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Major Bento Backlog

It's been a while since I've posted any bentos. I haven't had much time lately since Hubby hurt his back. He's been through spinal surgery now and is slowly on the mend. Also, not many bentos happening since summer vacation started. Here are the ones I got photos of. I'm kicking myself for not getting photos of the two awesome picnic bentos I did for the family. I used my new picnic bento I got in a trade and it is perfect for 4 people. I'll will make sure to get photos next time.
Bentos #141 - # 152


 

 

 


Ok, so most of these photos don't really need an explanation. This photo is of the most bentos I have made at one time. My sister in law and her three kids were visiting and really wanted to learn about bento. So I made a bento dinner one night. I'm sad I was out of a nice filler so there are some empty spots in the boxes, but over all I'm happy with the results considering I did it all from scratch in about an hour. We had teriyaki chicken and veggies, onigiri, broccoli, carrot bundles, grape and cherry skewers, kiwi slices and apple bunnies,
 
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Kiwi Desert Sushi

 I usually make this Sweet Coconut Rice for a desert and serve it warm with pineapple, mango and coconut sorbet. It is amazing! My favorite desert. I had the idea for the desert sushi because I had made a huge batch of rice and wanted to do something different with it.

 

Snack bento with Kiwi Desert Sushi and Coconut Dipping Suuce


SWEET COCONUT RICE
Ingredients
2 cups  cooked Rice
3/4 cup very thick coconut milk for mixing with rice (do not shake the coconut milk can before opening. Spoon out only the thick part that's usually on top)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt

In a pan mix coconut milk, sugar and salt. Heat on low, stirring until sugar and salt dissolves, do not boil. Add all but 1/4 cup to cooked, warm rice and mix thoroughly. Put lid on pan and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve warm with pineapple and mango chunks and coconut sorbet. Use left over sauce for a topping or for a dipping sauce for desert sushi.

Kiwi DESERT SUSHI
Ingredients
2 cups Sweet Coconut rice
2 Mamenori sheets (Soy Wrappers)
Pineapple chunks
Thinly sliced kiwi
other fruit I have used with the Kiwi
Strawberries
Mangoes

Use Mamenori sheets to roll ingredients like you would roll sushi, slice and serve with more fruit and the extra sauce for dipping .


 
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4/28 Bentos #139 & #140

My lunch for work today. Leftover chicken veggie sir-fry and rice. Kiwi, grapes and strawberry.
This was the perfect amount of food. I love this box!



CDC's Lunch- Pretty much the same but he also got a mini huckleberry muffin, oranges and some carrot stars
 
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4/27 Bento #138

Left over pizza bento today. Ham, basil and tomato piza, carrot bundle,crackers and a cheese and smoked turkey skewer, grapes,oranges, apricots, almonds and chocolate covered raisins and an orange cream marshmallow for desert.


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4/20 - 4/24 Bentos #134 - #137

Finally sitting down to catch on my bento posting. Between Little League, taxes and Little One having bronchitis for 9 weeks I've really slacked off of the bento thing. I'm missing it though, so I'm trying to get caught up and back on top of it.

4/22 #134 for me

Chicken veggie dumplings and spring rolls. I tried to make yaki onigiri but I was using basmati rice and it fell apart (I knew it would happen but I was craving yaki onigiri). steamed green beans, grapes, carrots,snap peas, almonds, apricots and chocolate covered raisins.
4/23 #135 for CDC



Another "Make your own mini pizza" bento. I'm so glad that CDC loves this bento. It really is my fall back when I'm not prepped and in a hurry. The usual ham & chesese flowers, crackers, olives and pzza sauce. Grapes and candied almonds a friend made,mmm so good.
4/23 #136 For Little one"s preschool snack
 

Kind of a breakfast bento. Huckleberry waffles, blackberry yogurt, grapes, dried apricots and almonds.

 
4/24 #137 for CDC

Beef raviolis in tomatoe sauce, crackers, mozz. cheese stick, apple wedges, carrots, snap peas and candied almonds.
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4/21 Bentos #131 - #133

Back into the bento groove, yea! Here is yesterday's bentos.  It's nice to be back to it, but CDC is home sick today so no bentos again today :(



#131 for CDC's lunch. Spaghetti and meatballs. Grape skewer, crackers and a mozz. cheese stick, carrot bundle and cinnamon apples.
I have cut down on the volume of food I've been sending and it seems to be working. CDC has been coming home with empty lunch boxes, yea!
 
 


#132 - my lunch for work. Spaghetti and meatballs with the usual suspects on the side.

 


#133 foor Little One- grapes, cinnamon gram bunnies, sliced mozz. cheese sick, and carrot sticks.


 
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4/7 - 4/18 Spring Break Bentos

It was spring break week here, so I only have a few bentos from the last 10 days.


#128 CDC's lunch- mac & cheese in the thermos, crackers with ham & cheese rolls. Apple slices and a couple of treats.

 


#129 - Another mac and cheese bento for Little One's lunch. Carrot sticks, strawberry-banana skewer, almonds,
dried apricots and a mango jelly

 


#130 for me- Burrito bento. All the fixings for a big burrito ( way too much food for me), but it was so good.
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4/10 More Bento Backlog

I've been having a hard time keeping up with posting my bentos lately. Just too busy to sit down and do it. Here are a few bentos from the week.

#123- Mini pizza bento again. CDC's favorite. It's becoming a staple bento especially on those rushed Mondays. The usual suspects- crackers, ham and cheese stars, pizza sauce, carrot bundle,grapes, dried pineapple, marshmallow treat and chocolate cube.


 
#124 - Little One's lunch. Ham and cheese sandwiches. Carrot sticks, grape and tangerine skewers, almonds and dried apricots with a mini marshmallow treat for desert.

 
#125 & #126 Bentos for my nephew and I. He came over to help mow lawns, so I thought I'd make him his first bento
We had leftover BBQ ribs, onigiri, romanesco broccoli, grape and watermelon skewers, carrot stars and a mini pudding cup.




#127 - CDC's lunch- Fish bites, onigiri, grapes, watermelon, snap peas, and ketchup for dipping.
 
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4/5 Bento Backlog - #119 through #122

I have bento backlog from last week due to everyone being sick. We are on the mend now but my voice still has not come back, I sound like a frog. And Little One has some lingering bronchitis. So not many bentos were needed for last week.

#119 for me- I'm loving my new Celtic Cat box from paiselypirate . At first I thought it was going to be too small, but once I started using it I realizes it's perfect. I usually pack a sidecar snack and when I do it was too much food. With this box it is the perfect amount. I had rice, shreadded pork roast, romanesco broccoli, carrot flowers and tri-colored radish slices.



#120 for CDC. Basically the same as mine except he got grapes instead of radishes. I'm packing smaller bentos for him as well in hopes of less waste.


#121- Snack for Little One in his cool robot vs godzilla box. Huckleberry waffles, berry yogurt, grapes, strawberries and mini tangerine slices.


#122. CDC's lunch fro Friday. Left over pepperoni pizza, carrots, grapes, apple cobbler bar and a mango jelly cup.