Chinese takeout has some really yummy dishes, including chinese greens. However my kids don’t like these veggies based purely on looks - after I start eating them with gusto they dig in and find they love them too.
The way around this is to use the artistic bento idea to make those veggies part of a pretty picture. Greens make great trees, seaweed, grass, or other objects. Or maybe a big green monster they can save us from by eating!
That is the true reason for bento in my mind - to make kids want to eat a healthy lunch. If you accomplish this, then you are at the heart of this art!
It aint easy bein’ green!
October 12th, 2011A new twist for rice
October 7th, 2011If you are tired of plain white rice, and don’t want the fuss or extra fat associated with fried rice how about mixing it up a bit?
Try putting beans and / or potatoes in the rice. Rice by itself is good, but adding some beans (can of brown beans, cooked brown/red/black beans) makes the rice richer. This is true with many Chinese and other regional dishes, but many people do not mix beans with their rice. However, the Caribbean islands frequently do it, and often next to spicy dishes.
Another option is potato. Now if you were on the fence about beans and rice, you are likely scratching your head on this one. Potato is a starch like rice, and why mix them? Honestly, its personal taste and texture. This one is as much about texture as taste or added nutrients. When the rice is cooked add diced cooked white potatoes and mix it up. Again you can find this on some Caribbean islands. Its a great way to use up leftovers, and the potatoes mellow out the rice.
So if you are looking for a different way to present rice without frying it, try beans or potatoes. You may have a new hit on your hands!
Indian gives a new twist to bento
August 26th, 2011Last night we had take-out Indian food and it was super yummy. Even the kids liked it! Mind you I went savory instead of spicy..
That got me to thinking about bento, like always. Indian food bento would be awesome, but there are some hurdles to work out, namely the sauce(s).
Nearly all Indian dishes have a sauce. Each sauce is different, and tasty. The problem is how to keep these sauces from mixing or leaking in a bento.
An easy solution is to use naan bread to make barriers between the different foods. Put the rice on one side, bread fence, butter chicken, another fence, and some saag paneer for your green veggies. Optionally you could put the rice on the outsides as well.
Another variation is to use the rice to separate the sauces. This method would be butter chicken, rice, and saag paneer with bread on top to prevent mixing during transport. This lets some sauce mix with the rice, but it keeps sauces apart.
And lastly there is always the paper or silicone methods. Use the green grass plastic paper from sushi to separate the dishes, or put each portion into a silicone muffin cup.
No matter how you serve it, Indian food is super tasty!
Omelette du fromage!
January 21st, 2011An episode of the Tick cartoon saw the hero changed into a bird that could only speak bad FSL (french as a 2nd language), and that was one of the phrases. Its appropriate today because that is the meal.
If you are thinking okonomiyaki, that is for another day. This is a real omelette.
1. Put a good dab of butter in a stainless steel small fry pan on medium heat.
2. Take a half can of lily sprouts (enoki mushroom), rinse and drain them. Cut them into 1 inch pieces and separate any stems that are bunched up.
3. Use leftover cooked vegetables such as sliced carrots, green beans or peas. It should be already cooked and in quite small pieces. If need be, you can dice it up smaller.
4. Finely slice a green onion or small shallot, and add to the hot pan, stirring as it browns.
5. Next add the lily sprouts and veggies.
6. Add a dash of light soy sauce, any hot spices you like, and a good spoonful of sugar. Stir to coat the contents of the pan until the sauce thickens a bit.
7. Crack and scramble 2 eggs in a bowl. If you mix bubbles in it will be lighter and fluffy.
8. Make sure the ingredients in the pan are flat and away from the edges. Start in the middle and slowly pour the egg over top of the ingredients, ending around the edge of the pan.
9. As the egg cooks, use a spatula to separate the egg from the side of the pan, and cut some slices into the egg mixture to allow uncooked egg to find the hot pan and cook.
10. As the egg cooks, use your lifter to check the bottom. It is easy to overcook and start to burn it.
11. When the bottom starts to brown you can either flip the pan contents or cut it in half in the pan and fold on itself with cheese in the middle to melt.
Serve with salsa or top with hoisin sauce for a sweet treat.
Very tasty!
Maybe next time we’ll try okonomiyaki which is more like a pancake with cabbage in it, and lots of different toppings like a pizza.
Last bento of 2010!
December 29th, 2010This is an easy one for those lazy holidays…
Sliver some carrot - one medium one per person.
Boil a cup of short egg noodles in chicken stock (or turkey!) - per person
Heat up some leftover chicken chow mein - 1/2 - 1 cup per person.
And throw in about 6 baby bok choy per person.
Throw the carrots in the stock and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes.
Throw in the egg noodles and cook until soft.
Throw in the baby bok choy, and cook until soft (if they are big and raw, add before noodles).
Put the noodle mix (mostly drained) in the bottom of the bowl with the chow mein on top.
Yummy, and fairly healthy too!
Happy Bento to you!
December 21st, 2010Ever have leftover fried rice and wonder what to do with it? Things couldn’t be easier!
Beat two eggs together in a bowl and add a dash of soya sauce and garlic. set aside for now.
Add butter to a fry pan or wok while its heating up. Clean and mince green onions into the pan. When they start to brown add the egg mixture. Move it around in the pan so it will cook evenly. Use your flipper to cut up the egg into fairly small pieces.
If you have spinach, baby basil, cabbage, bok choy, etc. clean it and cut it into small strips.
Do the same to any left over meat, or lunch meat. both should be about 1/2 inch by 1.5 inches.
Throw greens and meat into the pan with the egg and green onion. Add a dash of oil.
Remove to a bowl and clean the pan.
Put back on heat, and add about 2 tbsp oil.
Now add a good heaping 1.5 cups of cold fried rice after the oil is hot. Keep the rice moving so it won’t stick. Once most of the oil is gone, dump the egg mixture back in and keep stirring. Add a dash of soya sauce and garlic chili sauce if you like. Or hoisin if you like it sweet.
Serve into a medium-large bowl, with BBQ pork buns on the side if you like.
Its fast to make, fairly healthy, and good for vegetarians too.
Bento fun with ground beef
December 1st, 2010After cooking up some ground beef to keep it from going bad, I decided to make lunch with it.
Stir fry chopped green onions, celery, and sliced green peppers with a bit of oil. Then add about 2-3 tbsps of cooked ground beef, and a good splash of soya sauce. Keep it on medium high heat to scorch the sauce for a couple minutes. Then add a couple tbsps of hoisin sauce and stir. Remove from heat, and serve over white rice.