Mangu with Sides - 240 calorie Bento

Mashed plantains are called Mangu in Dominican Republic, while in Cuba and Africa they are called Fufu. In Africa, Fufu might be combined with other root veggies like Yucca (Cassava) or maybe Yams. I grew up eating this - maybe it is an acquired taste. Those who have never seen it usually are not impressed by how it looks, but their opinion change once they taste it.

Mangu is made out of green plantains. I love Mangu anyway I can have it, but if the green plantains are beginning to ripen (but not entirely), it makes for a bit sweeter mash. Also, many people sautee onions and put it on top. Very yummy!

Bento Content:

• Mangu (116)
• Molded Egg (77)
• Grape Tomatoes (12)
• Laughing Cow Wedge Light (35)

Total Bento : 240 calories

Brie on Tomato-Basil Tortillas & Blistered Tomatoes - 327 calorie Bento

I found the greatest tortilla wraps for only 71 calories, 2 gr of fat and 234 mg of sodium. They taste yummy too! I took one of these tortillas and cut rounds out of them. Then I topped with Brie - yeah, I know - but it sort of balances out with the low calorie tortilla...Sort of! The Tortilla is called Tomato-Basil Tortilla Wrap - Xtreme Wellness by Ole Mexican Foods. Got them at the local supermarket.

I accompanied them with Blistered Tomatoes with Herbs de Provence. Turned out to be a very good combo.

Bento Content:

• Tortilla Rounds (71)
• 2 oz. Brie (200)
• Blistered Grape Tomatoes with Herbs de Provence (56)

Total Bento : 327 calories

Chicken Mix & Carrots & Mash - 209 calories Bento

I made the chicken out of a leftover roasted skinless & boneless chicken breast. I sliced up sweet onions, mini peppers and a few black olives. I added a teensy bit of red wine - just a tiny dash.

I steamed the carrots with granulated garlic, made some mashed potatoes and baked in the oven.

Very fast, very tasty!

Bento Content:

• Chicken with Veggies (70)
• Garlicky Carrots (14)
• Potato Mash (59)
• Strawberries (24)
• Fresh Mini Mandarin Segments (42)

Total Bento : 209 calories

Spicy Drumsticks & Cauliflower Bake - 329 calorie Bento

This is an easy meal to prepare. No stove - all oven!

For the Drumsticks: Mix equal parts of Teriyaki sauce with Prepared Horseradish sauce - about 2 tbsp each. Marinate chicken drumsticks in the sauce. Bake in oven until cooked through. Shouldn't take more than 20 minutes.

For the Cauliflower Bake: Cooked cauliflower florets - loosely mashed to produce crumbles. Mix with egg white (I used the ones in the container), sprinkle Bacos (I did this on a whim), chopped scallions, Mrs. Dash of your preference, dash of salt & pepper. Spray an oven-safe pan. Combine all ingredients well and pour into pan. Cook in oven until almost set. Sprinkle a little bit of bread crumbs on top and continue to bake until egg is completely set.

Bento Content:

• Spicy Drumsticks (194)
• Grape Tomatoes (25)
• Grapes (8)
• Cauliflower Bake (102)

Total Bento : 329 calories

Vaca Frita & Moro - 273 calorie Bento

So, I went Cuban for this one. I made the Vaca Frita - literally 'Fried Cow' - and accompanied by Moro de Habichuelas Negras (Rice with Black Beans).

I was kind of shocked when I looked at the calorie counts some websites have for Vaca Frita - most in the upper 700-range per serving. When I looked closely at their recipes, I noticed the amount of oil they are using. I have never used that amount of oil even when I was not trying to watch my fat intake. Needless to say, my version is WAY less in calories than those I found on the internet. Yay!

Bento Content:

• Moro de Habichuelas Negras (106)
• Vaca Frita (153)
• Cantaloupe (14)

Total Bento : 273 calories

Spicy Black Bean Spread Pinwheels & Salad - 235 calorie Bento

This was a very, very quick bento to put together. It was also very tasty! The pinwheel filling is simply Trader Joe's Spicy Black Bean Spread/Dip. I was going to put some meat in it, but decided against it. I made the right choice! No need for meat this time.

Bento Content:

• Spicy Black Bean Pinwheels (208)
• Green Leaf Lettuce & Grape Tomato Salad (27)

Total Bento: 235 calories

Skewers & Sweet Pea Stuffed Mini Peppers - 204 calorie Bento

Today had skewers made out of Organic Lite Italian sausage, grape tomato & an olive. I found these sausages (Neshama brand) that are quite low in calories (just 90!) and surprisingly low in sodium (250!). Unfortunately, I had to mess it up with the olive (high in sodium). But, they were yummy...what can I say.....

I also have a large bag of raw red, orange and yellow mini peppers. I wanted to include sweet peas, so I stuffed the peppers with them. Prevented tons of rolling around in the bento box!

Bento Content:

• Skewers on top of shredded Green Leaf Lettuce (124)
• Mini Peppers stuffed with Sweet Peas (30)
• Blackberries (30)
• Grapes (20)

Total Bento : 204 calories

Mini Knishes & Riblets - 242 calorie Bento

This was thrown together in quite a hurry. Good thing I had the salad already prepared from the night before!

I basically nuked the Soy Riblet (Gardenburger) and at the same time threw the knishes in the oven while I got dressed. I just love those mini knishes! I have bought them plain, with spinach and with mushrooms. They taste exactly like the bigger versions, but they are indeed a bit lighter - less heavy on the tummy (and the calorie count!). I wanted to bring some deli hot mustard to go with the knishes, but it totally slipped my mind. Oh well, next time!

Bento Content:

• 2 Mini Spinach Knishes (107)
• 1/2 Soy BBQ Riblet from Gardenburger (110)
• Mixed Salad (25)

Total Bento : 242 calories

Sealed Cheese & Mustard Sandwich - 269 calorie Bento

This weekend I rediscovered an appliance I bought a long time ago. It is a sandwich toaster that seals in the contents of the sandwich. I was looking for something else and I bumped into it. It is perfect for bento sandwiches - the filling doesn't ooze out and you don't have to worry about it moving around and coming undone. Plus it has these designs that makes the sandwich look so pretty!

I also chose the right bento container - the grids on the collapseable one is perfect to prevent condensation from the toasted sammie. By the time I ate the sandwich it wasn't gummy nor moist on the outside. Happy me!

Bento Content:

• Toasted Sandwich filled with Trader Joe's 3-cheese blend lite with Dijon Mustard (219)
• Blackberries (20)
• Green & Black grapes (30)

Total Bento : 269 calories

Broiled Feta Cheese & Veggies Three Ways - 222 calorie Bento

I love feta cheese - the down side is the sodium. But, once in a while, I indulge.

This time I made Broiled Light Feta Cheese with Oregano and Lemon Juice. I found a light version - that tastes like the real thing - at Trader Joe's. I plopped the cheese in a broiler-safe pan, cut a few campari tomatoes around it, doused with lemon juice and sprinkled with oregano. Then I broiled until the top looked toasty. That's it!

Then the veggies where three different ways: Steamed (the carrots and Chayote - hubbie loves this combo), Broiled (the Campari Tomatoes and the Beets) and Baked (the Batata Fries).

Bento Content:

• Broiled Feta Cheese with Oregano and Lime Juice (80)
• Baked Batata Fries (100)
• Broiled Campari Tomatoes (6)
• Broiled Beets (18)
• Steamed Carrots and Chayote (18)

Total Bento : 222 calories

Pinwheels- 264 calorie Bento

Pinwheels - gotta love them! You can stuff your pinwheels with almost anything you might have rolling around the fridge!

For example - I took a leftover meatball, mashed it up. Then I mixed Fat-Free cream cheese and mixed it with Trader Joe's Red Pepper spread. Then I added baby spinach. Rolled it up, cut it up and stuffed my bento!

That's why I usually have a bag of wraps or Lavash bread or something I can fill and roll which won't break while I'm rolling.

Bento Content:

• Pinwheels (198)
• Celery Sticks and Baby Carrots all cut up (30)
• Red Grapes (36)

Total Bento : 264 calories

Roasted Chicken plus Black Olive & Tomato Skewers - 180 calorie Bento

This was a very low calorie bento and partly a 'deconstructed' chicken soup.

Let me explain : the night before I had quickly roasted some skinless and boneless chicken breasts to make hubbie a quick chicken soup (he has a cold and is convinced chicken soup makes him better). I always have frozen homemade chicken broth for such an occasion - just add roasted chicken, celery, carrots, seasonings and at the vey end some spinach!

So, I put aside some of the roasted chicken for this bento - plus the carrots, celery and spinach.

Bento Content:

• Roasted Chicken (110)
• Black Olive & Grape Tomato skewers (25)
• Baby Spinach (7)
• Celery (10)
• Carrots (18)
• Lime Juice (4)
• Ken's Lite Italian Dressing Spray - 6 sprays (6)

Total Bento : 180 calories

Olive Stuffed Meatballs & Batata - 206 calorie Bento

I put a spin on meatballs - I stuffed each with a black olive. I didn't tell hubbie and when he cut into one, he smiled - he loves black olives! To make this a little less fattening, I used a simple tomato sauce. I also made the meatballs with a teensy bit of matzah meal and instead of whole eggs, I used a little bit of egg whites. That cut down on quite a bit of calories.

The sides were roasted (except for the grape tomatoes). The distorted little squares are Batatas. Some call them Yams, some Boniato. A batata is in the sweet potato family - it sort of looks like a sweet potato, but when you cut into them they are white. They are also have more consistency to them when cooked - a little bit more starchier. I love them and try to cook them as much as I can find them.

Bento Content:

• Beef Meatballs stuffed with Black Olives (110)
• Grape Tomatoes (21)
• Roasted Asparagus (8)
• Roasted Batata (67)

Total Bento : 206 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

Goat Cheese & Raisin Mini Sandwiches - 293 calorie Bento

The bread I used for these mini sandwiches were Cocktail Whole Grain. The filling is Goat cheese with Raisins. These sandwiches tasted like dessert!

I'm glad I packed the marinated mushrooms and the blistered grape tomatoes - the seasonings on those cut the sweet taste from the sandwiches.

Turned out to be a great combination!

Bento Content:

• Mini Whole Grain Bread Sandwiches filled with Raisin Goat Cheese (213)
• Marinated Mushrooms (52)
• Blistered Grape Tomatoes with Herbs de Provence (28)

Total Bento : 293 calories

Mini Penne with Italian Chicken Sausage, Zuchinni, Peppers & Sundried Tomatoes - 230 calorie Bento

This was an easy-throw-everything-together bento. We have been using the smaller pasta (to fool the eye!) and expanding the pasta meal with lean meat and veggies. We have been religiously just cooking 2 oz. of pasta per person - and usually we have left over for bentos the following day.

Bento Content:

• Mini Penne with Lite Italian Chicken Sausage, Peppers, Sundried Tomatoes and Zuchinni

Total Bento: 230 calories

Roast Beef w/Horseradish & Roasted Flat Beans - 223 calorie Bento

Well, I find this to be a non-photogenic bento...but very, very tasty!

I can't get enough of roasted green beans. These beans happen to be flat beans. This recipe transforms green beans into carmelized pieces of heavenly veggie-ness (you know what I mean). It will not work with French Beans (Haricot Vert - the skinny ones). You will need a meatier veggie because the flavor really comes out once they start to shrivel a little and get a bit brown. If you use the skinny ones, there will be no substance to nibble on!

Bento Content:

• Roasted Flat Beans (15)
• Mushroom Barley (14)
• Roast Beef & Horseradish Sandwich (194)

Total Bento : 223 calories

Yucca Squares & Broiled Chicken Sausage - 234 calorie Bento

If you have never tasted yucca, run to the store and cook some, pronto!

Yucca is a root or tuber. It looks like a tree branch, but usually it has a thin bark. Beware, some yucca types are poisonous, but the ones you get at the store are edible (they should be, at least!). Makes a great substitute to mashed potatoes!

So, I basically boiled the peeled yucca with a bit of salt. Then I mashed it with butter spray, and added a little bit of the yucca boiling water to facilitate the mashing. I added anis seed, salt and black pepper. I waited for the mash to cool down a bit, then molded into squares. Yucca mash, once cold, easily sets and stays molded - great for bentos!

I molded the tiny squares by using the packaging of crushed garlic from the refrigerated section at Trader Joe's. Works like a charm! I'm going to try molding rice with it too - it might work!

Bento Content:

• Yucca Squares (123)
• Broiled Grape Tomatoes (21)
• Broiled Organic Mild Italian Chicken Sausage (90)

Total Bento : 234 calories

Pesto Cheese Tortellini & Roasted Cauliflower - 253 calorie Bento

Good news - I finally made my pesto. Bad news - I went overboard with the garlic. I love garlic - anyway I can have it - but it is not a very social thing to do. Maybe not the best of dining options when you plan to be around people. Oh, well!

Bento Content:

• Cheese Tortellini in Pesto Sauce (221)
• Roasted Cauliflower (20)
• Grape Tomatoes (12)

Total Bento : 253 calories

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Roasted Cauliflower (yields 2 large servings)

• 1 cauliflower head
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 individual salt packet
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• Olive Oil spray

Combine all dry ingredients. Separate cauliflower into florets and wash well. Spray an oven-safe pan with olive oil spray, lay florets on top and sprinkle with seasonings. Roast in a 400 degree fahrenheit oven until florets become golden.

Tricolor Fiore with Roasted Chicken & Sundried Tomatoes - 291 calorie Bento

The contents of this bento were not intentional. I had planned to make a batch of pesto then I discovered when I arrived in the kitchen that I was missing a couple of ingredients. So, I hit the pantry and found a jar of sundried tomatoes hanging out behind a can of tomato sauce. Eureka! Threw in roasted chicken breast that was already cooked and presto - done in 15 minutes. Gotta love when that happens.

Bento Content:

• Tricolor Fiore pasta with Roasted Chicken & Sundried Tomatoes (267)
• Grape Tomatoes (19)
• Celery (5)

Total Bento : 291 calories

Balsamic Chicken Summer Rolls - 448 calorie Bento

This bento included a snack.

I had grilled balsamic chicken with snow peas and red peppers as leftovers. I cut it all into small pieces, shredded carrots, added bean sprouts and ...tada! Summer rolls galore. Very, very tasty.

Bento Content:

• Summer rolls (143)
• Laughing Cow Wedge Light (35)
• Dried Pineapple Rings (130)
• Trader Joe's Strawberry Bar - For Snack (140)

Total Bento : 448 calories

Mushroom & Sweet Pea Risotto - 237 calorie Bento

I love creamy food and risotto always fits the bill. I decided to go with my favorite mushroom type, but added sweet peas into the mix. Very tasty!

Bento Content:

• Mushroom & Sweet Pea Risotto (147)
• Sea Salt & Pepper Crisps from Trader Joe's (32)
• Turkish Salad (30)
• Green Grapes (28)

Total Bento : 237 calories

Spicy Eggplant & Beef w/Scallion - 221 calorie Bento

This was a spicy bento indeed. Good thing I put in the plum to cool my tongue! The spicy/hotness came from the sriracha sauce and tons of crushed garlic on the eggplant.

Bento Content:

• Shredded Beef w/Scallion Stirfry (114)
• Spicy Japanese Eggplant (17)
• Mini Pitas (60)
• Plum (30)

Total Bento : 221 calories

Veggie Orzo - 260 calorie Bento

Hubbie and I have been trying to lose weight - or at least not put on more. One of our downfalls has always been pasta. I've come up with a few things that help, one of them is using smaller sized pasta.

A regular portion of pasta is 2 oz! A 2 oz. serving of spaghetti, for example, is like 8-10 strands. Very unhappy looks from both of us. But, 2 oz. of cous-cous or Orzo is quite alot! So, we have been fooling our minds. We are buying the smaller sized versions of pasta - Barilla has a few of those. Also, interesting ones, like Trader Joe's Vegetable Radiatore, for example. Plus, they are great for bentos!

Today, I made Orzo with a bunch of cut up veggies. It was so tasty and so pretty. I was a happy camper. And guess what - the 2 oz serving of pasta was enough for both of us and there was a portion left over!

Bento Content :

• Veggie Orzo (103)
• Laughing Cow Wedge Light (35)
• Strawberries (12)
• Clementines (40)
• Bite Size Everything Crackers from Trader Joe's (70)

Total Bento : 260 calories

Hot & Spicy Roasted Chicken Chunks and Sweet Limes- 242 calorie Bento

Surprise your mouth - that's one of my mottos! This bento has two very un-assuming ingredients - the chicken and the sweet lime. Looks can be deceiving!

Surprise #1: You take a look at the chicken and you pop it into your mouth. Two seconds later your tongue realizes there are hot & spicy ingredients in there (as steam comes out of your ears!).

Surpise #2: Sweet lime, you say? Hmmm...you pop the sweet lime into your mouth not knowing what to expect - as you should be! Sweet limes are one of those food items that you either love it or you hate it. I grew up eating them, but I had never seen them in the supermarkets in the US. Today, I saw them and my eyes popped out. Oh, what a great childhood memory. Sweet limes are very popular in India, the Caribbean and Israel. The pith is very thin, but very bitter. Most people squeeze the juice and have it that way. Very refreshing. I, on the other hand, like to separate into wedges then take the membrane off by hand and eat the luscious fruit. Very messy - my Mom used to roll her eyes when I was little - but very satisfying for me. The work is worth it!

Bento Content:

• Hot & Spicy Roasted Chicken Chunks (108)
• Grape tomatoes with Cilantro stems and ground pepper (21)
• Plum wedges (30)
• Sweet Lime wedges (30)
• Savory Thin Mini Crackers from Trader Joe's (53)

Total Bento : 242 calories

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Hot & Spicy Roasted Chicken Chunks (yields 4 servings)

• 1 lb Chicken breast - boneless & skinless
• 1 tsp Hot Sauce
• 2 fl oz Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• Oil Spray

Cut chicken into bite-sized chunks. Combine rest of ingredients well. Marinate chicken with mixture for at least 1 hour.

Spray oven-safe pan with oil and arrange chicken well-scattered on pan. Cover with aluminum paper and cook in 375 deg Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

Uncover, move chicken around and return to 400 deg Fahrenheit oven until chicken is golden. Move chicken around another time as to brown on all sides.

Ropa Vieja (Shredded Beef) - 231 calorie Bento

Today I decided to take out the Slow Cooker. My plan was to finally deal with a closet I have in the hallway - things lurking in there since who knows when. So, why not have the slow cooker do the cooking?

I decided to make Ropa Vieja, which is basically beef with lots of seasonings slow cooked until very soft - soft enough to shred with two forks. It took many hours, and in hindsight I should have made much more meat, but the result was very satisfying. Looking forward towards lunch tomorrow!

Bento Content :

• Ropa Vieja (100)
• Mini Zuchinni (5)
• Grape Tomatoes (21)
• Vegetable Radiatore from Trader Joe's (105)

Total Bento : 231 calories

Moro & Collard Greens w/Andouille - 279 calorie Bento

This turned out to be a very comforting meal for me. I made a 'Moro' - Dominican-style. Moro is basically Rice with Beans with a bunch of seasonings. In this case, I used long-grained rice with Cranberry beans. I found at our local vegetable place packets of fresh Cranberry beans. The beans came out very creamy. Very tasty.

I never used to like Collard greens - I had only seen them and tasted them done after hours of boiling down. Not my kind of thing. Then - I met Fernando - a Brazilian chef friend that showed me that collard greens don't have to be slimey! Brazilians eat collard greens a great deal, specially with Feijoada - kind of a thick black bean soup with tons of meat and veggies.

You just need to make a chiffonade from the collard greens (after cutting away the thick stems). Then you sautee with olive oil, crushed garlic and salt. I decided to add Andouille sausage to the mixture. Oh my, I am so hooked on this - and so is hubbie! I used precooked sausage, took out of the casing and zapped it in the Magic Bullet to get it all ground up and loose. The cooking on the stove for this dish took exactly 3 minutes. The cutting up of the collard greens took a little while, but was well worth it!

Bento Contents:

Moro Dominican-Style (128)

Collard Greens Chiffonade with Andouille Sausage and Garlic (138)

Strawberries (12)

Total Bento = 279 calories

Salad Trio - 260 calorie Bento

This bento is a combination of three totally different types of salad : Taboule, Corn Salad and a twist on a Waldorf Salad. The last one was a salad a fellow MFD'er - Crystal - created and I replicated with my favorite dressing.

Bento Content:

• Caribbean-style Corn Salad (53)
• Taboule (60)
• Salt & Pepper Rice Crisps from Trader Joe's (51)
• Seasoned croutons (27)
• Laughing Cow Light Wedge (35)
• Crystal's Waldorf Salad (34)

Total Bento : 260 calories

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The Waldorf salad: Granny Smith apples, celery, pomegranate arils and Bolthouse farms Parmesan Caeser dressing.

The Caribbean-Sytle Corn Salad : Corn Kernels, red onion, cilantro stems, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, Sour orange juice (or lime juice with a little bit of orange juice), salt & pepper.

Mini Cheese Tacos - 223 calorie Bento

This bento was one of the easiest ones to put together, so far. The taco shells are flour roll-ups that I cut into rounds to fit perfectly in the bento. I find that if you roll up the flour tortillas or wraps without any spread, they tend to break, so this worked pretty well.

Bento Content:

• 5 flour rounds to be used as taco shells (110)
• Trader Joe's Light Mexican Cheese Blend (80)
• Chopped Campari Tomatoes with Cilantro (10)
• Finely Shredded Rommaine Lettuce (5)
• Cherries (18)

Total Bento : 223 calories

Mushroom Risotto - 294 calorie Bento

Today I really needed some comfort food, so I whipped up some Mushroom Risotto. I don't know what it is - creamy stuff for me is very soothing and comforting. But then again, so are chocolate cake and almond croissants!

Bento content:

• Mushroom Risotto (240)
• Brittany Blend from Trader Joe's - Haricot Vert, Wax Beans & Carrots (30)
• Mixed Salad - Lettuce blend, Cucumbers, Radishes, Tomato & Black Olives (24)

Total Bento : 294 calories

Cilantro & Scallion Tamago - 281 calorie Bento

Well, this was a strange tamago indeed. I chopped up some cilantro stems and scallions and mixed it in with egg whites and Bijol for color. Bijol is a hispanic brand for powdered annato - used for coloring. It gives a range of color depending on how much powder you use. If you put alot, you'll get a fiery orange, if you use a small dusting, you get pale yellow - you get the picture.

So, here I am making my Tamago and I don't know what happened, but I decided to take a mini plastic cup and cut rounds out of the tamago, instead of leaving it in the traditional shape. I liked the results - even of not traditional. I've done the same thing with pancakes in the past. Very 'pick-up-able'.

The Blistered Tomatoes are very easy. You'll need:

Grape Tomatoes, Herbs de Provence, Oil Spray, Salt

Spray a non-stick pan with oil (olive oil preferably), add the rest of the ingredients and crank up the heat. Swirl the pan around so the tomatoes get evenly coated with the oil and seasonings. Keep swirling around until until the tomatoes start to get blistered. Shouldn't take more than 3-4 minutes at the most from beginning to end.

Bento content :

• Cilantro & Scallion Tamago (76)
• Strawberries (12)
• Mini Savory Thins from Trader Joe's (69)
• Blistered Grape Tomatoes with Herbs de Provence (28)
• Mini Babybel Light (50)
• Hershey Kissables (46)

Total Bento : 281 calories

Holdover Bento for 2 - 373 calorie Bento

I made this bento for a car ride with hubbie. We tend to grab things on the way during these drives and the calories just pile on - most of the time with food that isn't worth the calories.

So, I made this bento just in case hunger pangs kick in on a highway. I made just the one bento to share. The pic came out rather crooked...Oh, well...

Bento content:

• Pinwheels made out of Flaxseed Rollup filled with Cream cheese & Red Pepper Spread (163)
• Strawberries (24)
• Cheeries (36)
• Grape Tomato & Black Olive skewers (50)
• 2 Babybel Lights (100)

Total Bento = 373 calories

Per person = 187 calories

Mediterranean Mix - 297 calorie Bento

Every once in a while I indulge in Gyros - yes, I know, but I can't help giving in sometimes. But, I've discovered that from one order I can eat a few times! Have you seen the amount of meat those platters have? And to think I would eat the whole thing without a whimper - now, enough for a few times. Ah...things change!

My Mom would make Taboule from scratch when I was little. A lot of work, let me tell you! All the bulgur soaking, and then the squeezing until not a drop of water was visible. Then the chopping - wowie. Well, she still does it but not very often...I wonder why? I don't mind the chopping - I find it to be very soothing - but I do mind the soaking and squeezing of the bulgur. Reminds me of Potato Latkes - the squeezing of the grated potatoes. Yikes!

Well, I found the Near East Taboule mix in the supermarket and it turned out to be a very close match to the regular bulgur - except for the squeezing part! Eureka! Don't tell my Mom......I still use the rest of the veggies and I still do chop them, so I don't feel so much of a traitor. Somewhat.

In this bento, I added some pomegranate arils that weren't very red, but hey - pomegranate is pomegranate - I love it anyway I can have it!

Bento Content:

• Taboule (63)
• Pomegranate arils (13)
• Grape Tomatoes (21)
• Mini-Pitas with Gyro meat & spinach (200)

Total Bento = 297 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.

Chicken with Capers & Roasted Bell Peppers - 325 calorie Bento

I love the flavor that capers add to any dish, specially poultry. You don't have to use salt when you use the bottled capers - the brine they are packed in contribute more than enough salt to any dish.

Bento Content:

• Champagne Grapes (50)
• Babybel Light (50)
• Mini Peppers (7)
• Chicken with Capers and Roasted Bell Peppers (148)
• Carrot/Potato/Broccoli Stem Medley (70)

Total Bento = 325 calories

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CHICKEN BREAST WITH CAPERS & ROASTED RED PEPPERS

(yields 1 serving)

1/2 Chicken Breast - Meat Only - Cut into bite size pieces

1 Tbsp Capers (without brine)

1/4 cup Chopped or sliced Onions

1 oz Roasted Red Peppers

Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning

Olive Oil Spray

Season chicken with Mrs. Dash seasoning.

Spray pan with olive oil spray.

When hot, add onions and cook until translucent.

Add chicken and cook through.

Add Roasted peppers and capers. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.

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

Moo Shu & Satays - 249 calorie Bento

This was a bento created from leftovers. I usually try to lower the calorie intake by substituting or simply omitting ingredients. Same applies when we dine out.

Here, I left out the Moo Shu pancakes and the peanut sauce for the satays. I thought I wouldn't like them much without those ingredients, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Bento content:

• 1/4 cup white rice (51)
• Grape Tomatoes (25)
• Chicken MooShu without the pancakes (67)
• Chicken Satays without the peanut sauce (106)

Total Bento = 249 calories

Cilantro Rice & BBQ Chicken - 241 calorie Bento

I love cilantro and I use it whenever I can. I had a bunch from my terrace 'farm' and I basically took the cilantro with a little bit of sweet onion and buzzed it in the Magic Bullet. Then, I added the mixture to the rice water. I used a flower rice mold.

The broiled tomatoes are the easiest thing ever! Just cut each tomato in half, sprinkle with Oregano and a small dollop of goat cheese and into the broiler until cheese is bubbly. I thought I would have a transport problem with the tomatoes, but they hardly moved.

Bento Content:

• Leftover BBQ Chicken (140)
• Cilantro Rice Flower (51)
• Broiled Campari tomato with Oregano & Goat Cheese (25)

Total Bento : 241 calories

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.

It could have been me!

I heard in the news today that a lawsuit was won regarding a 'groping' incident by security in an airport. The amount awarded was US$1.8 million. Yikes...I could have been on the receiving end of that lawsuit! But, alas, I am not the litigious kind!

A few months ago, I was coming from Central America and was going to do a plane change in Puerto Rico and then to New York. On my first leg of the trip, here I am in line, when suddenly we are all instructed to get into two lines - one for men and one for women. Mind you, this was just after I had already given in my boarding ticket to the lady at the gate.

I found this odd and it should have sent me a warning signal that things were about to get stranger....but no, I was tired and only wanted to get on the plane. So, I didn't ask any questions (very odd indeed). All of a sudden, I see that the lady in front of me is told to open her legs wide and put out her arms (nothing strange yet) until....GASP! I see a hand emerging from the front of the lady and cupping the ladies butt!

Before my brain had a chance to digest what I just saw, the inspector approaches me, and without warning puts her hand on the front of my pants and proceeds to touch me (ok, grope) my frontal privates and then proceed to grab my butt and squeezes!! Then thanks me and proceeds to the next victim.

I was in total shock, my face beet red, and for once in my life I am rendered speachless. I could only say "but...but...but". I stayed for a couple of minutes trying to gather what was left of my self respect and noticed that the men on the other line were also being groped on their privates. In the men's case, their family jewels were being totally moved from their original position.

Now, I have been through enough airport security checks to know the drill, and believe me, this was totally innappropriate. Needless to say, when I told my husband, and he saw how upset I was, we called the people in charge of airport security. After many call transfers, I was told that sometimes they did that to look for drugs, and anyway Puerto Rico wasn't part of the US (hhmmm....the first I might understand, the second, well, is just lack of education).

Anyway, we were told that thanks for the info, but nothing could be done.
A few days later, we saw an interview on Larry King Live with a comedienne recounting her encounter with the same kind of thing at another airport. My hubbie and I were amused, due to the coincidence and left it at that.

Then, today, I see the news about the lawsuit. That could have been me! I could have won that 1.8 million lawsuit for sure and I could finally buy that pair of rollerskates that I want! hahaha

Oh well, just another story for my travel saga!

Later,
Z.

The Pet Saga

There was a time when my Dad started to accumulate pets. Well, not all started as pets but they eventually became part of the family.

Let's say that someone gives you a live chicken so that you can make a roasted dinner. Then you decide to give this chicken a name, Mary for example. At that point, the chicken can thank the patron of Birds because most probably it will never see the inside of an oven. Once you name an animal, it becomes a pet.

During the last 15 years, I'd say, my parents' backyard contained the following animals:
A rooster called Kiko and a a bunch of chickens (I don't recall the names).
Two parrots and a couple of parakeets.
A bunch of quails, approximately 40-50 of them.
A dog named Pompy (she is still alive and barking).
Two miniature turtles (Bridgette and Geronimo - these were mine).
A slow-in-the-brain turkey called Clo.
An insane dog called Bolin.

There were many others, but these stick in my head for various reasons.

The rooster outlived many, many chickens. I didn't know poulty lived that long, but this one lived at least 5 years. Very strange, but very true...believe me, that rooster woke me up very early in the morning while I was at my folks!

The quails..oh, did I despise them! These little animals where supposed to be a trial business venture my Dad made up. Quail eggs are VERY expensive, so he wanted to start a quail farm of some sort. He wanted to start them off in our backyard (my Mom was not amused). What he didn't know was that those little birds make a lot of noise and produce a great many eggs. My father got bored, and guess who ended up collecting this never-ending egg supply. Me! So, we were having quails eggs every which way. The neighbours didn't want any more eggs; I guess you can only have so much of a good thing. I must say...fried Quail eggs are too cute to eat! The neighbours were tired of the noise, so my Dad opend the coop and they all flew away.

The turkey didn't last very long, but he is part of my family's stories and will live forever in our minds. I wish they were good memories... A friend of the family, knowing how much my Dad loved animals, gave him a turkey very close to Thanksgiving. Supposedly, they were to stuff it and eat but, but alas, my father gave it a name. Same old story, another pet. The turkey was living with the chickens in the backyard. The dog, Pompy, did not take the turkey's arrival very well. It was used to the chickens, but when it took a gander at the turkey, it seemed very confused. It kept looking at the chickens and then at the turkey. I guess it couldn't figure out if it was an overgrown chicken or what, but poor Pompy was obsessed with it. For a few weeks, Pompy would park herself close to the chicken coop and just stare at the turkey, until one day it gave in to temptation and went berserk and pushed down the chicken wire and chased the turkey all around the yard. A big commotion ensued, where the turkey ran into the house, knocked down a few of my Mom's crystal figurines and proceeded to set itself on top of the dining room table (the one that no one ever uses), and made a poop right on top of it. Needless to say, that was one pet that made it to the oven. No one messes with Mom's decorations and live to tell about it!

The latest saga was a dog named Bolin. This animal was a gift to my parents, and it was a mixture of a Rottweiler and a Dalmation. Oh, this is a combination from hell, I assure you! I don't even know how to name this combo...would it be a Rottmation or maybe a Dalweiler? All I know is that some things should never be combined, and this is one of them.

He started out as a cute animal, I should give him that. He was all black, except that his chest was white with polka dots and half his legs all the way to his paws were also polka dotted. It seemed he had a vest and boots! He was named Bolin, which mean 'Little Ball'. Very cute, but very insane.

We should have known that something was wrong when we couldn't stop him from eating off the paint on my Mom's lawn chairs, when he wouldn't stop eating no matter the quantity of food given to him, the biting and digging up of the lawn. My husband says that he even saw him once licking up some transmission fluid, I don't know.

My hubbie and me were visiting. My husband was sitting on a chair on the front porch, and Boling proceeded to sneak up under the chair and tried to bite his family jewels. Later, he snuck up on me and stuck his head in my skirt from the back and bit me on my tush. But, his crazy-fest ended when he dug up my Mom's orchids. That was the end of the Bolin. He was given away and the last time we heard, his owner took him to a farm and he now happily chases all the guy's chickens and no one can come near the house. Oh well, we hope he has a lovely life! That is the picture of the infamous Bolin.

Right now, only Pompy lives with my folks. We are trying to convince them to get a good puupy because Pompy is getting very old.

I think that it will take a LOT of convincing!

Later,
Z.