefers them straight up.

Fish and Farmers' Market Freshness

2009-10-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

I went to the Sunday Farmers' Market in West Los Angeles again this week. I just love markets, especially when they're so full of such beautiful produce.

This week bunches of beautiful Swiss Chard caught my eye. I used this recipe to make a chard and onion tart. It was really delicious. Mr. Toro couldn't stop talking about how good it was. It's definitely on my make-again list. I altered the recipe slightly in that I eliminated the oil and just used a little cooking spray to saute the veggies.

The main dish for lunch is a halibut fillet, simply grilled with a little salt and pepper. It is crusted with a sun-dried tomato and olive tapenade.

On the side, in addition to the chard tart, are a couple of bleu-cheese stuffed olives as well as some lovely cherry tomatoes, also procured from the farmers' market. These had a lovely red and deep purple-green coloration and had a great deep tomato flavor.

Polenta Bella

2009-10-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

Mr. Toro is in Kuwait for the week, so here is my bento for tomorrow.

Lunch is leftover polenta, covered with tomato, beef, and zucchini ragu, and then decorated in the colors of the Italian flag with fresh basil leaves and shaved Parmesan cheese.

For dessert, I've packed some sweet raspberries.

The Road to Seoul

2009-10-04T18:30:00.001-07:00

Mr. Toro's parents have been visiting us for the last two weeks from their home in Switzerland--yet another excuse for my sporadic postings;)

For a farewell dinner we went to a Korean barbecue restaurant in Los Angeles called The Road to Seoul. I really enjoy KBBQ--I think the interactive cook-your-own on a personal table grill is fun and an entertaining way to have dinner.

In the photo you can see some of the banchan, or side dishes, as well as some meats on our grill. We ordered Bulgogi, a marinated beef, Kalbi, which is marinated boneless short rib, unmarinated shaved brisket, and unmarinated thick chunks of sirloin. This restaurant has a large variety of beef, pork, chicken, and seafood from which to choose, all-you-can-eat style, but we stick to a few favorite (and admittedly less adventurous) cuts.

Mr. Toro likes the brisket the best, but I think my favorite is the Kalbi when it is cooked to a nicely caramelized point on the grill. Mr. Toro is also enamored with the Paejon, or Korean pancake, which you can see in photo on the plate in the bottom right. It contains eggs, scallions, and other veggies--really tasty.

A very interesting part of this style of restaurant, at least in my limited experience, is that there are little doorbell-like buttons on each table--when you need service, be it refills of meats or banchan or extra napkins, you ring the bell and your server comes by the table.

It was the first time my parents-in-law had eaten KBBQ, but they really enjoyed the flavors.

...And the Winner Is....

2009-09-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Stars!!

I want to thank everyone who entered--I know bento-ers are a creative bunch and I was blown away by so many fantastic poems. I hope you had fun with the contest.

It was such a difficult decision, but in the end Stars just edged out the competition with an incredibly expressive poem which really captures the Bento experience.

Congratulations on the winning Bento poem:

Unfolding the cloth
Untie furoshiki knot
Spread flat on a table

Layer on layer
Stacked up, tiered uniformly
Banded together

Leveling layers
Sprawling before all senses
Reveal insides

Compressed golden grains
Flooded by deep brown rivers
Topped with leaves, green sprigs

A present, pleasant
Surprise, discover inside
Contents are arranged

Symmetric patterns
Comprised of fresh vegetables
Intricately cut

Bento, it is art
Sculpted beauty, compassion
A true way of life

Please email me with your mailing information at: doxielove213@gmail.com and I'll send your bento right out.

Contest ends Friday

2009-09-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder to enter for your chance at a Bento Box by this Friday!! See the Sept. 4th post for rules and to enter.

Halibut at Home

2009-09-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

My morning class today got canceled, so I made a nice lunch for myself at home.

Here is a pan-seared halibut fillet with avocado on a bed of baby lettuce and a bowl of creamy tomato soup.

Shrimp Salad with Grilled Veggies

2009-09-11T09:09:00.001-07:00

Mr. Toro's lunch today is a shrimp salad on a bed of lettuce and shaved carrots with grilled zucchini, garnished with fresh dill and celery fronds. Dessert is a cup of diced seedless watermelon and a krispy treat.

I think mayonnaise is disgusting--I have always hated the taste, even as a child. Add in the fact it is profoundly unhealthy, and I'm happy not to use any.

The shrimp salad has a dressing made out of plain non-fat organic yogurt, dijon mustard, fresh dill, and black pepper. Tossed in is some fire grilled shrimp, leftover from dinner, and some celery and carrots.

--Edit: I forgot to mention I also used a squeeze of lime and some red pepper flakes in the dressing--

The zucchini is likewise leftover from dinner--I sliced it on the bias so it would be less likely to slip through the grill, then brushed it lightly with olive oil. About 6-8 minutes on the grill and voila, delicious.

Breakfast Bento

2009-09-08T21:21:00.000-07:00

A little breakfast for the morning...

The top box has an egg cup. To make them, I sprayed a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, then wrapped a slice of turkey bacon around the cup of a muffin tin. Then, I patted turkey breakfast sausage, removed from its casing, into the bottom of the cup. After that, I cracked an egg into each, and pierced the yolk, then put the tray into the oven at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes, until the eggs were just about cooked through. I pulled the muffin tin out of the oven, then put a 1/4 oz. slice of fontina cheese on top of each, then popped the tin back into the oven for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

The egg cups are garnished with basil and tomato.

In the bottom box is some steel-cut oats with raspberries and slivered almonds, with a touch of maple syrup for sweetness.

Steel-cut oats are super simple to make overnight in a slow cooker. Spray the bowl with nonstick spray, then add 1 cup steel cut oats, 3 cups water, and 1/2 cup milk (or soy milk). Turn the slow cooker on 'low' for 8-9 hours--setting it in the evening means fresh oatmeal in the morning when you get up.

I made a triple batch (3 c. oats, 9 c. water, 1 1/2 c. milk). The oatmeal will keep for about a week in the refrigerator. To reheat, add a bit of water, then microwave for one minute; stir, then microwave for one more minute.

To freeze, wait until the oatmeal is cold, then portion and freeze.

Caprese and Watermelon

2009-09-07T20:13:00.000-07:00

A mini-sandwich of turkey and cheese is next to a caprese salad with a dessert of heart-cut watermelon pieces.

Don't forget to see Friday's post for your chance to win a bento box.

Bento Contest!!!

2009-09-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

My visitor's counter is almost to 1000, so to celebrate, I'm hosting a contest! The winner will get the "Leaflet tight" bento box from the photos.

To enter:
Compose a haiku about Bento which is your own original work and post it in the comments section of this post. The best haiku wins!

Judging criteria:
15% - following haiku form (i.e. 5/7/5 syllables)
15% - using Bento as the main topic of the poem
50% - creativity
20% - expressiveness

All entries must be in English.
All entries must be posted by Midnight Pacific Standard Time on September 26, 2009.
You may enter as many original poems as you like, but each entry must be made as a separate comment. Multiple poems posted in the same comment will be read as and judged as a single poem.
I am not responsible for any errors in posting, whatever the source.
I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or misdirected mail--I will send confirmation that it is en-route, but if it doesn't make it to your hands, I'm sorry, but will not replace the bento.
I am not responsible for any issues arising from the bento box or your use of it.

Treasure Bag Bento

2009-08-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

For today's lunch, I scrambled an egg, then fried it into a thin sheet in a circular pan. I then filled it with some fried rice, then tied the entire package with a long chive. A bit more rice is on the side of the 'beggar's purse,' and some ripe tomato wedges and basil leaves from my patio garden garnish the side.

Pinwheels, Peaches, and Pachyderms

2009-08-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

Today's lunch is peanut butter and apricot jelly pinwheels made on flatout flatbread. I still have leftover chili, but I just couldn't handle having it for a fourth meal straight...so, to the standard backup of PB&J.

The rolls are accompanied by a mini-heart cut out of a rice crispy treat with an elephant pick for decoration.

The bottom box is fresh peach wedges accompanied by carrot hearts.

Chili is back on the menu for dinner...I think I'm going to make an omelet.

Chili and Artichokes

2009-08-24T19:26:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's lunch is a bento of four-bean chicken chili with a dessert of heart-shaped Rice Krispy Treats and fresh peach slices.

West Los Angeles hosts a Farmers' Market every Sunday; Mr. Toro and I walked over yesterday, and I picked up lots of luscious produce. So, in addition to the onions, bell peppers, jalapeno, squash, and carrot that went into the chili pot, I also bought some giant fresh artichokes.

The artichokes got cleaned and steamed, then marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and parsley. After marinating, the quartered artichokes went onto the grill.

Artichokes are so much work for just a tiny amount of eatable vegetable, but they are just so delicious! The smoky, grilled flavor added by grilling really matched up well with the natural flavor of the artichokes. I really enjoy this preparation.

The three large 'chokes were entirely too much for Mr. Toro and me to finish, so I plan on pulling the hearts from some and making a pasta.

As for the chili, I soaked dried Black, Great Northern, Pinto, and Kidney beans overnight, then cooked them today.

I sauteed a mess of chopped veggies from the farmers' market, then added 12 ounces of diced chicken breast to brown. Finally, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and chili power went into the pot. This mix simmered for 40 minutes, then the beans went in. Another 30 minutes of simmering and dinner was done.

Garnishes included raw onions, reduced fat Monterrey Jack cheese, and fresh avocado.

Farm-Fresh Tomato Salad

2009-08-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

Every Tuesday, the local outdoor mall closes its center street to traffic and hosts a farmer's market. The market itself is okay--not enough fruit and vegetable vendors, and too many people selling assorted wares in my opinion--but it is walking distance from my house, so I look forward to walking through the market every week.

As Mr. Toro and I were walking through yesterday evening, I spotted a table with mounds of absolutely beautiful heirloom tomatoes. I love tomatoes, so I could not resist, and bought several varieties.

For dinner, these beauties were simply cut into wedges, then tossed with olives and thin rings of red onion, then garnished with ripe avocado, fresh mozzarella, and shaved Parmesan cheese, and finally dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

It was a great way to let the fresh sweetness of the tomatoes stand out with some accent.

We ate dinner on the patio with a glass of white wine as the sun was setting--it was a great summer evening.

Tomorrow's Bento is the same salad as dinner, tucked into a box with just a little more structure than the dinner plate. Originally, I planned to make some sort of cute design using the fresh mozzarella balls, but I liked the way it looked too much to fuss with it. Perhaps next time....

Pasta with White Beans in Balsamic Brown Butter

2009-08-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Today's bento: multigrain pasta tossed with white beans and parsley in browned butter with balsamic vinegar with a dusting of Romano cheese on top.

This was a nice 'n easy dinner, with leftovers in the bento for lunch. I was planning on making something else, but ended up getting busy with something and did not get around to heading to the market for fresh veggies, so I came up with this from the pantry. It's based off of this recipe, but I did not feel like taking the time to make homemade ravioli, so I made an easier weeknight version.

Pasta with White Beans in Balsamic Brown Butter

Serves 4

1/2 lb. pasta, cooked
1 T butter
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 can (~15 oz) great northern beans
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley
1 c. grated Romano cheese

Add the butter to a medium pan; cook on medium low heat until lightly browned, only a couple minutes. Turn off the heat and add the balsamic--be careful as it is likely to spatter. Add the beans and parsley, then toss.

Add the bean mixture to the hot, drained pasta and toss. Top each serving with cheese.

Sushi Madness

2009-08-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend, Mr. Toro and I had several friends over to our Los Angeles apartment for "Sushi Madness," a get-together featuring lots and lots of homemade sushi.

Rolls pictured include:
Tuna with avocado
Yellowtail with green onions
Salmon
Salmon, tuna, and yellowtail
California
Rainbow
Spicy tuna
Spicy tuna & cilantro with salmon & jalapeno
Spicy salmon & cilantro with tuna & jalapeno
Shrimp and tamago-yaki

There is also an assortment of Nigiri, including tuna, yellowtail, salmon, tamago-yaki, squid, chutoro tuna, and snapper.

I made a double batch of homemade miso soup (with tofu and seaweed), and I also served some seaweed salad, which I purchased pre-made.

The party was something of a double celebration. First off, I got the job offer I was waiting on, so hurray! I still have a year of school left, but after I graduate, I will be working at the firm at which I had my internship this summer. Second, it was a friend's birthday last week, which I missed as I was taking an exam.

I follow Maki's recipe from Just Bento / Just Hungry to make my miso soup--it's the perfect recipe in my opinion.

My sushi rice is a simplified version of a simplified version I found in a cookbook; I'll post it next weekend, as I left my annotated book in Los Angeles and don't want to post it incorrectly from memory. Despite the fact that it's a few steps removed from 'authentic' sushi rice, the result is very serviceable in my opinion.

I purchased sashimi grade fish from a local Japanese market in West Los Angeles. I frequently get fish from Catalina Offshore Products, but did not have the time to stop by their location in San Diego on my way to Los Angeles. The seaweed salad and masago did, however come from Catalina from a previous large purchase (I had stored unused portions in the freezer).

As a point of trivia, my favorite sushi is Yellowtail (Hamachi).

Kissing Dino French Toast

2009-08-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

So, another non-bento post, today's breakfast is french toast made with wheat toast, egg beaters, soy milk, and cinnamon. I was just going to make french toast, then my new dino sandwich cutter caught my eye, so I couldn't help myself;)

The sake cup behind the dinosaurs is filled with maple syrup.

PB&J Porpoises

2009-08-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

Easy bento for tomorrow. Mr. Toro took me out to dinner tonight (said he needed a date out with his wife:) so I just made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for him for tomorrow since he did not bring home any leftovers.

I bought a new bento toy today--the sandwich cutter which cut the dolphins. It also makes a little heart in the center, but that got tucked in the bottom box with the crusts (yes, he has to eat his crusts). The sandwich dolphins are leaping together over waves of blueberries. Their eyes are little chips of dried cherries.

Little Boy Blue(berry)

2009-08-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

I wasn't intending to make an elaborate bento tonight, but somehow I just got on a roll.

The main dish is beef and shiitake mushroom stew, stir fried rice noodles, and pureed cauliflower.

The stew is based on this recipe. As usual, I added a few tweaks. I used flank steak instead of hanger or skirt as called for in the recipe because the market did not have the called-for cuts, and flank also comes from the diaphragm so it is similarly textured. Once again sherry was my alcohol of choice; it cooks up well in savory dishes and I usually have a bottle in the cupboard on-call. Finally, I didn't have fermented black beans, so I just omitted them. So, once again, not quite the taste of the original recipe, but a tasty dinner and leftover lunch nonetheless. It is garnished with a few tiny Thai basil leaves.

The original recipe also called for fat-heavy mashed potatoes, so instead I steamed some cauliflower in fat free chicken broth. Once cooked, the whole potful went into the blender. The result was slightly sweet and matched well with the salty stew. The decoration is a few sections of diced tomato and a cilantro stem for a kind-of flower.

Finally, there are some extra leftover rice noodles for a little starch.

Dessert is where I went a little crazy. The little man is sculpted out of Rice Crispy Treats. His pants are white molding chips. His feet and eyes are dried cherries, and his mouth is a section of dried cranberry. His tie is cut out of a dried apricot, and his hair is a cut-up Swedish Fish candy. To finish up, he's surrounded by a bed of fresh blueberries.

Stir Fried Noodles

2009-08-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

We had a nice, quick dinner tonight since we had guys come to steam clean our carpets today. They did an amazing job--my carpet looks new again and it was awful after three years of dirty shoes and occassional puppy 'accidents.' I'm so excited to have my house looking beautiful again!

Tomorrow's bento is dinner leftovers: a dish of thick rice noodles stir fried in garlic, ginger and soy sauce with cabbage and Quorn "chick'n" and egg beaters. Included in the box are a couple garnishes to 'tweak' the flavor--Thai basil, a wedge of lime, and a couple Thai chiles. I like putting some cilantro into mine as well, but Mr. Toro isn't terribly fond of cilantro even though I've been heaping it into meals lately, so I left it out of his lunch this time.

Dessert is fruit again--oranges and blueberries this time. Also in the box are some gummy penguins that I found at Trader Joe's (which is a chain of markets for any non-US readers who might not know). Mr. Toro and I saw "The March of the Penguins" on our first movie date together, so I love finding penguin treats.

Fish Taco Frenzy

2009-08-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

Back in San Diego from another weekend in Los Angeles. Of course, I accomplished much less than I had intended, but isn't that at least part of the joy of vacation?

Today's Bento is a trio of mini mahi-mahi tacos, made with whole wheat tortillas. I coated the fish with some dry seasoning, then gave it a quick sear in a non-stick fry pan with no fat. Each has a bed of pinto beans and is topped with shredded cabbage and homemade pico de gaio made with roma tomatoes, onions, and jalapeno pepper. On the side is a handful of fresh cilantro and some lime wedges to dress the tacos.

Dessert is in the second box. Today it is some super-sweet fresh fruit--blueberries, red grapes, and a couple orange segments.

Something's (Vegetarian) Fishy

2009-07-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

Mr. Toro is on his 4th consecutive day of being ill. He visited a physician yesterday, but they told him it was a (non-H1N1) flu so there was nothing to do but treat the symptoms with over-the-counter medication. So, it may be that I end up eating his lunch myself (again) but I still had fun making it.

Today's bento is another vegetarian (though not vegan) offering as there is a little cheese in the pasta dish.

The salad is a fairly standard mix of veggies, but with a little play value added with the 'fish.' Underneath is a bed of green leaf lettuce. The decoration on top consists of green onion 'kelp,' flat-leaf parsley 'seaweed,', and shredded carrot 'coral.' The 'fish' is leveled on some shaved cucumber, and is crafted out of oyster mushrooms with a slit cut for his gill and a cucumber seed for an eye.

In the other box is fettuccine with oyster mushrooms, leftover from dinner. I originally started with this recipe but made some changes.

I love Mario Batalli's cooking (Mr. Toro took me to Pizzeria Mozza last weekend--it was amazing), but, to be frank, I'd rather not wind up quite as round as he is :) So I made a few changes to lighten the recipe up. I left out the olive oil and instead sauteed the garlic with some cooking spray. Then I reduced the butter from four tablespoons to one. These changes surely made my version much less rich and luxurious, but as a daily dish, I'm okay with making that trade-off. Perhaps I would try the full-fat version for a special occasion.

Other changes were for convenience and availability of ingredients. I used sherry rather than vermouth as I had a bottle in the house. I also used flat-leaf parsley in place of the arugula as arugula was not available at the market. Finally, I used dry pasta rather than homemade. I know this will lend a different texture and flavor, but on a weeknight I just don't have the time or inclination to make pasta or bread from scratch. I also cut the pasta back to 1/2 pound (~225 gm) for four servings.

On the whole, I think it was pretty successful, though surely far removed from the original dish's flavor.

The Bentocracy is Back!

2009-07-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

Hello to anyone who is still visiting the Bentocracy! I'm terribly sorry about the big break between posts, but I should be back up to posting four days a week. I appreciate your patience with me. I'm back home in San Diego after my internship in Los Angeles. It went really well. I learned a lot from my projects and met a lot of great people. It was a great experience overall. I'm very hopeful for an offer for a permanent job once I graduate, so everyone keep your fingers crossed.

As to today's Bento, we have thai-style spring rolls with peanut-chile dipping sauce and green papaya salad. Today's bento is totally vegetarian...I'm not a vegetarian, but am definitely trying to reduce the meat in my diet. So, lately I've been experimenting some with veggie meals.

The spring rolls are made with rice paper, and are filled with soy-protein "chick'n" strips, Thai basil, coriander (cilantro), grated carrot, cucumber, mung bean sprouts and enoki mushrooms. The sauce is made of peanut butter, chile paste, soy sauce, brown sugar, and fish sauce. It has just a nice little bit of kick beneath the rich creamy peanutty-ness. I used a natural ground peanut butter from my local market instead of a jarred brand--I personally think it's better for thai dishes and cooking in general. It does not have any added sugar like the supermarket brands, so it tastes more like peanuts, and I prefer its slightly grainy texture as well.

The salad is julianned green papaya, thinly sliced tomatoes, mung bean sprouts, Thai chiles, coriander, and Thai basil. It is tossed in a dressing made of fresh lime juice, honey, and soy sauce, and there is a sprinkling of dry-roasted peanuts on top. I really enjoyed this salad--crunch, sour, a little sweet, and spicy.

Sorry about the lack of posts...

2009-06-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who keeps coming by the Bentocracy. I promise new bentos soon and more regular updates...my internship this summer has been fabulous so far, but it has also been time consuming. Add in the fact that I have lunch meetings nearly every day, I haven't been making too many bentos.

On a great note, the Bentocracy has been accepted by the Foodie Blogroll, as you might have noticed by the new gadget on the sidebar. A warm welcome to all who have come by via the Blogroll!

So, please stay tuned....

Savory Giraffes in a Broccoli Forest

2009-05-31T22:05:00.000-07:00

More yummy leftovers!

The giraffes are cut from a vaya, which is a Swiss version of a quiche--eggs, bacon, and cheeses, with a puff pastry crust. The remainder of the slice is tucked under the carrots in the opposite box. Broccoli and mushrooms are side dishes, and a handful of cashews makes up dessert.

Chicken Breast in a Box

2009-05-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

Thai peanut noodles with sliced chicken breast--marinated in soy and wasabi, then baked--and some carrot and grape tomato garnish.

This bento is a quick arrangement of dinner leftovers. The salty soy chicken really paired up nicely with the slightly sweet noodles. The baked chicken was nice and tender and juicy as well, which contrasted well with the firm rice noodles. All in all, a lunch to look forward to!

Bentocracy Los Angeles

2009-05-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

I made the move to Los Angeles, and have survived my first week at work! Sorry I was absent all week--I had my last exam Wednesday evening, loaded up the U-haul on Thursday, drove up Friday, unpacked Saturday, started work Monday, and have been working 10 hour days all week. The first week has been a mix of training and actual work...I've been on a client interview and have been doing a lot of research for a couple of the firm's partners.

Today's lunch is another pretty quick and easy one. The sushi came from the grocery down the street--it's brown rice spicy yellowtail with avocado. Yellowtail (Hamachi) is definately my favorite sushi fish. I just love how buttery and ocean-y it is when it's nice and fresh. Also tucked in the box are some gari, wasabi, and a little lemon garnish.

Peanut Butter Puppy

2009-05-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

I picked up my take-home examination for my Products Liability class yesterday morning--I had 24 hours from pick up to turn in. So, I spent all day working on it. It was a bear! I was planning on knocking it out quickly and getting to studying for Community Property, but after spending a total of ten hours yesterday working on it, I needed a break, so I took some time to bento.

So, Mr. Toro's lunch is a flatbread puppy filled with peanut butter. He has dried cherry eyes and nose, and a strawberry tongue. Beneath him are a bunch of sliced strawberries.

In the other box are PB&J pinwheels, some smoked gouda cheese, and some more leftover pasta (with some carrot sprinkles for color).

4 exams down, one to go...I might just survive. Maybe...

Happy Monday

2009-05-11T08:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday to all!

Today I have to drive to school to pick up a take-home exam for my Products Liability class. I get 24 hours to complete it (with a maximum of 15 pages to answer the question :p). But the good news is once I'm finished with this one, I'll only have one more left. Last week seemed like it took an eternity to get through--hopefully this week won't seem so neverending.

So, in keeping with the quick bento theme of this exam period, Mr. Toro's lunch today is leftover bow-tie pasta in a herb sauce with a breaded chicken strip sliced on the top. Some green onion ribbons add some color and design to the smaller box.

In the large box is a collection of vegetable crudites, specifically cauliflower, baby carrots, and cucumber cut in wedges. A packet of hummus for dipping is on the side. On the top of the veggies is a couple slices of turkey pepperoni and flowers cut from smoked Gouda.

Sushiman Bento Review

2009-05-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

So, for a post-exam treat (3 down, 2 to go!) I stopped off at a new sushi restaurant for lunch. Boy, what a mistake.

Sushiman is a chain of fast service sushi places in Hawaii and California. I went to their location at the Village Walk at Eastlake, in Chula Vista, California. I got the "Lunch Bento" ($6.99, $9.24 with fountain drink and tax).

As pictured, the bento came with 4 pieces of nigiri, 4 large California roll pieces, an Inari, a bit of salad, and a cup of miso soup.

"Ugh" is about the best descriptor I can come up with for this meal.

The salad came with a big glop of unidentified white dressing on it--I ate the lettuce underneath, avoiding the goopy mass as best I could.

The Cali roll was huge. Ridiculously so. It was impossible to eat in one bite, but was so structurally unsound as to make it a crumbled mess after trying to bite into it. Add in pretty flavorless filling, and this was bad.

But the maki was gourmet compared to the nigiri. The tamago was rubbery, the ebi flavorless, the ika tough, and the magoro tasteless.

Sigh. What a disappointment. My usual sushi bar about a mile and a half away blows Sushiman out of the water (and is similarly priced), and even the local Von's grocery story boasts superior sushi.

Sushiman's take out menus and a sign posted on the restaurant window claim that theirs was "chosen best sushi in Hawaii,' but I can only recommend you avoid Sushiman at all costs.

Lasagna with Love Lunch

2009-05-07T08:20:00.000-07:00

Today, Mr. Toro gets a bento with leftover chicken meatball lasagna, garlic bread, and salad.

The bread is another Costco find...fresh from the bakery, this delicious bread has whole cloves of garlic baked right into the loaf. The garlic becomes soft and mellow from the baking process and makes the bread deliciously garlic-y without the added fat and calories of a garlic-butter spread. It comes in packs of 2 loaves, which is more than the two of us can handle fresh, but luckily enough, the bread freezes very well. I cut the loaves in half, put them in a freezer bag, and pop them in the freezer. To thaw, I just put the half loaf in the oven with whatever is cooking--the result is a nice warm bit of bread, nice and crusty on the exterior.

Just a note--freezer bags, when used for something like bread, last a LONG time...I keep reusing them until they split.

The salad is actually pretty simple, with just a bit of decorative flourish. It has a bed of red leaf lettuce, then a sprinkling of finely chopped cauliflower to make the cucumber fan stand out (rather than have green on green).

To make the fan, I cut a thick wedge of cucumber on the bias, then made thin slices to the base without cutting all the way through before fanning the slices out. Interleaved in between each slice is a thin segment of a grape tomato. The whole fan is balanced on another grape tomato, and the fan is flanked by a couple slices of baby carrot, cut on the bias.

A couple carrot heart cut outs are balanced on the bread for a quick midday way for me to tell Mr. Toro I love him :)

I have to admit now, in retrospect, looking at the big gap behind the bread, I wish I had put something there to fill the space with some color...too late!

2 exams down, 3 to go...the next one is tomorrow. Professional Responsibility is basically ethics for lawyers...go ahead, insert lawyer ethics jokes here ;)

The Good, The Bad, and The Udon

2009-05-05T11:15:00.000-07:00

Today's entry is not technically a bento; I'm eating lunch at home today while studying for tomorrow's evidence exam. So, for a quick and easy, yet satisfying meal, I'm having a bowl of udon soup with a mess of veggies boiled with the noodles.

Now, this isn't 'good' udon by any stretch, but it does the job. It comes in a package, similar to grocery ramen (though at only 250 calories for the whole packet, it beats the heck out of ramen).

It's actually pretty darned tasty, despite its questionable pedigree. Thick, soft noodles in a mushroom-flavored broth make for a nice refueling break from the books.

I've added zucchini, cauliflower, green onions and a little carrot for nutrition, filler, texture, and for color. I particularly like the sweet cauliflower against the salty broth.

Rapid Wrap Bento

2009-05-04T08:22:00.000-07:00

Today's lunch is a wrap cut into pinwheels with a side of baby carrots and baked chips.

I made the wrap with "Flatouts" bread, another recent purchase from Costco. I really like this product--it's not as puffy as pita, so it's easier to roll, but it's softer than tortillas so it has a more tender mouth-feel and bread-like taste. The three pinwheels in this bento are about a half of a Flatout wrap.

I spread the flatbread with a Laughing Cow Swiss wedge, then layered on a bit of turkey and ham luncheon meat, then finally sprinkled on some salad mix consisting of lettuce, carrots, and cabbage. It should be a nice balance between the soft bread and crisp veggies and the salty meats and creamy cheese.

Today is my first exam (of five), in Election Law. Keep your fingers crossed!

Presto Pasta Bento

2009-04-30T11:44:00.001-07:00

Another quick and easy lunch day! Today is another bento made from leftovers...shell shaped pasta with tomato and meat sauce. Little bundles of carrots are in the corners for color, and in the center is a heart-shaped dusting of Parmesan cheese.

Mr. Toro reacts about the same as a seven year old child when it comes to vegetables, so I've taken to being sneaky about adding them to my cooking.

While I just used jarred pasta sauce for a quick weeknight meal, I added finely chopped zucchini, onion, bell pepper, cauliflower, and grated carrots to the sauce. I saute the veggies to evaporate some of the moisture, then add to the browned lean ground beef and sauce.

In addition to the health benefits of more veggies, it's also great on the pocket book--you can use less beef and still have a hearty sauce.

Speedy Sandwich Bento

2009-04-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Another quickie Bento--tucked into today's box is a wedge of a turkey and ham sandwich on focaccia bread with lettuce and guacamole. Accompanying the sandwich is a cluster of baby-cut carrots and some baked potato chips.

The chips are a new find--I picked them up at Costco. Unlike other baked potato chips I've tried, these are actual slices of potato rather than some strange Styrofoam-tasting pureed potato extrusion. These are light, crisp, and very potato-y. I would definitely buy them again.

Anyway, back to the books!

My Fellow Bentocrats...

2009-04-27T16:21:00.000-07:00

I'm very sorry if my updates are a little farther apart over the next couple of weeks. As I mentioned, I have finals next week and the week after, so I'm hunkered down studying.

After completing my last final, I am moving to Los Angeles for the next several months as I am interning at a law firm there for the summer. I start at my new job a mere 4 days after my last examination, so it will be a hectic weekend after a pair of hectic weeks. There will be bento...but perhaps not every weekday as before.

Please bear with me, and soon we will return to your regularly scheduled bentos, already in progress.

Happy Birthday Breakfast Bakery Review

2009-04-23T07:34:00.000-07:00

Today I'm celebrating the 3rd anniversary of my 29th birthday...ok, ok, I'm 32 (random trivia--today is also William Shakespeare's 445th birthday). So, as a treat to myself, I stopped by a local bakery on the way to school to pick up breakfast.

Hans & Harry's Bakery is located at 5080 Bonita Road in Bonita, California (which is just outside of San Diego if you're not familiar with the area.)

Their website (http://www.hans-harry.com/) indicates the eponymous Hans and Harry are natives of Holland, and practice the "fine art of European cake design and baking."

Pictured are my selections this morning. Clockwise from the left are a fresh fruit tart, a fresh fruit croissant, and a slice of raspberry coffee cake. No, they're not all for me!

Walking into Hans & Harry's, I was overwhelmed by the aroma of the bakery--it just about short-circuited my ability to think, it was so rich and sweet. Two large cases held a rainbow of treats, and on the opposite wall was a bank of vertical refrigerators with cakes and similar bakery. Around the corner from the retail section was a display of beautiful wedding cakes.

I was a bit overwhelmed trying to make a selection...each pastry looked amazing and they all wanted to come home with me;) I picked up a couple extra for friends because each of the pastries in the photo cost $1.50 or less!

The fruit tart lived up to its looks. Light, flaky layers of buttery dough topped with fruit all hugged by a sweet glaze. Mouthwatering! A really lovely balance between sweet and buttery. By far the best bakery I've eaten since I was last in Switzerland.

So, not an everyday breakfast--I'd balloon up in about a week--but as an occasional indulgence, completely worth it.

Soup's on

2009-04-22T07:33:00.000-07:00

Last night I made a multi-bean, lentil, veggie, and ham soup; it was a perfect busy-day meal--everything got tossed into the crock pot in the morning, and presto! dinner was waiting when I got home.

I don't have any bento boxes suitable for soup--all of mine are the loose-lidded variety, so today's bento is just packaged in a Ziplock container.

I added some parsley for color--unfortunately, despite the great flavor, this soup leaves a little to be desired, visually speaking. I think, perhaps, some carrots might have lended a bit of pop as well, but too late now:)

Finals are coming up in a week and a half--and I'm definately starting to stress out already. If you're not familiar with law school exams, a person's entire grade for the semester is based solely on the final exam. The test for each class is usually 3 1/2 to 4 hours long, and you usually need every second (and sometimes then some). I find bento-making to be great stress relief--I like to take the 10-30 minutes every evening to arrange them. I think it's a little bit zen, trying to find the ideal relationship between elements, or just plain fun when putting together the charaben-style bentos.

Thanks again to all my new visitors and commentors--I hope you keep visiting and participating!

Happy Bentoing!

Vespa Crazy!

2009-04-20T07:37:00.000-07:00

The big news is...I got a Vespa! It's a '07
Gran Turismo 200, in a beautiful silver. 70 miles per gallon...and so stylish;)

So, to celebrate, today's bento is a turkey and cheese Vespa sandwich. I cut the body out of 2 types of cheese and layered it on a turkey 'shadow', then used nori for the accents. If I did it all over again, the one thing I might have done differently is do the lettering out of a different material--the cheese was a bit too fragile for such tiny pieces and the 'V' in particular was having issues.

Note to Miss A.V. (the younger): I'm working on your request...it may take me a couple days, but I'll let you know as soon as it gets posted!

EDIT: Welcome to all the visitors from Adventures in Bentomaking! I hope you continue to stop by--please lend me you opinions and suggestions!

Chicken 'n Fries

2009-04-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

Easy-peasy bento day. Sliced breaded chicken is layered over oven-baked potatoes. Some stylized flowers made from cherry tomatoes and edamame add a little color. Dessert is a box of sweet red grapes.

Corn Casserole

2009-04-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

No bento to show off today...I didn't take a picture, and since I pretty much threw together Mr. Toro's lunch last night, it wasn't much to look at anyway.

So, instead, the secret recipe for my world-famous corn casserole, which has already made a couple appearances here.

It really couldn't be easier--stir, pour, bake--but Mr. Toro loves it and it pairs up easily with just about anything. I like to use frozen corn because I think it has better flavor and texture--I just fill up the emptied creamed corn can to measure--but you can use canned corn kernels if its more convenient

Corn Casserole
1 Box Jiffy-brand corn bread mix
1 Can cream-style corn
1 Can corn (or equivalent of frozen kernels)
8 oz. / 1 c Sour cream (you can use light)

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Pour into 9x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake until set, approximately 45-75 minutes, depending on temperature.

One of the benefits of this recipe is you can put it into a variety of oven temperatures, depending on what temperature your main dish requires, ~ 325 deg to 425 deg F.

This Little Piggy...

2009-04-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

Easter leftovers and a little (twisted?) whimsy are what's for lunch today.

In the main box, corn casserole (Mr. Toro's favorite) and cheesy potatoes (courtesy of Mr. Toro's sister's boyfriend...say that 3 times fast;) flank some Honeybaked Ham. Piggy is cut ham with a couple dots of nori to make his eyes and mouth. A couple edamame pods make up a little landscaping for color.

Dessert is a tiny sliver of banana-vanilla pudding pie (thank you Auntie Olie!) with some fruit to healthy it up a little.

Easter was great...Mr. Toro's sister, her boyfriend, their friend, and my aunt all came over for a nice relaxing day. There was some Wii involved, lots of food, and a couple glasses of wine.

Now, unfortunately, it's back to the books. I'm trying to learn the Federal Rules of Evidence (impeachment of witnesses at the moment) which is about as exciting as it sounds.

EDIT:
Mr. Toro informed me that, when showing off his bento at lunch today, one of the new people at work had to take a picture of Piggy. That made my day!

Now back to Evidence...

mmm...Miso, Mushrooms, and Mochi

2009-04-09T07:27:00.000-07:00

Today's lunch: leftover miso marinated chicken (which was fabulous for dinner last night, if I do say so myself) with rice and steamed zucchini and a garnish of enoki mushrooms.

For dessert: apples, strawberries, and mandarin segments, along with a lychee mochi. I've never tried mochi before, so we'll see after I eat whether or not they stay on the lunch box list.

I stopped by the giant Asian market near school after class to get the miso paste for the marinade (which also contained fresh ginger, sake, and brown sugar), and couldn't help but stop by the sweets aisle--there are always so many colorful and unusual treats. I saw rows of fruit mochi, and figured, 'why not.'

Mochi is glutinous rice which is pounded into a paste. The paste is often then molded into shapes and filled with something sweet. The store had dozens of varieties; I went with lychee for something a little exotic, but still in my past taste experience. We'll see how I like these treats after lunch.

Chirashi-sushi

2009-04-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

Today's lunch is a chirashi-sushi box. It's a base of sushi rice with toppings (chirashi means 'scattered'). It's quicker than making nigiri sushi pieces or rolls, so it's definitely more suited to a weekday meal. It also is a little more 'fun' than nigiri, in my opinion, because you can combine tastes of several toppings in one bite, a reason I generally prefer rolls.

On the top, clockwise from the upper left: mushrooms, spicy tuna, avocado, smoked salmon, yellowtail with green onion garnish, masago, tamago-yaki, and ahi tuna with carrot hearts.

Dessert is a mix of apple slices, mandarain orange segments, and strawberries.

I know some people are squeamish about making their own sushi, but as long as you get sashimi grade fish from a good source and keep it cold, I don't see much of a difference from eating it at a restaurant. I don't have the knife skills of a master, but it's not too hard to put out a reasonable product...and DIY sushi is definitely easier on the pocketbook.

Here in San Diego, there's an amazing wholesaler who supplies most of the sushi bars in town, but still sells to the public. Catalina Offshore Products (http://www.catalinaop.com/) is just around the corner from Old Town and has heavenly fish for really great prices. If you're not lucky enough to live within pickup distance, they fed-ex to all of the US...though the shipping may stink worse than old fish. Still, for the quality and the price, it might be worth it.

Bentipasto

2009-04-06T07:29:00.000-07:00

All kinds of new bento goodies for today's lunch. The box itself is new--a little birthday present for Mr. Toro (though it's entirely possible he won't even notice it).

In the box is another food pick from the set which included last week's tree...the seal gets to balance the olive 'ball' on his nose...too cute.

Last but not least, a new silicone food divider is in the cup...it's like the little plastic grass they divide your sushi with, but it's re-usable.

Today's lunch is a bit of an antipasto plate...there's a boiled egg, salame, olives marinaded in garlic, 3 varieties of cheese (cut into animal shapes), and broccoli filler. In the cup is roasted red pepper hummus and sundried tomato-olive tapenade to eat with the bread in the bottom box.

And, because I couldn't resist, the giant strawberry in the bottom box got a goofy face made from dried apples and cherries.

Another Blog's Bento Contest

2009-04-03T11:05:00.001-07:00

http://maisieeatsbento.blogspot.com/2009/03/100th-bento-giveaway.html

Contest ends April 5!

Teriyaki and Little Trees

2009-04-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

Mr. Toro is having lunch out today for a work function, so today's photo is of my lunch...I tend to make mine less elaborate than I make his, although I like to make them attractively organized. I suppose I am just less motivated to put the work into something for myself.

Teriyaki beef, heart-shaped carrot rice, and some broccoli are what's for lunch, with a dessert of sliced strawberries and mandarin orange segments in the smaller box.

In person, the rice has a much nicer orange color. I'm going to have to consider getting a new camera...the iPhone is handy, but has some obvious limitations.

I got a new treat in the mail yesterday--cute bento accessories. The happy tree trunk is one of the set of food picks I got...more to come, and the penguin sauce bottle tucked behind the broccoli is another.

I'm a big fan of ichibankanusa.com (from whence the bulk of my supplies come)--lots of bento knick-knacks for around $1, and since they ship from San Francisco (instead of Japan, like most other internet bento supply stores) the shipping isn't enough to give you a heart attack.

Hurray to be a Civilian Lunch

2009-04-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Turkey octo-dogs and a hard boiled egg chick. A side of egg noodles and peas, and a pair of strawberries for dessert.

Ok, maybe marginal on the healthy-scale, but since today Mr. Toro is officially a civilian again, I was going for (uber cute) style over substance.

Doxie Box

2009-03-31T17:38:00.000-07:00

Everyone who knows me knows that I'm dachshund-crazy. So, here is the first of what is sure to be many dachshund-themed bento lunches.

The doxie is a piece of nori (sushi seaweed) which I cut with an exacto knife. It actually didn't take as much time as you might think. It was entertaining while relaxing on Saturday night while Mr. Toro was up at school.

I cooked the rice with some grated carrot to give it some orange color (I was thinking that it would look kind of cool with the silhouette of the cutout...sunset-like if you use a strong dose of imagination) and, of course, to sneak some veggies in to the meal. The hearts (one for each doxie at home...awwwww...yeah, I have a problem) are carrots as are the hearts in the upper box.

The protein on the left is a Boca spicy "chicken" patty and it is accompanied by carrots and some seaweed salad.

This bento does emphasize to me that I really need to do some grocery shopping--I didn't have anything to add color that wasn't green or carrots...

Hearts and Flowers

2009-03-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

First off, sorry about the lousy photo; I managed to leave my beloved iPhone at my sister-in-law's house over the weekend and had to improvise with my computer's built-in webcam. I'm a bit dismayed at how unappetizing the photo looks, but I'm sure we'll all survive this harrowing experience.

Today's lunch is prettied-up leftovers. The main box is turkey chili and corn casserole with flowers made from cheddar cheese (and scallion stems) with a green pepper butterfly.

The desert box probably serves no other purpose than to embarrass Mr. Toro at work--I may have had a little too much fun with my heart-shaped cutters. Regardless, it's granny smith apples and peanut butter with some mandarain segments and carrot hearts for color.

I have to say, it was pretty darned good chili...I use McCormack "Tex-Mex" spice mix and lean ground turkey, but also throw chopped onions and green peppers as well as grated carrot into the mix. Usually some diced summer squash makes it into the pan too, but alas, the veggie bin was sans-zucchini last night.

Daisy Lunch

2009-03-26T13:03:00.001-07:00

Today's lunch was a little quicker than Butters (which was actually yesterday's)

The flower is made up of tamago-yaki (sweet egg, like at the sushi bar) with masago (smelt roe) for the center and a green onion stem and edamame leaf.

In the background is plain rice, dyed with a touch of food coloring. The 'earth' is wasabi furikake. The sun is an egg yolk, and the cloud is made of egg white.

In the other box is more tamago-yaki, some seaweed salad, and mixed seafood teriyaki.

Butters

2009-03-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at a Character Bento ('Charaben').

Mr. Toro loves Butters from South Park so I figured the design would be fairly simple to construct.

Butters' skin is made from turkey, his hair and eyes are eggs (yolks and whites, respectively), his shirt is salame, his pants are cheese, and all the detail work is in nori.