[random burbling] Back to bento

[cupcake_goth]

After a long-ish break from packing my lunches, I am trying to get back in the habit of using my collection of bento boxes and taking healthy food to work. (This is in no way due to the office move taking me that much farther away from the cafeteria with the good Mexican food. Really.) So on Sunday afternoon, I cooked and packed my lunches for part of the week. I feel so virtuous!

Dear sathinks, I made that sautéd veggie ... thing you made for us that I liked so much. So tasty! (Shallots, carrots, celery, eggplant, and mushrooms, for those that are curious.) The other bento boxes hold cracked pepper water crackers, herbed goat cheese, almonds, and lots of blackberries and raspberries. Oh, and two miniature chocolate chip cookies, to have at tea time.

Now I just need to make sure to set aside time to do the batch cooking every couple of days ...

Comments

[water-of-fire.livejournal.com]

Oooooooo. I really like your lunch. Further detailses on your sautéed vegies? How'd you do that?

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

It's ridiculously simple.

In a large-ish sauté pan (or wok, I suppose), sauté a diced shallot in olive oil. Then add chopped up carrots & celery, and sauté them for 10 minutes or so (I cooked them until the carrots started looking caramelized,). Add chopped up eggplant, cover the pan, and turn down the heat. Stir occasionally, adding a smidge of water if it looks like things are getting too dry. (The eggplant should release enough moisture to make sure things don't scorch, but I'm paranoid.) When the eggplant looks like it's reaching the falling apart/mush stage, toss in sliced mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes more. Ta-da! Yummy sautéd vegetable ... mush. Seriously, that's what it looks like. But it's very tasty.

[water-of-fire.livejournal.com]

That sounds lovely. I will try it!

[burrell.livejournal.com]

I try to take my lunch to work, mostly to save money. But I tend to rely on leftovers and TJs.

[domestinatrix.livejournal.com]

These are some things i've been doing instead of regular big batch cooking that too often leaves me wishing i were eating something else a few days later. They might be kind of a duh for you, but i figured i'm mention just in case:

While i'm taking care of various other chores in and around the kitchen on Sunday afternoons, i cook a few things like brown rice or other basic grains and roasted veggies that need a bunch of time but not much active attention. I leave those in bowls in the fridge so they're ready to scoop out as much as i need when it comes time to put a lunch together.

When i make dinner, i make enough extra for a lunch serving and dish it out into my bento box before eating dinner because if i wish i had more of it in the evening, it's easier to come up with more food at home than the next day at work.

Sometimes in the morning i cook some fresh veggies that can be done quickly, like sauteed green beans or braised greens with chopped/crushed nuts. I also keep a couple kinds of frozen veggies that i don't hate so that i can add them in a pinch if i need a little more to make up a full serving or if i'm really pressed for prep-time. I'm just going to end up microwaving the hot part of my lunch anyway, so i don't necessarily need to cook stuff all the way through, or with frozen veggies i can just pour them into the box with some herbs and whatnot.

[poetry-lady.livejournal.com]

Pray tell, where does one get functional, sturdy bento boxes? Or do you use the kiddie ones? Ooh-clicky-links to ones you like are always appreciated, but not necessary. One understand that Ms. Cupcake is a busy woman, what with a school to run, writers to keep in line, spousal unit and fur children to spend time with, plus Ms. Cupcake's numerous social activities... (can you tell I've been working on a functional spec too long, and simply pine for creative outlets?)

[water-of-fire.livejournal.com]

As a complete non-cook I am really appreciative of this particular comment. Good idea with the basic grains or veggie-roastage when you're in the kitchen anyway. Thank you!

[domestinatrix.livejournal.com]

Yay, i'm glad i was able to make a useful suggestion :)

[flyingtapes.livejournal.com]

I really am pleased you liked the vegetable thing. And I'm glad it works for your lunches!

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Poor lady; functional specs are tedious, aren't they?

As to where to obtain bento boxes: Daiso. Daiso is this insane Japanese version of a dollar store. There's one out by Alderwood Mall, and there's one in the bottom of Westlake Center. Bento boxes run about $3 to $4 there. Th selection is mostly either pink or blue, and usually have lids with polka dots, but they ARE cute, functional bento boxes!

[poetry-lady.livejournal.com]

Sweet! Thank you; I'll have to ride up there some day and shop. I LOVELOVELOVE dollar stores. New ones to explore are even better!

And, actually, there's something so wonderfully soothing to me about putting together functional specs. It soothes the OCD part of me, I guess. Plus, well, I get to know how everything works, so I become the authority. And everyone knows, you must "respect my author-i-tay!" :)

[domestinatrix.livejournal.com]

Lock&Lock (available from Uwajimaya) makes some totally functional bento boxes that aren't especially cute (they're just clear plastic with a blue gasket around the inside seal) but a reasonable size, seal well enough to toss in my purse without worrying about leaks, are microwaveable, and ore about $5.