Bento Box Giveaway
Before we begin February’s The BOMB Challenge, let’s have a little fun with next month’s activities. There’s Valentine’s Day on the 14th… and for 2010 the 14th is also the Lunar New Year’s Day, “Year of the Tiger”, and February is also Black History Month! But there’s another important theme that is observed every February. Do you know what it is?
February is American Heart Association’s ’Heart Awareness Month”! Which brings us back to the theme for this giveaway.
You can win a brand new, still wrapped bento box just like the one in the photo. This is the ever popular and newly crowned “M4SB” (Magic 4 Squared Bento). This bento box triggers more emails than any of my other bento box styles so I wanted to give one away.
If you’d like to win this bento box, all you have to do is to tell us how you would pack each of the squares! I want to this to be a fun giveaway so I’ll keep the rules to a minimum but in the spirit of caring for our hearts, let’s keep the recipe’s and food items healthy, “heart healthy” would be ideal… that means, no bacon, french fries, or double cheese pizza. :) Entries will be added to the pool where the winner will be randomly selected. You can submit multiple entries as long as one of the boxes contains a different recipe from your previous entry. That’s it! And yes, I will prepare and pack the winning bento entry!
There will be other exciting activites in February; that’s why we are tackling the “heart healthy” theme now in preparation for next month!
Let’s review:
1. Win a bento box just like the one in the photo.
2. Submit your ideas for packing a heart healthy bento box, one recipe or food per square-
purple-?
yellow-?
red-?
green-?
3. Heart healthy foods and recipe will qualify to win.
4. Enter as many times as you like, provided that each entry is different from your other entries. ( at least one square needs to be different)
5. The winning entry will be selected randomly.
6. I will pack a bento using the winning recipes.
7. The contest starts now.
8. The contest ends on January 30, 2010 at Midnight Pacific Standard Time.
9. Contest is open to anyone!
Let the fun begin!
Woohoo!! M4SB FTW!! (sorry MRB)
This really is a very very cool bento box, and very generous of you to offer in this contest
Here is my first entry:
Purple: Okinawan sweet potato hash with chives and shiitake
Yellow: Barley with white beans, broccoli, and sweet yellow peppers
Red: Chopped fresh strawberry and almonds on cottage cheese
Green: Garlic shrimp pesto over squid ink pasta
Looking forward to many exciting recipes
(hapabento-Entry #1)
Yay! Here’s my first ideas for it:
purple- raisin/almond/nuts salad with olive oil, apple vinegar and honey;
yellow- orange segments and strawberries dipped in dark chocolate;
red- Salmon teriyaki;
green- Whole grain rice with spinach & garlic;
(hapabento-Entry #2)
Heart healthy is something I strive for in the family. Both sides have heart history, so we are trying to be healthy now as to not induce any problems in ourselves. I <3 this bento, but I am not sure how big the squares are. Well, here is one idea.
purple- Carb!
I would put either brown rice Unagi, or whole wheat no yolk egg noodles in this compartment
yellow- Protein and carb!
I would make barbecue. The recipe is from the Heart Association cookbook. It is lean, ground meat (I am a vegetarian, so I use Morning Star "meat" crumbles instead) browned with onion and then you add a little ketchup, chili sauce, mustard, vinegar, and sugar and cook for 15 minutes or so. It is one of my family's favorite meals!
red- Fruit!
Right now I would add blueberries, strawberries, and/or grapes.
green- Veggies!
I would put a small container of hummus on the bottom, and on top of that I would put celery sticks and carrot curls and maybe a few cherry tomatoes (but not for my husband, because he hates tomatoes).
(hapabento-Entry #3)
Here is the recipe (with measurements)
Barbequed Hamburger
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Brown meat and onions in large skillet. Pour off fat. Add all other ingredients- mix well. Simmer 20-30 minutes uncovered.
Notes: Double or triple and freeze for later use
Yields: 6 servings
Time to make: 45 min
Source: American Heart Association
(hapabento-Entry #4)
Green: spinach salad
Yellow: golden raspberries, cubed apricot
Purple: “berry smash” – plain soy yogurt with fresh mashed blueberries and blackberries
Red: tomato bread
(hapabento-Entry #5)
I don’t really have recipes, but this is what I would put in it.
Purple – BBQ grilled chicken garlic and some baked potato cubes
Yellow – Pasta salad with carrots, celery, radishes, onion, and cauliflower
Red – Pineapple chunks, apple chunks, grapes, cherry halves (so I can get the pit out before work)
Green – Stoneyfield chocolate yogurt with granola.
this would probably last me all day!
(hapabento-Entry #6)
My family loves the restaurant Chipotle so much that I started trying to recreate some of the recipes at home to make them even healthier and fresher. So, I would make rice with cilantro, lime juice and a little canola oil and salt mixed in after it’s been cooked and fluffed. Then I would use my stove-top grill pan (it’s cold here in Kansas!) to grill zucchini, colored peppers, and red onions, and then boneless chicken breasts (pounded flat so they cook evenly) that have been marinated overnight in a little of the same mixture I use in the rice. In the last container I would put cut pink grapefruit segments and heart shaped kiwi. Thanks so much for offering this fun challenge and for sharing all your beautiful bentos!
(hapabento-Entry #7)
Tried to choose colors that would compliment but not exactly match the color of the foods.
Here goes…
green- Ddukbokki (korean spicy rice cake stirfry w/ lots of veggies and tofu) over a thin layer of brown or white rice. I prefer white, but brown is yummy with it too. Low sodium soy sauce and such would be used for this. (Recipe will be posted on my bento blog)
yellow- steamed sugar snap peas. No need for seasoning, but you can add a little sea salt if desired. This would lend a clean, crisp flavor for the meal, as all the other veggies are in the ddukbokki.
red- halved purple and/or green grapes.
purple- low fat ricotta cheese with sugar and ground spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove) to taste. Gets creamier when heated and is delish. Apple bits can be added for more texture. This would the dessert.
(hapabento-Entry #8)
Wish you all good luck
Hi Lil’chan,
Please enter the contest! It’s open to anyone around the world!
I love these boxes!
purple: mixed baby greens with slices of tomato with a sauce container with a little extra virgin olive oil
green: carrot and cuccumber matchsticks tossed with toasted sesame oil, a little soy sauce and rice vinegar
yellow: adzuki beans with kabocha squash (taken from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone)
red: brown rice with an umeboshi plum and black sesame seeds sprinkled on top
Adzuki Bean with Kabocha Squash (The Kind Diet)
4′- 6′ piece of kombu
1 cup dried adzuki beans
2 cups kabocha squash cut into chunks
1 teaspoon shoyu
combine kombu and beans with enough water to cover, soak over night.
Drain water and cut kombu into 1′x 1′ pieces. Place into a heavy pot with a lid. Add the beans and enough water to just cover the beans. Bring to a boil
Strain and foam that may form during cooking. Boil for 5 minutes and then cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add water as needed to keep beans covered. After 30 minutes layer the squash on top and cover with more water. Cook for another 30 minutes or until beans are tender. Add shoyu and cook for 10 more minutes.
You can use any kind of squash or even carrots the book suggested. I used acorn squash since I couldn’t find any Kabocha that day. It’s a hearty filling dish!
I don’t have a lot of my own recipes, so I rely on others for insiration and then put my own twist on things sometimes!
(hapabento-Entry #9)
Here’s my entry:
Green: Fresh spinach, tomatoes, caramelized red onion, blueberries, fresh mozerella.
Red: Grilled salmon
Yellow: Quinoa vegetable salad with basil, red and yellow bell pepers, carrots.
Purple: Fork-crushed purple potatoes from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/04/fork-crushed-purple-potatoes/
Salmon, spinach, blueberries and carrots are all considered to be great for heart health. I also strove to come up with a combination of recipes that could be made in advance (all but the spinach salad) and that would be low fat, and balanced in proportion to carbs, proteins, and vegetables.
Abby
(hapabento-Entry #10)
i sure do love your contests – thanks for giving us another fun opportunity to share our ideas!
i see a couple of other people (sheri and simone!) had the same idea as me – matching the food to the color of the compartment it’s in. great minds think alike
here’s what i would do:
green – roasted garlic broccoli and steamed snow peas with sesame seed garnish
yellow – lemon-pepper tofu with takuwan flowers
red – plum fan and strawberries/raspberries
purple – slices of olive-oil roasted purple potato (sadly i don’t get the OSPs here in new york!) and beet
guess i’m still on the roasting theme, haha?!
(hapabento-Entry #11)
That bento is so cute. Here is what I would pack.
Yellow: baby carrots and cherry tomatoes with roasted red pepper hummus
Purple: grilled shrimp with parsley and lemon wedge
Red: Heart shaped onigiri surrounded by shelled edamame
Green: salad of diced kiwi, grapes, blueberries, chopped walnuts
(hapabento-Entry #12)
Red: Organic Lettuce blend salad w/ carrot flowers, grape tomato rose and maybe some shredded purple cabbage
Purple: Mini whole wheat pitas filled with cucumber slices, hummus and tabouleh w/ lettuce leaf lining the cup and grape tomatoes filling any spaces (on my mind as I plan to make tabouleh this weekend
Yellow: Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Purple Sweet Potatoes w/ olive oil and sea salt (buying some tomorrow – I was told they have them at Hong Kong Supermarket! Woot!)
Green: Clementine wedges, kiwi and blueberries (I would pit kiwi slices around the inside of the cup, then the wedges and the blueberries in the center)
What a great idea for a contest
(hapabento-Entry #13)
Purple – Raita salad on a lettuce bed.
Yellow – Garlic- and onion-grilled purple eggplant
Red- Rolls of Dhalpuri roti
Green – Matar paneer (Indian peas and cheese dish)
(hapabento-Entry #14)
purple- fat-free vanilla yogurt topped with frozen blueberries and raspberries
yellow-spinach salad with lime-juice pickled red onions, watermelon and feta (with the lime juice and a little olive oil as the dressing)
red-steamed asparagus with a tiny drizzle of toasted sesame oil
green-miso roasted salmon on a bed of steamed rice
(hapabento-Entry #15)
I love everyone’s ideas! Since I won the last contest, I’m not going to enter this one, but I would like to invite you to check out what I packed in this box for lunch last week.
http://twentysomethingreview.blogspot.com/2010/01/review-16-fun-with-new-bento-gear.html
It’s the second photo on the page, and the entry is a review of my awesome new gear! You are very generous to have these contests–it makes it fun and encouraging for bento newcomers like me!
This is a pretty neat box, and we do all need to worry about our hearts… women especially. I am not good at building a box on a theme, so I’d just make whatever I felt like and it would end up being a mishmash.
Purple – Hummus with lots of garlic
Yellow – Pita pieces for the hummus, and I’d hide something minty in there to combat the garlic breath.
Red – Maybe carrot kinpura? That stuff is sooo yummy.
Green – I would probably fill this one up with steamed broccoli, with maybe some cherry tomatoes for color.
(hapabento-Entry #16)
Red: Protein & fruits!
tea poached salmon on a bed of fruit salsa
Purple: Heart healthy dessert!
mini chocolate raspberry brownies surrounded by raspberries
Yellow: Vegetables & dairy!
arugula or spinnach salad with sun dried tomatoes with oil and balsamic vinegar dressing in a small dressing container. A sprinkling of goat cheese if desired.
Green: More vegetables (snack)
roasted sweet potato “fries” seasoned with olive oil, black pepper and cinnamon. I like to slice mine in thin circles so they’re like chips.
(hapabento-Entry #17)
Thanks for the great opportunity!
Purple – chicken, walnut, cranberry salad (with red pepper, celery, almond slivers, non-fat yogurt and mustard dressing)
Yellow – garlic naan
Red – berries (blueberries, raspberries and blackberries)
Green – cucumber and tomato salad (with olive oil, vinegar, basil and oregano)
(hapabento-Entry #18)
Here is my entry
~ Green - Brazilian Grilled Flank Steak w/ Salsa & Spanish Rice (insert dish of salsa in one corner and rice fill container 3/4 then arrange 5 – 1/2 slices of steak on top of rice)
~ Red – Avocado Mango and Spinach Salad With Mustard Dressing
~ Yellow – Sweet Potato Falafel with optional Tahini Sauce
~ Purple – Flourless Honey-Almond Cake w/ Rhubarb Fool
Recipies here
(hapabento-Entry#19)
I love this box!
Yellow: Salad with lots of leafy green lettuces (no iceberg for me, thanks!) and a light vinaigrette – simple red wine vinegar and heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil.
Green: Rice pilaf made with brown rice, low-sodium bullion, vermicelli, onion, thyme, and if you like add mushrooms, asparagus, or other veggies (example recipe: http://www.americanheart.org/deliciousdecisions/jsp/catalog/recipeDetails.jsp?identifier=3055001 )
Purple: Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and canteloupe
Red: My mom’s heart-healthy chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts marinated in V8 tomato juice and a storebought Italian seasoning blend.
My mom has had to cook heart-healthy for years because of my dad’s cholesterol, and the last time I went and got my cholesterol checked, it was actually 7 points too low. These recipes really do work!
(hapabento-Entry#20)
Lesse… how about a simple but pretty one? Forgive me if it sucks. I’m very new to this. ^^;;;
purple- Dried mango and dried apple slices, stacked sideways to look striped.
yellow- Broiled Salmon with garlic and oregano.
red- Brown Rice with some steamed garbanzo beans on top.
green- Romaine letuce and cucumber slices with few carrot slices in the shape of robots. (Well, okay, it can be flowers or whatever, but robots are COOL. >D)
(hapabento-Entry#21)
Green; Mini-cucumber sushi rolls topped with sesame seeds.
Red; Pomegranate seeds mixed with cherries.
Yellow; Steamed broccoli topped with cheddar cheese, it tastes so yummy!
Purple; white rice with sauteed vegetables, like peppers, onions, and tomatoes.
(hapabento-Entry#22)
purple- Low fat yoghurt topped with pomegranate seeds and blueberries
yellow- ovenbaked broccoli, corn and ovenbaked cherry tomatoes
red- Tamagoyaki with spinach and some toasted “rye-bread” sticks
green- Rice on the bottom, and a mild curry chicken with pineapple and coconutmilk. Soooo delicious!
(Totally have to try this combination out myself. :])
(hapabento-Entry#23)
Ok, so thinking of what I’d eat right now if I could:
Purple – Fruit – I’d do rockmelon cubes and red seedless grapes.
Yellow – salad – Greek salad of red onion, cucumber, a couple of kalamata olives cut into small pieces, red capsicum and non-fat balsamic dressing in a sauce container to add when eating. I’d do the tiniest amount of feta cheese crumbled on top for taste.
Red – brocoli, carrots in flower shapes, some kumara cute into cubes (kumara is what is called yaki imo in japan – I think just sweet potato in other countries – I’d go for the normal purple outside/yellowish inside on). A sprinkling of sesame seeds on top.
Green – I’d do my salmon penne pasta that I adapted from http://www.aibento.net/2009/04/20/salmon-pasta-bento-348/ – and I see Pikko actually used it in a four square bento too! It is my favourite food at the moment and really low points for weight watchers – I do a handfull of green beans cut up, cook in frying pan with a little water instead of oil, a can of low fat evaporated milk, add 50grams of thin sliced salmon (like for antipasto type)- cut it up and add to the pan add a tiny pinch of corn flour to thicken if needed, add salt and pepper. While doing this I cook 125grams of pasta and add to the sauce (then I add the corn flour after the pasta). So yum, makes two meals (I guess would do four of the bento squares) and only 7 weight watchers points for each meal (when I do it so it makes two). Only takes about 10mins too!
Might make this for monday!
(hapabento-Entry#24)
My entry #2!
Purple – I’d do turbot (it’s a flatfish – so yum) – I’d sprinkle it with a little bit of flour and salt and pepper then cook in frying pan with that non-fat cooking spray stuff or do under the grill. Usually I put in my bento box in the size it comes (small pieces) but think you’d need to cut each maybe into three to fit in the squares. I’d layer it all nice and pretty in that case. I’d also sit this on lettuce and cut a cherry tomato in half and put both halves in for a bit of colour.
Green – since it is summer here now and there are lots of summer berries around, I’d do rasberries, blueberries, and some rock melon which I would do with the melon baller.
Yellow – I’d do in the frying pan chopped up green beans, red onion, red capsicum and mushroom and just season with salt and pepper (do after the fish so it gets a little flavour from that too).
Red – just normal rice with salmon furikake on top
This is fun – going to look for a square box on line now!
(hapabento-Entry#25)
I almost got one of those boxes at my local Asian Market, but it was gone the next day! I can see why, too! Here’s what I’d do:
purple- Strawberries! With a little low-fat yogurt and some walnuts! And maybe a few pomegranate seeds..
yellow-Roasted red bell peppers on one side, with broccoli and a carrot star (can’t help myself)
red-Brown rice onigiri, filled with tuna mixed with spicy mustard.
green-Some more tuna, wrapped in tiny lettuce leaves, with tomatoes.
My lunches are always thrown in with what I can find, and for cheap. So.. Not always the best, but those are typical foods for me.. ._.;;
(hapabento-Entry#26)
Here’s another entry but faster to pack than the last.
Purple: Toasted triangles of whole wheat pita bread
Green: roasted red pepper hummus (homemade is cheapest!)
Yellow: baby carrots, red bell pepper strips, and cucumber slices (for dipping too)
Red: Grapefruit sections
A simple, filling lunch!
Quick recipe for roasted red pepper hummus
I call it roasted red pepper but really I use a dried chili.
2 cups cooked chickpeas (canned or from dried)
1 dried chili
1 TBS of tahini
1 TBS of olive oil
Juice of one lemon (or about 1 TBS)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp of cumin (or to taste)
You can cook the dried beans and the dried chili together or boil the chili by it’s self if using canned chickpeas.
Cook until beans are tender and the chili is pliable.
Save the water you used to boil the chili.
Use a food processor to blend all of the ingredients.
Add the water to the mixture as needed to thin out the mixture just enough to help the processor along.
This hummus tasted even better the next day.
I almost got one of those boxes at my local Asian Market, but it was gone the next day! I can see why, too! Here’s what I’d do:
purple- Strawberries! With a little low-fat yogurt and some walnuts! And maybe a few pomegranate seeds..
yellow-Roasted red bell peppers on one side, with broccoli and a carrot star (can’t help myself)
red-Brown rice onigiri, filled with tuna mixed with spicy mustard.
green-Some more tuna, wrapped in tiny lettuce leaves, with tomatoes.
My lunches are always thrown in with what I can find, and for cheap. So.. Not always the best, but those are typical foods for me.. ._.;;
hapabento-Entry#27)
Let’s see if lightning strikes twice . . .
For a heart-healthy bento, I would pack:
Purple: Spinach sauteed in olive oil with garlic and mushrooms, packed with a lemon wedge to season
Yellow: Homemade low fat flax/oatmeal/raisin cookie, tucked in with apple slices
Red: Tofu cutlets (could simmer frozen firm tofu in broth for extra flavour), tossed and roasted with tomato/onion/garlic/chipotle in adobo/olive oil mix
Green: Blueberry and wild rice salad (recipe follows)
Blueberry & Wild Rice Salad
A light citrus dressing goes perfectly with the fruit and wild rice in this satisfying summer salad.
1 cup wild rice, washed
2 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup toasted, chopped pecans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup lime juice
2 Tbsp. agave nectar
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. grated lime peel
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup blueberries
• Combine the rice with the vegetable broth and enough water to cover by 1 inch in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool. Stir in the pecans, cranberries, apricots, and red onion. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, agave nectar, ginger, and lime peel. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper.
• Pour over the rice and mix well. Gently fold in the blueberries. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
hapabento-Entry#28)
Hopefully this should have a nice combo of carbs, proteins, dairy, fruits and greens. The yellow and red compartment ingredients can take a while, but most of that is just them sitting in the oven while you read a book or finish the other two compartments.
purple: Blueberries on top of lightly sweetened low fat vanilla yoghurt
yellow: Cubed oven-roasted acorn squash with toasted and honeyed almond slivers
red: Lemon-thyme baked salmon (lightly brush salmon filets with olive oil, season with thyme, cover with slices of lemons, VERY LOOSELY wrap in tinfoil, and bake in the oven) cut into as large of a heart shape as will fit into the box
green: Steamed spinach with sesame seeds
(hapabento-Entry#29)
This is a super fun looking lunch box! Because it’s so colorful and I come from a design background, I’m going to go with a complementary colors menu!
Purple – (complement=yellow) baked tilapia with grilled summer squash (garnish with a fresh sprig of cilantro for both color AND flavor!)
Yellow – (complement=purple) roasted rosemary purple potatoes and red onion on a bed of shredded purple cabbage
Red – (complement=green)spinach salad with gorgonzola and dried cranberries, with a small container of sweet vinaigrette
Green – (complement=red)2 peeled blood orange slices, topped with fresh sliced strawberries and fresh raspberries
Man! Maybe I’ll make this bento, even if I don’t win!
(hapabento-Entry#30)
What great ideas, everyone! I tried to go with complementing colors as well:
purple – sliced sweet potato with cinnamon
yellow – brown rice mixed with diced tomatoes
red – blueberries and strawberries with sliced almonds
green – black bean mini burgers
I like simple, yet stylish.
(hapabento-Entry#31)
I just wanted to let you know that I mentioned and linked to your contest on my blog
I plan to do a contest once I get to 20 followers (one more to go!), so now I will have to think of something as good as this – not sure I can live up to that challenge! 
Thank you Tammy! So sweet of you to do that! The more the merrier and what a cache of recipes we’ll have to choose from eh?
I would go super simple since I’m not an accomplished bentomaker…yet!
purple: strawberries and a few sliced almonds
yellow: steamed broccoli and spinach to eat with the rice; a little bottle of soy sauce
red: steamed rice with with a bit of salmon furikake (recipe found at justbento: http://justbento.com/handbook/johbisai/furikake-no-7-salmon-furikake-or-sake-flakes)
green: dried apple rings and a dark chocolate kiss!
Thanks for the giveaway and, more importantly, for the FANTASTIC site!
(hapabento-Entry#32)
purple – steamed chicken with miso
yellow – soba noodles with red cabbage strips and green onion slivers
red – spinach with sesame seeds and a drizzle of soy sauce
green – roasted red bell peppers
(hapabento-Entry#33)
Second Entry!
Purple – Boiled kale (with sea salt and olive oil) with grilled asparagus pieces
Yellow – Chickpea salad (chickpeas with sauteed zucchini, tomato, bell pepper and onions with olive oil, white vinegar, lemon juice and black pepper dressing)
Red – fat free Greek yogurt (with berry preserves mixed in and pomegranate arils on top)
Green – baked pita chips
(hapabento-Entry#34)
purple chicken adobo – chiken skin removed, light soy sauce used
yellow plain steamed rice with toasted garlic bits on top or substitute with chopped green onion
red- sliced manila mangoes
green- seaweed salad with sesame dressing (light)
(hapabento-Entry#35)
This would be such a great bento to use!
In the purple, I would put cherry low fat yogurt with frozen blueberries and raspberries for dairy + frui.
In the yellow, I would put hummus for protein and fiber.
In the red, I would put some low fat whole wheat crackers to dip into the hummus. This would take care of grains
In the green, I would cut up some tasty vegetables to also dip into the hummus, such as carrots and green peppers for vegetables.
(hapabento-Entry#36)
Purple – Baby Greens Salad w/ Sunflower Seeds and Basalmic Vinegrette
Yellow – Cherries & Blueberries
Red – Roasted Carrots & Squash
Green – Whole Wheat Penne w/ White Bean Puree and Spinach. I just made this pasta last week. I was experimenting and wrote everything down, but now I have to figure out what I did with that piece of paper! I’ll have to post the recipe later.
(hapabento-Entry#37)
oh! just realised I left a v important part out at entry #24! first of all I cook half an onion in the frying pan using either just a little of that non-fat cooking spray stuff, or a little water, and just soften them, before I add the beans.
Who makes this bento?
Thx
Hi Lena,
I do not know who makes this bento box style. Sorry.
Thanks for posting such a fun giveaway! I would pack…
Red: Roasted brocolli sprinkled with black pepper and chilli flakes
Green: Brown rice mixed with chopped spring onions, green peppers, cilantro/coriander, cucumber and radish sprouts
Purple: Grapes and a couple of squares of dark chocolate
Yellow: Raw cookies (Recipes here: http://ecoprincess.blogspot.com/2009/09/raw-cookies.html)
Can you tell I’m a dessert kind of girl? Haha ^_^
(hapabento-Entry#38)
purple- kohaku namasu (pickled new years carrots and daikon)
yellow- turkey and swiss wrap
red- granola with yogurt and fruit
green- pretzels with peanut butter for dipping
thinking “heart healthy” is harder than I thought!
(hapabento-Entry#39)
Purple:Sake steamed Salmon and Shrimp,w lemon pepper lemon juice, zest,shiitake,slivered onion,red bell pepper.garlic.yellow:green apple,strawberries,orange segments,banana,drizzle of lem.juice/honey,raisins.Red:romain,toms,kalamata olives,cucmbers,feta/parm cheese,e.v.o.o.balslamic vin.Green:Soba,or other thin pasta,sesame peanut butter sauce,with sesame seeds,copped scallions on top..(;-DX
(hapabento-Entry#40)
I love your site. I focus a lot of my energy around lunches for work, and Bento makes it such fun. I really feel I have only just scratched the surface.
Am I allowed to heat up one of my dishes?
Purple- Celaric, Raisins, Savoy Cabbage – Shredded finely, mixed with some crème fraiche.
Yellow – Bean sprouts, garlic, chilli flakes, sliced mushrooms & miso soup paste. – When ready to serve mix the soup paste with boiling water and pour over the vegetables.
Red – Chickpea cake and sweet chilli sauce.
Green – Sliced melon selection.
(hapabento-Entry#41)
Thanks for another change at one of these great boxes as well as an opportunity to create some heart-healthy meals. Here’s my first suggestion…
Purple – Brown Rice with Black Beans & Cilantro Recipe here: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/login.asp?docid=18768
Yellow – Orange segments, blueberries, and a small piece of dark chocolate
Red – Citrus Grilled Salmon (cilantro & lime would balance well with the flavors in the rest of this meal)
Green – Confetti Corn (Add chopped red bell pepper to kernel corn)
(hapabento-Entry#42)
Purple – Spinach Salad with orange segments and almonds
Yellow – Blueberries and mandarin oranges.
Red – Almond Chicken:
•Cube 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast.
•In small bowl combine 2 Tbsp sherry, 2 tsp soy sauce, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp sugar, & ½ tsp ground ginger to make sauce.
•Heat 1-2 Tbsp canola oil in wok. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned.
•Add sauce to wok and cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
•Add ½ cup sliced almonds, 2 handfuls of snow peas, and 2 sliced green onions. Cook until heated through.
Green – Roasted Asparagus
(hapabento-Entry#43)
Purple:Panko crusted,boneless,skinless,Baked,chicken breast slices,on brown rice,w/orange marmalade sauce.Yellow:Eggplant,tofu,mushrooms,(your choice.)stir-fried,w/veg oil,soy,ginger,garlic,rice wine vin,S+P,red pepper flakes,scallions/chives,on top..RED:Cabbage,carrot slaw,w/Sesame,miso,dressing,w/crispy noodles..green:Thinly sliced apples,simmered until soft in apple juice, w/pinch”o”salt,pumpkin pie spice,and honey,w/granola topping !!…(;-DX
(hapabento-Entry#44)
yellow- quinoa salad with diced carrots, cucumbers, parsley, and a lemon vinaigrette
red- mini turkey meatballs with lots of spices, like coriander and cumin
green- grated carrots with fresh blueberries and pomegranate seeds
purple- two small oatmeal raisin cookies (everybody needs a treat now and then)
(hapabento entry #45)