Feisty Bento #398: To Bento or Not to Bento

Does this even count as a bento?  I just know it was labeled as 398 on my hard drive, so it's going up as the last bento I made before I dropped off the face of the bento-world.  Well, actually, I made a 'bento' last week (late December), which was a leftover slice of lasagna on its side, with two pieces of fried tofu crammed next to it.  And I didn't take a picture of it because I was in a rush.  Hmph. 

In any case, the above is BBQ beef from Hill Country, with a side of corn pudding (SO GOOD MMM I NEED THE RECIPE) smashed in next to the green beans.  All of it yummy... oh so good. 

Anyway, now that I'm all caught up, let me catch y'all up!  It is January 1 as I write this, though I will backdate this to when I had this lunch (November 2, 2009).  Finals ended on December 19 and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.  I waited to get my grades back and... four classes (full time school), plus working full time... begot me a 4.0 this semester!  (Yes, second in a row.)  Well, honestly, busting my ass studying every Friday night at Panera instead of going out is what got me that 4.0 - history is my hardest subject, but an excellent professor and a lot of hard work really paid off big time.  I actually scored a 99 on that final exam, which I would have told you was impossible until I actually did it - I almost cried from how happy I was.  I don't know, nerdy, but also... it just felt like, so validating, like it was so worth those nights of not hanging out, to get that grade.  Really, really rewarding.  I wouldn't change it for the world. 

Now, two weeks after finals ended, I'm done with the holiday swirl and really hope to get back into bento'ing.  I'm not making any promises, but I really do hope to get back in the swing of it over the course of the next few weeks, then it'll be time for more announcements and more changes... wink wink.  Stay tuned for that... I promise, it'll be a doozy!!!

I hope you are all having a lovely holiday season and the happiest of new years to you all. 

Happy bento, everyone!!!

Feisty Bento #397: One Last "Real" Bento

 I couldn't get the light right or something... not sure why I am holding it in my hand.  Also, I'm amused that I'm wearing a sweater... it was pretty mild weather until mid-December! 

I took another picture once I got to work, even though it all got smushed, and I don't know why there's a napkin underneath.  Anyway,

Mini-pita-pocket egg salad sandwiches with baby carrots, extra egg salad topped with cilantro.  Yummy!

Happy bento!!!

posted on 1/1/10, backdated appropriately - the last 'real' bento for a very long, long while... it's like I knew, so I put in extra effort - three days in a row!

Feisty Bento #394: Bronx Zoo Woo Bento

What is that!

It's a bento I made to take to the Bronx Zoo this past Sunday.  I took my nephews (along with their mother and my boyfriend - I was actually there to be on stroller duty, for the exhibits you can't bring a stroller into, I stood outside and kept watch on the crammed-full-of-stuff strollers) and we really lucked out, because out of the two days this weekend, clearly only one was suited for the ZOO!!!  (It poured on Saturday.) 

Hard boiled egg; carrot sticks; dressing
Hidden under the horrifying ;) cilantro is mini banh-mi pitas. 

Yep, I stuffed mini-pita-pockets, that I snipped open with scissors, with pate, cha lua, pickled carrots/daikon, a schmear of Vietnamese mayo, and ate them with bites of the cucumber and the cilantro pieces. 

That's a close up. 

Envy me, I'm food's MVP :)

(Although I will point out that the pita bread doesn't quite have as much oomph as a good, crisp baguette does.) 

*I brought a bento to the Zoo because the Mommy packed ham sandwiches for everyone, and I decided that I would be good and eat some of the food in my fridge.  Plus it saves a ton of money - though we did 'splurge' and get fries for everyone, and nachos for me, we still saved a ton from buying the crappy pizza at the zoo...

Feisty Radio Silence...

I am tired, my darling readers.  I am so, so very tired.  By that, I don't mean I'm tired of talking about my life (HAH!) or my food (double HAH!).  I just mean, I need sleep and I need an extra, oh, I'll take an extra 3 hours in each day.  See?  I'm not greedy.  I'll take just 3 more hours in a day, during which I could cook, clean up what I've cooked, study,...

This past weekend marks the first weekend, like, in I can't even tell you how long, that I didn't cook a single thing.  Leftovers made dinner on Friday night while studying for my exam on Saturday.  Saturday was mostly spent in school, then finally finally (would you tolerate seeing your girlfriend, whom you'd already been seeing only about once a week, even less than that? when you live in the same damn city and even the same damn borough?!) seeing the boyfriend for a bit, and Sunday was spent in Brooklyn at the 3rd Avenue Festival, part of the time at Robicelli's judging their sandwich contest (it turns out, I'm REALLY good at judging! Who'd have thought?!).  I had little time to breathe, let alone stand in my kitchen and whip up stuff to eat, even if it was only for the rest of the week.  (Well, I did manage to stand in my kitchen for an hour on Saturday, cleaning, so that was good.  Even so, I'm not done yet, there's still stuff to clean, ughhh!  When this happens, I sometimes put an embargo on my kitchen, ie, "No cooking until it's fully clean!" which really, really sucks for me, and I believe I'm about to do so once again.  My kitchen is filthy.) 

I've mentioned my school schedule before, and it's not that I'm complaining - I registered for my own classes, created my own schedule, and decided I could handle it.  And I can.  I know I can handle it.  It's the having-no-time-for-anything-else-but-school-and-schoolwork/studying that is killing me (I'm taking an English class and another writing-intensive class, and yet another class in one of the subjects that are very difficult for me).  I've never been that great with time management, but usually have had enough of it that it didn't matter if I lost a little sleep here and there.  Now, because I'm not budgeting my minutes wisely, things are slipping through the cracks and I hate that feeling.  It isn't pleasant.  I feel guilty for turning down plans to study, then staying home and not studying; I feel guilty for not bringing my lunch and spending too much money on it and then... the inevitable weight gain *frowns at waist* - I am going to have to start going to the gym again, but that takes time that I don't have,... I feel guilty for not spending enough time with my dog!  I feel guilty for everything right now, and you can joke all you want about good ol' Catholic guilt - but I didn't grow up experiencing guilt.  I was one of those people who rarely felt guilty even when she did something wrong.  (MOCK ALL YOU WANT BUT IT'S TRUE!)  Bah. 

And of course, have I mentioned that, with the wonderful help of Jenn at Not Exactly Bento, feistyfoodie.com was launched?!  I recently passed 3 years as The Feisty Foodie (I food blogged intermittently for about a year, year and a half before that, but under a different name) and celebrated by launching the site finally after I'd said in January that I would do it this year!  Whoops!  It's pretty much operational and so purty, just a lil backend work needs to be done (so if you play around with it, let me know if there are any issues you come across, please!).  So go look and tell me if you like what you see :)

So you see how my time is all squished up and just... yeah.  I'm sorry I don't have a bento today, and because I didn't cook all weekend, I probably won't have one for a while :(

But you know, here are some pictures of my lunch on Saturday, between classes.  You'll see these pictures again when I post a product review I'm working on over at Feisty Foodie!  Almond butter and cherry butter on whole grain bread!  Pretty good, a new twist on the classic PB&J, yes? 

It just looks like I won't be bento'ing for a few days more, and I know it's been a while, but I wanted to keep you all posted that I am not neglecting here, I just am barely able to eat between studying/working/schooling.  I am still here!  I am still trying to balance my time!  Anyone has any really good tips or suggestions on how to do this... I am ALL ears! 

In any case, perhaps especially because I can't... think outside the lunchbox!!! 

PS The reason Feisty Foodie is able to keep on with posts while I'm super busy is... whenever I have free time, I write posts and schedule them for the future.  Some of the posts going up are written nearly 2 months in advance (thus having ice cream posts when it's barely 50 outside...)!  Thankfully, before the latest blitz, I managed to schedule posts through almost all of October... phew! 

Feisty Bento #360: Uber delicious

I'm not sure how this happened, but my posts don't match up with my computer.  ie, this is #359 on my computer but here it is #360.  Has anyone noticed a missing number?  If so, please tell me!  This is going to drive me nuts until I figure it out!

Left: 3 slices of a zucchini-potato gratin I made but want to tweak a little before I post a recipe, plus it's CSA stuff :)
Right: whole grain bread with turkey & ham, mayo & mustard

More playing with color accent.  My camera is a Canon (SD 1100 IS, if you care about such things), and most of the newer Canons have it.  I think even my old one had it, though not the one before that, which was an SD 100, though.  My bento bag sitting on some paperwork at the office.

On Saturday, I went to my sister's house to play with my nephews, relax, catch up & gossip with my sister.  She made these ribs using a BBQ sauce from Williams-Sonoma - maple-something - but it was too sweet for me.  The ribs were smoky and juicy, but the sauce itself - and I love sauce! - was just a tad much.  She wasn't offended :P

We also had steak because my brother in law rocks the cash-bar.  (Anyone who gets that joke... you must be older than me.  lol.) 

Our entire spread - sauteed broccoli, kielbasa, and a super salad I made, but that's also CSA stuff, so stay tuned :)

My dog thinks she's a cat.  She likes to jump onto my windowsill (from the armchair that's in front of it first... she isn't that cat-like!) and stare out the window.  It was probably more fun in our last apartment, when we lived facing the street in a corner apartment.  I'm still in a corner apartment but my windows face the back/side so she doesn't have people to look at it really... although sometimes she stares at other people's windows and growls at them. 

She looks so regal.

HAHAHAHAHA I caught her at just the right moment... she looks like she's about to attack, right?  Or bite/chomp down?  Nahhh, she's yawning. 

So if you follow my Twitter or are friends with me on Facebook, you probably saw I posted briefly about Keywee being sick.  I took her to the vet, and while the jury is still out and we're not out of the woods yet (and how many other corny metaphors can I use?), I'm hoping things are OK.  I am monitoring her (going straight home after work to make sure she's ok, keeping an eye on her, etc.) and making sure she's eating, pottying, playing, being a normal dog, basically.  She hasn't wanted to play for a little bit now, so I'm a little anxious to see how things play out, plus she tends to get very depressed if I give her any sort of medicine or treatment she doesn't want- I've been dropping ointment into her ears (for a separate, unrelated issue), so she's been very angry at me and depressed as well. 

So please keep a good thought for her... I'd rather not go into the details of why/how/what happened that she requires monitoring and care, if you know, then you know, if not, we'll keep it that way (sorry!)... but please send some good thoughts her way, or, if you're so inclined, pray for her to be OK.  Thanks!

Think outside the lunchbox!!!

Feisty "Bento" #356: Sooo Not a Bento

Yup, another not-bento.  I was tired!  There's too much sandwich stuff stuck in the fridge and not enough non-sandwich stuff!  Sue me! 

Brownies (from a box) with dried cherries sprinkled in, and a turkey+ham+pepperjack cheese sandwich on whole grain bread with mayo & mustard.

Think outside the lunchbox!!!

Feisty "Bento" #355: Not a bento

I went camping this past weekend, and wound up being the 'lucky' recipient of many of the leftovers, including whole grain bread and cold cuts (we made sandwiches to take on our hike).  So today's lunch was a simple sandwich, whole grain bread with hickory smoked ham, roasted turkey, American cheese, mayo & mustard. 

I'm so tired at least I still made lunch?

And for those who have commented before on how fastidious and anal I am with regard to my bentos lacking a divider yet looking like they are neatly divided, my dog did this today:

She ate her bowl of food neatly down the middle.  I don't know why or how she even did that.  It amazed me so much that I had to snap a photo (ignore my horrible dirty floors).  Wild. 

Think outside the lunchbox!!!

Feisty Bento #345: Tin Foil Surprise

Hello!  My extra-delicious lunch!  The tin-foil wrapped portion is kind of a surprise, but if you're a Facebook friend of mine, you might already know what it is.  Shhh if you do.  (It relates to a certain status message I posted the other day with a link to a certain GI Joe video... lol)  I'll be posting the entire method and all as a Recipe Friday (remember those?! *innocent whistling* haha) in a few weeks, so stay tuned to Feisty Foodie for that!  You'll want to see it... I promise! 

The bottom box is just more mixed greens with honey Vidalia dressing (store bought). 

Mmm, baby! 

Think outside the lunchbox!!!

Feisty Bento #322: Turkey Sandwich

So, here's the story.  I ordered two Veggie Delight sandwiches from Subway the other day because I had a coupon.  I was busy BB'ing while he was making the sandwiches, and just said yes to everything except hot peppers.  Right?  Right. 

This morning, I slapped together this bento in a rush, containing half of one of the sandwiches - I'd eaten the first one already - and some edamame. 

Then, I took the last remaining half and took a bite of it.  Normally, I don't look at this kind of food much while I eat it - I mean, especially given that it's in the morning and I usually take a bite of whatever, then rush around the apartment while I chew/swallow.  But today, since the bento took me literally 5 minutes IF THAT to pack, I was standing in the kitchen eating, when I looked down at the sandwich.  It looked funny. 

It looked like there was meat in it.

Oddly enough, it didn't TASTE like there was meat in it; it tasted much the same as the sandwich I'd eaten two nights ago with no meat in it.  I just looked down and something didn't look right so I pulled it open, first bite still in my mouth, and discovered there was turkey in there.  Slices laid neatly in a row.  I immediately began spitting out the bite in my mouth and picked out all of the turkey in there.  What the hell?!  Seriously?! 

I found it most interesting that having turkey in the sandwich hadn't made it taste any better; why will I ever bother getting another turkey sandwich from Subway?  (Not that I eat there all that often anyway, but you know, this just furthers that opinion.) 

Anyway, so when lunchtime rolled around, I opened up the box, ate all the edamame, and then threw away the sandwich because I didn't want to pick through it to take out the turkey.  I got a slice of pizza instead. 

So there you have it.  Thank goodness I looked down and thank goodness I didn't swallow.  I didn't swallow so it doesn't count. 

Sigh.

Think outside the lunchbox!!!

Feisty Bento #317: Ready to Roll Out

Top: a few orange segments (I ate the rest of the orange after I cut it and it didn't fit)
Bottom: toasted high fiber whole grain bread schmeared with 'luscious lemon' hummus and red bell pepper slices; extra red bell pepper slices to fill the gaps

This was sort of meant to be a lunch bento since I've got my aerobics class tonight and normally only eat an apple before that, but I wound up going to lunch with my new lunch buddy, Spam, so I'll eat this before class tonight instead.  Mmm.  Lunch was good.  No review to come cuz it's my 'secret' spot.  Hahaha. 

When I was walking to the bus this morning, I saw this on the back of a car where normally your car maker's emblem is.  I thought it was cute so I took a photo.  Hahaha. 

Think outside the lunchbox !  :)

Feisty Bento #309: Yum

Simply delicious. 

Toasted whole grain bread spread with luscious lemon hummus (their name, not mine!) and a slab of fried tofu;
cheesy red pepper and corn relish;
roasted broccoli

Mmm... I really do want to make more of that roasted broccoli, it was unbelievably delicious.  YUM. 

As always, think outside the lunchbox!  ;)

PS The other half of the sandwich was crammed on top and smushed down after the photo was taken.  The box lid has space and I didn't feel like eating it at that moment.

Feisty Bentos #307 & 308: Outside the Luncbox

Crap, I forgot to slip a cherry tomato next to the salmon on top, even though I was totally looking at the container and thinking the red would be nice contrast.  Doh!  I often forget to put one or two small things...

Top tier: lemon dill salmon (recipe post goes up on Friday on Feisty Foodie)
Bottom tier: edamame fried rice; cheesy corn & pepper relish; roasted broccoli

If you like broccoli at all (or if you hate it because it's mushy and farty), I urge you to try that recipe.  WOW.  I ate a whole head of that for lunch yesterday.  Mmm.  Go.  Make.  Eat.  ENJOY.  (Sucky thing is, I don't have a baking sheet large enough for two normal heads of broccoli, had to do it in two batches, annoying!  I smell a shopping trip...)

And for dinner, I worked hard to make sure I didn't have all of the same things again.  Seriously?  Doesn't that look like I'm eating a very whie chicken cutlet?  I assure you I am not.  It is awesome.  I can't wait to eat this. 

Top tier: fried tofu slice on whole grain bread with mayo (I was going to use hummus but I wanted to try the fried tofu in all its glory first)
Bottom tier: roasted broccoli; chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzels; lightly salted nuts

Damn, that looks fine.  I want to eat that so badly right now!  (Just a few more hours.)  I'm not sure if the tofu is good yet - the way I made it, I couldn't try a small piece to taste, so I don't know if I'll be posting a recipe anytime soon, it may need tweaks.  It smelled fabulous though so I may be posting that shortly... we'll see, I suppose!  Super easy and healthy and I am really gunning for it to be DELICIOUS.  (And yes, it's different from my previous fried tofu recipe... which would also make a delicious addition to the bento lunch, yes?)

Happy bento~!!!

PS I came up with a GREAT new blog name for a bento blog while talking about my dinner bento with a friend.  I said "I have a fried tofu sandwich for dinner" and she said "That sounds like lunch" to which I responded "Sandwiches are anytime food!  I have them for breakfast, lunch AND dinner!  Think outside the lunchbox!" 

Think outside the lunchbox.  That's going to be my new sign-off line instead of happy bento (which is getting a bit too UP for me - even this Valley Girl has her limits!); what do you think?  It's also a great blog name if anyone wants to take it, hehe. 

Always think outside the lunchbox!  :)

Feisty Bento #265: Sandwich Yum

Top: green bean salad; cole slaw; pickle; potato salad
Bottom: homemade brownie bites (from a mix); corned beef on rye with mustard and mayo

Mostly store bought items - holiday season is stressful and running around led to a quick sandwich platter pick up, the leftovers seen here.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Feisty Bento #257: Ghetto Fabulous Leftovers

What is that, you might ask.  Well, I would tell you, yesterday was National Brownie Day, and as such, Treats Truck was out in the Financial District celebrating in full force!  I stupidly did not take a photo of the full offerings, but walked away $3 lighter with this caramel brownie in a white paper bag clutched in my freezing cold hand.  Yesterday's temps of low20s is NO JOKE.  I wouldn't have gone out if I weren't lured by this... and next week, Cupcake Day?  I'll be there again, hoping to sample my first conecake... *drool 

(That top oozy layer? was super oozy while I bit into it, almost dripping down the sides as I came away with a bite of the rich, dense, chocolatey dessert.  Less caramel-y than I'd like, and still not the best brownie I've eaten, but... it was nice to eat while watching HIMYM last night.)

Yums! Yeah, I know, another sandwich.  I like sandwiches -- is that a bad thing?!

Top: carrots sauteed in basil butter; homemade cole slaw (recipe forthcoming after I tweak it); celery sauteed with chorizo
Bottom: roast beef sandwich on slider roll with tomato & arugula

Hey, times are hard.  A meeting in the conference room next to where I sit at work ended, and someone came by to tell me there was a ton of food left.  It looked like half the food hadn't been touched!  So I took a couple of sandwiches for dinner, and this one made it out alive.  I like the roast beef sandwiches here, though usually they put something besides arugula on them. 

Happy bento~!!!

Feisty Bento #254: More delicious

Like I said I would, I am using the new box!

It's the same thing basically as well.

Top: lonely sweet potato; brussels sprouts; carrots
Bottom: toasted white bread with schmear of cranberry sauce, roasted turkey breast slices, stuffing, and gravy

Holy deliciousness.  That's all I can really say. 

(I forgot my camera at home yesterday, sorry this is late!)

HAPPY BENTO~!

Feisty Bento #252: Thanksgiving again, yes

Another Thanksgiving based bento... and boy, was this one DELICIOUS.

Toasted white bread, a smear of homemade cranberry sauce, slices of roasted turkey breast, scoop of stuffing pushed down on top, and then gravy spread across that.  Don't mind the uneven cut, I was cutting between the turkey slices so no little pieces would fall out later when I ate it.

On the side, I lined the box with plastic wrap because I was in a hurry and in no mood to look for food cups - sauteed mushrooms, brussels sprouts with bacon, and the last of the butternut squash I roasted. 

I probably could have or should have used this new box, but I was rushing around and this box was on top, so this one it was.  Not sure the other one would have fit my sandwich anyway :)

A better picture of this sandwich is forthcoming on Feisty Foodie (Monday), when I post about my Thanksgiving in great detail...

HAPPY BENTO~!!!

Feisty Bento #246: Beautiful Bento in a New Box

Mmm, look at that beautiful bento.  This box is a new one that I got from Ichiban Kan USA (secret addiction).  How cool is that?!  I especially love how airtight the bottom tier is... the only bad thing that I DON'T like about the top is that not only are the sides lattice-work, so is the bottom, so crumbs fall straight out of the bottom :(

Top tier: Roasted beet salad leftover from dinner with DT; marinated artichoke hearts; roasted red peppers for adding to my sandwich; and a stuffed grape leaf hiding in the bottom left
Bottom tier: prosciutto di parma on ciabatta slices with pesto; two mini puddings, one kiku and one mango

HAPPY BENTO~!!!

NOT BENTO... at all!

I had a work lunchtime training session today, and tomorrow (Thursday) I have a PR event to attend during lunch (which I will be posting about on Feisty Foodie of course!).  But this is what I wound up eating... and it's gross. 

Roast beef sandwich with wild greens, tomato, mayo; chocolate chip cookie; grilled yellow zucchini; wild greens with a 3 bean salad on top; bag of chips; pineapple; canteloupe; water. 

Halfway through training, I got up and had another sandwich, some more salad, and more grilled veggies.

This is why I have to pack bento.  I can't stop myself from eating more than I really need :(

Well, for those of you who did bring bento, HAPPY BENTO~!!!

Feisty Bento #231: Sandwich~!

Left to right: Mini-mango pudding; pesto pasta salad; chicken & chili stew; bread to make a sandwich with the chicken & chili stew

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

Happy bento!

Feisty Bento #226: End of Sandwich Week

So, last night I was wandering around, shopping a little for last minute necessities for my upcoming trip to San Francisco/Napa Valley.  I got hungry and decided to go to my current favorite diner - for dinner this time, try out their hot foods/entrees and whatnot.  Unfortunately, it was too late to go the monster route and get the big dinner deal, but I wound up ordering this:

You can guess all you want what it is, because it looks nothing like what I thought it should look like when I ordered it.  Anyway, it was yummy, but I could only eat one piece, so the other piece came home with me when I realized size and shape wise, it was perfect for...

the last sandwich.  I took a club roll and scooped out the insides, and lay my leftover piece right into that bed.  Yummers.

Mandarin oranges; mushrooms/peppers/onions leftovers from last night (to be added to sandwich, didn't want it to get soggy- underneath it, to catch the juices, is the scooped out bread); sandwich made with "mystery meat" (it's not mystery meat, I just don't want to tell you what it is yet)

Last bento for a little while.  I'm leaving for San Francisco/Napa Valley tomorrow... a much, much, MUCH needed vacation.  So no updates here for the next week, but check out The Feisty Foodie, where I've got posts scheduled to go up daily at 10:30 am EST, for your reading pleasure. 

Have a great weekend and as always, HAPPY BENTO!!!