Bento - licious

8/2/08 The unposted pictures of July...

2008-08-02T06:57:00.004-06:00

In my crazy busy month of July, I have been taking some bento photos, but not getting them uploaded. My apologies, but here they are!! You'll have to guess at some of the ingredients - most are self explanitory - we have been doing a lot of grilling with a lot of left overs, so the dogs have been adequately represented!!

Love the palm tree boxes!!

Snack bags for Tom!!

8/2/08 Swap packages recieved!!

2008-08-02T06:45:00.004-06:00

I have been super busy and haven't had time to list in awhile - but I have been taking some pictures!!
First up - swap recived from May in Australia!! This was through the bento swap group on flickr

Fun lot of things, including flamingo picks!! The fish napkins are too funny and everything can be used for bento!! Check out the little Monokuro Boo change purse!

Next up...the wammy doodle package from Myria. I always order from her fantastic store - www.bentocrazy.ecrater.com - this time, we did a swap instead!!As I opened the box...the little sticker said "wait" - the suspense was killing me, so I couldn't wait any longer...

All the parcels so nicely wrapped...

The unwrapped explosion!! Amazing bento goodness...My favorite Boo items, many fun new bento supplies, cute bento box cleaning items (sponge & brush guy), and some coveted mister donut boxes!!! She knows I collect these and she found some WONDERFUL ones for my collection!!

The mister donut boxes...

The best sauce/mayo cups ever!!

And of course the funny sayings on the boxes...

7/12/08 bentocrazy.ecrater.com haul AKA Feed the Addiction

2008-07-12T11:09:00.005-06:00

Also were included: car race side dish and chopsticks, but they went with Tom's lunch for the day!

I've been wanting these litte mayo and ketchup bottles!!

Ocean themed bentos!!!

The beloved Palm Tree bentos Myria found for me!!!! I LOVE these!!!!

Racing accessories for Tom!!

Barbamama!!

7/9/08 Race Car and Happy Balloon Bento's

2008-07-09T07:27:00.003-06:00

Today's lunch for Tom...
BBQ chicken, rice, veg, leftover avacado rolls, fruits, car egg, and a chocolate hard boiled egg!!

And for me...
Mustard panko crusted chicken, rice, brussel sprouts, fruits, leftover avacado/cuke sushi, baby lentil & feta salad, artichoke hearts, and baby mozz.

7/8/08 Monokuro Boo Bento!!

2008-07-08T07:15:00.002-06:00

My first attempt at a character bento...

Nori wrapped pig and sushi rice pig, bbq chicken hidden under brussel sprouts and cuke & radish stars...fruits...pig egg, chocolate egg, chicken shumai, and pickles! YUM!!

The egg is made of chocolate!!!

7/7/08 Bento Yum post holiday weekend!

2008-07-07T20:50:00.005-06:00

Lunch for me...

Sushi rice, BBQ chicken, and brussel sprouts

Fruits, cuke & avacado rolls, artichoke hearts, mozz, & tomatoes

Marshmallows (mango), chocolates, and baby cookies

Lunch for Tom...

Sushi rice, BBQ chicken, mixed veg

Avacado roll, fruits, baby cookies, and marzipan

7/3/08 New Bento Gear

2008-07-03T07:08:00.003-06:00

Bento Swap from Bills_girlie in my Flickr Bento Swap group!!
Green natural lunch sandwich container, onigiri wrappers, picks and sweets!

Great note included with my swap! The stationary reads..."Stella's story"
"Her name is Stella. She is very popular with the boys, though very stylish and selfish."
I LOVE it!!!!!

Latest Ichiban Kan haul...you can never have too much!!
Cute blue lunch bag hs a saying on it..."I hope everything is going well for you"

6/29/08 Tom's New Bento Box

2008-06-29T10:19:00.002-06:00

So yesterday we went to the Cherry Blossom festival here in Denver...

At a local store we found the perfect bento box for Tom. Nice quality, two tier...His given name is Tom, not Thomas, Tommy, etc - although sometimes we call him by those just to irk him...

This was too good to be true!!

6/27/08 Swaps and Packages!!!!

2008-06-27T05:44:00.003-06:00

Many packages arrived yesterday!!

This one is a swap from the Flickr Bento Swap group -
From Somana, my swap partner!!

Next is a swap with Flickr member Sherilouhoo!
Lots of fun purple bento items!! And handmade sauce and side containers!!

Finally a package from bentocrazy.ecrater.com
She included my favorite - marshmallows - but these are filled wth mango!!! YUM!!!
Thanks Myria!!!

6/25/07 Yummy Lunch...

2008-06-27T05:41:00.001-06:00

Simple yummy lunch today...

Inside out cuke and cream cheese rolls

Asian BBQ chicken, roasted peppers, tomatoes, baby mozz, and artichoke hearts

6/23/08 Today's Natural Green Bento lunch

2008-06-23T21:20:00.004-06:00

Yummy lunch today -

Asian marinade on the chicken, with some roasted peppers-

baby tomatoes, baby mozzarella, artichokes

raspberries, grapes, peaches, and leftover fruit sushi

cuke and cream cheese inside out rolls

6/22/08 New flower bento

2008-06-22T21:23:00.004-06:00

New, great quality, two tier bento I found today!

6/20/08 Hard Road Bento - lots of fun treats!!

2008-06-20T07:34:00.003-06:00

So...it has been a very long, hard week, so I made my lunch in the Hard Road bento box - seemed very appropriate!! Fun treats today include inside out avocado rolls, fruit sushi, and decorated sour marshmallows!! That's right - pineapple and tangerine sour marshmallows - from Mexico. They are delish!!

6/16/08 Elephant Bento

2008-06-16T07:58:00.002-06:00

Today's lunch in my new elephant bento...
Inside out avocado rolls - soy sauce in the little cherries!
Lots of yummy fruit and some pickles and veg.

6/10/08 Bunny and Bear bento

2008-06-10T07:13:00.003-06:00

Today's bento yum - meatloaf and baby potatoes! Add some veg and all the regular add ins - radish face in mine with some bunny marshmallows!

6/9/08 Monday's uninspired bento...

2008-06-09T08:01:00.004-06:00

Not too inspired today - some leftovers and trying to use up the fruit in the fridge...
Mine has baslamic glazed beets, artichoke hearts, mozz stuffed peppers, pickles, chicken, noodles, tomatoes, etc.
Tom's has noodles, chicken, and carrots - he is less adventurous on the pickled items!

6/8/08 The Bento Expansion

2008-06-08T13:00:00.002-06:00

New Mister Donut Bento's!! I was so excited to find these!! The black one is two tiered and quite large - could almost be used for a picnic bento for me and my husband. The smaller is sized for a regular meal - with a little divider cup inside!

My husband finally booted my bento collection out of the kitchen! He did allow for me to purchase a second set of tower drawers from Target, so all is well. The collection now lives in the dining room - just off the kitchen - I can wheel either set of drawers into the kitchen for easier access.

6/7/08 Summer concert family bento

2008-06-07T08:53:00.002-06:00

Tom and I packed up our new family size bento to take to a concert last night - Delish!!! But way too much food - neither one of us could finish it!! Lot's of fun sushi, noodles, veg, fruits, and treats!

6/6/08 Nikyoro Bento Lunches

2008-06-06T07:09:00.005-06:00

For me and my husband...Nikyoro cute face bentos!
Lots of fresh fruits and leftover dinner (rice, chicken, and veggies)
On mine, I added a side of veggies, mini mozzeralla balls, and artichoke hearts.

6/4/08 Monokuro Boo Bento

2008-06-05T07:23:00.002-06:00

My favorite Monokuro Boo bento's for me and my husband.

Sushi, noodles, veggies, shrimp spring rolls, and fruits...and the little marshmallow guy...

6/2/08 Bentolicious Lunch

2008-06-02T06:25:00.004-06:00

Lunch for myself and my husband - his is in the racing bento - he is a huge race fan!
Mine - asian bbq chicken, spinach & carrot noodle nests, asparagus, cukes, carrots, baby artichoke heart, and mozzeralla stuff marinated peppers.
Then - some fruit, honey drop mini-cookies, and a filled marshmallow guy!

Tom's - asian bbq chicken. spinach & carrot noodle nests, asparagus, carrots, & little corn.
Then - fruits, cookies, and a little mint.

5/31/08 The Ichiban Kan love!!

2008-05-31T15:10:00.002-06:00

Another box of love from the Ichiban Kan site!!

5/31/08 Clean out the fridge bento!!

2008-05-31T15:06:00.002-06:00

Cleaning out the fridge...
Tom's bento - leftover chicken, veggie rolls, plum sauce, nuts, raspberries, pudding, cookies, and a mint candy.
Stephanie's bento - chicken & plum sauce, veggie rolls, pickles, cookies, raspberries, marshmallows, and a pepper and cuke side salad.

5/29/08 Yummy Bento!!

2008-05-29T07:30:00.005-06:00

Today's hard road bento - one for me and one for my husband -
avacado roll, rice, yakisoba noodles, braised baby bok choy, olives, blueberries, raspberries, pickles, veggie dumplings, and the cutest little panda cookies!!

5/28/08 Packages at my door when I arrived home...

2008-05-28T06:19:00.004-06:00

My husband and I took a holiday trip to Indianapolis for the long weekend. When we got home, several packages were awaiting our return...While there, we discovered the Sakura Mart - cute little Japanese food market - no bento items, but a great selection of food items!!

There was a clickety click bear bento from swap partner chacoqueen from Flickr, fun finds from the Ichiban site - blue sakura bento set (bags, chopsticks, chopstick case), black rabbit moon bentos (plus chopsticks and chopstick case), misc bags & trays & such, and a family size bento for picnics and traveling!! Finally, the last package was a j-list order - fun face bentos and the racing bento for my race fan of a husband - matching accessories for both! Finally, baran and divider cups.

Now that I am back home with all these great new supplies, I have to start creating fun bentos again!!

5/20/08 Latest bento haul from www.bentocrazy.ecrater.com

2008-05-21T06:41:00.002-06:00

Lots of blue happy balloon, cinnamoroll, and shinkansen finds! Thanks so much Myria!! I LOVE the cinnamoroll container that you included for my treat - very cool!!

5/21/08 Hard Road Bento

2008-05-21T06:36:00.004-06:00

We ordered out for dinner last night, so simple bento today in our new Hard Road Bento box - one of my new favs!! Thai chicken noodles and teriyaki chicken bowl - sauce in the little bunny.

5/15/08 Yum Yum Bento

2008-05-15T05:53:00.004-06:00

Yum Yum for today...sushi rice with soy sesame seeds, asian BBQ chicken, gyoza, round dumplings, snap peas, yellow cauliflower

Next tier - bananas, grapes, apricots, pickles, and mini cookies.

5/14/08 Yesterday's bento...

2008-05-15T05:47:00.003-06:00

Ran out of time yesterday to post...

This is one of my new favorite bentos!
Standard items in this lunch - asian BBQ chicken, Israeli cous cous, yellow cauliflower, tomatoes, cookies, baby bel, cukes, grapes- added some pickles in, in an effort to get rid of some of the jars in my fridge.

5/12/08 Today's leftover bento...

2008-05-12T07:22:00.003-06:00

Leftover's from the weekend - great way to clean out the fridge!!

First tier - Israeli cous cous with soy sesame seeds, snap peas, red pepper, yellow cauliflower, and asian BBQ chicken
Second tier -leftover sushi, red bean paste fish waffle, grapes, little tomatoes, and a chocolate
All together with the hippo oshibori and dining utensils

5/12/08 More finds from K-Town Galleria

2008-05-12T07:18:00.002-06:00

More finds this weekend from the K-Town Galleria. The black package is a kitchen knife with several little blades on it for fine slicing. Toothbrushes of course - to keep at work! Who doesn't need a bunny and piggy toothbrush! :~) The pop animal bentos are a steal at $2.00!

5/5/08 New finds from K Town Galleria

2008-05-05T06:46:00.003-06:00

New finds from K Town Galleria - they had a great selection of bento boxes (for Denver). Perfect sized Sakura and flower cutters - and lots of other fun things. The purple bag is my favorite - it says - "Weather forecast - Clear: Where there is sunshine, that's where you are" - very cute!

5/5/08 Monokuro Boo Star Lunch

2008-05-05T06:41:00.002-06:00

Starry lunch today...

Nori decorated sushi rice, spicy chicken, avacados, tomatoes, star cukes, & heart peppers
Oranges, star kiwi, blueberries, koala cookies, and marshmallows

5/2/08 Tom's Orangy Bento

2008-05-02T07:02:00.002-06:00

Lunch for the husband today...

Salami & cheese sammy, orange, carrots, cookies, and tuna

All packed up ready to go with Cinnamoroll cases for oshibori and rice cakes!!

5/1/08 Chicken & Cous Cous Monokuro Boo Bento

2008-05-01T06:27:00.004-06:00

Today's bento...Israeli cous cous, yellow cauliflower, chicken, and asparagus

Fruits, cheese, and marshmallows!

Second photo - packed up and ready to go!

Leftover - Clean out the fridge bento!

2008-04-30T08:08:00.003-06:00

Not much left in my fridge to work with this morning - Yakisoba noodles, fruits, tomatoes, black olives, baby bel, and treats!!

Bento Organization

2008-04-29T07:11:00.005-06:00

The big organizer...I found two drawer units and put them together. I store this in my dining room, but can wheel it into the kitchen when needed or into a closet when we have company.

Bento Organization

2008-04-29T07:01:00.004-06:00

The mini-drawers...

Bento Organization

2008-04-29T06:57:00.002-06:00

Bento Boxes...

Bento Organization

2008-04-29T06:50:00.005-06:00

My picks and divider cup organization...

My lastest haul from www.bentocrazy.ecrater.com

2008-04-29T06:39:00.001-06:00

Thanks Myria!!! I love my new Cinnamoroll collection!

April swap with Jessica

2008-04-28T07:26:00.001-06:00

Here are the goodies from a recent swao with Jessica -

I love these containers!! Perfect side cars!!

4/28/08 Monokuro Boo bento

2008-04-28T06:50:00.004-06:00

It has been a little while since my last post - I have been way too busy! The pictures of my lunches got taken, but I haven't had time to post them. I may try to back track and get some put on - otherwise maybe I'll stay on top of it from now on!!

So - Today's lunch -

Leftover steak and baby potatoes with a side of pineapple and baby tomatoes. Sauce contianers hold steak sauce and horseradish - there are also some baby corn tips peeking on the side - thought I would try to use them up!

Next tier- mini cookies, strawberries, baby bel, and of course marshmallows - and a little character chocolate.

The next picture is of the pack up, ready to go - added in are my MB fork and new MB oshibori.

4/9/08 Blue Dot bento box and sidecars !!

2008-04-13T16:18:00.005-06:00

I completely forgot to take a picture with the lids on! This is a fun new set - blue dots - has blue dots on the lids and reads "The life which bounced" - very neat!

Main bento - the old standby...sweet & sour chicken (made a BIG batch of it this week!), yakisoba noodles, and snap peas - the stars are also snap peas

Sidecar - gyoza and asparagus

Sidecar - fruit, babybel, and marshmallows - and a little mini cookie tucked in there!

4/8/08 Lunch in the Leaflet Tight Bento

2008-04-13T16:12:00.004-06:00

Today's lunch...

main tier - leftover sweet & sour chicken and nori decorated sushi rice, some asparagus

bottom - babybel, wheat thins, grapes, mini cookies, skewered fruit, and marshmallows

Just got this new bento box - very cute!

4/7/008 Busy Bento

2008-04-07T07:30:00.008-06:00

Bust looking Bento today! Leftover sweet & sour chicken, asparagus, nori decorated sushi rice, fruit, tomatoes & mozz balls with a side of dressing (Thanks Lisa for my new picks!!!!), babybel & treats - mini cookies and a kitty head marshmallow! Yummy!!

4/4/08 Quick hurry bento

2008-04-04T19:40:00.004-06:00

Today's lunch was very quick in the making...
1.Leftover fresh noodles from the Vietnamese market, asparagus, & tomatoes
2. Mini banana muffin, strawberies, blueberry kabobs, babybel
3. Mini Japanese cookies & kitty head marshmallows
4. Snap peas and dressing dip in the little container
This meal really needed some better protein - didn't keep me as full int he afternoon -

4/3/08 Bentolicious lunch !

2008-04-03T19:53:00.002-06:00

Pretty self explanitory...Onigiri with furikake, teriyaki chicken, and gyoza/soy sauce

Grape tomatoes, baby corn, and avacado - white balsamic vinegar

Strawberries, babybel, koala cookies, and marshmallows...

This was a substantial lunch that kept me full until late in the day.

4/2/08 Boring Mister Donut Bento Today

2008-04-02T07:02:00.004-06:00

The picture came out very yellow today. I am tired, so lunch is boring...
1. Mixed spiced veg, teriyaki chicken, and plain yakisoba noodles
2. baby corn and tomatoes - with sauce bottle of white balsamic vinegar, babybel, mini cookies, strawberries, and of course the heart marshmallows.

4/1/08 Monokuro Boo bento lunch

2008-04-01T20:53:00.005-06:00

Today's lunch...sweet & sour chicken, zukes, and sushi rice

Snack box...mini banana muffin, cream cheese in the container, cheese, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, mini cookies, and of course marshmallow treats on the octopus skewer.

Yum Yum

4/1/08 New Bento Box! Mister Donut!

2008-04-01T07:48:00.003-06:00

I have been eyeing several of the Mister Donut bento boxes from Japan and finally was able to purchase one!! I love it!! Two tiers and a perfect size!

3/31/08 Monokuro Boo lunch for today

2008-03-31T06:38:00.005-06:00

Packed a big lunch today - not sure how long I will have to be at work, so I wanted to be prepared...

Top - sushi rice decorated with nori cutouts, pineapple rum chicken, snap peas

Middle left - leftover sushi from sat party & soy sauce bottles

Middle right - leftover gyoza, shumai (under the eggs), and some hard quail eggs - soy sauce and salt for the eggs in the little sauce bottles

Bottom left - kiwi, strawberries, skewered blueberries, and cheese

Bottom right - heart marshmallows & japanese cookies

It's a leftover bonanza!!

All packed and ready to go - small round container for oshibori, long black metal case holds some pretz & pocky to keep at my office, flat case in front holds Monokuro Boo silverware and chopsticks.

3/29/07 Sushi party for friends

2008-03-31T06:30:00.007-06:00

Here are some of the highlights from a party we had Saturday night! Not pictured - pineapple rum chicken with snap peas, tempura veggies, hand rolls, multiple forms of sushi, gyoza & shu mai, and lastly sweet rice balls with red bean paste. It was sooo tasty - ran out of time to photograph everything -

3/28/08 Bento Box for Tom

2008-03-28T07:56:00.004-06:00

I just love this one!! "Designed for healthy and stylish boys"!!!

3/28/08 Tom's snacks for today

2008-03-28T07:51:00.006-06:00

Tom just needed snacks today -
Top tier - shrimp & sauce and boiled quail eggs with a little container of salt
Bottom tier - banana muffin, assorted mini cookies, jelly snack, cheese, and fruit
On the side - soccer tin filled with rice cakes and tuna, soccer ball with oshibori
All packed up and ready to go!!

3/21/08 My lunch for today...bunny theme !

2008-03-21T07:56:00.004-06:00

Four compartments today - yet another new Monokuro set!!

Large - rice, teriyaki chicken, and tomatoes

Medium - slice of cheese, sliced strawberries, and grapes

Small - bunny egg, asparagus, and a little bottle of white balsamic vinegar

Extra small - mini bunny cookies and a little piece of hard candy

Ohsibori in the little hippo and sides of crystal light lemonade!!

3/21/08 Lunch for the boy...

2008-03-21T07:47:00.005-06:00

Here is Tom's lunch for the day...soccer and dino's...

Main meal - teriyaki chicken, sushi rice, and carrots - extra sauce in the little soccer ball

Snacks - ready peel orange, grapes, little slice of cheese, little chocolate soccer balls, tuna with nori dino, and carrots with cheese dino's

The fun stuff - metal zippered flat soccer ball to hold his rice cakes safely and a little soccer ball with oshibori

3/20/08 Monokuro Boo Bento !!!

2008-03-20T10:42:00.003-06:00

FUN FUN FUN - in my new four piece Monokuro Boo Bento!!

Bottom layer - sushi rice with teriyaki nori swirls and teriyaki sauce in the little Boo container
Next layer - tomato & cheese skewers and teriyaki chicken & leftover stir fry veggie skewers
Next layer - sliced strawberry and grapes
Top layer - two mini marshmallow kitty faces and mini chocolate drops
Finally the dining set - fork, spoon, & chopsticks

3/20/08 Monokuro Boo lunch - ready to pack

2008-03-20T10:39:00.003-06:00

Four great little containers with purple cloth to wrap them in

Two crystal light lemonades

Purple hippo with oshibori

Dining set (fork/spoon/chopsticks) in little bag

3/20/08 Monokuro Boo lunch - keep on dancing...

2008-03-20T10:38:00.003-06:00

3/20/08 Monokuro Boo Bento Lunch

2008-03-20T10:32:00.004-06:00

The final product all wrapped up and ready to go...

3/18/08 Lunch in a new Monokuro Bento

2008-03-18T12:54:00.004-06:00

Today's lunch in my new monokuro boo bento!!

Bottom layer - chap chae (Here is my first time making chap chae - slightly altered, as we don't eat many muchrooms. I added carrots, spinach, onion, filet beef, and red pepper to the vermicelli (sweet potato noodles) - mixed with sesame oil, garlic, sugar, sesame seeds, and soy sauce)

Top layer - sliced strawberry pieces, slice of low fat cheese, grapes, and panda cookies

Some lemonade water on the side!

It was great fun to make lunch in this bento - and it was just the right amount of food - interesting how portions that are so much smaller than what we are used to will fuel our bodies instead of stuffing them!!

3/17/08 New Monokuro Boo bento boxes !!

2008-03-17T18:35:00.004-06:00

Can you have too many Monokuro Boo bento boxes and lunch items? I don't think so!!

Here are my latest deliveries from the internet...

Can't wait to start using them!!

3/14/08 Bunny Lunch...

2008-03-14T10:10:00.000-06:00

Back from our trip - found lots of fun bento supplies in Vegas and had several packages that I had ordered from Japan on my doorstep when we got home. The fun truely begins...Today Tom got a Bunny Lunch!!

The food...sliced strawberries with bunny pick, mini-bunny cookies in bunny paper cup, bunny shaped hard boiled egg in bunny paper cup, purple chocolate drops in yellow bunny food divider, tuna, kavli crakers, and mini-slice of 50% reduced fat cabot cheese - YUM!

2/28/08 Off to the airport - airplane snacks

2008-03-14T10:05:00.000-06:00

1.Airplane snack for me - egg, leftover teryaki chicken/pineapple, sliced jicama with carrot curls, leftover shushi, sliced oranges, and mini tomato/mozzerella skewers

2.Airplane snack for Tom - egg, leftover teryaki chicken/pineapple, leftover sushi, sliced oranges, shrimp, and mixed nuts in the red heart box

2/28/08 Breakfast faces...

2008-03-14T10:03:00.000-06:00

Tom's breakfast - fruit and hard boiled eggs on shredded nori

2/27/08 My first attempt at fun lunch making...

2008-03-14T09:58:00.000-06:00

Tom's (the husband) lunch - teryaki chicken, carrots, and rice for lunch - tuna, crackers, shrimp, and egg for snacks - fruit for snacks, with a little chocolate hidden in the red container. Making this made me realize that our portions are way too big and I can continue to downsize portions...