Monday, June 30, 2014

Bento (164) - Three-Topping Onigiri Bento

Today's bento was onigiri with three different toppings: sweet simmered mushroom, salted cucumber, and shrimp stolen from a pre-made cocktail platter (MU HA HA!).  The shrimp onigiri almost looked like little hearts . . . though the flavor was a bit bland.  I will probably add a drop or two of cocktail sauce in the center next time.  The cucumber onigiri was a pleasant surprise.  Salty and vinegary, crisp and refreshing.  Highly recommended.   Bottom level was a mandarin orange/dried cherry salad, and a soy bunny on edamame.  (Soy bunny is a quail egg soaked in soy sauce and topped with cheese ears and sesame seed eyes).


Since Goose has been showing an aversion to green things, I left the cucumber onigiri out of his bento.  Oddly enough, today he ate the onigiri and the mushrooms, but left the fruit, carrot stars, and edamame.  O.o  I have an odd kid.


My bento was the same as J's, but I tore up a shiso leaf (a Japanese strain of mint) to use as a separator.  I'm not sure whether it significantly added to the overall cuteness, but when one of my rice balls crumbled, it made a handy wrapper for the excess rice.  :)


Friday, June 27, 2014

Bento (163) - Return of the Blue Kitty Food Pick


Today's bento is beef marinated in sweet soy broth (leftovers!  :P) accompanied by rice topped with sweet simmered mushrooms, carrot flowers, and sprinkles of cilantro.  The top level is more sweet simmered mushrooms, edamame, and a mandarin orange/dried cherry salad.

I sent Goose to summer camp with a ham sandwich AND a blue kitty food-pick.  ::squeee:  You knew it was only a matter of time before the return of the blue kitty food pick.

 

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Bento (162) - Steak Marinated in Sweet Soy Broth and Topped with Cilantro

Monday's bento was steak marinated in sweet soy broth (which is also poured over the noodles as a yummy sauce), then topped with cilantro taken from my herb garden.  All the sauce containers (including the piggy) have additional sweet soy broth (no cilantro for Goose, since he has that weird genetic thing that makes it taste like soap.)  Top level is store-bought potato salad with an umiboshi (pickled plum) and bottom level is grape/blueberry salad.



 

Monday, June 23, 2014

Bento (161) Sweet Simmered Mushroom Rice Balls

One week into bento revival and I've already fallen behind on posting.  :P  Friday's bento was largely a compilation of leftovers.  The rice balls are "shiny" because I was experimenting with using saran wrap to help shape the rice balls and hold on toppings.  The left is sushi rice topped with a sweet simmered mushroom cap, the right (with the little animal face) is rice stuffed with leftover soboro.  Middle is grapes cut in half and bottom is a lovely salad J. makes that uses peppers, celery, and cucumbers instead of lettuce.  The sauce holder has Italian dressing. 


On reflection, I realized this bento didn't have much protein.  I didn't find myself getting hungry mid-afternoon, but I probably should have filled the grape-cup with scrambled eggs (which would have added some great color) - and then squished grapes in the empty spaces around the rice balls.  Ah well.  Live and learn.  J's bento was slightly different with a pepper and blueberries instead of grapes.


Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Bento (160) - Three Topping Bento

This is a fairly traditional soboro-type bento with ground hamburger (flavored with soy, mirin, sake, sugar, etc.), snap peas (to replace greenbeans, since J. isn't all that fond of green beans), and eggs (with sugar, dashi, and salt to add flavoring) all over a bed of rice.




The top level is sweet simmered shiitake mushrooms (::droooooool::), a mini orange bell pepper, and grapes that have been cut in half and sprinkled with dried cherries.  Goose had pretty much the same thing, only his pepper was chopped into sticks and I put his mushrooms in the pink flower-shaped cupcake holder. 


Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Bento (159) - Ham & Swiss Sandwich Bento

Wow.  It's been three whole years of watching my culinary skills turn to dust in a corner--years spent avoiding the reproachful stares of my bunny-covered bento boxes and cringing every time I accidentally came across a plastic fish-shaped sauce-holder.  The time has come.  This summer, Goose is enrolled in a a summer camp that doesn't provide meals--which means I'm blowing the dust out of the cupboard, washing my silicone cupcake holders, and trying to find where in the world I left my artificial sushi grass.  In short . . . Hi!  I have new pictures of adorable lunches.  :)


This bento box has always been one of my favorites (and surprisingly, is one of the first I ever purchased off of Amazon).  The three cup organization makes food separation simple.  Today's lunch was half a ham & swiss sandwich cut into thirds and separated by sushi grass.  The upper right corner is a miniature bell pepper and pickled garlic.  The bottom right is blueberries with an elephant pick.  Not only was this a quick 10 minute bento--it's even cute with the lid on!