Category Archives: Bento

Creativity for Joy and an Award

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Indian Food Bento

Some people look at my bento lunches and say, “That’s too much work.” And I can see where they are coming from. But it doesn’t feel like work to me. In fact it is the opposite. Fixing lunch day after day feels like work. Fetching snacks and sippy cups for toddlers all day feels like work to me. Creating art is my pleasure. Thinking of fun ideas and watching them come into form is a treat. Sometimes I don’t have time or don’t feel inspired and then I make a regular lunch packed in bento form. But often I need the break from being a “mom servant” and I treat myself to 15 minutes of creativity. Just for me. And my kids love it too, but really I do it for me because I am an artist at heart.

I am enjoying reading other blogger’s thoughts on creativity as self care during the July Self-Care Retreat. Art has always been my way of relaxing and enjoying life, so the Creativity posts really speak to me. Before kids I was into fabric art (and no worries I will be back to that in a few years).

Quilt

Amber from The Tasty Alternative sent me this award recently. It was so thoughtful of her and I am really grateful to the entire blogging community. I have enjoyed a very warm welcome during my first six weeks of blogging!

 

I enjoy blogging because it is an extension of the art and creativity of bento. It is fun to edit the photos, look at them again, write about the bento, and have a permanent record of a very temporary piece of art. And of course blogging is about sharing. Sharing my fun with other people. Thank you.

The award comes with a suggestion that we might enjoy passing it along to other bloggers. And I would like to mention a couple of blogs that I have been reading for a few years.

1) Gluten Free Fix. Michelle writes recipes with skill and precision. She can write the steps to a recipe in about 3 short sentences when I would take a long paragraph to do the same. I read her blog not only for the great food, but also for lessons on how to be a concise recipe writer.

2) The Spunky Coconut. Kelly uses at lot of ingredients that I enjoy (coconut being one!). She has nice stories, and her photos are lovely.

Pumpernickel Bagels (grain-free) and Rescue Bento

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Rescue Bento

I love bagels. I ate 1-2 bagels everyday for years before going gluten-free. I missed their chew texture, delicious varieties, and versatility. I loved them as sandwiches, with cream cheese, as mini pizzas…

Pumpernickel Bagels

I do have Everything Bagels and Raisin Bagels in my cookbook. They are great and quite different from this recipe. But it is always fun to have options, so now I can add this grain-free pumpernickel bagel to the lineup.  Stay tuned as I am sure more bagel recipes are soon to follow.

For the bento, I was having a bit of fun telling a story. I used a paper punch for the face on the Avocado Lady and for the mouth of the Kumquat “Victim”. I baked the bagel in a miniature donuts pan (rather than full sized) and wrapped a chive around it.

My daughter thought it was too worrisome that the kumquat was yet to be rescued, so she placed him on top of the raft. She had quite a bit of fun playing with him.

Rescue Bento

Can these be made as muffins? Probably but I haven’t tried it. Does baking soda work too? Yes but use about 1/4 teaspoon. Can you substitute the eggs? I doubt it, but I feel free to experiment. I learned about baking with almond butter and eggs from Elana’s Pantry, so thank you Elana!

Pumpernickel Bagel Recipe
makes 6 bagels
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3/4 cup roasted almond butter, smooth, unsweetened
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons molasses
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted

Standard sized donuts baking pan (required)

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Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare the donuts pan with oil (6 slots). (I had one batch stick- that was frustrating, so I recommend being thorough here.)

Mix all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and then  fill the donut slots about 3/4 of the way.

Bake for 15-20 minutes. Be sure not to overcook or they become dry. They are done when a toothpick comes out clean and they feel firm but still have bounce.

Remove from the pans and set out on a cooling rack.

Enjoy hot out of the oven, toasted, or at room temperature.

This is shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday, Bento Blog Network, and Allergy Free Wednesdays

Sesame Broccoli Slaw and Star Spangled Bento

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Star Spangled Bento

I love candied nuts on salad. I decided it would be a fun change to try candied sesame seeds. (It was fun and delicious by the way.) Also, with this salad, you could skip the cabbage and use all broccoli instead.

The bento was very quick and simple. The music notes are the flesh of a white peach and the stars are the skin side of the same peach. This is one of those two minute bentos, but I think it influenced my older daughter toward tasting the salad. She ate most of it.  My younger daughter cried through dinner and refused to try any of the food. Sometimes that happens. (OK, I confess, it happens often. She is very resistant to trying anything.)

Sesame Broccoli Slaw

Sesame Broccoli Slaw Recipe
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Salad
2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
2 cups broccoli, briefly steamed, still crunchy
1/4-1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 red apple, chopped

Dressing
1/4 cup toasted sesame tahini
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or agave
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Salt, to taste

Sesame Candy (Buy it at the store or try this recipe.)

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Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad.

Top with sesame candy.

I am sharing this salad on June 2012′s Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free Season Salads Theme and Wellness Weekend.

Cilantro-Pistachio Cream and Sunny Garden Bento

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Sunny Garden Bento

While on vacation, I acquired a new cookbook, a beautiful bowl of soup, and I found several fun recipes to try (no caps on the title- their quirk not my mistake). So far my favorite recipe is the curried carrot soup with cilantro-pistachio cream (really this book uses no caps on titles– a very lovely book actually). If you decide to make this at home you can; buy the cookbook, or make any nice carrot soup recipe (they’re out there). I made my own curry mix because I avoid nightshades and I omitted the dairy in the recipe– it came out great.

But, to the point: Cilantro-Pistachio Cream. This is my new favorite condiment. It makes a delicious salad dressing, soup topping, vegetable dip, etc, and the recipe follows the next photo.

My daughter loves it too, so I kept the bento simple.  Corn on the cob with water melon tops, boiled eggs, and raw carrot and beet flowers. Of course the star; Cilantro-Pistachio Cream to dip the vegetables and to smear on the corn. I have no idea how she ate the corn because her four front bottom teeth have barely grown in and the top fronts are loose. She said she managed.

Cilantro-Pistachio Cream

Cilantro-Pistachio Cream Recipe
adapted from a beautiful bowl of soup
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1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup salted pistachios
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup canned coconut milk

Optional for salads:
apple cider vinegar, to taste (about 1-3 teaspoons)

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Combine the cilantro, pistachios, and garlic in a small food processor.  Pulse until it is a thick paste, then add the pepper and coconut milk. At this point I like to enjoy the cream with a slightly course texture, but you could process it until smooth as the book suggests.

Shared on Diet, Dessert, and Dogs,  The Daily Dietribe

Good Humor Taco

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Taco Cone

This looks so much like mint chocolate chip ice cream that I started getting worried it would melt before I photographed it. I had to remind myself it wasn’t really ice cream!

I love waffles.  So, while researching waffle ideas online I came upon a waffle cone maker. I told myself no. It’s not practical. Too expense. But I wanted it. For months. And I bought one, love it, and would never give it up. This cornmeal waffle is an experiment gone right– it is delicious.

The savory cornmeal waffle cones are filled with black bean hummus, guacamole, and topped with black beans. The side dishes are Daiya Foods Cheddar Style Shreds, tomatillo salsa, and chopped onions. I propped the cones up for the photo shoot, then tucked them in to be packed up.

Taco Cone2

Tomatillo Salsa Recipe
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10 medium sized tomatillos
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
2 tablespoons minced red onion
Salt, to taste

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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Quarter the tomatillos and roast them for about 15-20 minutes until the juices start to release and they get slightly colored. Cool them completely.

Puree the tomatillos (but leave them ever so slightly chunky). Transfer to a bowl and add the other ingredients.  If you eat nightshades you might enjoy adding a bit of jalapeno.

Cornmeal Cone Recipe
Admittedly Experimental and Frivolous
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1 egg
1 egg white
2 tablespoons agave
2 tablespoons oil
1/3 cup Namaste Perfect Blend (all-purpose gluten-free flour)
1/3 cup finely ground cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt

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Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Use your waffle cone maker according to manufacture’s instructions … but here is what I do.

Preheat the Chef’s Choice Waffle Cone Maker at level 2.5-3. Scoop 1 tablespoon of batter onto the iron. Cook for 1.5-2 minutes. Take out and immediately shape like a cone (I rubber-band these in place because they don’t form as well as the sweet version.)

Shared on Real Food Forager

American Flag Bento

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Flag Bento

Yesterday my daughter said, “Mama, I need an American Flag bento because we are studying the American Flag in school (preschool).” She also informed me that today is flag day.

The thing is, I usually plan ahead for special bento- purchase the ingredients in advance and think about the colors. Not for everyday bento, but to make a flag … I said, “We’ll see.”

This morning I pulled out last night’s left-0ver Indian food (black rice, beet puree, and chickpea-sweet potato curry). Hmm … I guess this could be an abstract flag, I thought. I knew I was on to something when my three-year-old peeked up and said, “You made the American Flag.” If she could tell what it was that was a good sign. Then I looked at our fruit and the cucumber and decided to make a second flag! All in all it was pretty fun.

My only other artistic experience with the flag is this quilt I made a few years ago.

Flag Quilt

I shared this bento on the:

Bento Blog Network