Bento for 2: Roast Beef & Shaved Pastrami Sandwiches - 329 & 320 calorie bentos

Hubbie and I were working at the same client site today, so I made a combo bento for us. Regarding the celery - he likes his in sticks, I like mine sliced - go figure!

Bento Content for Hubbie:

• Roast Beef Sandwich on White w/Mayonnaise (243)
• Apple (81)
• Celery (5)

Total for Hubbie: 329 calories

Bento Content for me:

• Shaved Pastrami on White w/Hot Mustard (194)
• Pear (121)
• Celery (5)

Total for me: 320 calories

Mediterranean-Style CousCous & Fruity Tuna Salad - 222 calorie Bento

I visited a new higher-end delicatessen that opened a couple of weeks ago in my neighbourhood. The food look absolutely amazing - the prices were not! I took notice of what they had in the display counter and replicated some of them at home. Way less expensive, and more control on the added salt. Every little bit helps!

Bento Content:

• Mediterranean-Style CousCous (98)
• Fruity Tuna Salad (90)
• Pommegranate Arils (17)
• Campari Tomatoes (17)

Total Bento : 222 calories

Grilled Salami & Roasted Potatoes - 233 calorie bento

I found the cutest Beef salami - only 4 ounces each and perfect for bento portions! One serving is 2 ounces and since the whole thing is so small, the slices seem like a whole lot! I grilled them and they were quite tasty! To the roasted potatoes I added Turmeric - hence the yellow hue on them. Those were leftovers from dinner.

Bento Content:

• Toasted Potatoes (71)
• Grilled Beef Salami rounds (110)
• Blistered Grape Tomatoes with Herbs de Provence (28)
• Raw Carrot rounds (17)
• Rommaine Lettuce (7)

Total Bento : 233 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

Gyro Meat on Tomato Wrap - 247 calories Bento

I went during the week to a diner - places that are disappearing before my eyes - and had gyro meat over a greek salad. Yum! I had tons of leftovers and they are making their appearance here!

Bento Content:

• Tomato Wrap & Gyro Meat & Rommaine Lettuce (180)
• Tomatoes (12)
• Trader Joe's Ginger Senbei Snacks (55)

Total Bento : 247 calories

Bento for 2 - Lime Chicken Sandwiches & Dolmas - 458 calorie per person

This was a bento for 2 people. It contained both lunch & snack. For the sandwiches I used Ciabatta rolls and Chile Lime Chicken Burgers from Trader Joe's. The cheese was Lite Mild Cheddar cheese sticks from TJ's cut up into squares. The dolmas were pre-made - I didn't do these from scratch!

Bento Content:

For Lunch:

• Sandwich (265)
• Tomatoes (8)
• Frozen Grapes (10)

For Snack:

• Dolmas - Stuffed Grape Leaves (105)
• Cheese Stick (70)

Total Lunch : 283 calories

Total Snack: 175 calories

Total Bento: 458 calories

Campanelle Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes & Peas - 272 calorie Bento

Hubbie wanted pasta, so I had made a bit more so I could have some for my bento. The basil is from my terrace 'farm'. I have so much basil that I think I'm going to zap some in the magic bullet and freeze it to be used in cooked foods.

Bento Content:

• Campanelle Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes. Peas and Fresh Basil (250)
• Grapes (22)

Total Bento : 272 calories

Chicken Shu Mai & Veggies - 198 calorie Bento

You know how you see things in the supermarket and you never decide to pick it up? Well, I made a discovery in Trader Joe's - Chicken Shu Mai. I am very happy that I took a chance and bought some. Very yummy! One of these days I am going to try to make them from scratch, but for now... frozen ones!

Bento Content:

• Trader Joe's Chicken Shu Mai - without sauce (160)
• Classic Mixed Vegetables (30)
• Grape Tomatoes (8)

Total Bento : 198 calories

Egg White & 3-cheese Pinwheels - 262 calorie Bento

This was a very easy bento and surprisingly filling! I found these Tomato Wraps which taste yummy and filled one up with egg white omelette, Mrs. Dash Chipotle seasoning plus a bit of Trader Joe's lite 3-cheese blend. I sprinkled the cheese on the omelette while it was still hot, so the cheese would slightly melt - a little trick that helps with the rolling...the melting cheese acts like a binder in the wrap!

Bento Content:

• Pinwheels (242)
• Carrots (13)
• Strawberry (7)

Total Bento : 262 calories

Tomato Couscous & Riblets - 229 calorie Bento

I used to like the Gardenburger BBQ Riblets and they disappeared. Can not find them anywhere. Then in the supermarket I see Morningstar Hickory BBQ Riblets. I gave them a try and they tasted very, very close to the Gardenburger brand. I have found a substitute! Love when that happens!

Bento Content:

• Tomato Couscous with Corn Niblets (93)
• 1/2 Morningstar Riblets cut into small pieces (110)
• Cantaloupe (14)
• Salad (12)

Total Bento : 229 calories

Spicy Mini Turkey Meatballs & Baby Lima Beans - 271 calorie Bento

During the weekend I made a few things to freeze for when I didn't have anything handy. One of these things were the Spicy Mini Turkey Meatballs. I froze them then I nuked them before putting them in the bento (I let them cool, because then my spinach would have wilted!).

The baby lima beans were from a frozen bag. I simply took the frozen baby lima beans, put in one of those microwave bags, added a cup of tomato sauce and a pinch of Pizza Seasoning. Nuked it and that was that! Very tasty!

Bento Content:

• Baby Lima Beans in Tomato Sauce (117)
• Spicy Mini Turkey Meatballs (138)
• Campari Tomatoes (11)
• Baby Spinach (5)

Total Bento : 271 calories

Cauliflower Bake & Vaggies (192 calorie bento)

I found a perfect baking pan - exactly the right size to fit in one of my bentos. This time I made a Cauiliflower bake.

Really easy to make: Steam cauliflower, with a fork make it into crumbles. Make a mixture of eggs & egg whites, season to taste (I switch from different Mrs. Dash combinations plus a pinch of salt). Combine egg mixture with cauliflower crumbles and bake until set.

Bento Content:

• Cauliflower Bake (76)
• Olives (48)
• Taboule (56)
• Carrots (13)

Total Bento : 193 calories

Molded Egg & Wasabi Peas - 249 calorie bento

I didn't have leftovers last night and I had run out of bento fillers in the freezer, so I put something simple in a flash. I have a few molds for eggs - this one was a star. I love wasabi peas - they help me with the water intake!

Tonight I definitely need to go out food shopping!

Bento Content:

• Molded Egg (77)
• Cantaloupe (27)
• Wasabi Peas (120)
• Tomatoes (25)

Total Bento : 249 calories

Flax Seed Pinwheels w/Avocado, Bean Dip & Alfalfa Sprouts - 274 calories bento

Today's bento was easy to do. I just smashed up some Avocado with a little lime juice. Then I spread Trader Joe's Balck Bean Dip on the the Flax Seed rollup, sprinkled Alfafa Sprouts and put the avocado mash on top of the sprouts. Then I cut into 6 pieces and stuffed my bento.

The blistered tomatoes are just grape tomatoes with Herbs de Provence, olive oil spray and a pinch of salt. Cooked on the stovetop for 2-3 minutes. Very easy, very tasty!

Bento Content:

• Pinwheels (226)
• Blueberries (20)
• Blistered Grape Tomatoes with Herbs de Provence (28)

Total Bento: 274 calories

Toasted Mini Ravioli - 206 calorie Bento

This bento was a twist on leftovers. I had made Mini Cheese Ravioli that come dry in a bag from Trader Joe's. So, I just spread them in a single layer on an oven-safe pan and stuck them in the toaster oven until crispy. For dipping, a bit of marinara sauce in the little red container.

Bento Content:

• Toasted Mini Cheese Ravioli (120)
• Marinara Sauce (14)
• Cherries (24)
• Pitted Black Olives (48)

Total Bento : 206 calories

Morningstar Buffalo Veggie Wings - 239 calorie bento

I had used these Veggie Buffalo wings a long time ago, and I found some in my freezer. I decided to make some for lunch today. Good thing I inlcuded cool vegetables - I had forgotten how hot-spicy these were!

Bento Content:

• Morningstar Farms Veggie Buffalo Wings (200)
• Celery (10)
• Carrot strands (13)
• Tomatoes with Basil (16)

Total Bento : 239 calories

Plantain Squares & Cheese - 218 calorie Bento

I had made Mangu (mashed green plantains) and the leftovers I just made into squares. To make the squares I used the packaging where mashed garlic came when I bought them. I saved the plastic packaging and it has served me well for other things, like molding yucca mash, too.

Bento Content:

• Mashed Plantain squares (89)
• Pepper Jack Cheese stick cut into squares (90)
• Grape Tomatoes (19)
• Blueberries (20)

Total Bento : 218 calories

Mushroom Risotto & Mezlun Salad - 200 calorie Bento

I am growing a 'terrace farm' of sorts - it is on the 3rd floor of my apartment building. I am growing mezclun greens, among other things. This bento incorporates those mezclun greens!

Bento Content:

• Mushroom Risotto (180)
• Grape Tomatoes (12)
• Mini Peppers (3)
• Mezclun Greens (5)

Total Bento : 200 calories

Mushroom Tortellini & Veggies - 247 calorie Bento

These were leftovers and surprisingly, they tasted better today than they did last night. Go figure! The mushroom tortellini are from Trader Joe's - the ones that come dry in a bag. I added the Sundried Tomatoes and the Basil. It was less than a serving - couldn't fit more in this particular bento box - great for my portion control!

Bento Content:

• Mushroom Tortellini with Sundried Tomatoes and Basil (195)
• Mixed Veggies (50)
• Lettuce (2)

Total Bento : 247 calories

Pita Sandwiches - 364 calorie Bento

I didn't feel like cooking much for this bento - so deli fillings to the rescue! It was quite satisfying and not much need for utensils either!

Bento Content:

• Pita with Turkey 'Ham', Lite Havarti Cheese and Green leaf Lettuce (302)
• Grape Tomatoes (42)
• Blueberries (20)

Total Bento : 364 calories