Using Bento Boxes for lunches.

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  • scante60
    scante60 Posts: 106 Member
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    scante60 wrote: »
    Okay - long time lurker here, and I've been been bento-ing with tupperware. The thread motivated me to get a "real" bento box, and here is my first effort:

    On the left, mini turkey pepperoni and string cheese, olives, and carrots with a Laughing Cow cheese wedge. On the right, red pepper strips, mini crabcakes, and blueberries. Yay Bento!!!!

    Yum! I wish we could get the different laughing cow flavours here. All I can get is regular and light cheese wedges :(

    Do you have a recipe for the crab cakes?

    True Bento confession time - following is my crab cake recipe:

    1) Go to grocery store.
    2) Buy http://www.phillipsfoods.com/retail-products/ProductsSearchDetails.aspx?productClassificationId=2&itemNumber=35070
    when on sale.

    I think this is the recipe that they are based on though: http://www.phillipsfoods.com/recipes-cooking-tips/RecipesDetails.aspx?recipeId=39

    Traditionally, they are made to be a larger patty, but can be shaped into any size you'd like. I bake them with just a spritz of cooking spray to keep the fat down. The seafood seasoning is a Maryland/Mid-Atlantic thing - other purveyors aside from Phillips are Old Bay, JO, etc., but is usually a blend of (my best guess) red and black pepper, paprika, salt, celery seed, and some other spices. IMHO, crab cakes are one of the best things about living in the Baltimore area.
  • madeleadele
    madeleadele Posts: 64 Member
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    I have been reading thru the thread for hours (sick days do have their advantages) and remember someone wanting owl shaped boxes. I just saw these on ebay (I'm in the uk)

    http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Microwaveable-Plastic-Owl-Lunch-Bento-Box-Food-Snack-Meal-Container-Storage-Case-/311384085182?nav=SEARCH

    Those are adorable! I love owls. And whales. Hmm...whale bento? *cue whale sounds*

    On an exciting note, my box is COMING TODAY! It's the weekend so I obviously don't have anything to use it for, but I will be cooking up some food to put in it!

    PS I almost signed this like I would an email. Work overload.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
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    PixelPuff wrote: »
    So jelly of the good ramen. There is a great onigiri cafe over in Boulder [Colorado, yo], suuuuuper cheap, too. I lucked out there!

    [off-topic, but manga sites now have Chapter 225 up in English today. Yay!]

    There's a ramen place near me in Westminster (Sheridan & 74th-ish?), but I've never tried it b/c my husband is lame. Let me know if you ever want to drive down and try it out with me!! ^_^
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
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    I met a friend at Panera yesterday (got just a sandwich, apple, and water - very proud of my self-control) and didn't have time to make a bento for today so I'll be buying lunch again :/
  • plumsparkle
    plumsparkle Posts: 203 Member
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    I have just been shopping and bought lots of goodies for my lunches next week, so excited to start. And I don't like tomatoes all that much, but I had to buy some tomberries, tiny tomatoes the size of blueberries - they are soooo cute!
  • SpecialKitty7
    SpecialKitty7 Posts: 678 Member
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    scante60 wrote: »
    scante60 wrote: »
    Okay - long time lurker here, and I've been been bento-ing with tupperware. The thread motivated me to get a "real" bento box, and here is my first effort:

    On the left, mini turkey pepperoni and string cheese, olives, and carrots with a Laughing Cow cheese wedge. On the right, red pepper strips, mini crabcakes, and blueberries. Yay Bento!!!!

    Yum! I wish we could get the different laughing cow flavours here. All I can get is regular and light cheese wedges :(

    Do you have a recipe for the crab cakes?

    True Bento confession time - following is my crab cake recipe:

    1) Go to grocery store.
    2) Buy http://www.phillipsfoods.com/retail-products/ProductsSearchDetails.aspx?productClassificationId=2&itemNumber=35070
    when on sale.

    I think this is the recipe that they are based on though: http://www.phillipsfoods.com/recipes-cooking-tips/RecipesDetails.aspx?recipeId=39

    Traditionally, they are made to be a larger patty, but can be shaped into any size you'd like. I bake them with just a spritz of cooking spray to keep the fat down. The seafood seasoning is a Maryland/Mid-Atlantic thing - other purveyors aside from Phillips are Old Bay, JO, etc., but is usually a blend of (my best guess) red and black pepper, paprika, salt, celery seed, and some other spices. IMHO, crab cakes are one of the best things about living in the Baltimore area.

    I swear I've seen that brand around here! I agree on the crab cake / Baltimore thing. When we visted there, it was the first thing I wanted :smile:
  • sagj
    sagj Posts: 256 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I have just been shopping and bought lots of goodies for my lunches next week, so excited to start. And I don't like tomatoes all that much, but I had to buy some tomberries, tiny tomatoes the size of blueberries - they are soooo cute!

    Tomberries! I've never seen those. Must see a picture of that :)

    I ate in the cafeteria the last two days (I eat for free so no biggie, I don't like their food most of the time and much prefer my bentos! ) so no pics from me. I might just have to make a weekend bento to eat at home tomorrow :wink:
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,013 Member
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    I went through this thread last night and was so impressed with you guys! I almost bought the shapers on Amazon. I had no idea bento was such a thing. You all have inspired me to make some fun food for my kiddos.... and myself.
  • plumsparkle
    plumsparkle Posts: 203 Member
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    Tomberries! I've never seen those. Must see a picture [/quote]
    sagj wrote: »

    Tomberries! I've never seen those. Must see a picture of that :)

    i have never seen them before either, i will take a picture tomorrow
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
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    scante60 wrote: »
    scante60 wrote: »
    Okay - long time lurker here, and I've been been bento-ing with tupperware. The thread motivated me to get a "real" bento box, and here is my first effort:

    On the left, mini turkey pepperoni and string cheese, olives, and carrots with a Laughing Cow cheese wedge. On the right, red pepper strips, mini crabcakes, and blueberries. Yay Bento!!!!

    Yum! I wish we could get the different laughing cow flavours here. All I can get is regular and light cheese wedges :(

    Do you have a recipe for the crab cakes?

    True Bento confession time - following is my crab cake recipe:

    1) Go to grocery store.
    2) Buy http://www.phillipsfoods.com/retail-products/ProductsSearchDetails.aspx?productClassificationId=2&itemNumber=35070
    when on sale.

    I think this is the recipe that they are based on though: http://www.phillipsfoods.com/recipes-cooking-tips/RecipesDetails.aspx?recipeId=39

    Traditionally, they are made to be a larger patty, but can be shaped into any size you'd like. I bake them with just a spritz of cooking spray to keep the fat down. The seafood seasoning is a Maryland/Mid-Atlantic thing - other purveyors aside from Phillips are Old Bay, JO, etc., but is usually a blend of (my best guess) red and black pepper, paprika, salt, celery seed, and some other spices. IMHO, crab cakes are one of the best things about living in the Baltimore area.

    I'm a sad panda. Another thing I can't find here :( But we have copious amounts of vegemite, so I can't complain.
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
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    Onigiri for days! #_#
    8sd19uszlp9s.jpg
  • plumsparkle
    plumsparkle Posts: 203 Member
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    Still waiting for my lovely new bento boxes and bits and pieces to arrive, but I have a divided lunchbox that I have never really used before, so here is my first attempt at a bento type box. Pic 1 is jasmine rice (with a dried rose bud!), honeyed pork and blanched broccoli, pic 2, a boiled egg, pepper strips and tomberries, with a teenie choc bar for the afternoon, and pic 3 is pomegranate, strawberries, blueberries and clementine, with a small pot of zero calorie caramel sauce (I don't want to know whats in it, since it appears to be calorie, fat, and gluten free! But it is sooooo nice :smile: )

    Apparently the dried roses are to make tea, so I won't be eating it, but they are so pretty!!
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
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    Still waiting for my lovely new bento boxes and bits and pieces to arrive, but I have a divided lunchbox that I have never really used before, so here is my first attempt at a bento type box. Pic 1 is jasmine rice (with a dried rose bud!), honeyed pork and blanched broccoli, pic 2, a boiled egg, pepper strips and tomberries, with a teenie choc bar for the afternoon, and pic 3 is pomegranate, strawberries, blueberries and clementine, with a small pot of zero calorie caramel sauce (I don't want to know whats in it, since it appears to be calorie, fat, and gluten free! But it is sooooo nice :smile: )

    Apparently the dried roses are to make tea, so I won't be eating it, but they are so pretty!!

    Looks delish. The rosebud for tea isn't that far off really. I make green tea rice pretty often. Dunno about rose tea rice though...
    Onigiri for days! #_#
    8sd19uszlp9s.jpg

    Damnit, Now I'm hungry, and brekky isn't for an hour. What type of furikake are you using?
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
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    sistrsprkl wrote: »
    I went through this thread last night and was so impressed with you guys! I almost bought the shapers on Amazon. I had no idea bento was such a thing. You all have inspired me to make some fun food for my kiddos.... and myself.

    Join us! And your kids being mini-bento-minions is just fine by me ^_^
  • plumsparkle
    plumsparkle Posts: 203 Member
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    Looks delish. The rosebud for tea isn't that far off really. I make green tea rice pretty often. Dunno about rose tea rice though...
    I've seen a couple of references to green tea rice - how do you make it? Do you literally cook the rice in green tea?

    No, I'm not sure about rose tea in general, athough according to the lady in the Chinese supermarket, its 'very good for ladies'! :smiley:


  • plumsparkle
    plumsparkle Posts: 203 Member
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    Onigiri for days! #_#
    8sd19uszlp9s.jpg

    These look amazing, and so neat. I will be receiving a mould soon, and then I get to attempt one - but I get the feeling it won't be anywhere near as pretty as these!!
  • PixelPuff
    PixelPuff Posts: 901 Member
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    My egg cooker arrived! Now I shall have the perfect soft-boiled eggs, muahahaha. Now if only the molds would arrive.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Looks delish. The rosebud for tea isn't that far off really. I make green tea rice pretty often. Dunno about rose tea rice though...
    I've seen a couple of references to green tea rice - how do you make it? Do you literally cook the rice in green tea?

    No, I'm not sure about rose tea in general, athough according to the lady in the Chinese supermarket, its 'very good for ladies'! :smiley:

    It's easy. You add in your green tea with the cold water when you let your rice soak, and then take out the tea leaves just before cooking

    I use a mix of sencha (japanese green tea is less bitter than chinese green tea, even though they're equally tasty) and matcha green tea. You could just use one or the other. If the sencha is in a bag, just one teabag is fine, and 1/2 tsp matcha powder. If the sencha is loose and you're going to put it in a disposable bag or reusable teapod thingy(those metal/mesh balls you use for loose leaf tea. Dunno what they're called), use about 2 tsp. This is what I use when cooking about 620g uncooked rice. Because the teabag goes in cold water, I don't really adjust the amounts when I'm cooking less rice.
  • HOOP10AZ
    HOOP10AZ Posts: 6 Member
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    I love the boxes and the photo is great! If you are on a budget, you can go to a dollar store and get the smaller containers. I also use the 100 calorie ziplocks and salad plates for my dinner. If you put your salad on the same plate you really do have a hard time getting other things on the plate. Thanks for sharing. Also fresh and fit has small containers as well. Cruise Amazon for "ALIKE" ideas, but you don't just have to shop there. Look around and Google your Coupon Codes before you buy anything online! 24 lbs down with portion control, my fitbit and logging everything into myfitness pal! Good Luck and thanks for the sharing!
  • PixieGoddess
    PixieGoddess Posts: 1,833 Member
    Options

    Still waiting for my lovely new bento boxes and bits and pieces to arrive, but I have a divided lunchbox that I have never really used before, so here is my first attempt at a bento type box. Pic 1 is jasmine rice (with a dried rose bud!), honeyed pork and blanched broccoli, pic 2, a boiled egg, pepper strips and tomberries, with a teenie choc bar for the afternoon, and pic 3 is pomegranate, strawberries, blueberries and clementine, with a small pot of zero calorie caramel sauce (I don't want to know whats in it, since it appears to be calorie, fat, and gluten free! But it is sooooo nice :smile: )

    Apparently the dried roses are to make tea, so I won't be eating it, but they are so pretty!!

    Looks delish. The rosebud for tea isn't that far off really. I make green tea rice pretty often. Dunno about rose tea rice though...
    Onigiri for days! #_#
    8sd19uszlp9s.jpg

    Damnit, Now I'm hungry, and brekky isn't for an hour. What type of furikake are you using?

    None, I just roll them in sea salt and sesame seeds after I'm done