bento lunchbox boy: Monday, April 4, 2011

Monday, April 4, 2011

Leftover lunch. Stuff from last night's dinner, which included the Egyptian split pea soup that I made (see recipe to the right). I also included some of those veggie stick things which always taste good at first, but then I regret eating them. E likes them, though.

Looking at this lunch, I wonder if it's enough calories for a five-year-old. Hum. I'll have to beef up (well, not literally!) his dinner!!

• brown rice with soy butter
• chickpeas
• Persian cucumber slices, mini tomatoes
• veggie sticks from Trader Joe's
• morning snack: strawberries

2 comments:

Meagan said...: Yum that soup looks really good, I'm definitely going to try it. I don't usually like split pea soups because they always seem to be kinda bland and I also don't like those chunks of ham that are often in it. But this sounds great! Thanks Lory!
MayMay; April 4, 2011 at 6:51 PM
bentoboy said...: Let me know how it turns out!; April 5, 2011 at 11:36 AM

Post a Comment

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

Monday, April 4, 2011

Monday, April 4, 2011

2 comments:

Followers

Blog Archive