Today's bento:



( Bird's Eye View )

Left to Right:
1) Soy Sauce Bottle
2) Onigiri
3) Carrots
4) Edamame with Yellow Squash Flowers
5) Teriyaki Turkey, Pineapple, Onion & Red Pepper

WW Flex Points = 6

Today's bento consists of leftovers from last night's dinner. Unfortunately, it all seems to be the same color. Here it is:



( Bird's Eye View )

Left to Right:
1 - Asparagus Risotto
2 - Roasted Fennel
3 - Grape Tomatoes
4 - Carrots
5 - Turkey Breast stuffed with mushrooms, onions & Swiss cheese

WW Flex Points = 7

Today's lunch:



( Bird's Eye View )

Clockwise from Bottom Left:
1 - Blackberries
2 - Stewed Acorn Squash
3 - Onion, Mushroom & Feta Pastie
4 - Broccoli
5 - Tamagoyaki
6 - Carrots
7 - Cherry Tomato

WW Flex Points = 6

( Veggie & Cheese Pasties Recipe )

 

( Stewed Acorn Squash Recipe )

Today's Bento:



( Bird's Eye View )

Left to Right:
1 - Broccoli & Grape Tomato
2 - Onigiri (cylinders) Wrapped in Turkey Lunch Meat and an Egg Sheet
3 - Meatballs glazed with an spicy orange & ginger sauce 
4 - Baby Patty Pan Squash, sauteed
5 - Carrots

WW Flex Points = 7

The glaze I used to coat the meatballs is one I use frequently, it's very versatile and holds up equally as well on beef as it does on hearty fish (like salmon), poultry and pork.  It is the same glaze I used in Bento #40.  I've repeated the recipe here for your convenience.
( Spicy Orange & Ginger Glaze Recipe... )

Today's bento:



( Top View )

Clockwise from Top Left:
1 - Quick Pickled Veggies (Carrot, Onion & Cucumber)
2 - Turkey Nuggets
3 - Rice Ball
4 - BBQ Sauce (for nuggets)
5 - Baby Bel Cheese
6 - Sauteed Yellow Squash

Side Container:
1 - Grapes

WW Flex Points = 7

Today's bento is a little sparse, I have to hit the grocery store today.  Here it is:



Left to Right:
1 - Refrigerator Pickles
2 - Scotch Eggs
3 - Broccoli
4 - Cous Cous

I'd been wanting to try Scotch eggs, but didn't want to bread & deep fry them, so these are my "faux" Scotch eggs.  Lean turkey sausage wrapped around quail eggs and baked.  The sample batch was very tasty, hopefully they will be good at room temperature too.

WW Flex Points = 4

( Sorta Scotch Eggs Recipe... )

Today's bento:



( Bird's Eye View )

Left to Right:
1 - Grapes
2 - Tamagoyaki
3 - Broccoli
4 - Grape Tomatoes
5 - Cream Cheese, Krab, Cucumber Sushi

WW Flex Points = 6

I'm going to school today for my son's Halloween costume parade/class party.  I thought I'd go early and have lunch with him, so I made a fun Halloween bento to take to school.  Here it is:


( Bird's Eye View )

Clockwise from Upper Left:
1 - Cheese Ball
2 - Skull & Bone Crackers
3 - Quail Egg Skulls
4 - Salad (under everything)
5 - Rice
6 - Nori/Lunchmeat/Carrot/Cheese Witch

WW Flex Points = 5

My son asked to be a werewolf for Halloween this year, finally a non-movie/television costume!  I was so happy when he said werewolf. ( Here he is all costumed up: )

Here is a bento inspired by his costume.  (And, if your wondering, the "background" that the bento is sitting on is the shirt part of his costume.):



( Bird's Eye View )

Top to Bottom:
1 - Black Rice
2 - Curry Spiced Pulled Pork (under rice)
3 - Egg White Stars/Egg Yolk Moon/Nori Wolf
4 - Broccoli Trees
5 - Spinach (under broccoli)

WW Flex Points = 5

Today's lunch really is like a hug in a box for me.  The food of my childhood, true comfort food.  Here it is:



( Bird's Eye View )

Left to Right:
1 - Pierogies (Pasta Dumpling filled w/ Potato & Farmer's Cheese)
2 - Beets
3 - Kapusta (Cabbage Stew)
4 - Carrots
5 - Kiszka (Buckwheat/Blood Sausage)

Side Box:
1 - Chrusciki (Angel Wing Cookies)

Today's bento was made for my son to take to school.  Nothing fancy, just foods I know the kiddo will enjoy.  Here it is:



( Bird's Eye View )

Clockwise:
1 - Peanut Butter & Jelly Dinosaur Sandwiches
2 - Watermelon Hearts
3 - Sauteed Veggies (Yellow Squash, Peas & Carrots)
4 - Grape Tomato

Today's Bento:



( Bird's Eye View )

Top Tier:
1 - Sliced Kumquat
2 - Garlic Bread
3 - Assorted Salad Greens & Bottle of Dressing

Bottom Tier:
1 - Spinach Balls
2 - Corn on the Cob
3 - Carrots, Tomatoes & more Salad Greens

(I mixed the greens, tomatoes, carrots and kumquats together to make a salad.)

WW Flex Points =  4

 

( Spinach Ball Recipe... )

Today's bento in my newest box (which I'm still trying to figure out how to arrange things in):


( Bird's Eye View )

From left to Right:
1 - Whole Wheat Cous Cous (decorated with carrot and pea pod flowers)
2 - Steamed Pea Pods
3 - Tamagoyaki
4 - Cooked Cauliflower with Black Sesame Seeds
5 - Mini Sweet Peppers stuffed w/ Cheddar & Cream Cheese and Mushrooms

WW Flex Points = 6

Presented for your perusal, today's bento -



( Top View )

Top Tier:
1 - Stir-Fried Veggies
2 - Egg (cooked over-hard and cut in half)
3 - Broccoli
4 - Hot Dog
5 - Brown Rice (& a bottle of soy sauce)

Bottom Tier:
1 - Grapes

WW Flex Points = 5

Today's bento is perfect for a cold autumn day, spicy and homey.  Here it is:



( Bird's Eye View )

Top Tier:
1 - Kiwifruit
2 - Strawberries

Bottom Tier:
1 - Fideo
2 - Sauteed Plantain Hearts
3 - Chili Relleno

WW Flex Points = 7

( Fideo Recipe... )

( Chile Rellenos Recipe... )

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  In honor of my best friend's mom (a 20+ year survivor) I made this bento and am posting it with a reminder: The most effective way to fight breast cancer is to detect it early.

The most effective tools to detect breast cancer are mammography and clinical breast exam by your health professional.

In addition, breast self awareness and self-exam may help, women who perform regular breast self-exams and learn what is normal find may find abnormalities earlier.  It is good to start performing breast self-exams in your 20's. If you chose to do breast self-exams, you should examine your breasts regularly , three to five days after your period ends. If you have stopped menstruating, perform the exam on the same day of each month, such as the first day of the month or another easily remembered day. With each exam, you will become familiar with the contours and feel of your breasts, and will be more alert to changes.  (American Cancer Society self-exam instructions here.)



( Bird's Eye View )

Top Tier:
1 - Grape Tomato
2 - Spicy Glazed Chicken Breast
3 - Yellow & Orange Carrots
4 - Strawberry Fluff (strawberries & whipped cream)

Bottom Tier:
1 - Spinach (under the rice)
2 - Rice (decorations made of alphabet noodles, kamaboko, mame nori)

WW Flex Points = 7

Today's bento is really nothing spectacular, but it it something I love and find very comforting; ketchup and noodles.  Most people hear that and immediately go "eww", but trust me, it is the nummiest thing.  The ketchup caramelizes and gives the noodles a little crispy texture on the outside and the tanginess mixes so well with the pasta and ground beef.  I've gotten my son hooked on it now too.  Anyway, it doesn't make for a very attractive bento, but I tried.  Here it is:

 

( Bird's Eye View... )

Contents:
1 - Ketchup & Noodles with Ground Beef
2 - Green Peas
3 - Side container of Strawberries and Yogurt

WW Flex Points = 6

( Questions... )

I wanted to do something fun today without taking forever, so I decided - pigs.  Here they are:



( Bird's Eye View... )

Main Box:
1 - Plain Onigiri Piggie (with fish sausage and nori accents)
2 - Shredded BBQ Pork
3 - A Piggie Bottle of Sweet Chili Sauce (for the rice & pork)
4 - Mixed Veggies (Broccoli, Cauliflower & Carrots)

Side Container:
1 - Strawberries & Kiwi

( All packed up in piggie containers... )

WW Flex Points = 5

Yesterday I was playing around in the kitchen, rooting through the freezer and fridge trying to come up with something for today's lunch, and wound up making these bite concoctions.  Oh, they are sooooooooo good - I wound up freezing the leftovers just so I wouldn't be tempted to eat them all.  So here's the bento:



( Bird's Eye View... )

Top Tier:
1 - Carrots & Green Onions
2 - Spinach, Mushroom & Feta Bites
3 - Crab Bites
4 - Ranch Dressing (for the veggies)

Bottom Tier:
1 - Cheesecake Flavored Yogurt
2 - Blueberries

WW Flex Points = 6

( Crab Bites Recipe... )


( Spinach, Mushroom & Feta Bite Recipe... )

Nothing fancy-schmancy about today's bento, but it does have my favorite seafood of all - scallops (YUM!!!)  Here it is:



( Bird's Eye View... )

Top Tier:
1 - Pasta Salad
2 - Pan Seared Scallops

Bottom Tier:
1 - Strawberries & Kiwis

WW Flex Points = 4

I'm sorry for the extended absence.  Unfortunately my laptop went belly up, so now I'm stuck using the old desktop computer that I had to go pull out of storage.  Bleech - it's sooooooo slooooooow!

Today I have "oatnigiri", a little play a words.  They are steel-cut oats formed like an onigiri.  It makes it easy and convenient to pack oatmeal for breakfast - and easy to eat without utensils too!  Anyway, here's the bento:



( Bird's Eye View... )

Contents:

1 - Four oat onigiri filled with a half link (each) of veggie breakfast sausage, the oats have a little sugar-free syrup mixed into them for flavor
2 - One clementine

WW Flex Points = 3.5

Today is Dr. Seuss' birthday.  Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was born March 2, 1904.  If he was still with us he would be 105 years old.  Mr. Geisel passed away on September 24, 1991.  He was a prolific author and changed the way educators thought about, and taught, reading and literature for children.  Like many, his books shaped the memories of my childhood.  Thank you Dr. Seuss!  This bento is in honor of him:



( Bird's Eye View... )

Left Side:
1 - Elbow Macaroni pan fried with butter & ketchup (a childhood favorite!)
2 - Cat in the Hat made from nori & cheese

Right Side:
1 -Green Eggs (I didn't have any ham!) -  Deviled Quail Eggs with Spinach
2 - Horton Hears A Who Hot Dog flowers (It didn't show up in the picture, but the top most flower has a poppy seed Whoville nestled into the petals.)
3 - Daisy-Head Mayzie - Carrot, Red Pepper, and Lemon flowers
4 - One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish - Homemade Fish Nuggets
5 - Quick Pickled Carrot & Broccoli Shreds

WW Flex Points = 5.5

“Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.” - Dr. Seuss
"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself, any direction you choose." - Dr. Seuss
"If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good." - Dr. Seuss
"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." - Dr. Seuss
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss

Extra super simple bento today - dare I say - boring.  But the sandwich was sooo yummy!  Here's the box:



( Bird's Eye View... )

Left to Right:
1 - Sandwich with Tomato and Dubliner Cheese
2 - Carrot Stars
3 - Apple Hearts

WW Flex Points = 5 (The cheese was a splurge at 3pts per oz, but so worth it!)

A fairly simple bento today with one of my favorite taste combos - portobello mushroom, feta & spinach - YUM!!!  Here's the box:


 
( Bird's Eye View... )

Top Tier:
1 - Portobello Mushrooms stuffed with Spinach & Feta (and just a little onion)
2 - Quick Pickled Carrots  (yummy and SUPER simple side dish)
3 - Sugar Snap Peas
4 - Grapes
5 - Deviled Quail Egg

Bottom Tier:
1 - Whole Grain Bulgur Wheat Pilaf with Onion & Red Pepper

WW Flex Points = 3

( Quick Pickled Carrots Recipe )


( Feta & Spinach Stuffed Mushroom Caps Recipe )

Here is today's bento, inspired by spring:



Contents:
1 - Rice Lamb decorated with Turkey Lunch Meat face, Krab cheeks, Nori eyes & mouth, Fish sausage ears
2 - Lettuce divider
3 - One egg made into two pom-pon flowers
4 - One hot dog made into three flowers (pea centers in two)
5 - Steamed Broccoli
6 - Spinach sauteed with Garlic
7 - Breaded Okra
8 - Carrot & Red Pepper flowers, Noodle Clovers

WW Flex Points = 5.5
 
ETA: Tutorial for egg pom-pons can be found here.

( Various Other Views... )