As a chef working around food all day, it's difficult to get really enthused about coming home and cooking dinner, or getting up and making breakfast. And, try as I may, I have not been able to pack my poor starving husband a lunch more than perhaps a dozen times in the years we've been together. Bento boxes, though, have changed this. Last week, we purchased him a "My Neighbor Totoro" bento and I have lovingly crafted a total of FOUR lunches in as many work days! I'm on a roll! :oD So, just to catch the blog up, here are my first few attempts at packing a bento box...
Above is my first effort. I packed my hubby some fried tofu (cut into hearts...awwwww, hehe) with dipping sauce in the little bottle. Then I cut some carrots with a crinkle cutter and packed them and some cherry tomatoes with the little elephant full of vegan ranch dip. Then I cut up a kiwi for a little 1-fruit-salad and tossed in a pack of koala cookies (not vegan). First try, needed improvement, but was also done in a short amount of time rather late after getting back from buying the bento box and accessories!
Second day, packed him some brown rice with a Cajun tofu, red bean, and tomato salad (hot sauce in the bottle). Filled up the other layer with vegan vanilla cupcakes topped with chocolate ganache, some apples, goji berries, and cashews.
Third day was yummy (I've been packing bentos for myself as well...but I ordered my boxes off Ebay so until they arrive and my lunches look cuter I'm just posting his!)...loved this Mexi-bento! Refried beans and brown rice with avocado...packed with mini organic corn chips for dipping. Frosted another few of my little cupcakes (I make a batch and freeze them to use as needed), and included them with an orange,some cashews and some goji berries.
Tonight I packed him some noodles with a ginger-sesame-peanut sauce, a few crisp veggies to nibble on, some apricot applesauce, a kiwi, a cashew/goji mix, and a couple Anpanman cookies. The noodles didn't photograph well, but I previewed them and was very pleased! I'm looking forward to lunch tomorrow! :o)
