tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87680571352050397482024-02-19T03:33:47.477-08:00Sonoma BentoBento Box lunches using ingredients from Sonoma County's farmers markets. And occasional fingernail art. :-)Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.comBlogger195125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-82367588221131564362016-08-31T12:56:00.000-07:002016-08-31T12:56:12.350-07:00Soba BentoCold soba noodles make for a great bento, especially when they look so pretty nestled in a magic round bento box. This bento features noodles with veggies, topped with basil and toasted peanuts, steamed broccoli, carrots, and a nice big radish.<br />
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Soba noodles cook up quickly, so I threw together a quick sauce for the noodles as the water was heating up and the noodles were cooking. Here's a rough recipe.</div>
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<b>Soba Noodle Dressing </b></div>
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1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce</div>
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2 teaspoons creamy peanut butter</div>
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pinch of freshly grated ginger root</div>
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1/2 teaspoon pressed garlic</div>
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grind of black pepper</div>
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1/2 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar</div>
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squeeze of lime juice</div>
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1 teaspoon honey</div>
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1/2 teaspoon sriracha sauce</div>
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Add all ingredients in a bowl and whisk. Add about 1 ounce cooked hot soba noodles to sauce and toss to combine. Add veggies to taste and cool in refrigerator. Makes one serving.</div>
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Note: my old url was snapped up, so I have changed to www.sonomabento.net. Bookmark it today!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-84918288762512880662015-06-27T13:07:00.001-07:002015-06-27T13:07:57.713-07:00Steak and Tamagoyaki BentoTomorrow is my bento demonstration at the <a href="http://www.sonoma-marinfair.org/" target="_blank">Sonoma Marin Fair</a>! I hope you can make it. I will be at the Chef's Tent at noon, showing you how to make a bento with both traditional, Japanese style foods, and with non-Asian foods. Here is my latest bento:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm_Njft8AXu1QDOHlHMrWalhcfApUV2Wq26wOaIHDnjDGde5FpZ81S0o8G2WTO4pZTIYgMzLu5oGhwTAAtBFGpBhaAzRdF2s70tmpRgFMQgUof_y2vH-Qj9gamDKEqG6Xjjo4JT1bhac/s1600/bentotamagoyaki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfm_Njft8AXu1QDOHlHMrWalhcfApUV2Wq26wOaIHDnjDGde5FpZ81S0o8G2WTO4pZTIYgMzLu5oGhwTAAtBFGpBhaAzRdF2s70tmpRgFMQgUof_y2vH-Qj9gamDKEqG6Xjjo4JT1bhac/s400/bentotamagoyaki.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: sauteed zucchini and carrots, tamagoyaki rolled omelette, steak with pickled onions over rice, slices of cucumber (from a coworker's garden!), Hi-Chew candies, and a tangerine. I used a bit of cabbage as a baran (separator) between the zucchini and the tamagoyaki. </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is a recipe for Tamagoyaki:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ingredients<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1
egg<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">¼
teaspoon soy sauce<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1
small pinch sugar<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oil
for pan<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Method<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whisk
together egg, soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl. Heat a small non-stick pan over
medium low heat. When hot, add about ½ teaspoon oil (you can also substitute a
little bit of butter if you prefer). Twirl pan to coat with oil. Add about ½ of
the egg mixture. Tilt the pan to make sure the egg mixture coats the bottom of
the pan. Allow the egg mixture to cook until mostly set, then use a rubber spatula
to carefully roll the egg over itself, rolling until the egg is on one side of
the pan. Add the remaining egg to the pan, allow to cook for a moment, and then
roll the omelette back over the rest of the egg mixture to complete the
omelette. You can flip it a few times to make sure the egg is cooked through.
Remove from pan. Allow to cool (I usually put it on a paper towel and then put
it in the refrigerator while I am assembling the rest of my lunch). When ready
to add the omelette to your lunch, slice into preferred sizes, and place into
your lunch box (bento box). Makes one serving. </span><span style="font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope to see you at the Sonoma Marin Fair tomorrow!</span></span></div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-79308418178592470472015-05-25T11:27:00.001-07:002015-05-25T11:27:51.537-07:00Beets and Sausage BentoI used more of the delicious items from my weekend trip to the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market in today's bento. I roasted one of the chioggia beets from Singing Frogs Farm in a 425 degree oven, wrapped in foil, for about 45 minutes. I sliced big chunks of it and then cut those chunks with cookie cutters to make the flower shaped beet slices in this bento.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57ccSL9h_OLSAtBrAor6bFhZa-XPReQFyMsy2SAMZMZ1KJSK9QVxOgkftp0rA9f4jkErQBeNijvKM3O7FUpQBQegVY7dCF_kfL-36YJdTRNXRVdwBgZLnmzKsQMyC_BO4emmCE6k4oSo/s1600/052515BeetandSausage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh57ccSL9h_OLSAtBrAor6bFhZa-XPReQFyMsy2SAMZMZ1KJSK9QVxOgkftp0rA9f4jkErQBeNijvKM3O7FUpQBQegVY7dCF_kfL-36YJdTRNXRVdwBgZLnmzKsQMyC_BO4emmCE6k4oSo/s400/052515BeetandSausage1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Also in this bento: beet greens, rice, Texas Style Hot Links from Franco's One World Sausages, sugar snap peas, and cherries. The little seeds in the middle of the beet are black sesame seeds.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KGaAgtQtS8crVY7_hhrwMcRrKv5PkCI7lVbIYqhIp4DOp7GP09XZGOQ-fauvNXUuKlFwmtrjTd8L7iQy_Kzj8mJaV_vRNRor2uZX5zQvWh6_mVBA-_fAAVI4I-p7nmAeu5b-yApRlhA/s1600/052515BeetandSausage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KGaAgtQtS8crVY7_hhrwMcRrKv5PkCI7lVbIYqhIp4DOp7GP09XZGOQ-fauvNXUuKlFwmtrjTd8L7iQy_Kzj8mJaV_vRNRor2uZX5zQvWh6_mVBA-_fAAVI4I-p7nmAeu5b-yApRlhA/s400/052515BeetandSausage2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also sauteed the beet greens with olive oil, garlic, and shallots as a bed for the beets. After the greens were done, I squeezed a bit of lemon juice on them, then tossed them with a bit of crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and chopped Italian orange peel. Italian orange peel is preserved orange peel, similar to candied fruits you might find in a fruitcake. But not disgusting, ha ha. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibK-7qZf5Cf7kavWyoguv25LiAELaR6V9xp2RKkd3_3DU2ff4Y_InhyUnLNhflhRDzEyCPA9SNhxdK4kJeWgPsYhEEiNUkM09mF8dpgnec6h0IubIqC-_80SYBr6NlJBZRQrKhnvAC78Y/s1600/beetsbranded.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibK-7qZf5Cf7kavWyoguv25LiAELaR6V9xp2RKkd3_3DU2ff4Y_InhyUnLNhflhRDzEyCPA9SNhxdK4kJeWgPsYhEEiNUkM09mF8dpgnec6h0IubIqC-_80SYBr6NlJBZRQrKhnvAC78Y/s400/beetsbranded.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A big ol pile of assorted beets at the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market.</div>
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I hope you will join me on June 28th at the <a href="http://www.sonoma-marinfair.org/" target="_blank">Sonoma Marin Fair</a> for my bento demonstration. It will be at noon and I will show you how to pack a bento, and I will also have a starter bento kit for a lucky member of the audience. </div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-18245777056515548422015-05-23T17:13:00.000-07:002015-05-23T17:13:37.851-07:00Steak and Berries BentoI headed to the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market this morning to stock up on delicious spring foods. It's been a while since I've been, and it was a homecoming of sorts, seeing lots of faces I haven't seen in a while. Jill is back, and now she is part of the team behind Beet Generation. And Les was there with his wonderful salad mix. And I got some great strawberries, asparagus, and shallots from Tom. Of course I always check the One World Sausage stand to see what delicious sausages Franco has, and it was wonderful to see Dennis at the booth. I also saw Dominique setting up her booth with lots of sweet baked goods. I really missed my friends at the Market!<br />
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My bento today was filled with delicious foods from the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. There's rice with some grilled steak topped with a few tiny sprigs of green garlic, strawberries from Tom at Armstrong Valley Farm, cherries (the gentleman who sold them to me says he and his family come to the Bay Area during cherry season and stay from Tuesday to Saturday in different hotels, then travel three and a half hours home. He says it is tough, but it is worth it for the relatively short cherry season), oven roasted asparagus from Tom, radishes, tamagoyaki egg omelette, and a little container of homemade marinade for the rice and steak.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bocDM7LweWJekJCiWCf4OtZWimcNxuQ86QgsvokWLJRCrdEybOhEI8Xr7QApENGkRS033egxIc2UEPXlvWst9oP4hJSehJFkWX2gYldW5ViRMqHd3juLWF7v-5r_0oVlApMQbO2_tRI/s1600/SteakAndBerryBento2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bocDM7LweWJekJCiWCf4OtZWimcNxuQ86QgsvokWLJRCrdEybOhEI8Xr7QApENGkRS033egxIc2UEPXlvWst9oP4hJSehJFkWX2gYldW5ViRMqHd3juLWF7v-5r_0oVlApMQbO2_tRI/s400/SteakAndBerryBento2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Whenever I buy strawberries, I always think of a tip from my friend Marcy. She says you should dip the strawberries in hot tap water for 30 seconds, then dry them and put them in the fridge. They will last up to 3 days longer with this method. Apparently it kills the bacteria on the berries. Check out <a href="http://www.snacksthebook.com/" target="_blank">Marcy's book <i>Snacks</i> </a>for more cool facts!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN4zJY1imXAbrYr3pQTQM58sNs8-ruqKAUgE5V57Odswz3bZXPCZGBi3zI4JLfEZxhMoSaeKrAyhXcIxdaNY2wTfkfoj0UwL5yjRA5t61fPXW1ztSMLNUTtbr6ozYN-lPgFyopxQMsWU/s1600/Cherries2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTN4zJY1imXAbrYr3pQTQM58sNs8-ruqKAUgE5V57Odswz3bZXPCZGBi3zI4JLfEZxhMoSaeKrAyhXcIxdaNY2wTfkfoj0UwL5yjRA5t61fPXW1ztSMLNUTtbr6ozYN-lPgFyopxQMsWU/s400/Cherries2015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Baskets of delicious cherries from the Santa Rosa Original Certified Farmers Market. Heads up: I will be hosting a chef demonstration about bento at the Sonoma Marin Fair in Petaluma on Sunday, June 28th at noon! I hope you can make it to learn more tips on how to prepare bento using seasonal ingredients. </div>
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Have a great day!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-31047281682784428092014-08-01T14:07:00.001-07:002014-08-01T14:07:47.842-07:00Arancini BentoToday I used leftovers from yesterday's bento to create this one. Arancini are fried rice balls with cheese inside of them. Um, thanks Italy for the AMAZING idea. I used leftover brown rice as well as some of my exploded sweet potato to form these rice balls, and each has a cube of white cheddar inside. Also in this bento: steamed broccolini from the <a href="http://wefm.co/" target="_blank">West End Farmers Market</a>, and a yellow tomato also from the West End Farmers Market.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_R030cS5wxXvLRkHHaaX8h7CVnJStam8ZGuEIcVgcOQfoQdtYipLPfpt4PSY3huYiQ-TMto_3sogQl43FlHIuab2fxaSgWV6YfOxZNuc5dWtzkt2mceFP9mNB0LP9U6c-GKXIDQFMZ0/s1600/080114AranciniBento.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_R030cS5wxXvLRkHHaaX8h7CVnJStam8ZGuEIcVgcOQfoQdtYipLPfpt4PSY3huYiQ-TMto_3sogQl43FlHIuab2fxaSgWV6YfOxZNuc5dWtzkt2mceFP9mNB0LP9U6c-GKXIDQFMZ0/s1600/080114AranciniBento.jpg" height="328" width="400" /></a></div>
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I used a recipe from Giada de Laurentiis as the basis for my recipe. I have included a loose recipe below, but the measurements are not exact.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dd_9Z39-t0GwSPU4Th_hp5L1_vVZoX5QB7InD35RwwMorXUh31SmKLBRPBDP5lBaJkOcAD0QiLZz-7y9aWco83eMx2P2Xm3urs4N45yOGV9NzS0I76N0R73gZOsZN8mtx5xKUl4J_Os/s1600/080114Arancini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dd_9Z39-t0GwSPU4Th_hp5L1_vVZoX5QB7InD35RwwMorXUh31SmKLBRPBDP5lBaJkOcAD0QiLZz-7y9aWco83eMx2P2Xm3urs4N45yOGV9NzS0I76N0R73gZOsZN8mtx5xKUl4J_Os/s1600/080114Arancini.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Look at that oozy yummy cheesy goodness! These are the best soon after they are made, but they are also a delicious bento staple.</div>
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<b>Exploded Sweet Potato Arancini</b></div>
1 small egg, beaten<br />
1/2 cup cooked short brain brown rice<br />
1/8 cup exploded (mashed) cooked sweet potato<br />
1/4 cup breadcrumbs, plus more for coating<br />
1 teaspoon minced fresh green onion<br />
1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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Combine above ingredients in a bowl. Mixture should hold together but still be sticky. Take about two tablespoons of mixture and then put in a little chunk of white cheddar cheese. Use your hands and fingers to mold the mixture around the cheese, then roll the ball in reserved breadcrumbs. Heat oil over medium heat, and fry balls in oil until browned on all sides. If you have a deep fryer, good for you. You can deep fry the balls at about 350 degrees for about 4 minutes until golden. Serve either warm, or cool and add to bento box lunches. Makes about 4 large arancini.Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-36531002282653019742014-07-31T11:48:00.000-07:002014-07-31T11:48:45.489-07:00Hippie BentoOne of the go-to lunches I used to eat in Seattle was brown rice, greens, and sweet potato. Sometimes I would add tofu. My boss, Shawn, used to call this "Hippie Lunch #1" and that always cracked me up. I guess Hippie Lunch #2 might include hummus.<br />
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In this bento: brown rice with black sesame seeds, sauteed kale from Sebastopol, sweet potato mash*, and chunks of heirloom tomato from the <a href="http://wefm.co/" target="_blank">West End Farmers Market</a> in Santa Rosa.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzAGIOmbuOpJF8OXkhx24QU_9L-7-VoCEQyNIurjwLwXVy4e-YFT0jiq8stfoRQ7Savq0bO_OBbFUTtm_WvmNxB0ZE46767bTEutOu8TAxQVtR3zJnKt3vhc8zRmCGEwNVuM_oVvumSw/s1600/073114HippieBento.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwzAGIOmbuOpJF8OXkhx24QU_9L-7-VoCEQyNIurjwLwXVy4e-YFT0jiq8stfoRQ7Savq0bO_OBbFUTtm_WvmNxB0ZE46767bTEutOu8TAxQVtR3zJnKt3vhc8zRmCGEwNVuM_oVvumSw/s1600/073114HippieBento.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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*I ended up with sweet potato mash because I was baking a sweet potato in the oven, and when I went to check on it, it exploded! So instead of just a half of a baked sweet potato (which was my original plan) I ended up scraping out some exploded sweet potato into this bento box. LOL</div>
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And as soon as I am done eating this, I will order a pizza with everything. Kidding.</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-43759647293696080432014-04-02T16:22:00.002-07:002014-04-02T16:22:55.797-07:00Circular Logic BentoToday's bento is in fact NOT from today. I never posted this lunch (which I actually made LAST summer), but I saw this picture and it got me thinking...<br />
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One of the most pleasing box shapes for preparing bento box lunches is not actually a box with sides, but a circular shaped container like this one. Bento makers call it a Magic Round Bento. Food placed in a circular bento box naturally falls into place, with one food gently resting on the next, echoing the circular flow of the outside of the container. There really isn't a need to plan placement in a circular container, because each bit of food fits easily next to the other bit. And an empty pocket is the perfect spot for the tiny globe of a cherry tomato. I also photographed this bento on a piece of scrapbook paper dotted with circles. (whoa, dude!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZqKgcvmF7IKbEF4k0VHa2LfEZ5DOZhMlXQARGcVUdd9OOAGV8TTnfErVXIm71-Egw78ZsT7xJf-nICVfI12t2CoyGMNdZsCbVhyphenhypheno8U_gqi7rVclO-ZgMIyCk9xaO_7S0VEi-WVfaYpg/s1600/040214Tamagoyaki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZqKgcvmF7IKbEF4k0VHa2LfEZ5DOZhMlXQARGcVUdd9OOAGV8TTnfErVXIm71-Egw78ZsT7xJf-nICVfI12t2CoyGMNdZsCbVhyphenhypheno8U_gqi7rVclO-ZgMIyCk9xaO_7S0VEi-WVfaYpg/s1600/040214Tamagoyaki.jpg" height="396" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: baby carrots, bbq pork, tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette), radishes, edamame, and a cherry tomato. Happy bento-ing!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-67956043546410787682014-01-05T13:42:00.000-08:002014-01-05T13:42:58.890-08:00Monochromatic Green BentoI thought I would try my hand at a few monochromatic bento box lunches. One of the rules of bento is to include 5 different colors. This makes sense, to insure that your lunch has a variety of foods. However, sometimes you gotta break the rules. I present: Green Bento!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakXj26EDeSDuX-HO5v9LYXx5NBxxgl9_RcsNfST4rR8xUI545ep6sDj9lrGir3hR2vKy6TqH-2JWoyIr9r8pR1HdUOIPlKGuEy_08kDFNcricD8L63AWESavNkr0sV3hpDzcNA2LSL9w/s1600/GreenBento01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakXj26EDeSDuX-HO5v9LYXx5NBxxgl9_RcsNfST4rR8xUI545ep6sDj9lrGir3hR2vKy6TqH-2JWoyIr9r8pR1HdUOIPlKGuEy_08kDFNcricD8L63AWESavNkr0sV3hpDzcNA2LSL9w/s400/GreenBento01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the left container: steamed broccoli, cucumber slices, steamed green beans, fried bamboo rice with edamame, and kiwi slices. In the right container: fried bamboo rice with edamame topped with pan fried turkey cutlet and herbs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_31kB-tNU-Z-aQtKqNDMCuj6EtXmiDr2v0Z_YeVVnjU32l_pFrbcVlIiyxxiI8c_m-2QPQlFRLetX3ZmLuB5ZQZWFMVt65om-8PrrUxtIdHcdxgFSkrzXWTWR6dq7buf0ZMGNLjeJ6Q/s1600/GreenBento02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv_31kB-tNU-Z-aQtKqNDMCuj6EtXmiDr2v0Z_YeVVnjU32l_pFrbcVlIiyxxiI8c_m-2QPQlFRLetX3ZmLuB5ZQZWFMVt65om-8PrrUxtIdHcdxgFSkrzXWTWR6dq7buf0ZMGNLjeJ6Q/s400/GreenBento02.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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While this bento does not have 5 different colors, I do have protein (the egg whites in the fried rice, as well as the edamame and turkey cutlet), starch (rice), vegetables, and fruit. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDH73-kW5GNNoJo_GSqx9k50sNpBX8gldDEQrNPlvcGxc3opBXeKu0hPGpTQqIL0Gcx3cCYIEjMS9UOwqa8F0fRWYXn1ZdCAA9_9IxKST6cC_AztR5Dmj-DyenHiQklWzz7JuZiYhUALM/s1600/GreenBento03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDH73-kW5GNNoJo_GSqx9k50sNpBX8gldDEQrNPlvcGxc3opBXeKu0hPGpTQqIL0Gcx3cCYIEjMS9UOwqa8F0fRWYXn1ZdCAA9_9IxKST6cC_AztR5Dmj-DyenHiQklWzz7JuZiYhUALM/s400/GreenBento03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I made a marinade for the turkey cutlet using Italian Parsley and cilantro, and reserved some of the marinade (before I put the turkey in it!) to put on top of the poultry after I pan fried it. The marinade also contains olive oil, salt, pepper, a drop of sesame oil, and Yuzu Ponzu sauce.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRk1DTJUlO5Lceuvq3xB5ushpnX9zwrEnK0i1v-9Uw75z-OL5q1N3KyqrjVqPLeXMoGF7BU4k0o7A-0ad4G0e1g5w2QhjAaLQ3NA68b46INGbjzO3H6XeZc7syNt-K7hLoQo3zw8HT5I/s1600/GreenBento04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRk1DTJUlO5Lceuvq3xB5ushpnX9zwrEnK0i1v-9Uw75z-OL5q1N3KyqrjVqPLeXMoGF7BU4k0o7A-0ad4G0e1g5w2QhjAaLQ3NA68b46INGbjzO3H6XeZc7syNt-K7hLoQo3zw8HT5I/s400/GreenBento04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Bamboo rice is a light green rice that has been infused with bamboo extract. It does retain a slight green tinge after cooking and it is very pretty. I used Yuzu Ponzu sauce when frying the rice so as not to turn it brown with regular shoyu. I also added fresh parsley to the egg white in the rice, for more green color.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8gZ-ed7SAoKMWAL0Twvj-v4Rf6fkM9tiGI4uW4qmns5A4MUxfA613xACN7_9vM74HQJC90bZGsE7HWdZLiM11i4tZKoYmtcCymprkX50UB_KIymf71DHbx_iOximz-fHPe8XeFC8BUM/s1600/FrogBentoBox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8gZ-ed7SAoKMWAL0Twvj-v4Rf6fkM9tiGI4uW4qmns5A4MUxfA613xACN7_9vM74HQJC90bZGsE7HWdZLiM11i4tZKoYmtcCymprkX50UB_KIymf71DHbx_iOximz-fHPe8XeFC8BUM/s400/FrogBentoBox.jpg" width="377" /></a></div>
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Here is the bento box I used for my green bento. This is a fun two tiered bento box in the shape of a frog. And I would say the best thing to pair with this bento is the Austrian wine, <span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Grüner Veltliner</span>. (<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Grün is German for Green!)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">Happy Bento-ing!</span></div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-31445877947794737512013-10-22T13:37:00.001-07:002013-10-22T13:37:40.741-07:00Carnitas BentoThis bento was made with leftovers from a slow cooker carnitas recipe. One tip that I found really great was to spread out some of the pulled pork onto a cookie sheet and then broil it for a few minutes to get the meat a little crispy on parts. Ooo, yum!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7t8kYJgXveaoT78BpeAUs5tNcRAQif2xY9hDaJ7JitagoHMQjKFVxQZf8zsXqZnlCJ_eDXEchpV8Ys9fpDJkfzbKM1VKrEfiL3N_ZRUAZnjQpKOtJDr-SY62A5Hg7Ddy8QigC68uK4_g/s1600/102113CarnitasBento.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7t8kYJgXveaoT78BpeAUs5tNcRAQif2xY9hDaJ7JitagoHMQjKFVxQZf8zsXqZnlCJ_eDXEchpV8Ys9fpDJkfzbKM1VKrEfiL3N_ZRUAZnjQpKOtJDr-SY62A5Hg7Ddy8QigC68uK4_g/s400/102113CarnitasBento.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Also in this bento: romaine lettuce, a tiny red bell pepper from Triple T Ranch, a green chile tortilla from La Tortilla Factory, and slices of tomato from Triple T Ranch. Have a great day!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-15397682351105345272013-02-26T11:10:00.001-08:002013-02-26T11:10:45.864-08:00One Fish Two Fish (No Fish)Is it weird that this One Fish Two Fish bento does not actually contain any FISH? ha ha.<br />
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In celebration of the 109th birthday of Dr. Seuss (March 2nd), here is my One Fish Two Fish lunch. The fish are actually made with egg sheet colored with food coloring! I had a heck of a time making egg sheets, I just don't have the skill. So I used a microwave method <a href="http://lunchinabox.net/2008/03/19/microwaved-thin-egg-sheets-usuyaki-tamago/" target="_blank">posted by Biggie</a>, and it worked out okay. I'm still not that good at doing egg sheets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ak9hkKjlYNBxTJKrKdCIEdcBUSlvQB4bn3R_03I_4uhTchIdIsYTfFcmU94NLk-IAD0A-ARwh7jLEMOv7wsdoJCWOxJvQWfzNl4X_ynolJA2qxbxcv7scSLooqUv0yCrYK7VbNnRfOE/s1600/022613OneFishTwoFishA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Ak9hkKjlYNBxTJKrKdCIEdcBUSlvQB4bn3R_03I_4uhTchIdIsYTfFcmU94NLk-IAD0A-ARwh7jLEMOv7wsdoJCWOxJvQWfzNl4X_ynolJA2qxbxcv7scSLooqUv0yCrYK7VbNnRfOE/s400/022613OneFishTwoFishA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: rice, egg sheet fish, steamed broccolini from Triple T Ranch, carrots, and pulled pork topped with picked red onions and sprigs of cilantro. The eyes of the fish are swiss cheese, and the details are cut out from nori.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrNbICilXK3-o97zuvrYoFN_t3mV9RerEgddv4v9MMKRapg0CjUl21m21hqvHuIhD0ThOhsCef4AVTlXKuGlu-HJx4Cmusi2EaaZ5l5bC8sc3Tj6SgBrZSafW2x34_yufmKp0LCDf9Xc/s1600/022613OneFishTwoFishB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHrNbICilXK3-o97zuvrYoFN_t3mV9RerEgddv4v9MMKRapg0CjUl21m21hqvHuIhD0ThOhsCef4AVTlXKuGlu-HJx4Cmusi2EaaZ5l5bC8sc3Tj6SgBrZSafW2x34_yufmKp0LCDf9Xc/s400/022613OneFishTwoFishB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Of course, I had to pack this in my Dr. Seuss bento box! This is actually just a food container I got in the dollar bins at Target, but it is perfect size for a bento. Yum!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-27763987387209333342013-02-13T13:48:00.000-08:002013-02-13T13:48:11.942-08:00How Does That Bento Fill You Up?I am giving myself a refresher course with Maki's Just Bento online course. So far it has been really fun! The course is designed for people new to bento, but since I fell behind on bento making for a while, I think this is a good way to reinforce good bento skills. Lesson 2A is called <a href="http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-courses-2013/bento-101-part-2a-what-do-i-put-it-in" target="_blank">What Do I Put In It</a>?<br />
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One thing I have heard a lot from my friends and family when they see my bento box meals is, "How do you get enough to eat with that small box?" Maki takes on this idea in Lesson 2A by having you show the food spread out on a 'normal' dinner plate, and then see how you can put that food into a 'relatively' small container. Here is my bento:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cZbuo_MeDmQ8ze7jFGW1pTsEO4nTUmuNU8CpOaqDAgjpxWGUKLzn2MM67kjSWRJksSnDpyrUFE0x7A_ISbz4zdSg-j4IsHSlclfAs7F8srrGGy4D7wMrNhLOqLN2tPo6fy19GJOdn0Y/s1600/021312Bento101A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cZbuo_MeDmQ8ze7jFGW1pTsEO4nTUmuNU8CpOaqDAgjpxWGUKLzn2MM67kjSWRJksSnDpyrUFE0x7A_ISbz4zdSg-j4IsHSlclfAs7F8srrGGy4D7wMrNhLOqLN2tPo6fy19GJOdn0Y/s400/021312Bento101A.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: two pieces of leftover crispy fried tofu from Goji Kitchen, leftover grilled pork with rice noodles and some lettuce also from Goji Kitchen, three slices of cucumber, a radish, and four yellow cherry tomatoes. I had the fortune cookie in this picture, but I actually forgot to take it with me today for lunch!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWt12iGyX57qq0ap5lgc7byfQ9FTm5BxR9YnBaEkVJabBR7knvN9b-btj97gp40D5QQZepE7sDmxtJ16MoI8-mUOjwwQ9fWe3yfYK_RWcSgmgiqEaVDBTsdSZ_OQJmNTvW58nTtR0fpA/s1600/021312Bento101B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWt12iGyX57qq0ap5lgc7byfQ9FTm5BxR9YnBaEkVJabBR7knvN9b-btj97gp40D5QQZepE7sDmxtJ16MoI8-mUOjwwQ9fWe3yfYK_RWcSgmgiqEaVDBTsdSZ_OQJmNTvW58nTtR0fpA/s400/021312Bento101B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here are the ingredients spread out on a dinner plate, and actually, I was able to fit one more cherry tomato and one more slice of tofu into this bento box! Spread out like this, it looks like a normal portion of food for lunch. And I felt perfectly satisfied after eating this, not deprived at all.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VYop5wCGpwNGIMzF6LmjK7A-bL8C-KDtuT6jHujcSJYt5-Ge3rGkNP1JPFrQg063aifrclLCaUeIAGJTB7mlCEWXVqgm3OZoDHKBcEhj9hmSwQuYu5N8trlx8ekxPcyaDTTlf-bIHAQ/s1600/021312Bento101C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VYop5wCGpwNGIMzF6LmjK7A-bL8C-KDtuT6jHujcSJYt5-Ge3rGkNP1JPFrQg063aifrclLCaUeIAGJTB7mlCEWXVqgm3OZoDHKBcEhj9hmSwQuYu5N8trlx8ekxPcyaDTTlf-bIHAQ/s400/021312Bento101C.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is my ADORABLE Hello Kitty bento that I picked up in SF Japantown the last time I was in the city. This came in a set of three boxes, each one a bit smaller than the last. The big box was too big, so I chose this one, which is big enough to hold 300ml of food. </div>
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Maki has posted the next lesson in her Bento 101 course today, which deals with <a href="http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-courses-2013/bento-101-part-2b-right-kind-bento-box-for-you" target="_blank">finding the right kind of bento box</a> for you. I think I find TOO MANY right kind of boxes for me, ha ha. But they are sooo kawaii!! I encourage you to check out the courses on <a href="http://justbento.com/">JustBento.com</a><span id="goog_683402445"></span><span id="goog_683402446"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a> because I am sure you will learn something new. </div>
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I have also included this bento in Shannon's <a href="http://www.bentolunch.net/2013/02/whats-for-lunch-at-our-house-week-142.html" target="_blank">What's For Lunch Wednesdays blog</a>. See more great ideas for lunch inspiration!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-46593884698071245842013-02-08T11:35:00.000-08:002013-02-08T11:35:12.846-08:00Valentine Magic Round BentoOh Magic Round Bento, how I love you! For some strange reason, it is so easy to place items in a round bento! Today's bento uses leftover roasted chicken that I picked up at local Oliver's Market for our dinner last night.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9RZ54v0lBayWQ1yxNw4e7ZCmveq3cs2FEhATHzeGuJ9AEqyfXBfkTmq7iTJpsXY-4gyhSfsDUSppH3sIa4yO80DGgrPpMJjZ63tZTvaA2cgrXLhelyExr3VsRoC-dLHeoDi9aPHU1rE/s1600/020813ValentineMRB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9RZ54v0lBayWQ1yxNw4e7ZCmveq3cs2FEhATHzeGuJ9AEqyfXBfkTmq7iTJpsXY-4gyhSfsDUSppH3sIa4yO80DGgrPpMJjZ63tZTvaA2cgrXLhelyExr3VsRoC-dLHeoDi9aPHU1rE/s400/020813ValentineMRB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: roasted chicken in a silicone cup with a hand cut red pepper heart on top, more red pepper hearts in the corner there, heart shaped mini yaki onigiri, a strawberry, and slices of cucumber. This was my breakfast this morning. </div>
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I am adding this bento to the <a href="http://www.bentoblognetwork.com/">Bento Blog Network</a> for their Valentine theme. And I think I will add another <a href="http://sonomabento.blogspot.com/2011/02/conversation-hearts-bento.html">Valentine bento</a> I made two years ago. It was ALSO made in a magic round bento.... hmmm, I am sensing a pattern here. :D</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-12287121277180236082013-02-07T09:00:00.000-08:002013-02-07T09:00:01.465-08:00Kawaii Cookies BentoI saw some <a href="http://statigr.am/viewer.php#/detail/379433868002430268_1235610">super cute cookies</a> on Instagram the other day made by Ming of <a href="http://bentomonsters.com/">bentomonsters.com</a> and I wanted to make some of my own. Now remember, I am not the most confident of bakers, but sugar cookies are relatively easy. And the amount of dough needed for these tiny guys is small enough that I can store the rest of the dough in the freezer for when the baking mood strikes me again (RARE).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GgfV3XsYAl68pGIIiu6uEGjLn3Qmv8KwH1GXNaApGSboQuAVFs7EtP4CWdcXjxZsdEr09-D6EHcIG-0FHqUbQsMqkm4NsJTeCks-oEeyNUBnMF4PBuOLUgMmeZR7i9PhjnqkWiMqZLw/s1600/020713KawaiiCookieA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GgfV3XsYAl68pGIIiu6uEGjLn3Qmv8KwH1GXNaApGSboQuAVFs7EtP4CWdcXjxZsdEr09-D6EHcIG-0FHqUbQsMqkm4NsJTeCks-oEeyNUBnMF4PBuOLUgMmeZR7i9PhjnqkWiMqZLw/s400/020713KawaiiCookieA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: a tiny clementine, a cornbread muffin with a slice of jalapeno baked into the top, two deli rolls of steamed green beans inside of german bologna, cucumbers, some Lamb Chopper cheese cutouts (the cheese is from <a href="http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/cheeses/creamline/lamb-chopper.html">Cypress Grove Chevre</a>), a few yellow cherry tomatoes, and my little kawaii sugar cookies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtH4TcyEPaoTY55XFh2av3T8TiGzElwqo9nC0jDkPvC5DZIgBEL3hT90XUBD8DjNbs28cJaZu0HaDnQS82roYVjwUKwXVpam9rm5rkOBwbOreMNhvw1AXbQV6sEW4ibOTZzJx97sNTUrQ/s1600/020713KawaiiCookieB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtH4TcyEPaoTY55XFh2av3T8TiGzElwqo9nC0jDkPvC5DZIgBEL3hT90XUBD8DjNbs28cJaZu0HaDnQS82roYVjwUKwXVpam9rm5rkOBwbOreMNhvw1AXbQV6sEW4ibOTZzJx97sNTUrQ/s400/020713KawaiiCookieB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Close up of the little cookies. I don't feel so bad about including these since there are really tiny. I used a stamp (like a stationery stamp) to make the face in the dough, but you could totally use chopsticks to make the eyes, and maybe half of a plastic straw to make the little mouth. </div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-76427671680549461252013-02-06T10:27:00.000-08:002013-02-06T10:27:18.094-08:00Smiley Egg BentoHere is a bento I made for breakfast (I get up stupid early for my work) that features an egg from my coworker's chickens, as well as little yaki onigiri (grilled rice balls).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJijOdFcNRvUOX2FCVssbRXfzfN2rLoQpV7JvO8emHPevhukDb5v0mUfKEClGMkvVcBWuk8poi5o72tReaf6OCx3qTeNXihmqI2ixwXJtjLGMEcjPHKIpB2zp6HLMgeLatXkaRmHUyMc/s1600/020613SmileyEggB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJijOdFcNRvUOX2FCVssbRXfzfN2rLoQpV7JvO8emHPevhukDb5v0mUfKEClGMkvVcBWuk8poi5o72tReaf6OCx3qTeNXihmqI2ixwXJtjLGMEcjPHKIpB2zp6HLMgeLatXkaRmHUyMc/s400/020613SmileyEggB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: half of a hard boiled egg with nori face decorations, slices of cucumber, two teriyaki chicken meatballs from Aidell's, carrots, yellow cherry tomatoes, and three little brown rice yaki onigiri. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLuWmLi6zqynl_r_aY7se1yIEbEi4_VYJorjPbRtw9l9Dqb9Zbxe_CWOZcXbwCIbIh9h3iJzHEROhf1QtEK-mYSs6MmtjWTE5inLRvic7tbLq_ubBcgpAc0cggur-9Bdwxn_q9jr-BEc/s1600/020613SmileyEggA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLuWmLi6zqynl_r_aY7se1yIEbEi4_VYJorjPbRtw9l9Dqb9Zbxe_CWOZcXbwCIbIh9h3iJzHEROhf1QtEK-mYSs6MmtjWTE5inLRvic7tbLq_ubBcgpAc0cggur-9Bdwxn_q9jr-BEc/s400/020613SmileyEggA.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I made the yaki onigiri using a recipe by <a href="http://www.lafujimama.com/2012/04/brown-rice-yaki-onigiri/">Rachael of La Fuji Mama</a>. She serves hers with bacon and avocado, uh, YUM!!! I need to try that! Mine are little mini onigiri I made with a small onigiri mold. </div>
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I have added this bento to Shannon's <a href="http://www.bentolunch.net/2013/02/whats-for-lunch-wednesday-week-141.html">What's For Lunch Wednesdays</a>. Check it out for lots of great lunch ideas. Happy bento-ing!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-10546673217991267412013-01-28T07:58:00.000-08:002013-01-28T07:58:23.296-08:00Bento Beet DownToday's bento features delicious beets from the Redwood Empire Farmers Market. I roasted the beets in the oven, and also used the beet greens in a delicious saute.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtzu054wqcANI1q8Oi76DFQoh316_SZpUfs-K9h34rE9ZAbNbYZkWrXi2U1IYO8N-r77SkW-Qd4yUYh0rJ4t5z5Dn3D_mwRjojLgbnW0v6Rn83hysjhIOC43JHiiMHj8AypZ6XKZ8cWk/s1600/012813BeetsBento.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtzu054wqcANI1q8Oi76DFQoh316_SZpUfs-K9h34rE9ZAbNbYZkWrXi2U1IYO8N-r77SkW-Qd4yUYh0rJ4t5z5Dn3D_mwRjojLgbnW0v6Rn83hysjhIOC43JHiiMHj8AypZ6XKZ8cWk/s400/012813BeetsBento.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: goat cheese quesadillas made with Tortilla Factory Green Chile hand-made style tortilla, french feta cheese, roasted garlic, and wild arugula from Triple T Ranch, lightly steamed broccoli from Triple T Ranch, a carrot, slices of kiwi and orange, and sauteed beet greens with a slice of roasted beet on top. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv2HAfrxossVBXOdvmiqPwtD1rrAfVkH4fFzgU2boVHbT6O6yGQcHaJwuyHLmvZ1Q3km5wl0De-WoaLCeoVaPsAiUHpO7C_U8LpWQz70-5drnLcpYpzEpaRmP72LQNXK5EI11OCAwVHk/s1600/012813OneFishTwoFish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbv2HAfrxossVBXOdvmiqPwtD1rrAfVkH4fFzgU2boVHbT6O6yGQcHaJwuyHLmvZ1Q3km5wl0De-WoaLCeoVaPsAiUHpO7C_U8LpWQz70-5drnLcpYpzEpaRmP72LQNXK5EI11OCAwVHk/s400/012813OneFishTwoFish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is the 'bento' box I used, which I actually found at Target in their dollar bins. It was labeled as a snack container, but works very well as a bento box. :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1eujp3BdkC8WQxiuWK0k2YplIlgsKm3wp952tt1X9bvR5CvWHiQ9m0n1cJDAPRK8e8Xpgbep3HlJ5m2xbtVT2imyAGRz1G7jQD_iExIxnUtWpUY_ZOVvfdQekXTR5OtjXeBQ_2-KgJQ/s1600/012813BeetsView2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1eujp3BdkC8WQxiuWK0k2YplIlgsKm3wp952tt1X9bvR5CvWHiQ9m0n1cJDAPRK8e8Xpgbep3HlJ5m2xbtVT2imyAGRz1G7jQD_iExIxnUtWpUY_ZOVvfdQekXTR5OtjXeBQ_2-KgJQ/s400/012813BeetsView2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Another view of my tasty bento.</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-27728133747323830602013-01-22T15:07:00.002-08:002013-01-22T15:07:58.681-08:00Measure Your Feet Day BentoWhat the...?! Why yes, January 23rd is Measure Your Feet Day! A strange 'holiday' indeed. But a properly measured foot hopefully leads to comfortable footwear, so I guess I can understand why it is important. Did you know that your feet can grow after you turn 40? It's true! A combination of weight, loss of elasticity, and weakening tissues can result in up to a half-size growth every ten years after the age of 40. Bizarre! So go get your feet properly measured with one of those foot measuring contraptions, you know, <a href="http://www.brannock.com/">this thing here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMpiouatYINP0vYkT74NoS6P2_DRYFIn31urYsZLWlajak5ILA5nKxxyn1fy8sYl-LyFOCc1xQ3AOplNvdbt8x3z9ZUeLT_4oGN2Y2no3nfCss4Vz5gFViVHx15H7J4at5QqQUCIUUgE/s1600/012313MeasureYourFootBento.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMpiouatYINP0vYkT74NoS6P2_DRYFIn31urYsZLWlajak5ILA5nKxxyn1fy8sYl-LyFOCc1xQ3AOplNvdbt8x3z9ZUeLT_4oGN2Y2no3nfCss4Vz5gFViVHx15H7J4at5QqQUCIUUgE/s400/012313MeasureYourFootBento.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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To celebrate Measure Your Feet Day, and to keep the people at the Brannock Device company in business, I made this footsie bento! It contains a cheddar and German bologna sandwich with a cheese foot (not anatomically correct), a few blackberries, yellow pepper slices, carrots, and broccoli from Triple T Ranch. I finally made it to the farmers market this past weekend, so I will have some local produce in my next bentos, yay!</div>
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This is the one time I DO suggest putting your foot in your mouth.</div>
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This bento is also the 180th post on Sonoma Bento, which means I am making another donation to <a href="http://refb.org/">Redwood Empire Food Bank</a>. Every 20th post I make a $20 donation to my local food bank. Not everyone has access to healthy food, or to the abundance that many of us enjoy. I encourage you to find a way to help feed your community as well!</div>
Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-74269123934229233522013-01-16T12:35:00.000-08:002013-01-16T12:35:44.689-08:00Game Day BentoI made this bento this past weekend when all of the exciting championship games were on... holy cow, those were some exciting match ups! Except for the Patriots game, snooze fest.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjpvLp40SgSkRYbGZlpuTh-wrGIWvU5bbThggv-cU5WvoLHdmNITlXVEAKcT5XvJ-js0YJSnboxxQ1OQEGnBTLXzGLR4j5PJv59n65p_nkr5-3WcQ3AJ960ArGBnhAlGLKOVrjCQUzUs/s1600/011613GameDayBento01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjpvLp40SgSkRYbGZlpuTh-wrGIWvU5bbThggv-cU5WvoLHdmNITlXVEAKcT5XvJ-js0YJSnboxxQ1OQEGnBTLXzGLR4j5PJv59n65p_nkr5-3WcQ3AJ960ArGBnhAlGLKOVrjCQUzUs/s400/011613GameDayBento01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: edamame, a mandarin orange, olives on Game Day picks, a football-shaped PB&J with cheddar cheese stitching (aka lid decoration, ha ha), cucumber slices, carrots, and blue cheese dressing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftLBqzBpavOHHImn1fQzdr0YlCqCzt0nHPyB4NGKOcUYP5zGFrmxU6zWDR198mnMX3DI7FahzkZXIELvBEtbIKjkioeVcBXN0VSoQCjdSgAA3oCJU200rlp_6mofEcMdihsEz3WpVo7M/s1600/011613GameDayBento02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftLBqzBpavOHHImn1fQzdr0YlCqCzt0nHPyB4NGKOcUYP5zGFrmxU6zWDR198mnMX3DI7FahzkZXIELvBEtbIKjkioeVcBXN0VSoQCjdSgAA3oCJU200rlp_6mofEcMdihsEz3WpVo7M/s400/011613GameDayBento02.jpg" width="392" /></a></div>
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I got this really cool bento box during my last trip to Seattle at The Container Store. It has a built in ice pack in the lid to keep your meal cold. The size of this container is actually REALLY large for a bento, but would work okay as a sandwich container. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLa7E9MXf_v2G065pj3omPqTBAuSWltEdbVdZFoj3hp-Zdlrd4AzztAZ1jiP1o0s0hkx-ucFsUNLbQ7qJjXNyK2O7JAA-5UcGBu2x-O84tlpLWVEG-hziQMySjrLq9NeNFFTt6tSb8-rI/s1600/011613GameDayBento03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLa7E9MXf_v2G065pj3omPqTBAuSWltEdbVdZFoj3hp-Zdlrd4AzztAZ1jiP1o0s0hkx-ucFsUNLbQ7qJjXNyK2O7JAA-5UcGBu2x-O84tlpLWVEG-hziQMySjrLq9NeNFFTt6tSb8-rI/s400/011613GameDayBento03.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And check out the top of the box! It has a goal post and a foam rubber 'football' so you can <strike>poke your eye out</strike>, er I mean, have a fun game while you eat your lunch.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4Woa2SY356P8iX4oEG-UrJ62wSHeBb5f9yVRJms7GU_A-oebNVucwXWa9uJDse-sgRyKAlypq_j7XpDRt5MIAGgJVD-kt8e_OG7JkDyddRI3Fbmo5ZdZSrB8bwXJMC8VsMdCqIXyuy0/s1600/011613GameDayBento04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4Woa2SY356P8iX4oEG-UrJ62wSHeBb5f9yVRJms7GU_A-oebNVucwXWa9uJDse-sgRyKAlypq_j7XpDRt5MIAGgJVD-kt8e_OG7JkDyddRI3Fbmo5ZdZSrB8bwXJMC8VsMdCqIXyuy0/s400/011613GameDayBento04.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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See, the goal post swings up and locks. Pretty fun! I know there is a comment in here about the Seahawks/Falcons game and field goals, but I just don't have the heart to make it. WHY?! Why did Coach call a time out!?!? Ug. (Insert <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oabcM9SOF-E">sad Charlie Brown music</a> here.)</div>
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I have added this bento to Shannon's <a href="http://www.bentolunch.net/2013/01/whats-for-lunch-wednesday-week-138.html">What's For Lunch Wednesdays</a> feature. Check it out for more great bento ideas!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-9643929145462094472013-01-09T13:01:00.000-08:002013-01-09T13:04:41.073-08:00National Static Electricity Day BentoJanuary 9th is National Static Electricity Day, so my lunch is particularly shocking. Ha ha! I used my LunchBots Trio bento box to make today's lunch:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5axzCd5nmyHA2oz27Y9JK_sOyiZH3FYbvpNKLu4W4MSyGA67-WoS5Vc5UULCp8w5gSUYOxmn3mhvyS6KrPVpFCU4j1mo7m4zh_QdIemZ2qjXlyIYFWHbKb-Lyq9gYpQUmSPQuGHV8Na4/s1600/010913StaticElectricityDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5axzCd5nmyHA2oz27Y9JK_sOyiZH3FYbvpNKLu4W4MSyGA67-WoS5Vc5UULCp8w5gSUYOxmn3mhvyS6KrPVpFCU4j1mo7m4zh_QdIemZ2qjXlyIYFWHbKb-Lyq9gYpQUmSPQuGHV8Na4/s400/010913StaticElectricityDay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: leftover mushroom couscous with two bolts of static electricity (provolone cheese), piece of chicken thigh (marinated in soy sauce, honey, pepper, lime, olive oil, and Peruvian Chile Lime Seasoning from Savory Spice Shop) on a bed of arugula with pomegranate arils, a few blackberries, broccoli, carrot, and cucumber. </div>
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Now go run around on the carpet in your socks and shock someone you love. *ZAP*</div>
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I have included this lunch in Shannon's <a href="http://www.bentolunch.net/2013/01/whats-for-lunch-wednesday-week-137.html">What's For Lunch Wednesday</a> group. Check it out for other great bento lunch ideas!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-44053623453336573572013-01-07T15:48:00.002-08:002013-01-07T15:48:57.198-08:00Roasted Pork RamenI got my husband Ramen bowls for xmas! So we have been on a ramen kick. Here is one I made yesterday with roasted pork, carrots (should have done matchsticks, not diced), green onion, spinach, togarashi spice, and sriracha.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOI0NPq58tVhS1wYaXvmeobdZPHoj24dUVZVCS6zgY4usAN6H-upYc33OUDk7M2_JvuU9BTfx-gI9biyKNr_gGKiew0P5P7SzUOk0-ROHbT0BPcnB2Kpach_Lb7KJ8n4g53SwBCksPjKQ/s1600/010713PorkRamen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOI0NPq58tVhS1wYaXvmeobdZPHoj24dUVZVCS6zgY4usAN6H-upYc33OUDk7M2_JvuU9BTfx-gI9biyKNr_gGKiew0P5P7SzUOk0-ROHbT0BPcnB2Kpach_Lb7KJ8n4g53SwBCksPjKQ/s400/010713PorkRamen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Happy New Year!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-79525103721026044582012-12-31T13:11:00.000-08:002012-12-31T13:11:25.500-08:00Steak Bento and Ramen Road TripOne of my resolutions for 2013 is to blog more and keep up with both my bento interests and my nail polish interests. Balance is the key, right? And in that vein, here is a bento post to kick off my resolution. :)<br />
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My sweetie and I headed into San Francisco this past Saturday to check out a ramen restaurant that was recommended by my friend Sheri of <a href="http://happylittlebento.blogspot.com/">Happy Little Bento</a>. Normally I head to Japantown in SF, but this was a part of the city new to me. We went to a shop called <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/saiwaii-ramen-san-francisco-3">Saiwaii Ramen</a> on Irving in the Outer Sunset part of the city. Besides having a tough time finding parking, we had a great time! I will detail the ramen in a moment, but first take a look at the bento I made on Sunday with the new bento box I got at the Ichi Ban Kan store on Irving! So cute!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNsKPR75r5k_kS-YokoKp9mMQfMN4RsCftO6yf6ClrEbyHkIr9w2Ie6DYXrTLXpLBya2qLJeXij4MVMO1jEToKl_RLfz4p8We2aW8Q4pS4vRkkDF_g_teVL_ZqELTXBr6gF6kSlYaX5E/s1600/123112SteakBento.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwNsKPR75r5k_kS-YokoKp9mMQfMN4RsCftO6yf6ClrEbyHkIr9w2Ie6DYXrTLXpLBya2qLJeXij4MVMO1jEToKl_RLfz4p8We2aW8Q4pS4vRkkDF_g_teVL_ZqELTXBr6gF6kSlYaX5E/s400/123112SteakBento.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In this bento: marinated flank steak, cheddar cheese cubes, raw cauliflower, broccoli and a radish, and two Greek olives. Also a satsuma orange, and some blue cheese dressing for dipping the veggies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkQTj6zWyh_waJecJzfmbs24KyeHrcNiQU52hdEsS6kGdUqWAcqje_admCT9aX5WBsBWFKIY_IsYhylC6aIFWCxTDS9Snrj-ocXQE_q5goL2cFUOpcWHXvzWlNS00qpIGA2wc3b6LtFg/s1600/123112NewBentoBox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOkQTj6zWyh_waJecJzfmbs24KyeHrcNiQU52hdEsS6kGdUqWAcqje_admCT9aX5WBsBWFKIY_IsYhylC6aIFWCxTDS9Snrj-ocXQE_q5goL2cFUOpcWHXvzWlNS00qpIGA2wc3b6LtFg/s400/123112NewBentoBox.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The bento box is so cute, with green and pink colors and a lid that snaps in place. I put it in my backpack to take to my art studio yesterday, and everything stayed safely inside. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcCEhKWHeo59WpjSqonB5ir9r4-PzPuWaQqPbVfXw9rURVm6pR_Dt32atOBF8QFUzkfCcEvFPMKqG9OSEiD5krwW6ujw5YZ0ZL2OJVu7M4vJSVjaVMwLYdLMC0BBjOd9ijviE6hJTHqY/s1600/123112SaiwaiiRamen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcCEhKWHeo59WpjSqonB5ir9r4-PzPuWaQqPbVfXw9rURVm6pR_Dt32atOBF8QFUzkfCcEvFPMKqG9OSEiD5krwW6ujw5YZ0ZL2OJVu7M4vJSVjaVMwLYdLMC0BBjOd9ijviE6hJTHqY/s400/123112SaiwaiiRamen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now for RAMEN! I sure do wish we had a good ramen place in Sonoma County. Somebody get on that. Here is my hubby outside of Saiwaii Ramen. It is a pretty small place and we were seated next to another couple sharing the same table as us. My hubby was not too thrilled to be sitting so close to strangers, but that is his odd quirk to deal with. LOL</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrZBstGKSSeYE5TTnu6fYcyAq51J3-sD7gmtAaU_YSMYZ7WZhN5at8NFVxg4dbmYcxFCTMCy7c8fC4GgVbRXIehiBnGjtnyxpK8i_IrAXgduwZVcLCSoOU5Pkhfpd8aueodaruqMHzfI/s1600/123112RamenBowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrZBstGKSSeYE5TTnu6fYcyAq51J3-sD7gmtAaU_YSMYZ7WZhN5at8NFVxg4dbmYcxFCTMCy7c8fC4GgVbRXIehiBnGjtnyxpK8i_IrAXgduwZVcLCSoOU5Pkhfpd8aueodaruqMHzfI/s400/123112RamenBowl.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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OMG OMG OMG. I got the Spicy Garlic Tonkatsu Ramen with added egg and Pork Belly cubes. Let me say that last part again: PORK BELLY CUBES. Holy Decadence, Batman! The portion was very generous and I ordered the broth regular spicy. It was tasty and not too spicy, although the spice did build a bit. The big Sapporo beers we got with the ramen helped cool our palates. And I wasn't sure if I would really finish the whole thing, but it was so delicious that I was even poking around for any spare noodles at the end of the meal. Yum. I will definitely go back here. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlV0yLDs6bZa0JWwl55sRsIAFMiNE49-b4nWyIwJYMoReFBy29B6KaDhTAUFdiQLdlTD5zei_aM6vhrdYExJ_xuw3ycVrJ54XCMom89zEMV0G9xTTufnttgyMdLSR0UCYSDPTd-hfYbac/s1600/123112DaveRamen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlV0yLDs6bZa0JWwl55sRsIAFMiNE49-b4nWyIwJYMoReFBy29B6KaDhTAUFdiQLdlTD5zei_aM6vhrdYExJ_xuw3ycVrJ54XCMom89zEMV0G9xTTufnttgyMdLSR0UCYSDPTd-hfYbac/s400/123112DaveRamen.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Hubby moved all the way to the corner of the table to try to avoid sitting next to our table mates. Silly man. He also got a donburi with unagi, which was a tasty little bite to add to the meal. </div>
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Happy New Year my friends, and I will see more of you in 2013!</div>
Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-85358206092365582292012-07-25T13:36:00.000-07:002012-07-25T13:36:18.356-07:00New LunchBots Bento!I am so excited about my new LunchBots bento box. It is beautiful and I was thrilled to be able to find it for sale here in Sonoma County! This past weekend I went on a scooter ride with my pal Carina. She JUST got her scooter, so this was a really fun adventure for us. We went out to Sebastopol to go to the farmers market there and to have lunch and shop. I found a whole bunch of awesome LunchBots bento boxes at Silk Moon, which is a store on Main Street. It is such a fun shop, I also got some really cute monster chip bag clips, I will have to show them to you in another post. So on to the bento!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdfGegHIuVYYvbIb0wi4A3oFsIX6EpYR3PJReMybCap8v_6rUsMzKemeGHS12phyphenhyphenh8PJJmUDcXEx6NT-TccEcLskYeQjfHboQWLvMZDJYWIKvX0OFdgS7Vu4ApGwlU4v-1QnsmWbcexM/s1600/072512LunchBot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdfGegHIuVYYvbIb0wi4A3oFsIX6EpYR3PJReMybCap8v_6rUsMzKemeGHS12phyphenhyphenh8PJJmUDcXEx6NT-TccEcLskYeQjfHboQWLvMZDJYWIKvX0OFdgS7Vu4ApGwlU4v-1QnsmWbcexM/s400/072512LunchBot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I got the LunchBots Trio, which has three compartments. It is really pretty and came with either a silver lid or this red lid. I like red because it is super dramatic (like me!) so that's the one I chose. In my bento" slices of peach from Twin Peaks, a chicken salad with artichoke hearts and green beans from The Patch, and an undressed caprese salad with tomatoes from The Patch. I did the math and this whole bento only came out to 311 calories! Yay for me!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWjdBXSLlH0NZ0TJImxPJ8Ckhku-hBWJrZtHWQ_YFHWa24B5PjELKNP93iN5_mP6yRbyQWwRbfxK5viyJaosoMwN7rtxnzdHVgE8qlLxHUcaL2uqtytcJYwnl4zW-l9A3W-iYR_UXrVc/s1600/072512LunchBot2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXWjdBXSLlH0NZ0TJImxPJ8Ckhku-hBWJrZtHWQ_YFHWa24B5PjELKNP93iN5_mP6yRbyQWwRbfxK5viyJaosoMwN7rtxnzdHVgE8qlLxHUcaL2uqtytcJYwnl4zW-l9A3W-iYR_UXrVc/s400/072512LunchBot2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here you can see the lid of the LunchBots bento box. It fits really snugly, and nothing spilled into the other compartments, even when I put my bento in my backpack and scooted into work today. Woo hoo!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe_lnwkRY1fGCK5xNT1q9WPzW0XOGBbI8knlCbT9xSRB1IbXYuS2UcNS0ySFkfj2OJbUtosEsJrFGDEI9HXzPsfF3QUd9Woyi-podUAjvl6J6LOe7JI5HokTvTM9N64ILNDKIxaf8giM/s1600/072512SebastopolFarmersMarket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCe_lnwkRY1fGCK5xNT1q9WPzW0XOGBbI8knlCbT9xSRB1IbXYuS2UcNS0ySFkfj2OJbUtosEsJrFGDEI9HXzPsfF3QUd9Woyi-podUAjvl6J6LOe7JI5HokTvTM9N64ILNDKIxaf8giM/s400/072512SebastopolFarmersMarket.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is the super delicious lunch I shared with my friend Carina on Sunday at the Sebastopol Farmers Market. We got this 'fritada' from Mateo Granados' Yucatan Kitchen, which has an awesome booth at this market and other markets. The egg 'fritada' had potatoes, onions, and squash in it and was really delicious. It came with olive oil toasted bread, a creamy aioli, quick sauteed market vegetables, and a black bean puree. If you get a chance, be sure to try food from Mateo at the farmers markets. He sources many of the ingredients from the market that day. :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckoOi6OI4sbnvPbCt-k_AIc8KoJDEV6ofY6s14mo4lfeWlrGaBrXs2F5WOIkXyLdtzdclXXqasOzHaob9pRe-M1Gmlt7sgRlpCPSWkA9bMuDvaTcsntoYtjqMDV7Mr-RTKbjxdHxkw5Y/s1600/072512SebastopolFarmersMarket2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckoOi6OI4sbnvPbCt-k_AIc8KoJDEV6ofY6s14mo4lfeWlrGaBrXs2F5WOIkXyLdtzdclXXqasOzHaob9pRe-M1Gmlt7sgRlpCPSWkA9bMuDvaTcsntoYtjqMDV7Mr-RTKbjxdHxkw5Y/s400/072512SebastopolFarmersMarket2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's Carina and I showing off our delicious food at the Sebastopol Farmers Market. They are now open year round from 10am to 1:30pm at the plaza. </div>
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<b>Chicken Salad with Artichoke Hearts and Green Beans</b></div>
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Meat from 1 roasted chicken thigh (skin removed and meat roughly chopped)</div>
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1 oz marinated artichoke hearts, diced</div>
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10 green beans, chopped into bite sized pieces and steamed</div>
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1 tablespoon greek vinaigrette dressing</div>
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freshly ground pepper</div>
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Combine ingredients and chill. Serves one. </div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-65922956984692423232012-06-13T13:41:00.000-07:002012-06-13T13:44:01.471-07:00Pasta Salad and Watermelon BentoTemperatures have been climbing in Sonoma County lately, so this is a bento made from leftovers from last night's cold foods dinner: pasta salad and watermelon!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzyrgfV4BczZWCMz_ZVIVpuaqj_8hhWudgwvwMM8-E33SK9_6pYL-LhKDefnTz42xwAuXNXPNJVk2CgCwSBtB3pFCXeqtNRkKOXhyphenhyphen6PpZKuBPGYwgFZ5vn8RXrBnAX78o_6j2k86dcps/s1600/061312PastaSalad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzyrgfV4BczZWCMz_ZVIVpuaqj_8hhWudgwvwMM8-E33SK9_6pYL-LhKDefnTz42xwAuXNXPNJVk2CgCwSBtB3pFCXeqtNRkKOXhyphenhyphen6PpZKuBPGYwgFZ5vn8RXrBnAX78o_6j2k86dcps/s400/061312PastaSalad.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I added sliced olives, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, onions, and sliced pepperoncini peppers to bow-tie pasta and dressed it with greek salad dressing and a bit of pepper. In the other container are chunks of watermelon sprinkled with a bit of sea salt accompanied by a lime wedge. (If you are having an after hours version of this melon dish, add a little splash of tequila and simple syrup to the watermelon, it's sooooo good!).</div>
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I added this bento to <a href="http://www.bentolunch.net/2012/06/whats-for-lunch-wednesday-week-107.html">What's For Lunch Wednesday</a>! Check it out for great bento ideas. Stay cool bento pals!</div>
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<br /></div>Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-61075842600902218392012-06-11T10:00:00.000-07:002012-06-11T10:00:06.681-07:00Simple Quesadilla BentoOften I am in a bit of a rush, and I need something quick and easy to throw into my bento box. I had two tortillas from La Tortilla Factory leftover in the bread box, and it wasn't enough to make a meal for myself and my hubby, but it's just enough for a bento!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWj09ZC4S2h-6GlUZ6QpnKBi2-W9UKslTZrq3GK7x6jJ6JQMw8ToBfvWMkkGyaWgmeMUANRt0RcJmzNojwYs5kDqqHcXUZGIvqUnSGEEuRTPiShSiWJKvUFx_Anl8DVjIuNFRcxj-LbVs/s1600/060812QuesadillaBento.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWj09ZC4S2h-6GlUZ6QpnKBi2-W9UKslTZrq3GK7x6jJ6JQMw8ToBfvWMkkGyaWgmeMUANRt0RcJmzNojwYs5kDqqHcXUZGIvqUnSGEEuRTPiShSiWJKvUFx_Anl8DVjIuNFRcxj-LbVs/s400/060812QuesadillaBento.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I thinly sliced pepper jack cheese and took a slice of deli turkey meat and placed that between two tortillas in a pan over medium heat. I flipped it after the cheese got melty, then let it cool while I added the grapes and carrots to the bento box. Then I cut up the quesadilla and popped it into the box. A simple bento, and still tasty.</div>
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<br /></div>Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-28160707776203638972012-06-06T10:00:00.000-07:002012-06-06T10:00:07.522-07:00Chow Mein BentoLeftovers are a great bento ingredient! I had a bit of pork chow mein leftover from our dinner the other night, so I added it to this bento for a tasty lunch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzltbCWvxKHBiCxj7dO4WGYmSF5d8c1PWANOS3vcQWWi_IneZPW3jTqL5uX_3Vd4ScUBVLWDLfrva32QmKfhh82qZTOkX-NBcJce8Poxmbq4-KcO1yT3CqLOPHbKYvkWnqCAmO13fLQ3w/s1600/060612ChowMeinBento.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzltbCWvxKHBiCxj7dO4WGYmSF5d8c1PWANOS3vcQWWi_IneZPW3jTqL5uX_3Vd4ScUBVLWDLfrva32QmKfhh82qZTOkX-NBcJce8Poxmbq4-KcO1yT3CqLOPHbKYvkWnqCAmO13fLQ3w/s400/060612ChowMeinBento.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I actually think chow mein is just as tasty cold as it is hot, so this one works as a summer bento too! Also in this lunch: steamed edamame, carrots, grapes, and a little red radish. </div>
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Happy bentoing!</div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8768057135205039748.post-5448068458386515062012-06-05T12:46:00.001-07:002012-06-05T12:46:59.265-07:00Spanish Tortilla BentoToday's bento features a Spanish dish that I was first introduced to in Germany, ha ha! I was on exchange there and some other girls also on the same exchange (but from Spain) cooked up this meal for us called "Tortilla". Now this tortilla is different than the one most of us in the US are used to, namely the corn or flour breads we eat with tacos.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFu-AEtxWjT_ZN5sIrb8rdlb3jsWAB2t1r07X7KGP5IB7P-spPW5CrHbcNoxtx2evYCsck08cqI-mPvSS1pUQf_w_KQKjsDd2UTKBDuDsOBSsKnoSAAAjA3ERUUjBtyvNZlwiaaCluZ8/s1600/060512SpanishTortillaBento.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkFu-AEtxWjT_ZN5sIrb8rdlb3jsWAB2t1r07X7KGP5IB7P-spPW5CrHbcNoxtx2evYCsck08cqI-mPvSS1pUQf_w_KQKjsDd2UTKBDuDsOBSsKnoSAAAjA3ERUUjBtyvNZlwiaaCluZ8/s400/060512SpanishTortillaBento.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This tortilla is a potato filled omelette. I found a <a href="http://spanishfood.about.com/od/tapas/r/tortilla.htm">great recipe/tutorial here</a> for making this Spanish staple. You can eat it hot or cold. I had most of the tortilla for dinner with my husband, and used the leftovers in this bento. I added onions and a bit of red bell pepper to the tortilla. Also in this bento: kalamata olives, carrots, prosciutto, jalapeno jack cheese, and grapes, with a little sprig of parsley. </div>
<br />Sonoma Bentohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14213542337431064754noreply@blogger.com0