Archive for bento

I’m a terrible MOFO’er: Late night student eats

As the end of term draws near and dealines loom my time in the kitchen becomes non-existant… as do my meals. In efforts to rectify that I made time to make diner, which is a shame because it was so easy to throw together I should make time to do it everyday.

Bonus for when times are tight and limited cook a bit extra, or make 3-4 things. You can save a little bit of everything to throw into a lunch container for the next day which is what i did.
First I made a simple stir fry with frozen mixed veggies, soysauce, squirt of plum sauce, lemon juice, chili oil, sesame oil and seeds. Very tasty, super easy way to make sure you get at least a bit of green.

frozen stir fry mix (broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, yellow carrot coins)
-sesame seeds, chili oil, toasted sesame oil, garlic, plum sauce, red chilis, all spice, mustard seeds, lemon juice, soysauce.
fry together, string often

The rest of the meal was less green with some roasted red potatoes and vegan chicken strips from super store. Again, it doesn’t have to be fancy as long as your eating something during the long days.

Roasted potatoes:
diced red potatoes
canjun spice mix, texan spice mix, veggie grill spice mix, paprika, pepper, olive oil.
Bake at 400 shake/stir every 15 you can bake these with the strips to save time. After the 1st 15 minutes push potatoes to one side to add mock-chicken. Continue baking until done.
Salt AFTER they are finished, otherwise potatoes tend to absorb salt.

I topped the strips with some thai sweet chili heat sauce and tucked a small portion of each into my amazing Green-go containers! ❤ they are fantastic.
Be sure to let your leftovers cool before placing the lid, otherwise these suckers will steam up and lose their texture. Place in the fridge and grab on your way out the door to study!

Veganmofo: Vegan Iron Chef: Mashed Potatoes: Jyagatama


This weeks Vegan Iron Chef Challenge (posted on fridays by the lovely Katie @Don’t Eat off the Sidewalk will keep the posts and possible round ups (?) going.

This weeks challenge was :drumroll: Mashed Potatoes!

I cannot express how much I am looking forward to the results. I had a few different ideas, potato pancakes, cupcakes, burgers, mashed potato frosting for ‘neat’ loaves. So many possibilities with one of my favourite foods, even the Veganmofo round up of Sweet potato Gnocchi.

Then I remembered one of my Bento cookbooks and a recipe I’d been eyeing for a while for the adorable Jyagatamas. Which are basically like a potato salad dough ball. Cute, small, fast, adroable, simple and used everything I already had on hand!

Another tip, for a more traditional feel a potato ricer or food processor will give a smoother mash and lead to nicer balls. Mine are a tad ‘rustic’ due to the fork based mashing.
Plus they would make an adorable addition to lunches for the week.

Here’s the basic recipe:

Edit: mine were a bit to moist and almost hummusy in parts. Traditionally they are fairly dry and starchy. The flour edition kinda helped but next time I would cut the veganaise down to 1/4 cup to test the waters.

4 cups mashed potatoes (or a pot full of potatoes choppped and boiled)
3 carrots matchsticked, these only need to blanch for 2 minutes, I added them to the potatoes just before they were done
1/2 cup veganaise**
2 tps stone ground spicy or dijon mustard
4 pickle slices chopped, extra picked onions all diced (I had some great homemade stuff form my dad’s girlfriend)
dash of lemon juice
celery seed
pepper
chopped parsely
minced garlic

One the potatoes and carrots are cooking, dice your pickles and combine with everything else in a bowl. Whip together and wait until potatoes/carrots cool. Once cool mashed the potatoes with the dressing in the bowl the toss in carrots and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.

chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow flavours to combine. One the mixture is cool roll into little balls and serve immediately or chill for future use!

Traditionally they tend to contain peas and other cooked veggies but I only had carrots on hand. These were also a little wet so I experimented with adding a bit of WW flour to some.

Working on the phone cords

Lunch again!
Bento inspired…. well shorta.
I made sushi :3
Today’s dish:
Vegan Fumaki
Inari
no veggies on hand veggie roll (end of the rice, nori, too much vinegar, sesami seeds,carrots and green onions)
Can peaches
A green apple
More moisture bars –>Recipe here
Roast and salted soynuts
Apple/rasberry sauce
Irish cream coffee
Ice water

Hope your lunch was a tad more inspiring!

Work Place lunch day 2

Leftover pizza from a pizza joint

  • Tomatoes, green peppers, onions and mushrooms sans cheese

Water

Coffee

Moisturizing bars

Moisturizing bars

Last night I had the urge to create something sweat and good for me.. short of. So these bars are full of protien, omegas and all you need for healthy smooth skin!

Ingredients: Values are estimated**

  • 1/2 C Tahini
  • 1 Jar of almond butter
  • 2/3 C Peanut Butter
  • 1/4 C chocolate chips (carob if the health factors an issue)
  • 1/3C Coconut and walnuts
  • 2 C rice puffs
  • Flavour with corn syrup or Maple (once again the health issue)

combine nut butters and syrup in pot, heat until smooth add goodies stir and pour into greased pan. Chill, cut, serve and be healthy! (or not)

Work Based Lunches

So it’s summer now and I’ve voted for the part time, 3 days a week, picking up extra shifts schedule, which means one thing.. LUNCHES!
Because there is no place to eat.
No.Place.

So for each day I’m working/packing/posting I’ll write up a little blurb, recipes if possible, photos is my PC ever comes back.
Today:
Small box of blueberries and strawberries
bag lays chips (leftover from meal deal at Extreme Pita)
Sandwhich

  • Flax/sunflour bread (Both heels! I got jibbed by the family who moouches my bread)
  • 5 slices of Yves turkey(vegan)
  • sweet onion mustard
  • Naynaise(vegan)
  • Toffuties American Cheese (vegan)
  • Diced red and green pepers
  • Wild greens organic mix
  • salt and pepper

A green apple

Giant coffee cup (:3 filled with Irish Cream coffee at work)

Hopefull water later

an Oriental Noodle thing (yay sodium!)

I also found some amazing PB left in my bad (yay!) so a few tablespoon or the rest of that.

Uninspiring, I apologize.