This is the very first bento box I purchased. I got it at Asia Mart in Santa Rosa (Guerneville Road) and at the time, I thought it was pretty tiny. And of course, after making bento for a while, I have realized that it's huge! Ha ha! In general, our collective sense of portion sizes is way out of whack. We overeat all of the time because we don't know what serving sizes look like. Our plates get bigger and so do our tummies.
The only practical way to use this bento box now is for picnics, or for a nice healthy salad. The lower tier has salad, and the compartment that rests on top of that one has edamame, fruit, and nuts.
I mixed chopped iceberg lettuce with my favorite salad mix from Offerings of the Land. On top of the lettuce blend are slices of French Breakfast radish from Ridgeview Farms, a mixture of chopped cilantro and basil from Triple T Ranch and Crescent Moon Farms, leftover steak, and a few cherry tomatoes from Ridgeview Farms.
The upper compartment has a fig from The Patch, walnuts from the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market, half of a nectarine from Twin Peaks, edamame, and another cherry tomato.
I also included a small container of yogurt dressing. A yummy and filling lunch. :)
Recipe for Yogurt Dressing
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 small clove of garlic, grated
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
a few drops of taragon vinegar
Mix all ingredients together. Makes a bit less than 1 cup of dressing.
Beautifully presented! I also love the oval shape of this cute bento box. Portion control is getting out of whack in Canada as well. At least in Montreal, most restaurants have decent portions but I know alot of out of towners thinking that it's too small for them. Your yogourt dressing is very yum!
ReplyDeletewhee what a great bento you have! *__* The size is perfect for great picnic and I love all your colorful stuff you put in it - soo fresh and yummy! I know exactly what you mean, when you talk about size! My first bento was a 640ml box and I thought it was tiny! So after a while I bought a bigger one with 750ml - now I'm always using boxes about 550ml and they are enough! <3 It's great!
ReplyDeleteThanks Chantale! I lost 35 pounds by just measuring what I ate and sticking to a calorie goal. It's so easy to overeat if you aren't consciously paying attenting to how big portion sizes are. And the dressing is really good! It's even better after you let it sit for a while to meld the flavors.
ReplyDeleteHallo Token! This bento doesn't have the mls on it, but I think it is easily over 700mls, probably closer to 850. BENTOZILLA! Ha ha!
ReplyDeleteMe too I love the shape, and the chopped steak salad! Fresh and light, yet satisfying! Super idea. Enjoy your "picnic"!
ReplyDeletePicnic at my desk! :) Thanks, sheri! (I just put your CD in the mail today! Sorry for the delay.)
ReplyDeleteYet another delicious bento! I am trying so hard not to buy any bento boxes since I have tons of regular containers (ziploc/tupperware) at home. But it's so hard! My hands itch when I see them around! haha!
ReplyDeleteHa, Mrs. P! I was just talking to my hubby this morning about the overflow of bento boxes in our kitchen. I am putting myself on a bento box buying moratorium, unless I find a cool Halloween one, then that's ok. :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeously fresh foods, artistically arranged. Really beautiful lunch and a celebration of the season...delightful!
ReplyDeleteThanks bentobird! I started to think about winter and what the heck I am going to put in my bentos. Better start thinking of creative things to do with cabbage. :)
ReplyDeleteLol, a bento that big is a feast :) I have 2 that are big as well, when I pack them I usually eat about a third for breakfast and the rest for lunch and saving a few pieces of fruit for an afternoon snack.
ReplyDeleteI love how the pinks and greens are in both tiers, the coordinating colors really make them go well together.
Wow, yeah that's a big portion :D. I also realize that my first bento boxes collection are fit for big lunch portion. I sometimes had difficulties about what to put next to fill the empty space ha ha. For now, I love smaller boxes.
ReplyDeleteBentozilla...hahaha...but it was nicely presented, I must say
ReplyDeleteThanks ohayobento! That's a good way to use a bigger bento, for morning and afternoon snacks as well as lunch. BTW your bento photos are really looking great!
ReplyDeleteHa ha, tatabonita! I guess we all thought bigger is better with our first bento boxes.
ReplyDeleteThanks Journal Mommy Yenny! I had to come with something to fill all that space.
ReplyDeleteLovely and healthy bento! This box is really big! I am always amazed by how much food we can pack into a bento box, which by the look you will feel it is very small!
ReplyDeleteVery true, Kids Dream Work! I was talking with my friend Evan about how bento is just one of the ways the Japanese do something very innovative with a small workspace. Bonsai and ikebana also come to mind.
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