Life at Lunch...Adventures in Bento Blogging

Bringing Back the Bento

2011-03-13T07:51:00.001-07:00

I HAVE been Bento-Making for work and school, but I am starting full-time at work and I placed THREE (3) orders to CaseBento, J-List, and Bento and Co.

I ordered 19 things - yikes! Most are accessories and mini-things - but wow.

I ordered them on the same day and with the same requests - for Bento's to be sent in more than one box. Lets see who delievers first, adheres to my request, and gets customs flagged. (I hope none get stuck in customs getting taxed)

Let the race begin!

2009-11-21T17:32:00.001-08:00

Great Big Test

Cake

2009-04-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter and Exams!

It's Exams, and I am not really Bentoing at the moment, but I did unleash my creativity and make this Easter cake!

Bento 22

2009-03-31T17:29:00.000-07:00

Symmetry

Exams are on their way - Yikes! I may not be prepared for my Biology Exam - but I am prepared for lunch! Today we have, leftover bread with a smear or butterfly shaped creame cheese and butterfly shaped salmon spread. A divider of green beans, some blueberries and 2 wonderful little cheeses. This was a great tide-me-over, now that my days are short (No more LABS!) my lunches are pretty small.

Bento 21

2009-03-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

A Cupcake a Day

Alright, I just fininshed by Cake decorating weekend course, and I have loads of cupcakes. So to get me through the last weeks of school, I have cupcakes. Exams are comming, deadlines are mounting and lately I've missed the bus and been late. Cupcakes are the only answer. Everyone ready for the last push before the end of the year?

In this Bento, we have of course a chocolate mini-cupcake with buttercream flowers on (unfortunatly the quality of my digital camera is terrible), some leftover chicken, a cup of berries, a mini-cheese square, and that bright white thing in the corner, is a heart shaped mini-sandwhich made out of a single slice of bread. Yum. This was great in geography, made the morning zip by.

Bento 20

2009-02-27T05:11:00.001-08:00

Reading Week. A.K.A Working Week

Wow. It has been some Feburary. I worked all reading week, and wow did I ever eat alot of Bento. And then after no rest, leaped right back into classes with more Bento's. And worst of all my digital camera is currently in B.C. with my mother so she can document her trip, so, stand-by I do have some a few photos ready.

This was a strange little Bento. Monday, the first day back in class. Yogurt filled waffles and sliced peeled apples. Tasty, if nothing else, because it sure isn't pretty. This got me through film class. Nothing like waffles and yogurt to distract you from a subtitled film then the srip of strawberry yogurt all over your jacket, it was a good thing my jacket need cleaning already.

Tea for Two? Anyone?
This was just pure fun. This is every type of tea I own, and every mug or cup I could find. I did a taste test with my mother to find our favorites, I didn't realize how different they taste - Yum, Irish Breakfast Tea. Can you guess which cup it's in? I couldn't.

Bento 19

2009-02-07T15:44:00.000-08:00

Bento in Bed.

Alright, Post-Mid-Term, Post-Friday Night Scrapbook-athon, Post-Cake Decorating.

This is a little something I prepared for Sunday Morning. I have to hit the gym early, and study for 2 more Mid-terms and finish a weeks homework, and clean. So. This is going to be a little Brekkie in the morning so I can eat and well, run.

We have Banana slices, Cheerios, a wee tub of maple syrup and mini-pancakses with a topping of blackberries. Is it morning yet?

X-Posted to http://community.livejournal.com/bentolunch/

Bento 18

2009-01-30T06:08:00.000-08:00

Bento Basics

This was a simple Bento. A cut apple put back together into an apple shape. I peeled orange and a cup of frozen pinappple. A mini cup of olives, 3 leftover breakfast sausages and a viva puff.

I have a Biology Mid-Term approching and I need the easy fuel for study.

This is barely a Bento, it's more of cut foods in cups. But it sure was tasty.

X-Posted! http://community.livejournal.com/bentolunch/

Bento 17

2009-01-26T18:51:00.000-08:00

BENTO + THE FLU = Mini -Pancakes

Yuck. Eww. Gross.

I have been sick for a week (Feeling 100% Now) and while I still made it to most of my classes without coughing over everything and contaminating other people, I still made my Bento's. When you're sick, you need them even more.

This is comfort food. Tasty Breakfast with all the toppings perked me up during Geography and was I ever thrilled to have a hot Thermos of Tea. Sometimes being sick is a blessing in disguise (I felt no guilt in scorffing down the whipped cream and maple syrup)

Alright, We have a mini-stack of Pancakes and between them is a frozen disc of maple syrup. I have it timed out that I make a bunch of panckes, pour syrup between two and then put them in a container in the freezer. Then when I want one, I just pull them out and by mid-day the syrup has thawed just enough to be a liquid and not enough to run into everything else. Oddly enough, I worked out the timing perfectly and yet still have no skills in math, hmm?

There is also a strip of bacon that was leftover tucked between the grapes. In the little red cup is some dried cranberries and in the other tub a serving of sweet whipped cream. Yum. Best Lunch/Breakfast yet.

Cross-Posted to bentolunch.livejournal.com/

Bento 16

2009-01-12T08:27:00.001-08:00

Oh Bento.

My apologies for the dark photo, but rushing around in the morning is hardly condusive to good photography. This was a bit of silliness.

I hardly meant for it to look like a face but when I was finished packing it, I just had to put 2 raisons on for eyes just for the photo.

On to the food. For my tasty lunch I am having 1/2 an unidentified lunch meat sandwhich (post-new years), a serving of riccotta, and veggies with dip. Very simple, very fast.

This is going to be my inbetween meal for my 'layover' between classes, fuel up for film class, or it will be lights out before the Prof. can dim the lights.

Crossposted to http://community.livejournal.com/bentolunch/

Bento 15

2009-01-11T13:12:00.001-08:00

Hold On, Here it Comes.

New Semester, New Courses. All New Bento's.

Here we go, Picture the first day of a New Semester, Fresh Start. It should be joyful and revitalizing, a motivator to succeed, waking up early prepared to start the day...

Too bad my Monday morning wake-up call was unwelcome and less then timely. I was rushed into my morning routine at the sound of a late alarm, and had to rush to throw cloths into the dryer and to pull the curlers out of my hair (think a bed-head of Grannie-Curlers toddling round a mess laundry room) and was glad to find my Bento from the night before waiting for me to fetch it for lunch (unlike the city bus).

Here it is, in the blue cup we have carrots and celery. Under that is a red cup of shredded pinapple (leftovers), a tin of butter-flake-cake, in the green cup a riccotta serving with tiny cheese cube. Wedged in between things are blueberries, a piece of leftover chicken, raspberries and the piece-de-resistance, Apple Bunnies! These are just apple slices with the peel turned to look like ears, then I tried to give them eyes, and as you can see, one looks rather evil and the other rather nice.

2009-01-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

Happy new Year! After a fantastic month of Christmas Break(and little Interent Access at my Great-Grannie) I have finally updated. I am charging the batteries in my camera as I type this, and later tonight, I will have a tasty sample of the weeks Bento's. I had 5 for the week, and it looks like I'll need to make more, 6 courses and 3 labs, a shift or two at work and I am eating out of my home more than in. That's the beauty of bento, I save loads of money on take-aways and when I do takeaway or go to a restuarant I really enjoy it.

Bento 14

2008-12-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Been Busy, But Still Bento-ing

This was a very busy Bento, The patio door at my place shattered and I had to leaf through Emergency Glass Repair People and eat my lunch.

Okay, For the stress, I had leftover homemade Pizza/Calzone/Pocket of delicious cheese and green peppers, and for spice a mini Tabasco for flavour. Also some Orange segments for, well, nutrition and a few mini iced cockies and a serving of dried fruit.

This lunch was a blessing in disguise, it's not every day your glass doors crack, you need a little boost to get through the telephone estimates and my mystified expression of 'Just How Much Is This Going To Cost!' Made Tuition seem like a chump change.

This is just a close up of all the cracks that spread over the entire door.

2008-12-11T07:22:00.000-08:00

Yes, Exams are over and I can stop procrastinating, today I am making my New Year's Resolutions, to not Procrastinate!

Later today, the Bento Blog will continue!

Bento 13

2008-11-16T13:26:00.001-08:00

Compartments.

(The day I had this, I just couldn't stand food touching other food)

I, like many young people, grew up in a world where food didn't touch other food. Mothers carefully plated peas a great distance fromt the mash potatoes and I was spoiled. As I got older, to the Rip Old Age I am at now, I taught myself to eat mixed foods, I tolerated it for years, but have come to love my Bubble-and-Squeak (That's British for, Carrots, Peas and Potatoes all mashed together). The day I ate this was an off day, I was feeling icky and all I wanted was to stay in my warm bed, eat Chicken Soup and watch the Price is Right. But I couldn't, it was a Tueday, and I have class all day.

So, this became a quick comfort, that and my Thermos of Chicken Soup.

We have Bananas, Oranges, Berries, Walnuts, Dried Cranberries and a mustard and white bread sandwitch. Easy to digest and nothing was touching. It was heaven. How will I ever go back to my haphazard Bento ways.

Comming Soon : That Bio Bento, I am working out the details, I have a few planned study sessions, and I need to make a few study Lunches.

Sorry.

2008-11-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

I have been stressed over biology mid-terms, assignments, presentations, just like everyone else at Nipissing. It is no excuse for my terrible neglect for this blog. I need to pull everything together for the end of this semester.

My plan for the end of the week.

Finish Presentation
Start Film Paper
Do 2 Film Journals
Re-read Bio Lecture (X2)
Review a Ensc. Article
And...Bento Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Bento 12

2008-11-02T08:16:00.000-08:00

Yes, This was Halloween, I know, that was Weeks Ago

(I am a terrible, terrible person for not updating)

Halloween, yes, this is up late for Halloween, but I did eat it on the Halloween Friday.

We have, in the centre, a Rye Bread Coffin, with cheese inside. It has an authentic cross and crack for aestetics. In the bottom Left Corner, a meriange ghost with chocolate chip eyes, underneath are some peanut butter bannana rolls (nothing scarier than peanuts in public, no boby wants to be around them) We have in the top Corner a Bat Cookie I made, and a cheese tombstone, again with authentic Halloween R.I.P. And for added nutrition, raddish flowers, grave sites need flowers. Ooh, and candy corn, yum. Yes, Halloween, very spooky. Very tasty.

I wish I had dressed up for Halloween at the University, absolutly noboody did, well escept for Oscar the Grouch, if any of you saw him. If I had had supportive friends (you know who you are) we could have gone, but we are talkers, not doers when it comes to things like this. It is probably for the best, I really wanted to go as a box of kraft dinner.

Comming Soon: Next couple of weeks I have my Bio Exam, how convient, so I will need a tasty pre-test bento breakfast to get me through the stress and maximize on sleep. I'm thinking, since it is on enzymes and DNA structure, what about a tasty Double Helix or maybe The Krebs Cycle is organge segements? Why leave the books on my living room floor, who said I can't have a study session in my kitchen?

Opps, I missed the Lunch

2008-10-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Okay, I Pride myself on my Love of Lunch, and I, of all people missed the Blogger Lunch. If only I read my e-mail, this has got to be a message to make me read my e-mail regularly, anyway thanks to Holly, who told me about it, I hope we have another one so I can bring a Bento Buffet. Hopefully we can have another event. Plus, even if I had known, I would have been in my Midterm.

Alright, so onto the post.
BENTO CHIC VS BENTO CHEAP

Obviously, I did not make the fantastic Bunny, it is a picture from a Book called Food Face. I WISH I had made it, but then again it would be a shame to eat, my counterpart, the not-so-chic Bento Cheap, comprised of leftover Chinese Food. I want to discuss the differences and similarities beween what I do and what others do. Alright, this is going to be a long post.

I get most of my boxes, at yard sales, or in department stores, they are just regular containers. I get the cute assesories from the Bins and Bins, I walk past it on my way home from the University and find myself in there looking at everything and wanting them all. If I wasn't on a students budget I would be swimming in Bento items I'm sure.

Okay, so Bento, in short is about, well, bringing your lunch with you, taking the time to appreciate making and eating it, two things we probably don't do alot of with the billion dollar industry of single serving microwave meals and fast food.

To Bento, you don't need Fancy tools (But it sure is nice). This is going to be a comparison mostly between my own Bento's. What is Chic(I work I hate, but ryhmes nicely with Cheap) and what is Cheap.

BentoBoxes

These are terrible photo's, but from left to right it chic to cheap. Obviously, I do not own the fancy red Bento Box with the decorative pattern and little lids, but I want to. Alas, I have the Box in the middle, a Lock and Lock, with little square compartments inside. And on the end, that's a plastic takaway, y'know, if you have these containers, you can just rinse them and use them a few times when you get a takaway. Re-using the container even once is a great way to start Bento, (Maybe if there is another lunch or Blogger meeting of some kind, I would bring Bento's in these for disposability.) Size wise, there are Bento guidlines for the amount of ml a Bento should hold for your age and gender. For me, I make about 500-700 calorie Bento's, but depending on my activity levels and stress that number changes. (I had a mid-term quick Bento that just had cake..hehe)

FOOD

Food wise, anything goes. This was Monday's lunch. I think it is a combinatin of Chic and Cheap. Grapes, cheap and easy, just wash and eat. I had some mini-meatballs leftover which aren't that chic so I just put them inside a cookie-cutter to make them more appealing. The little added foodpick adds a little more fun too. Pick up some mini-sword picks the next time you go for mixed drinks if you want them for free. And the yellow object is actually a tub filled with mustard for dipping the meatballs. The long pastry-looking thing is a cabbage roll, not everyones favorite, but this could be a slice of pizza or a sandwich. The chicness I added was the mini-bottle of soysauce for the cabbage roll, honesty this is the cheapest thing in the Bento, but is so cute. It was an empty food dye bottle. Last but certainly not least is the cookie. A tiny Giraffe I coloured with food dye pens. I don't expect anyone else to do this, but decorating cookies with my little cousins when they visit for the holidays is so much fun, so I always make a tonne and put them in the freezer, these are so tiny, proably no bigger than an inch so I have hundreds of them. Yes, I know, I'm extreamly obsessed.

ASSESORIES

Okay, these are mini-assesories Bento's.

Alright, I have mini spoons and other cutlery, honesty, these are those souviner spoons you see all over the place, when I eat, I am reminded of places I've been so I get to enjoy the memories of those places while I eat. If you don't have tiny spoons use plastic or a regular sized one. We have the sword food picks that come with those fancy mixed drinks. These are a collective bunch, not only my own, don't think I'm drinking myself silling for cheap Bento assessories. And finally, the mini-bottle and some fancy shaped corn holders I use for bigger food picks.

Alright, so here is another. We have fancy mini-muffin cups that make great dividers, little takaway tubs I got at Tammy's and a bunch of little condiment packets and of course other fancy picks. If you like condiments with your lunches, just save them from restaurant visits and you'll always have quick things to add to your lunches.

I want these so much. They are the cutest, little mayo tubs with clovers on them. I want them so much, but the shipping and handling kills you on orders, so I will proabably never own them. This is just the tip of the iceberg for cute Bento assesories that I don't own, I won't show the other to you, there are just too many.

This will be the final idea for today, I think this is going to be an epic post. I could write so much more about Bento, but I will just keep it to myself before the entire University thinks I'm unbalenced (I think it may be too late) Anyway, these are tiny cookie-cutters I use to shape foods for extra fun. Very Chic. And some more adorable pics and a mini-bottle of Tabasco. It is so tiny, it only hold 10ml. I love it.

Bento 10

2008-10-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

This was Reading Week.

These would be merangue ghosts. Adorable and delicious and so simple.
3 egg whites and 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar and 1/4 cup of sugar. Whip it all up and pipe in ghost shapes. Bake and 200 for about 45 min and put chocolate chip eyes in. Tasty, though I did burn my just a bit, kinda like toasted marshmellows.

I had to work long Thanskgiving shift work, find time to vote, and prepare for 2 midterms, an in class assignment and cleaning my space, but I did find the time to sneak in a tasty Bento for a day I dedicated to study (yes I actually study during study week). On the tray are many leftover Thanksgiving scented candles I thought I would enjoy the ambient light on the stormy day. I giant mug of tea, a plate of tortilla crisps, and a side of ceasar dressing for dipping.

Yes, Readinng Week, in sneaks up on us all, some of us begging for it, others dreading it. I am particularly happy for the break and time with my parents over the Thanksgiving Weekend, but then again I work and I have mid-terms after this. Who scheduals these things? I use my reading week for catch up, I'm sure most of us do. I like to sleep in late, talk to old friends and even do some reading I should have done weeks ago.

In the actual Bento, I have olices, cheese cutouts, dried fruit, a ghost merengue (see top for pic) candy corn, leftover turkey and a leftover waffle cut into squares filled with homemade jam.

This was a relief from Biology textbooks and dissapointing plans with friends.

Bento 11

2008-10-05T22:34:00.001-07:00

Simple. Tasty.

Alright, in the big divider, leftover chicken breast strips with carrots and baby tomatoes. I must Remind myself that I will need my KFS (Knife, Fork, Spoon, mine is an old military set that clips together and attaches to my bag, maybe I should take a photo of them.) I wonder how everyone else packs their lunches, that is if they do. Do you take silverware? I feel weird sitting in class or in the Caf or even in the Owl's Nest with metal silverware. Oh, well, they are just so nice to have, durable re-usable and unique.

Anyway, in the left side, a mini-cheesecake with a green merichino cherry. Delicious. Made them myself, well I make most of it myself. If anyone wants a hot tip, don't open the oven door when making cheesecake, I did and now they are cracked, so I had to top them, oh well, happy accident. Oh, it is surrounded by strawberries and raspberries.

And in the last compartment, we have leftover meatloaf chunks and a muffin-liner with blue cheese chunks and a Babybel laughing cow cheese square. Oh, and a pick for eating!

This one was quick too, but I have a plan for my next few Bento's, (I can't wait for Thanksgiving).

I was also wondering if anyone out their would be interested in doing some sort of lunch swap or meet-up, I'd love to share some of my food and tips with others, y'know I figure student's would show up, free food and all. Maybe a Cooking Club? Any thoughts?

Look Ma! No Art Grant!

2008-10-05T22:15:00.001-07:00

Look Ma! No Art Grant!

Art Grant! I don't need no stinkin' art grant!

A lovely maple leaf on a base of postage stamps.

Alright, the election is comming up and I am sick and tired on hearing about the Arts as an issue, in particular, the Conservatives cutting funding to arts in Canada.

“If Canadian artists produce world-class art, then it will be noticed on the
world stage, with or without government assistance,” read a Post editorial.
“Moreover, the Tories are not telling artists to stop producing their movies,
paintings, alternative rock or books. Rather, they are simply telling them to
stop financing their international junkets from the wallets of overburdened
taxpayers.”

http://www.vueweekly.com/article.php?id=9765

I totally agree, tax dollars need to be spent with logic. I agree with the programs that are being put under review, the PromArt program and Trade Routes pay for commitee-decided artists to fly around the world to share and explore the cultural world of others, hardly a good use of tax dollars, this is just the opposisiton and media trying to make a media hysteria out of nothing. Anyway, I don't need an art grant, nor would I want one (in a very Grocho Marx kind of way). A committee doesn't decide what art is. What I made today, to decorate my house, is art to me. Committees are censorship. I can not decide where to place my vote, I actually think about the issues and am probably going to have to find some way to decided. At this time, probably Conservative.

Anyway, These are my autumn-themed wall decorations made from old frames found at yard sales for virtually nothing. Leaves I found outside and covered in wax (from candles) and I made the backgrounds. I like them. They are art to me and that is all that matters!

Though, My photo's are terribly taken!
This is about 10 cm by 10cm

Actually, the one below this is actually a drink tray.

1 foot by 1.5 feet

The photo's just don't do them justice.
50cm by 50cm

There is actually one more, but, the phot was awful, so no luck.

Bento 10

2008-10-05T22:07:00.000-07:00

This was a very simple, very delightfully delicious Tuesday.

Alright, in the big divider, sliced apples and bananas with the last of the cantaloup under it.(if you sprinkle a tiny bit of lemon juice on cut fruit, it doesn't turn brown)
The Fruit was great during my 'layover' between classes, a tasty breakfast.

In the top corner, we have a mini-walnut muffin and 2 iced cookies. Something sweet to keep me going.

In the bottom corner, baloney. Seriously, it's baloney. I was in a rush to whip this lunch out, so baloney and cheese made a quick fix. To finish it off, A tiny pink pick to pick up the foods (cold and flu season).

Tuesday's are stressful. Lot's of classes and uncomfort. I hate being stranded at the school. Being a Townie, I am unable to just pop over to the Rez and relax, I must remain imprisoned between classes. I ate this lunch, with a thermos of hot chicken broth (No picture, sorry, thermos' just arn't that interesting. Overall, this lunch got me through the day. Barely, must plan more for next week.

Bento 8 and 9

2008-10-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

Too Busy to Bento

Wow, it's been a busy week, nothing like work and deadlines all in the same week to through my lunch making off course. Oh well, I did make this Bento, on Monday to eat that night in film. This is a sweet-heavy Bento, because I needed something sugary.

Starting in the Top Left Corner: A re-usable muffin cup of mini-marshmellows. To the right is a purple iced cow-cookie and leftover pancake cut-out in the shape of a Giraffe. (I was brought back food-dye pens from Winnipeg last Saturday, so I wanted to use them). Below those are dried aprocots.

In the Far, Bottom Right Corner, Autumn inspired jelly-beans in an autumn cupcake liner. Beside that we have leftover pancake squares with peanut butter inbetween. I have found a way to use leftovers, cover them in sugar. Yum. Alright so this wasn't the most health-oriented Bento, but a little wiggle-room made all the difference.

Okay, this was Tuesday, my long,long 10 hour day where I am trapped at the University due to my stupidity by allowing myself to schedual 2 labs and a lecture on the same day, oh, well, I get to make satisfying Bento's to get me through the day.

That's part of why I started doing this, cafeteria food is horrible, expensive and doesn't keep me full. So I substituted buying food with making tasty, filling flavourful food.

Alright, I must admit I am a cookie-cutter freak, I love them, they are so adorable. The cantaloup (sp?) giraffes were extra-delicious.

Beside those are the last of the cauliflower and raddishes, (they were starting to turn).

In the main compartment, we have a shrimp/crab/lobster pasta shell, a babybel cheese, a mini-cup of olives and the last carrot. Oh, and in the cup, yogurt for dipping the giraffes in.

Well, these were simple, and almost basic bento's. And now that it is getting cooler, I crave more meat. So, say goodbye to the tropical fruits and veg, and hello to iron-rich red meats, yum. More to come.

Bento 7

2008-09-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

I adore autumn and today is the very first day,

so I took the time to make this adorable lunch.

This is for my film class tonight, after last week and the Bicycle Thief, I think I need a treat, so here it is, Autumn-themed Bento. Something to keep me sane while trying to read subtitles and take notes at the same time, don't get me wrong, I love films. Especially ones with Jimmy Stewart, Paul Newman or Steve McQueen, but unfortuantly we never watch those classics, only critically acclaimed films. Yuck, what do the critics know anyway? Anyway, sometimes the best way to get through class is to just agree. Your grades are almost always better, teachers, instructors and professors alike have bias, so you use it. It is a terrible thing to admit to, but sometimes, when you know you can't win with your opionon, use theirs. This must be why I like science better than the liberal arts something about 2+2=4 is undeniable. Anyway, enought rant, onto the Bento. (I think I will come back and edit this some more, but alas, I have homework to start)

Alright, in the Top Corner we have a festive whole wheat tortilla with cheese layers shaped in with a delightful pumpkin cookie cutter. Surrounding the jack-o-lantern are cheese and spinach corn on the cob. All I did was cut marble cheese into oval shapes and cut small leaves of spinach and applied them. They look adorable, I just love them, so cute.

Inbetween the football pick and the pumpkin are bologna stars (hard to see them really), and over in the far corner we have a mini-corn muffin rapped in a fall liner.

Below all of that is a bundle of tiny julianed carrots wrapped in chives. I was going for a bail of straw look. hehe. Oh, well it's not perfect.

The round autumn flower is made of five pickle slices and a fancy cut radish in a re-usable mini-muffin liner. As a space filler we have 2 narrow slices of grapefruit, conviently orange.

In the far left corner we have a small cookie, which is iced in colours that have nothing to do with autumn, but I wanted something sweet, under that we have a wildberry muffin top.

As fillers in this bento we have grape tomatoes, jelly beans and a carrot jack-o-lantern, all I didd was score the carrot and smear cheese into it. Strange I know.

Bento 6

2008-09-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

Best Photo Yet, and Best Bento Yet.

I love this Bento, it was fantastic and was a delicious break to Enviromental Science. Even though we were only their for maybe an hour on Thursday, the tedium of the course was killing me. I feel as though I am the only one with common sense in the course, then again, I am obsessed about Bento, so what do I know. This Bento got me through the day. Here we go...

This photo is fantastic, the quality is great, I took it just before sundown, the light was great.

Anyway, In the Top Corner we have sliced apples. I corner an apple, sliced it into little slivers and arranged it to look like half an apple. The 'seeds' are dried cranberries. TIP: A little lemon juice on fresh cut fruit keeps everything looking fresh, no brown apples for me.

Below this we have leftover lemon couscous topped with a fancy cut raddish abd chives. Just a little fancy feast for my eyes. I had a busy week, and I took the time out from studying Biology and cleaning my room to produce this little treat.

In the top corner we have a carrot bundle. I feel the size is distorted, those little sticks are truly tiny, about 5-7 cm long and maybe a few mm in width. What can I say, everything tastes better tiny. A bound them with a long chive. The carrots rest on a bed of olives and nestled between are a tiny fork and spoon.

In the Bottom Corner we have home-grown lettuce with tiny tomatoes on a sword skewer (which I got at the Bins and Bins) for a splash of colour.

Alright, the middle, the bottom object is home-made seafood shells. A fantastic concoction of crab, shrimp and imitations lobster (flavoured pollak) with a blend of spinach and riccotta. It is simple and delicious and freezes fantasticly, it's better cold then warm. Ontop we have a tiny poorly iced cookie, see the post previous for info. To put the bento to scale, that cookie is about the size of a nickel.

P.S. For an Enviromental Science Lunch, me the skeptic had the most economical, and proabably most enviromentally friendly lunch their. ie. I saw a mountain of Tim Hortons Cups, Chip bags and cookie wrappers. Just an ironic little note wanted to add.

Girl Guide Have Nothing On Me

2008-09-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

Alright, I will admit it, I love cookies. I love everything about them, their sugary taste, their portability and most of all the smell. These are tiny, itty bitty Butterfly Cookies, took me all of, half an hour to make. And everyone had the time, I made them Monday, before class and after work, okay maybe not EVERYONE has the time, cooking is a way to relax for me, so maybe no one has the time. If you don't, just buy pretty cookies or bake with a few friends and divide the goods afterwords.

INGREDIENTS
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Okay, I cut the recipie in half and then cut them into uber tiny shapes so they cooked supper fast, plus, I didn't refrigerate, who has time? Still I had so much leftover dough it is still in my fridge. I then iced this and froze them in a cottage cheese container, look out for them in my Bento's!

Bento 5

2008-09-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

Alright, my Week was awful, I missed 2 labs, count them, 2. How did that happen? Something slipped my mind and I decided to sleep all Tuesday, oh well, I can't cry over spilt milk, however I can about spilt water.. But I did have this delicious lunch, represented by the terrible photo below, to sooth my nerves.

It isn't one of my better bento's, it's kinda washed out, and well my water bottle leaked all over my biology notes and this bento, so it was a little more fluid then I intended when I went to eat it.

Alright, In the Top Corner, we have a very tasty, very salty Pepper Salade. It's just cut up peppers, onion, feta cheese, and olives tossed in a zippy bag with some vinegar, olive oil and feta brine. Simple. Just marinate in the fridsge, the longer the better.

That washed out white object, um, leftover spunge(sp?) cake, to say the cake became the lifesaver of my lunch is an understatement. You see, the lock and lock lid of my container came loose or maybe in my post-sleep delerium I forgot to seal it tight, well anyway, water poured into this lunch and while the cake was unedible, it took one for the team.

To finish this bento I added a line of tiny tomatoes to act as stabilizers for the rest of the food, (if building were made of interchangeble foods, I could be an engineer, lucky for everyone, their not.) Anyway, I had a few minutes to spare for this one, so I skewerd a few with frozen mini-meatballs and cheese. Oh, that blob in the corner, meatloaf. And to add insult to bento injury, I forgot a spoon.

So, while my classes were missed and my notes stained, and still managed to pull through with an average meal and average day.

My Bento Beginnings

2008-09-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

I’m a University Student who packs a lunch. What’s important to a Student? Eating, Drinking and having fun, and maybe studying. Well, for this Student, it’s all those things and well, lunch. Lunch is my world. Nothing makes me happier than a fantastic little lunch on a stress filled day. Hopefully, my Bento Blog will keep me sane from mid-terms to midnights, term-papers to hangovers. I want most of all, Taste, but also nutrition and speed: I want to eat nutritious food, but spending a lot of time on every meal isn’t feasible. I strive to achieve balance between the two — losing this battle would either have me waking up hours before everyone else to cook lunch, or reaching for a Fast-food alternative at the cost to my wallet and taste-buds (the face of the enemy, pictured above).

Spending an hour preparing a weekday lunch is only going to happen if it’s a special occasion like a birthday or holiday — I spend my morning getting myself out the door on time. I am a full-time student and have a part-time job, at one of those horrible fast-food joints and can’t afford to break the bank on horribly made food (trust me, I know) Although, fancy lunches made with expensive specialty foods would be fantastic, I know my limits; both fiscally and artistically. I would be a wreck only a few weeks in, for me it’s got to be sustainable over the long run, which is why I make Canadian-speed Bentos.

How did I even get to this place? I packed a crap-lunch for years, made up of pre-packaged, high-sugar no taste items into a brown bag. It was horrible. I felt awful after eating, so I starting making changes. I began to bring more vegetables, and meats to ease the stomach rumbles that high-sugar foods often leave you with. I even found myself searching online for easy recipes, and like an answered prayer, I found Bento.

With the help of Biggie, the Bento-master of speedy meals, I was saved. Her website http://lunchinabox.net/ helped me find the solutions to may problems. I even named this blog in homage to her site. With the help of Bento makers united online I was able to find the balance between eating right and eating fast. It was called Bento.

Here’s a Quote from her Manifesto for Bento making that sums up my morning ritual.

So now I’m learning to think on my feet when I look at the refrigerator in
the morning. Where I used to see either uninspiring food or time-consuming
meals, I can now see quick lunches taking shape. I have fast lunch items in the
freezer and fridge, and speedy prep techniques at my fingertips.
Well, that's Bento, how I found it. Next Post, Bento, the definitions and traditions.

Bento 4

2008-09-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

Film Food 2

Well, this delicious little dish was for my second film class. Now, I took film for another elective credit and while it was a popular first year choice, I guess everyone thought it would be an instant A course, the second-year has all of 11 People in it. Oh, well, It's still an interesting course, and we discuss things a bit more. Anyway, on to the Bento.

Alright, in the Top Corner in the Square Cup, we have Beef and Seaseme Stir-Fry. Overall, a tasty dish warm, but cold, um, it was just a bit, well soggy. I think it put a damper on the class. We watched The Bicycle Theif, this dish, distracted me from the film. And let's be honest, both were a bit soggy, if you catch my Bento drift.

So beside that we have homemade cookies shaped like butterflies. More on that later.

Okay, I am a terrible photographer, that white-washed object is ricotta and pasta in a mini-cupcake wrap. Now that was delicious. Creamy and Cool, Yum.

For veggies, we have thin juliane carrots and onion dip and a Radish. For fruits, green grapes, they were bitter.

And the show-stopper, my apple cobbler. Fantastic. I think it was the only thing that got me through the Prof's incesent lecturing about directors I've never heard of. It was FanFilmTastic.

I think I should introduce what Bento is. See the next Post.

Bento 3

2008-09-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Food and Film, I'll Pass on the Popcorn.

Letter to the Bento Editor: Don't Take Photo's on Floral Tablecloths.

Alright it was my Mother's Birthday on Tuesday and I made these Monday Afternoon.

Looks like alot of food, but, 2 of them are mine, for my 4 hour film class and the other is for my mother, a little Birthday Bento for her breakfast the next day, as she will be eating potlock birthday meals all day...so without any further ado...

This is my Backwards Breakfast Bento. Film class is late at night, so I need serious morning fuel to keep me from nodding out during the silent films. It kept me awake, much to my dislike.

Left to right, and well the bottom picture is just a better photo, so the food is listed in that order.

Leftover Bacon, mini-pancakes from my freezer stash. The last of a stale box of cornpops. A mini-corn muffin also from my freezer. In the food dye bottle, maple syrup. Yum. 3 Delicious peanut butter banana rolls (a single drop of lemon juice kept them nice looking hours later). A cheese butterfly. Concord Grapes on sword skewers and last but not least a small cup of yoghurt for grape dipping.Overall, it was a delicious meal, and I even got a commment on it by a girl of the same name as me, that I sat next to.

This is my mother's mini-breakfast Bento, so she kepts up the energy to open all those gifts.

Top to bottom, left to right. mini-cornmuffin. bacon, choco-stuffed mini-pancakes. A serving of yoghurt. A spoon. Skewer grapes and grapefruit slices. Happy Birthday!

Oh, almost forgot, my in-movie snack.

This photo is of poor quality. Sorry. But this was the tasty snack for film, we have sliced grapefruit and cornchips with a side of salsa (the salsa looks terrible in this photo) and my pride, the mini tabasco bottle which I ordered from the Tabasco company, I recieved a pack of 4 for about 3 dollars, yum. They are so cute.

Bento 2

2008-09-16T11:14:00.001-07:00

Bio Bento. Simply Skewers.

A Terrible Photo, but A Delicious Bento.

Alright, I am a second year student, in a first year course, just another hurtle in Changing Your Major. Anyway, I wanted something easy to eat from little food picks, in this case those fancy plastic swords you get with certain drinks. I was revolted by the bus etiquette at the Terminal the day before. Eww, Nothing makes those hunger pangs near noon a little less aggrivating then people spitting, picking their nose and worse of all, blowing snot and mucus all over the bus floor. Makes you want lunch, doesn't it?
So, after washing my hands after arriving at the university, then again at break I dove right in to my little skewerd lunch.

Here it is.

Top Left: A mini-cornmuffin, straight from my freezer stash. Grape tomatoe's from the garden. A sword-skewer of tomatoe, cheese and crab meat. The little skewers forced my friends to grumble as they shared a bag of dry Mr. Noodles. Maybe, I'll bring a Group Bento next week...

Top Right: Carrot sticks, cucumber butterflies and a sword-skewer with feta stuffed olive and crab meat. (After eating it, I realize I didn't stuff enough feta in it... )

Bottom Left: Leftover jalepeno (sp?) chicken breasts...fantastic. You have no idea, I wish I remembered what I made these with. With soccer ball corn pick for a fork.

Bottom Right: Concoard Grapes with skewer. Overall, a delicious lunch, that I ate in Bio. It was so dreary and rainy that day, I loved it!

The quality of this photo is terrible, my apologies.

Bento 1

2008-09-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

Haggis, Corn, Fajita's and Grapes...Oh, My!

So, I am backtracking, I finally got this page up and running so it's catch up time. This was my First Day of Class, Keep It Simple Stupid Bento. I am starting my Second Year at Nipissing in the Enviromental Geography Department, and I needed something to nosh on during those long 3 hour lectures. Best of all, we pushed on that day and we neglected to break for longer than 5 minutes in the middle, so I sat smuggly with my Bento while others suffered with expensive vending machine 'food'. Life and Lunch can be so Cruel.

Okay, lets go!

Top Left: Part of a Cob of Corn (it's hidden under the carrots) , surrounded by Carrots, a Tomatoe Centre and 4 Cucumber Butterflies. I have been eating cucumber like it's going out of fashion, fresh from my garden, an absolute delight.

Top Right: On the bottom is a Cheese circle in red wax, and on top is delicious leftover Haggis, yes, I like Haggis. Yes, I know what it's made of, I made it. One part, sheeps' stomach, one part heat, one part liver, and a whole lot of barley and spice to make it go down easier. Wonderfully delicious (and disgusting for those not of the Scottish persuasion) Haggis. I removed the casings, for ease of consumption and so not everyone around me stares in utter disgust while I enjoy it's deliciousness.

Bottom Left: 5 Mini-star fajitas. Made with cheese, olive, hot peppers and an adorable star cookie cutter. I made a bunch for the freezer. Yum.

Bottom Right: Concord Canadian Grapes (fresh is best, only get these for a few weeks a year here...) and whole olives. It's almostan International Bento. Best of all it's tasty.

Hello Lunch Bloggers

2008-09-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

I am loving the idea of Blogging about my daily lunch and all the affairs that go along with having such a simple thing as Lunch at Nipissing University. How can any one blog about something as potentially boring as Lunch? Well, I don't just pack your average PB&J, or spend my hard earned dollars at the Caf. I pack a Bento. Take one small container, a diverse variety of fruits and vegetable cut into tiny bite-size shapes, meaty stir-fries and delicate deserts and you have a Bento. It is In otherwords, a Japanese-inspired lunch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bento

Alright, let's discuss the dirty details. Where did I get this ludicris idea to make intricate little foods in a cute container? Well, the internet, after mindlessly browsing Wikipedia, these things come up and voila! Bento was thrust into my life. I save money by cooking in bulk and packing healthy meals that add variety to a well, often long and tideous day in class. Lunch has never been beter.

Well, more on this later.