bento lunchbox boy: Thursday, December 9

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Thursday, December 9

I realized, as I was typing the list of today's lunch, that it's heavy on soy. We were in Trader Joe's once and two young boys were with their father near the ice cream section. One of the boys was pointing toward a box of Tofutti Cuties, these little vegan "ice cream" sandwiches that are awesomely yummy. The father went a little nutty, pulling the kids away and saying, in a too-loud voice, "Boys don't eat soy." I was a little put off by this (probably because I was holding a quart of soy ice cream and E was next to me). I suspect he had read some article about how the isoflavones in soy have an impact on male hormones. (Research shows this not to be true.) What bothered me wasn't that the guy felt strongly about the health of his sons, but that he was so loud and obnoxious about it.

Anyhow, here's today's soy-packed lunch!

• veggie burger (Dr. Praeger's California veggie)
• tofu
• edemame and corn with soy butter
• clementine
• water
• morning snack: water, cereal bar (fig)

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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

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Thursday, December 9

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