Bento (Japanese style) packed, vegan meals

[missbettie]

hey how come applepie and emma have the same box? is it like a super box or something?

[applepie]

Of course! Would we settle for anything less than the best?
Nope, just happened to be the cheapest by far, and I figured that would be sufficient to make a start. I've seen so many nice Bento boxes already that I'd happily start a collection Once I've worked out what size suits me and my appetite, I might allow myself to buy another one.

[emmapresley]

absolutely cheapo box miss bettie

est..it was pretty filling yep!
quite enjoyed the whole ceremony of seperating the lids and using them as plates and lining stuff up to eat it all.

the boxes applepie and i got are pretty tiny..i might invest in another one..i really need to get a grip on my portion control though..i eat way too much

*refuses to insert embarrassed emoticon*

i even bought a selection of cutters to make snazzy shapes in veg.
next..i want cute bottles to put sauces in, and amusing novelty seperation items..i'm thinking there must be a shop in leeds i can find this stuff?!

then of course, i certainly will need a larger bento box to put all the extra bits in

[missbettie]

oic...I have a lot of little containers, only one that is really a bento though
oh wells I am a wee bit poor right now...

uh oh I said wee bit, you peoples are rubbing off on me!!! ahhhh!

[emmapresley]

oh no no no! miss bettie no!

i never say ' a wee bit poor right now'..repeat after me:

'i'm dead skint at the mo'

[applepie]

ep, exactly my thoughts...i need all those cute cutters, and containers, and dressing bottles... and a bigger bento, of course

[bryzee86]

oh no no no! miss bettie no!

i never say ' a wee bit poor right now'..repeat after me:

'i'm dead skint at the mo'

Or: "I 'ant got two ha'pennies to rub toge'er"

[missbettie]

oooo now I get it!! lol

[vegcurry]

Today:

Durum wheat cooked with sundried tomatoes. Grilled Patra. Coriander & Lemon.
Salad with grapes and red jalepeno chillies. Hummous. Peanut Butter. Chilli Olives.
Carrot sticks with lemon.
Rhubarb crumble (soya creem in the green pot).

[cedarblue]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"] Grilled Patra.[/IMG]

patra

that's a man sized lunch box vc!!
durum wheat - it looks like pearl barley, is it similar? where did you buy it, looks tasty!

[cedarblue]

p.s. what a brilliant business opportunity; work bento box delivery!

[vegcurry]

patra

that's a man sized lunch box vc!!
durum wheat - it looks like pearl barley, is it similar? where did you buy it, looks tasty!

Elby: is a brand of Durum Wheat I found it in an asian shop several months ago. It was in a box (yellow packaging) but I'm not having much joy locating a photograph of the packaging at the moment but did find this reference to it

Patra: here's a recipe for it; you can buy it ready made in from indian/asian shops in tins and sometimes fresh made if you're lucky.

[maikeru]

Ebly is the brand which comes in the yellow boxes, and you can buy it practically everywhere. The grains are larger and chewier than pearl barley. Or is that just the way I made it?

Semolina and cous cous are also made from durum wheat.

Michael.

[cedarblue]

ah yes, elby, waitrose sell it.

[vegcurry]

Doh! wrong name

[cedarblue]

i'll keep an eye out for canned patra at my asian stall. thanks.

[vegcurry]

Tomorrow: (clockwise from top left)

Roast aubergine, carrot sticks, cucumber, radish, baby sweetcorn, pickled red jalapeno chillies, chilli marinated olives, roast cashew nuts.

Green salad with sliced dried apricots.

leftovers from tonight: roast potato and butternut squash, with soy sauce in the green tub.

Sushi (includes Frys garlic Poloni, gherkins, carrot, radish, and wasabi), topped with fresh coriander.

Not in photograph: a slice of home baked granary bread.

[bryzee86]

reminds me: must make sushi

[Sluggie]

My new bento box is very beautiful ...




... but very tiny ...





... How am I going to fit my lunch in it???

[applepie]

Oh Sluggie, I don't know - maybe a whole assortment of Bento boxes?
It is a very beautiful one indeed!

[emmapresley]

sluggie...you've made my day with those piccies!!!
thanks for the laughs

i've donated my bento box to anna and ordered a 3 tiered one. i mean...ffs.

she's spent some time tonight arranging baby plum tomatoes and grapes.
these boxes really are tiny

vegcurry..i'm really impressed by how much variety of stuff you've managed to pop into your box.

all the stuff i've ordered from ebay will be here this week so it'll be super cute lunches from next week. in the meantime, i'm going back to a large-ish placcy box and stuffing it full of rocket, watercress and cake. dammit.

[bryzee86]

hey can you PM me the ebay shop URL you bought your stuff from emmap?

[Roxy]

My first lunchtime bento is nowhere near as exciting as what the others are posting....but I'll get more creative for sure.

Vanilla soy yoghurt with organic blueberries.
Organic mango slices.
Jasmine rice with "chicken" strips with a lemon herb rub.
organic carrot sticks with hummus.

[emmapresley]

sure can bryzee..

lunch looks fabby roxy..i like the way the blueberries are plomped on top of the yogurt..yum.

[Casper]

Roxy, those blueberries are so lovely! the colour! You are so lucky! I can't get over how much that really looks like chicken.

[Roxy]

Thanks Emma and Casper

The blueberries are from my produce department at work

I was wondering if the "chicken" might scare some people Casper. It's the "It's All Good" brand. You should be able to find that brand in Alberta if you're interested in trying it.

http://www.itsallgoodfoods.com/

[Casper]

Thanks Roxy, actually my Dad pointed it out to me once when we were shopping. If you think it's good then I'll buy it next time I see it. Which flavor so you recommend?

[Roxy]

I really like the chicken filets in the zesty lemon herb rub. I quite often lightly fry them in a pan and then throw them in a salad.

My other favourite is the veggie chicken breast in a dijon marinade. I like to eat it with roasted potatoes and either a salad, or veggies on the side.

They're kind of expensive, so I only tend to buy them when they're on sale. But give them a go - and let me know what you think

[Casper]

The $ is the reason I didn't buy them before but knowing it's good. I'll get some when they are on sale. Thanks

[Casper]

The soup on the Lemon herb package looks very good.

[applepie]

Note to self: I must must must remember to take pictures of my Bento.
Yours all look so yummy - I bet you get lots of envious comments from co-workers!

[Roxy]

The soup on the Lemon herb package looks very good.

You mean the pic on the front? Yah - it does look pretty good!

[applepie]

Not the most colourful lunch, but nice: butter bean salad, 2 mini pitas (second one was still in the toaster while I took the picture), raisins. also had a banana.

[!!]

That is a lovely looking salad

[cedarblue]

what a cute 'lil lunch applepie!

[Mystic]

I wish I could be bothered with bento...but I cant I admire all of you (secretly kicks self up the ass )

[emmapresley]

stickydate....join usssss

[vegcurry]

Tomorrow:
Clockwise from top left -
[1.] Stir Fried Tempeh and Vegetables with red Jalapeno Chillies.
[2.] Sosmix and grated mushroom rolls.
[3.] Carrots sticks with Lemon.
[4.] Rocket and Mizumi salad with baby Sweetcorn and Tomato.

[applepie]

For those of you who I haven't marked as my Facebook friends: there's now a vegan Bento group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...5218428&ref=nf

[jamboxrock]

Vegcurry, I love how yours are so full and varied. They look great.

Sluggie, yours is so pretty! If it's not big enough for lunch maybe at least you can use it to store other stuff?

Mine from today: veggies w/ goddess dressing, cucumber tomato salad, baked beans, half a tofurkey itatlian sausage, applesauce, dried apricots on the side

[jamboxrock]

Tomorrow: lentil & bulgur salad w/ lemon, salad (mixed greens, green pepper, baby carrot, snap peas), raita for the salad, gherkins, edamame, strawberries

[vegcurry]

^ that looks fab jamboxrock. Mind you, all of your bento box lunches look fab

[vegcurry]

TOMORROW
Clockwise from top left:
[1] Macaroni scheese with smoked paprika.
[2] Sosmix rolls (with grated mushroom and onion) topped with mustard.
[3] Roast aubergine, hummous and sliced red grapes.
[4] salad: baby sweetcorn, cucumber, radish, beansprout, mitzumi, cos, rocket, sliced cold roast potato.
Baby carrots in with my fork.

[Roxy]

This one is a dinner bento, since I'll be working until 9:30pm tomorrow night:

Faux chicken strips with jasmine rice.
Organic brocolli stalks and flowers, stir fried with garlic & lime juice.
Cubes of almond dessert tofu, with fresh blueberries.
3 raspberry fig bars.

[applepie]

Roxy, you know where this pic has to go, don't you?
What's this dessert tofu like? I've never heard of it, but sounds intriguing! And it looks so beautiful with the blueberries!

[cedarblue]

What's this dessert tofu like? I've never heard of it, but sounds intriguing! And it looks so beautiful with the blueberries!

yes, it looks like a chinese 'milk jelly' kind of thing - looks lovely.

it's just amazing how food looks so good in these little boxes - especially left overs!!

[applepie]

I should have bought a different colour bento for contrast - my food is too similar in colour! Either that or I'll have to start eating more blue stuff

Today's bento:
top: 2 pitas filled with hummus and tomato, small box of raisins, square (or two) of Green & Blacks cherry chocolate underneath
bottom: baby sweetcorn and carrots

I have to fiddle with my camera as well - not happy with the quality of the pictures at all.

[cedarblue]

macaroni scheeze looks good vegcurry - how d'you do the sauce?

[vegcurry]

@Cedarblue
It's from a pack of Road's End Organics Mac and Chreese

[cedarblue]

ships to the uk do you know or how did you get it?