bento lunchbox boy: Wednesday, September 8

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Wednesday, September 8

Lunch went pretty well yesterday except E had to eat part of it in the morning for snack. (I had no idea they had to bring in a snack, too. So different from preschool. Ooooops.) So he ate homefries and the panda cookies in the morning. (His logic for eating the panda cookies at 10 a.m., he said, was because he knew I would not have wanted him to eat them in the cafeteria BEFORE he ate the rest of his lunch. By eating them at 10 a.m. he removed that temptation. Too funny.) The only other comment was that he wished the lunch was warmer. Sorry -- cold lunch is, well, cold lunch.

Ok, onto today's lunch:

• peanut butter noodles
• steamed broccoli
• raw sugar snap peas
• veggie pot stickers
• cantelope
• pretzels (with a surprise underneath: a handful of chocolate chips)
• water
• morning snack: green apple

2 comments:

J Bright said...: Okay - I'm already overwhelmed and I haven't even started! (RIpley starts Tobin on Monday.). What time can I pick her lunches each morning???
:); September 8, 2010 at 5:30 PM
bentoboy said...: Judy, let me know how it goes. I posted something on today's entry about how to keep up with the lunches. (A big change from Bigelow!) Bottom line, make a simple chart each week (I do it on Sunday) that tells you what to make each day. It's one less thing you have to think about in the mornings!; September 13, 2010 at 10:55 AM

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The Soup Project: 52 Weeks of Vegan Soups

Week 21

17 Bean & Barley

from the back of the bag of Trader Joe's 17 Bean & Barley mix

• 1 bag of 17 Bean & Barley mix from Trader Joe's

• veggie broth (about 6 cups)

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 bell pepper, chopped**

• 1 tsp. dried basil

• fresh garlic, chopped**

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 tea. Italian seasoning

• 1 large can tomatoes (I used whole and crushed them)

• salt, pepper

NOTE:

-- bell pepper: I used about 1/3 bag of frozen peppers from Trader Joe's instead.

-- chopped garlic: The recipe calls for 1 clove. In my opinion, one clove is basically like using no cloves! I used 3 good-sized cloves.

Beans: Either soak overnight or, if you forget like I did, cover the beans in triple their volume of cold water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cook uncovered for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit for at least an hour.

In a separate pan, saute carrots, onion, and celery in a good amount of olive oil. Once fairly soft, add garlic, pepper, and dried spices. Stir, cook for a few more minutes. Add broth, bay leaf, and canned tomato. Cook for a few minutes. Add beans. (Note: The recipe said to drain the bean liquid. I used some of it in the soup. I figured it would have a lot of flavor, so why waste it?) Simmer covered for about an hour or until desired tenderness. Be sure to check liquid level from time to time, adding more as needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Would I make again? YES! Super hearty soup with a rich tomato base. Yum. This soup takes awhile to make because the beans take awhile to cook, but other than that, it's easy and so perfect for another rainy week like we're having here in Boston!

Why are we doing this?

We're doing this because we thought it would be fun. My little guy (I'll call him E) is starting kindergarten and will be taking lunch to school in his brand new, spiffy bento box. We are going to photograph his lunch -- before he eats it, of course! -- and share the photos, along with recipes. (Disclaimer: We are not forging new ground here. There are a bunch of similar sites out there doing this. I will add a list of them soon! Enjoy — or laugh at me, take your pick!

Note: I am vegan, E is vegetarian.

bento lunchbox boy

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Wednesday, September 8

2 comments:

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