Turkey Meatloaf Sandwich - 249 Calorie Bento

Hubbie loves Turkey Meatloaf and Turkey Meatballs. And meatloaf is so easy to make and store! I find turkey is basically lacking in taste - so seasonings come in mighty handy!

Bento Content:

• Turkey Meatloaf Sandwich (160)
• Organic Light String Cheese (60)
• Grape Tomatoes (12)
• Celery (5)
• Carrot Flowers (12)

Total Bento : 249 calories

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TURKEY MEATLOAF (yields 6 servings)

1 lb. Lean Turkey

4 Tbsp. No-Salt Ketchup

1/3 cup Plain fine Bread Crumbs

4 Tbsp Red Pepper Spread with Eggplant and Garlic (Trader Joe's)

1/2 Tbsp Black Pepper

1 Egg - beaten

1/2 cup minced Onion

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

Oil spray

Mix 1 tbsp each of Ketchup and Red Pepper Spread - set aside.

Combine and mix rest of ingredients well with a fork - as not to squish it too much.

Lightly spray an oven-safe pan with oil. Distribute meat mixture on pan.Cover with aluminum paper and bake in 350 deg Fahrenheit for approx. 20 minutes.

Uncover, and you will notice juices coming from the meatloaf. Carefully, drain the juices onto the ketchup and pepper spread mixture you set aside.Combine well and spread on top of meatloaf.

Put back in oven, uncovered, until cooked through and sort of crusty on top - approx. 15-20 minutes.

Low Glycemic Fried Rice - 255 calorie Bento

I was experimenting with a low glycemic rice I found at the market. It is called Moolgiri. I found it once and I haven't been able to find it again. I messed up the rice the first time around - I followed their instructions and the rice got totally mushed-up. It took a bit of experimenting until I got it right.

I threw all the little bits of frozen veggies I had rolling around in the freezer. I knew they would come in handy some day! I also made a very small thin egg omellete and shredded it (kinshi tamago). The rice had the yum approval from hubbie.

Bento content:

• Sausage & Vegetable Fried 'Moolgiri' Rice (168)
• Shredded Lettuce, Red Onion & Garbanzos (83)
• Lime Juice for Dressing (4)

Total Bento = 255 calories

Ochazuke - 282 calorie Bento

The day I made this bento it was cold - and I didn't have any soup already made, so....Ochazuke to the rescue! Good thing I had leftover rice and Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon pouches in the cupboard...

Bento Content:

• Leftover rice (51)
• Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon Pouch (90)
• Shredded scallion (2)
• Green Tea Bag (0)
• Wakame & Arare (10)

As sides:

• Savory Thin Rice Mini Crackers from Trader Joe's (53)
• Corn & Red Pepper Mini Muffin - homemade (76)

Total Bento : 282 calories

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CORN AND RED PEPPER MINI MUFFINS (yields 24 Mini Muffins)

1 cup Fine Yellow Corn Meal

1 cup All-purpose Flour

1/2 cup Red Bell Pepper - chopped very small

1 cup Corn Kernels

2 packets Salt

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

1 egg

4 tsp Brown Sugar

1 cup Skim Milk

1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

2 Tbsp. minced fresh basil

Oil Spray

Spray muffin tins.Preheat oven to 350 deg Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl sift flour, salt and baking powder. Mix in the corn meal and sugar.

Beat egg, oil and milk and add to dry ingredients.

Stir until just moistened but do not overmix.

Add peppers, basil and corn. Do not overmix.

Spoon mixture into the muffin tins.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or ntil muffins are well risen.

Let sit for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

I found this recipe in an old book I found and the original one had much more calories and the recipe was for 12 large muffins. It also had hot peppers in it, but my hubbie doesn't like 'hot' in muffins, so...there you go!

Potato with Toppings - 298 calorie Bento

This was a fast bento to put together - but will require the 'nuking' of the potato!

I find that kiddush cups are great for the height of some bentos. A little bit of Press-and-Seal on top of each cup works like a charm - specially for the creams and sauces.

Bento Content:

• Washed Potato - to be nuked (160)
• Trader Joe's Lite Shredded 3-cheese Blend (20)
• McCormick Salad Toppins (35)
• Sliced Black Olives (25)
• Fat Free Sour Cream (15)
• Micro Carrots (23)
• Blueberries (20)

Total Bento = 298 calories

Summer Rolls & Plum Sauce - 329 calorie Bento

I love summer rolls. I love making them - I love eating them. This time I made them vegetarian. I also usually make my own plum sauce. Whenever plums are in season I make a batch and it keeps well in the fridge (using an airtight jar to store it).

Bento Content:

• Summer rolls (Rice Wrappers/Carrot/Bean Sprouts/Lettuce/Spearmint) (124)
• Home made Plum suace (38)
• Grapes (18)
• Plum (30)
• Babybel Light (50)
• Cherries (9)
• Ginger Chews from Trader Joe's (60)

Total Bento = 329 calories

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HOMEMADE PLUM SAUCE (yields approx 40 Tablespoons)

15 pitted very ripe black plums

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 fl oz Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp Ground ginger (powder)

1 tsp Garlic powder

3 Tbsp Soy sauce - lite

2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

Puree raw plums in blender - I used the Magic Bullet. In a sauce pan, combine all ingredients and cook down until you reach a soft jam consistency. The color on this is incredible!

A Trip to Little Italy - 289 calorie Bento

Hubbie and I went to Little Italy and we bought the usual suspects - but not tons of anything. We did purchase what we like, but in small quantities.

Bento Content:

• 2 Mini Breadsticks (40)
• 1 oz. hard sweet Salami sliced thin (55)
• 2 small Bocconcinni (small mozarrella balls) (90)
• Mixed Olives (32)
• Grape Tomatoes (12)
• Wasabe Peas (not quite italian!) (60)

Total Bento = 289 calories

Mini Pita with Veggie Salad - 174 calorie Bento

This bento turned out to be quite low in calories. I had to throw in a banana to bulk up. The banana does not make an appearance in the bento. The cress & cilantro are from my terrace 'farm'.

Bento Contents:

• 3 Mini Pitas filled with Lite Feta Cheese (40)
• Carrot, Radish & Cucumber flowers over Cilantro, Red Cabbage & Mini Cressida Cress (17)
• Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil in the small containers (32)
• Grape Tomatoes (25)

Total Bento = 174 calories

Plus banana (120)

Skewered 'Un-Cooked' Lunch - 248 calorie Bento

Well, there was no cooking involved, but plenty of preparation! It was fun to do and came out quite colorful.

Bento Contents:

• Sickle Pear (40)
• Organic Light String Cheese & Grape Tomato Skewers (81)
• Sandwich - 1 slice white bread + 1 slice turkey 'ham' + Spicy Deli Mustard (117)
• Radish & Carrot Flowers (10)

Total Bento = 248 calories

Chicken & Mushroom Yakitori with Rice Cylinders - 225 calorie Bento

I had a mushrooms in the fridge and a little bit of leftover rice, so I decided to throw in the mushrooms with chicken and molded the rice using Kiddush cups!

Also, I am growing Cressida Cress sprouts - and they are used as garnish for the Chicken & Mushroom.

Bento Content:

• Chicken & Mushroom in a little bit of Yakitori Sauce (145)
• Grape Tomatoes (25)
• Mini Rice Cylinders with Paprika & Carrot Garnish (55)

Total Bento = 225 calories

Breakfast for Lunch - 290 calorie Bento

This was my take on Breakfast for Lunch. Beats going to the local diner - no guilt afterwards! I love when that happens...

Contents for Bento:

• 2 homemade Turkey Sausage Patties (86)
• Mini Pancakes (130)
• Kinshi Tamago (50)
• Date Syrup (24)

Total Bento = 290 calories

Portion Control Lunch - Bento to the Rescue!

Hubbie and I are on a mission to lose weight. We have narrowed down the reasons for our weight mismanagement and the outstanding winner is.....Portion Control!

We have have been trying very hard to pay attention to what and how much we eat and it seems to be working. We have also joined MyFoodDiary to keep track.

For lunch, I am preparing Bentos in keeping with the portion size control. My goal is to prepare them for under 500 calories per Bento.

Let's see how it goes! I will post bentos I have already made to catch up with the newest ones. Most of these I have also posted in MFD.