Salmon & Potato Croquettes - 164 calorie Bento

I had about 1 1/2 cups of mashed potatoes so I decided to make quickie croquettes. Just combined a canned of wild alaskan salmon (water drained), made mini balls, coated with seasoned breadcrumbs and baked in the oven. Nothing fancy, very quick and not fried. I was very happy with the results and they fit very nicely into my bento for lunch.

Bento Content:

• Salmon & Potato Croquette "balls" (140)
• Cucumber/Tomato/Shredded Romaine Salad (11)
• Cherries (13)

Total Bento: 164 calories

Salmon Salad Sandwich & Apples: 301 calorie Bento

I made my go-to homemade salad - salmon salad. Everytime I make it different - this time I added low calorie mayo, dill weed, tomato, onion, parsley, yellow peppers and celery, plus a can of wild salmon packed in water. I put tons of the veggie in it to fill me up.

Notice the tea bags - the funniest tea story ever. Every time I go to my favorite chinese restaurant I have their tea. After years of wondering, I asked the owner for the brand of tea they use. He said "Hum - I don't really know the name. I just ask our supplier for restaurant tea". That struck me as odd and thought that maybe he wasn't willing to share. Oh well. A few weeks later I ventured into an Asian market and walked down the tea aisle. There were dozens and dozens of different teas and lo and behold, what do I spot? CHINESE RESTAURANT TEA! Can you believe it? That is exactly how it is called! And here I was thinking my guy in the restaurant was unwilling to share! And guess what...it tastes exactly like his! Live and learn...

Bento Content:

• Salmon Salad Sandwich (231)
• Mini Apples (70)
• Tea bags (0)

Total Bento : 301 calories

Salmon Salad & Lentil-Potato Curls - 292 calorie Bento

I have found some crunchy thingies at T.J.'s - Lentil and Potato Curls. There are not greasy nor salty at all and a serving is 31 curls! Say what? 31? Yup, 31! And they are made out of Lentils and Potatoes - what more can I ask for? (Another bag, maybe?!?)

Bento Content:

• Chopped Carrots (9)
• Chopped Celery (9)
• Mini Challah (so cute!) (56)
• Salmon Salad (without mayo) (50)
• Lentil and Potato Curls (58)

Total Bento: 292 calories

Salmon & Asparagus & Butterbean - 243 calorie Bento

This turned out to be a pretty good combination - I love asparagus and salmon together, but adding a creamy side of Butterbeans? Gotta love the mouth feel on this!

Bento Content:

• Roasted Asparagus (45)
• Baked Salmon (125)
• Butterbeans in light Tomato Sauce (63)
• Romainne Lettuce & Grape Tomato Salad (10)

Total Bento: 243 calories

Anellotti & Salmon - 308 calorie Bento

This one was thrown together quite rapidly. I have been buying all these different pasta shapes - many of them in small sizes. It fools the eye, you see! A serving of pasta is 2 oz dry. On ziti, for example, 2oz is about 10-12 pieces. In mini ziti you get a bunch more. It seems to fill the plate more and it fools the eye. Hey! Anything that will make me eat less (while my brain thinks it is eating more) is good eats!

Bento Content:

• Anellotti pasta & Wild Pink Salmon & Tomato (296)
• Strawberries (12)

Total Bento : 308 calories

No Fuss Salmon & Potato Croquettes - 192 calorie Bento

I wanted to try baked croquettes instead of frying them. I also wanted to see if I could skip the usual 3-step batter process (the flour, the egg wash, the breadcrumbs). I used the Pereg brand breadcrumbs. I really like that brand - the crumbs are chunky, it is well-seasoned and has a bit of sesame seeds. What's not to like?

And I took shortcuts - I used instant Potato Flakes (Bad Zetty!), but everything turned out well. The breadcrumbs stuck very well to the croquettes and with a little oil spray they remained crunchy.

Bento Content:

• Baked Salmon & Potato Croquettes (120)
• Blackberries (15)
• Grape Tomatoes (21)
• Green Grapes (36)

Total Bento : 192 calories

Easy Salmon Cakes - 180 calorie Bento

These salmon cakes are very calorie 'inexpensive'. They are only 185 calories for 4 salmon cakes. Plus, they are very easy to make. The recipe follows.

Bento Content:

• 2 Salmon cakes (93)
• Grape tomato, Celery & Snow Peas (23)
• Babybel Light (50)
• Grapes (15)

Total Bento = 180 calories

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SALMON CAKES (yields 1 serving = 4 cakes)

3 oz skinless/boneless Pink Salmon (I use the pouch - with water)

1/8 cup Red Bell Pepper - cubed very small

1/4 cup Onion - cubed very small

1 Tbsp Scallion - minced

1 Egg White - beaten (or 3 Tbsp. Egg Whites in container)

2 Tbsp Bread Crumbs

1 Tbsp chopped Cilantro stems

Oil Spray

Salt & Pepper

Combine all ingredients well.

Mold into 4 balls - they will feel a bit loose - that's OK. They will tighten up once cooked. Handle with care, though!

Spray oven-safe pan.

Place cakes in pan - not touching each other.

Spray a teensy bit of oil on each cake.

Cook at 425 degree Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes (or until they feel a bit 'toasty' on the outside).

This recipe uses the pouch salmon, but you can certainly make it with fresh salmon! It will taste much better if you do.

Salmon Onigiri - 364 calorie Bento

I find that Onigiri are very filling. They keep me quite full for hours.

Also, little bits of leftovers are great for filling them. This time I had leftover salmon. I overdid it with a little too much sauce (as you can see), but they were very tasty!

Bento Content:

• Heart-shaped Onigiri filled with Salmon with furikaki in the red container (186)
• Julienned Snow Peas (12)
• Mini Chocolate cookies (50)
• Date (66)
• Babybel Light (50)

Total Bento = 364 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!