I am making bentos recently but keep forgetting to post them. Sorry!

After reading the article on the monbento bento boxes at JustBento, I had to order some of those boxes immediately. They arrived last Friday, so this is the first bento made in them!

The boxes themselves are roomy, sturdy, and overall have a very high quality feeling to them. They are somewhat expensive but well worth the higher price, I think – they really feel indestructible! The lids close nice and tightly and have a sealable hole for microwaving. I ordered two of the “original” black boxes – I have found that I like the contrast of black boxes best when making bentos.
Since each layer of the box is 500ml, which is only slightly less than a “normal” Japanese box, three layers are just enough for the BF and me. I stuffed two boxes with the same base food, and we will share the (only lightly filled) third box at work. In the future, I am thinking about using the third (and/or fourth) layer to bring salad and other side dishes.

I had also ordered the grey silicone mold for making oven-baked food fitting precisely to the box, and immediately had to try it out by making a Spanish potato tortilla in it. It worked beautifully and the tortilla disconnected from the mold without problem. BF and I will each get half of it, with a side of homegrown mixed lettuces, pan-fried Halloumi and zucchini. The screw-top sauce cups (also new) hold olive oil and balsamico dressing and ajvar.

All in all, I’m really happy with those boxes so far! If you want to order your own, head on over to JustBento and follow the links there. Clicking on their site will also allow you to support their lovely bento resource page :)
(Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with JustBento or Monbento in any way. This article just reflects my personal opinions and nerdy ravings.)

PS: I noticed that comments were turned off on my recent posts. Sorry! I’ve turned them on again now.

I should really remember to update more often. This bento is from Monday.

The main dish is sweet potato rice, made on Sunday. I made a large portion for both dinner and bento, so these are technically the leftovers. Even though it is technically a full dish, I made some tamagoyaki for added protein and stuffed with steamed broccoli and some lemon balm and cress leaves. The jar holds the dipping sauce for the rice (and yes, I did pop a lid on that jar after taking the photo…).

Even though you wouldn’t believe it looking out of the window, spring has started! My little windowsill garden is already in full bloom:

Can you guess some of the plants I’m growing this year?

The bento that I forgot to post last week – vegetarian burgers (two kinds), broccoli, rice with tomato decoration, mustard sauce and a strawberry for dessert.

I forgot to upload the photo of today’s bento, but I also forgot to post this recent bento, so here you go.

These bentos contained oven-baked potatoes, carrots and sweet potato left over from dinner, plus some jalapeño cheese poppers (frozen) as an easy and quick protein staple, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and a chocolate for dessert. The box in the background also holds a mustard-yoghurt dip for the root veg, to share come lunchtime.

Chard and feta strudel, halloumi, garlic and mint yoghurt, grilled pickled peppers and an olive on parsley leaves and a bed of couscous.

Here’s a picture of the strudel on a plate. It was yum! The pink stuff is caramelised red onions, and the chard is steamed with some red wine and raisins.

I had some spaghetti and leek left over from dinner yesterday, so I made a frittata with egg and the leftovers.
Sides are boiled Einkorn wheat with a cherry tomato and some lemon balm, broccoli, mango chutney, an olive and a fudge candy for dessert.

Tamagoyaki, vegetarian dumplings, avocado, carrot sticks and broccoli on rice. And a chocolate for dessert!

First bento of 2013… well first bento I post here after a long break, too. I’ve been off the wagon for too long. But I got tired of eating out.

So this is mixed rice with chopped parsley, mint and lemon balm mixed in, falafel, iceberg lettuce, (almost!) the last of my homegrown cherry tomatoes, carrots and some homemade aioli in the small container.

Happy 2013!

But you must be humble if you wish to find them:
Refuse not to kneel nor to look at your feet;

You find not the treasure commanding and shouting,
But bend your head down and soon you will eat.

Remember the good ones but fear not the poison;
All that you need is to trust in your head:

A knife and a basket, a friend and a forest:
A Hobbit with Mushrooms is a Hobbit well fed.

(Hobbit mushroom poem by me, on Laurelin Archives)

Leftover mushroom risotto, celery sticks,carrot and cheese flowers, oregano, cherry tomato, sugar pea and parmesan decoration.