Easter Flowers Bento

Easter Flowers Bento a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

Spinach, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, rolled up hams, carrots and boiled egg as a flower from the star mold.

My mom requested a small lunch as her work sometimes provides snacks or meals on holidays. I wasn't sure what they would be providing so I packed a healthy little lunch. Her work doesn't always tell their employees what they might serve, or if they're serving anything at all. She called and thanked me at lunch time for making her something. That's the whole reason I make bentos. I want my mom to eat healthy, and be happy. She actually appreciates the time and design of everyone. My dad does as well, but it's rare I pack him anything.

cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 4/24/2011

Stripes Bento

Stripes Bento a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

Rice, broccoli, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, ham, cheddar cheese, grapes and peas.

(I was advised to put a signature on all my photos, and starting now I will.)

cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 4/22/2011

Bear and Bunny Bento

Bear and Bunny Bento a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

Roasted pork and carrots, grapes, crackers, cheese, tomatoes, container of butter and cherry yogurt.

cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 4/18/2011

My Bento Items

Bento Items B1 a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

As promised here's a picture of all of my bento items. I had to stand on a chair to take this photo. They where taking up the whole table. Amazingly they all fit on one shelf.

There's more detailed photos on my Flickr.

Bento4JapanEbay Lot 2

Bento4JapanEbay Lot 2 a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

All items are for sale on Ebay in a lot here.

FREE Shipping to America.
Sorry, no international bidders.
Support Japan, and get some new items as well. :D

Hello Kitty & Bears Bento

Hello Kitty & Bears Bento a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

PB&J toasted honey bagel, carrots, cheese, jello in the containers, pineapple in the pink flower cub accompanied by Hello Kitty. There's red sword, and pink bear picks. My mom is very simple to please, but that doesn't mean I wont make her smile. The only thing so far that she's requested me not to put in her lunch is crab.

www.cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 4/14/2011

Smily Spring Bento

Smily Spring Bento a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

Leftover chinese lo mein, carrots, lite spam, green beans, crackers, cheese, jello with pineapple, green m&ms, and an orange gummy bear. Smiley face cheese with nori face, cheese flower with nori shapes, cheese butterflies with nori shapes.

I don't normally put chocolate/gummy bears in a bento but there's only a few and it's a little surprise.

I added the green sword picks for color, even though they don't fit with the theme.

cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 4/12/2011

The Fortune Cookie

Last night I ordered Beef and Broccoli and my fortune was:

"Trust others but keep your eyes open."
14 19 26 30 31 39

The Fortune Cookie is one of my favorite cookies. I know it's hard to believe with all those other ones out there. Oreos, Chips Ahoy, ect... I find them all too sweet; the fortune cookie is simple, classic and fun. Ironically fortune cookies are not served in China. They're served in Chinese restaurants and have been catered towards other cultures and countries; primarily Americans.

The fortune cookie's message is generic, it can be applied to any situation, or person. (It's the same as horoscopes to me.) Except, for the most part every fortune (Depending on where you get it from.) will teach you something. Everyone I've gotten has had a lesson, or a word of wisdom in Chinese.

Although the true origin is not internally clear or documented it's been suggested that the fortunes are based from おみくじor Omikuji in Romanji. Omikuji　are Japanese good luck fortunes; which are often written on at shrines and temples with a small donation.

The majority of the population consider fortune cookies to be cheap and insignificant. Winning a lottery based on a fortune is pretty slim considering the chances, but it has happened. The numbers on the back of the fortune are considered "lucky numbers" for the lottery or a game.

Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Water, Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Egg, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate, Natural Artificial Flavor, FD&C Yellow #5 and #6.
(FYI: The ingredient that is listed first is the largest portion in the food.)

Sources: Fortune Cookie, Omikuji.

Bagel Star Bento

Bagel Star Bento a photo by Catsget9lives on Flickr.

My mom goes back to work tomorrow... I don't think this picture came out very well. I made her a raisin bagel with cream cheese and turkey, strawberries, carrots, grapes, tomatoes, string cheese, crackers and star cheese, and a little container of pineapple jello. It's a simple lunch; I need to go grocery shopping.

www.cuteculinary.blogspot.com/
My Mother's lunch: 4/7/2011

Time Off

I haven't made any lunches because my mother was given 5 consecutive days off from work. That's very odd, but before that she worked 6 consecutive days. She doesn't have me make her lunch every day; some days she goes down to the cafeteria, they order in, or she quickly grabs something from the store on her way in to work. The other night she told me how much she appreciated me making her lunch. She only gets a half hour to eat, and going to the cafeteria takes half of that. My mom also has a long walk to the cafeteria, and to put it basically all the cartilage between the knee cap and her legs is gone. (HEALTH LESSON: In case you don't know, the kneecap or patella is floating. Outside of the body it's a similar shape to a heart. If you touch the front of your knee you feel it. I wont go all anatomy terms on you, but the cartilage makes it easier move your legs. My mom's legs are often in pain and they sell. Insurance wont perform surgery yet.) When they order in, it isn't always something she likes. If she has time in the morning she will pick something up, but she told me the other day she often doesn't. I have been making lunches for my mom since I stopped living in the dorm. She always said thank you, but I never felt it was genially appreciated until she told me that. (I used to make them for my dad too when he worked, but I think he preferred his value menu hamburgers. He always did say thank you and would call and tell me every time how great his lunch was.) I was actually very happy to hear that.

So in May I'm taking an accelerated quick Japanese class. It's 5 days a week 8am to 11:45(There's a break in there). School lunch at the college isn't bad, they have a salad bar, milk juice, sugar free drinks, and I consider it pretty good, but unless you live on campus you're paying 5-7 dollars a meal. It's expensive. Living on campus wasn't bad a nice walk there, a healthy meal, a nice walk back. I could just drive home after class, but I can't go that long without food. I sound like a pig but I'm 5'8, I'm diabetic and I'm around 110 pounds. Sometimes I'm 115; I tend to graze, drink a lot of water and eat healthy. I will be packing my own bentos, I'm rather excited. I may have to stay on campus longer than 11:45 as I may not have a car so there's another reason.

I ordered a bento box from Japan about 4 weeks ago, and it hasn't come yet. I'm going to give it another week and than contact the seller. I don't want to cause problems if it's just taking a little longer than expected. Once I get it I'm going to take pictures of all my bento gear. Explain what I've used, what I haven't, and what I'm dying to try out.

I think that's it.