Bento (152) - Apple Flower

In trying to get inspired to bento again, I decided to play with apples this week. This lovely apple flower had to be collapsed down for storage, but I was able to spread the leaves before I ate it! Om nom nom!

For the observant - pictures with a white background are taken at work (my cubicle desk is white). Top level is grapes, apple flower, and carrot cutout with tomato/pickled garlic salad. I bought the pickled garlic at the Renaissance Festival - and it is amazingly delicious!! Bottom level is PF Chang's frozen orange chicken, rice and umeboshi (pickled plum).

Bento (151) - Fried Chicken and Penguin Dividers

On further reflection, there is something vaguely disturbing about a happy penguin peeking out from beneath the fried portion of a distant cousin . . . . :P Aside from that little oddity - bottom level is fried chicken over noodles. The kiwi container holds sweet soy broth for the noodles, and a few slices of real kiwi add decoration. I also sprinkled a few corn kernels for color. Top level is sliced avocado with vinegar/salt dipping sauce in the watermelon container and a silicone cupcake holder with kiwi/strawberry and yogurt.

Bento (150) - Ponyo Noodles

Also known as the world's yummiest way to make ramen. Plus - you can make two servings with very few ingredients (you even split the packet of ramen in half!!)

For ponyo noodles I start with ramen noodles (throw away the seasoning packet) and add all the nommy stuff - green onions, boiled egg, carrots (cut into cute star shapes!) any other veggies, some sort of protein (in this case - turkey), soup base, and siracha sauce (I can't remember how to spell it at the moment - and I'm too lazy to go look it up).

Om nom nom!

Bento (149) - Leftover Cherries

Today's goal as to use all the leftover cherries before I was forced to throw them out. I am trying to be better about food wastage. I actually really like the contrast between the cherries and the carrot/edamame salad. Fruits and veggies! All together!

Bottom level was beef in sweet soy broth (surprise surprise) with noodles - but I added peas and carrots to the meat side for a little veggie twist. Oddly, the peas actually ended up flavoring the sauce . . . . I think I'll stick to cilantro in the future - but I LOVED what the veggies did in regards to adding color! ^.^

Bento (148) - Community Stuffed Pasta Shells

My favorite part about this dish is that a neighbor made the stuffed pasta shells for a community meeting. Aside from watching old Leave it to Beaver re-runs, I don't think I've ever actually seen someone voluntarily make food for a community meeting :P It was a lovely gesture - and leftovers made for a lovely bento. Thank you, neighbor!!

Aside from the purloined pasta shells, the white spots are pickled garlic (courtesy of the Queen of Garlic at the Renaissance Festival). Bottom level is kiwi/craisin salad, a fishie egg (who, sadly, didn't hold his fishie-ness - must have been too hot still when I put him in the bento :( ), and a scoop of deli-made greek salad.

I can only take credit for one portion of this bento. I boiled the egg! WHEEE!

Bento (147) - The Road Less Traveled By

So . . . I've been reading a few of my bento books to try and add a few more delicious lunches to my current routine . . . and I realized I have (sadly) never made soboro (ground beef and eggs over rice). While I was pondering my bento in the shower (don't ask) - I was suddenly hit by inspiration . . . I had little kung pao chicken nuggets that could be statues . . . and I could make a little ground beef road . . . and . . . and . . . VOILA!!!! Freeform bento!!

The pickled plum sun in the upper right-hand corner didn't stand out as much as I would have liked, but overall, I was very pleased with this bento. And I discovered Craisins and rice actually make a fairly interesting combination. Maybe I'll have to try Craisin rice balls . . . .

Bento (146) - Soy Bunny Chaperones

This bento post brought to you direct from the Shoebox - the Interwebs have returned! HOORAY. I also won't mention the LARGE quantity of bento supplies soon to arrive from J-Box in celebration of my new job. Tee hee!!

Today's lunch was leftover P.F. Chang Kung Pao chicken (spruced up with frozen stir-fry veggies). Top level is soy bunnies sitting on top of butter/lemon edamame and potato salad. Center is store-bought mochi. Yellow container holds the kun pao sauce for the chicken nuggets.

As a side note . . . the edamame sauteed in butter with a dash of lemon juice was delicious for dinner - but the butter turned thick and grainy overnight and made for a rather unpleasant texture on the edamame in my bento the next day. Oops. :P Lesson learned - and I thought I'd pass it along so you can benefit from my mistakes ^.^