short cuts

First I'll brag about my
cool husband this week...
While in SoCal on business
he stopped at Ichiban Kan
and did a bit of shopping
for me.



I sent him with a printout
of my online shopping cart,
but much of what is online
is not stocked at their
smaller retail stores
apparently.

But that didn't stop him!

He thought everything
looked too cute to pass
up (most items are only
$1.50) so he kind of
went nuts. His suitcase
was jam packed for his
flight home


If you're in the U.S., you can
buy most everything here at
Ichiban Kan online.

Now I have to go clear out
another kitchen cabinet to
devote to bento gear. Oy.


While my husband was
enjoying the warm CA
weather, we were hit with
a few feet of snow & sub-
zero temps.

Ryan tried to help Nate
outside to play, but it
was just too deep.

He took off his mittens
and finally sat down,
stuck, and had to be
rescued. I eventually made
a few paths, but he had
had enough.



Since my husband was
away for most of the week
in CA & IN, I thought it
would be an opportune time
to discuss bento shortcuts!

I do not employ outside
help to care for our kids,
so I have to be prepared
to put together healthy
lunches regardless of my
often solo parenting status,
the weather, or a crabby
baby.

Places like Whole Foods with
their antipasto, salad, & hot
bars are invaluable. I don't
buy a lot of anything, but
instead choose a few of the
smallest containers and add
just a few bites of this & that.

Sesame tofu & various pre-
made salads are the boys'
favourites. Easy peasy!

Tuesday:
Ryan's school rescheduled lunchtime and broadcast the Presidential inauguration in the classrooms.
Ryan's lunch: orzo w/pinenuts & herbs (& "Obama" written in nori); edamame; bell pepper strips; cherry tomatoes; black olives; grapes; blueberries; vegetable dumplings w/a bottle of soy sauce; green beans; sesame tofu.

Nate's lunch: bell pepper
strips; cherry tomatoes;
black olives; grapes; blue-
berries; edamame; green
beans; sesame tofu.




AJ's snack: edamame;
green beans; grapes;
sesame tofu.








Let's play "Spy the Baby"!
Maia has been on the move
lately. She was on the
pillow when I left to
start water boiling in the
kitchen...but 2 minutes
later she was playing with
her brothers' Lego manuals
across the room.



Oooh, my husband was
home 2 days this week...
husband's lunch: two
clementines; grapes &
blueberries; salad w/
chicken-free nugget
pieces & roasted red
pepper vinaigrette.

Wednesday:
My first attempt at a penguin didn't go so well...but by the second one below I had figured it out. Tip: use a piece of raw angel hair pasta to hold the hot dog piece onto the rice ball.
Ryan's lunch: cucumber "fish" shapes; rice ball penguin; cinnamon letter cookies; a pickle; carrots; grapes; sesame tofu.

AJ's snack: rice ball
penguin; a pickle; a
carrot; a grape; sesame
tofu; a cucumber "fish".




I had to post this dinner
because the boys and
my husband all raved
about it and went back
for seconds...

Quick Chili Mac & Chreez

1 lb. box pasta
1 recipe chili chreez sauce
(below)
1 can chili (I used Amy's
medium, or make your own)
1 medium can diced tomatoes
(drained--I save the liquid
to use in soup later)
1 medium can beans (kidney,
pinto, or black beans)
1/2 cup grated soy cheese (optional)
1/2 cup fried onions

Cook pasta al dente and drain. While pasta is cooking, make chreez sauce. Mix cooked pasta with chreez sauce. Spread into casserole dish (I use a 9"x13" glass baking dish).
In a large bowl mix chili, beans, & tomatoes. Layer on top of pasta.
Add shredded soy cheese (if using).
Cover and bake in a 350F oven for 25 minutes.
Uncover, add fried onions, bake another 5 minutes.

Chili Chreez Sauce

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 cup flour
1 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups water
1 tsp. mustard
1-2 tsp. chili oil

In a saucepan, mix first 6 (dry) ingredients. Add water and cook over med-high heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens.
Remove from heat and add mustard & chili oil.

This sauce is also GREAT with nachos!

Thursday:
Ryan's lunch: Italian pasta salad (recipe in index); cucumber slices; grapes; chicken-free nuggets; "2 of hearts" creme cheez & raspberry jam sandwich.

AJ & Nate had
smaller versions of
what Ryan had.





Maia is trying a few more
foods--avocado, grapes,
oatmeal w/coconut milk &
rice milk--but her favourite
is still chewing off bits of a
banana.






Friday:
I've seen people draw all sorts of things on clementines on Japanese bento websites. I thought Ryan would enjoy this one...
Ryan's lunch: a "Pikachu" clementine; blanched spinach; smoked Tofurky & soy cheese rolls; mini pumpkin muffin; a pickle; onigiri triangle; grapes.

First Food!

First a leftover from friday...I think I'm finally figuring out this new camera, sigh.
Ryan's lunch: julienne sesame salad over udon noodles; green beans; peanuts; carrots; mini creme cheese & jam sandwiches.

Saturday was AJ's 5th
birthday party.
He asked for a chocolate
cake with chocolate
frosting & chocolate
chips!!! It's a good thing
most of it got eaten at the
party because chocolate
cake is my favourite!
His party was at the
Discovery Children's
Museum in Acton.
I just couldn't face
a party of 10 boys
at our house in the
winter.


Here's Maia waiting patiently in the car for everything to be loaded for the ride home again.

Sunday I took Maia's
"day before 6 months"
photos. I have photos
of all the kids at this
age in black & white
in our bedroom.


She loved playing with
toys on the bed. She
also loves the flower
rattle that I had when
I was a baby.




Monday:
Ryan's lunch: leftover burrito & guacamole from Acapulcos (from AJ's birthday dinner on sunday); broccoli; honeydew melon.

AJ had his first turn
the class bear "Coop
Bear" from preschool.
He was very happy to
dress him in his pjs &
introduce him to his
giraffe at bedtime.

Tuesday:

Ryan
stayed
home
"sick",
which
I later
figured
out
was
his
attempt
not to
miss
Maia's
first
try of
food,
even
though I'd told him I'd wait until he was home.
AJ's snack (in his new Mario bento): mushroom pizza; mini pumpkin muffin; honeydew melon; Simply Booty.
Nate's
lunch:
a pickle;
mini
pumpkin
muffin;
a carrot;
broccoli
& onion
pizza;
honeydew
melon.







I steamed part of our last butternut squash from the farm for Maia's first taste of food...

"So where are the toys?"










"What's this stuff?"








"Um, I don't know about this."











"You want it, help yourself."








"Please take this stuff away!"








Apparently gnawing on a
banana is right up her
alley though. Sigh.

And for those of you
without kids...banana
comes out the other end
looking like little red/brown
worms in the beginning...
eeeew!


Wednesday:

Ryan's
lunch:
apple-
sauce;
chocolate
peanut
butter
sandwich
rolls;
grapes;
mini
pumpkin
muffin;
carrots;
peas &
corn;
honeydew
melon.
AJ's snack: Tings;
creme cheese & jam
snowflake sandwich;
grapes; carrots;
honeydew melon.




Thursday:
Ryan's lunch: mini banana blueberry muffin; carrots; rice triangle; grapes; cucumber salad; peanuts.

AJ's
snack:
grapes;
cucumber
salad;
mini
pumpkin
miso
muffin;
rice
flower.

Nate's
lunch:
mini
banana
blue-
berry
muffin; mini pumpkin miso muffin; grapes; cucumber salad.

Here's my version of cucumber salad that the boys all ask for:

Cucumber Salad

2-3 large cucumbers (I prefer the long thin english variety, or fresh from the farm, because there's no wax coating)
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. rice vinegar
1 tsp. grated ginger
1/2 tsp. mirin or agave nectar

Slice cucumbers thinly (I like to use a mandoline). Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over cucumbers.

Friday:
Ryan's lunch: spicy baked tofu over rice (with a snow pea garnish); yellow mini gel cup; carrots; mango slices; broccoli.

The boys go bonkers for my spicy baked tofu...feel free to double the amount of tofu & increase the sauce by 50% if you're serving a table full of tofu hounds!

Spicy Baked Tofu

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3 scallions, chopped
2 tsp. grated ginger
1/2 tsp. hot sauce (I make my own from fresh hot peppers in the summer, but bottled will do)
3 T. soy sauce
2 T. cooking sherry
2 T. rice vinegar
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 T. sesame oil
1 tsp. chili oil (optional)
1 package water-packed tofu

Prehear oven to 400 degrees.
Mix all but the tofu in a glass baking dish.
Cube tofu into small bite-sized pieces. Toss together with the sauce.
Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Lights, Camera, Action!

Let's
hope
the
new
camera
works!
I still
haven't
read
the
manual
(I never
read
directions,
or ask for
directions
if I'm lost
LOL).
But at
least it's getting the job done...wow, I had intended to put a big red "2009" on Ryan's sandwich, but I was rather pressed for time monday morning!
Ryan's lunch: tofu salad sandwich on whole wheat bun; brown rice edamame salad; dried apricots; a pickle; a mini orange gel cup.

Tofu Salad

1 firm asceptic pack tofu (12.3 oz.)
1 T. nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. soy sauce
1-2 ribs celery, chopped
1-2 scallions, chopped

Mash tofu and next 4 ingredients with fork. Add celery & scallions. Mix with fork. Chill. Serve!

Here are the kids
coming back from
a cousin's birthday
party that evening
at the Rainforest
Cafe.



Tuesday:
I only
got a
photo
of
Ryan's
food,
though
the
other
boys'
food
was
similar,
just
smaller.

Ryan's
lunch:
spinach;
a pickle; a carrot; roasted almonds; mini Tofurky sandwiches.

I love the tiny cocktail loaves that are in stores during the holidays. They make such fun kid-sized sandwiches.

Wednesday:
Once again, only Ryan's lunch...but that's because the town where the other boys go to preschool had a snow day, like almost every other town in New England except ours! It's a good thing Ryan walks to kindergarten and my husband walks to work!
Ryan's lunch: rice with carrot "fish"& snowpea "seaweed"; a salad; mini banana blueberry muffin; a celery stick; vanilla soy pudding on the side.
He has been requesting I add a "note" to his lunchbox lately. Just what I need, more to prepare! My father used to make my lunches as a kid, and he always double or triple wrapped my sandwiches and tucked in goofy rhyming poetry. Oy.

Thursday:
Ryan's lunch: fresh pineapple chunks; mini pumpkin miso muffin; 2 sugar cookies; mashed potatoes; peanuts; a meatless meatball; broccoli; asparagus.

Nate's
lunch:
pineapple
chunks;
cucumber
salad
(the boys
all fought
over who
got the
leftover
cucumber
salad in
the
morning--
I should
have
made
more); broccoli; meatless meatball; mini pumpkin miso muffin.

AJ's snack: broccoli; mashed potatoes; meatless meatball.

I was fiddling with my camera before taking photos of friday's lunch...so that'll have to wait until next week!

Giveaway Winner!

And the winner is...

MindfulMama!

























Congratulations! You'll be receiving your football food picks before the end of the month.

Please bear with me everyone...I had intended to post a video of Ryan pulling out the winning comment from a hat. But my camera died. And I mean DIED. It was already on its last legs: the battery door had to be left open or it would mysteriously drain new batteries within a day, the retractable lens cover no longer opened & closed properly and was super-glued open, etc. But when I went to use it sunday evening it wouldn't function anymore, at all.

So I got a new camera. But we could not afford my dream camera, so I have a new point & shoot Casio...with a few hundred page CD-rom "book" to read so I can figure out how to do the most basic things like, say, turn off the ridiculous face-recognition and smile features...who uses this stuff??
And I need to load new software to even get photos off the memory card.
Basically, I need free time that I don't possess. So bear with me...hopefully I'll be back up and running by my usual friday post!!

Ramen Pride

Happy New Year!

Maia survived her
brothers' wrath on
their presents Xmas
morning.



And I loved finally
giving her this holiday
Hello Kitty blanket I'd
been saving and saving
for her. So cute. She
also got a Hello Kitty
toothbrush...for her
two teeth.

The boys are on holiday break this week, so no lunches to pack and share!

So why is it you never see professional chefs using ramen noodles, aside from Robert Irvine's Dinner: Impossible mission at a comedy improv club? They're available at every corner grocer, cheaper than cheap, and eaten constantly it seems in Japan. Yet in the U.S they're viewed as poor man's college dorm food (sure, we all ate too many of them then). I wonder how many chefs who admit going home exhausted and making a PBJ sandwich sometimes have a pot noodle?

I admit it, I like ramen. But let's face it, they're junk. But junk with potential!! Throw away the non-veg seasoning packet, rinse the excess oil off the noodles after cooking, add some frozen veggies, and voila! A half-decent meal in minutes!
Miso Ramen

1 packet ramen noodles
1 handful baby greens (ie. tat soi, arugula, dandelion, kale, frisee) or sliced bok choy
1/2-1 radish, thinly sliced
1 green onion (scallion), chopped
2 tsp. miso + 2 T. hot cooking water
1 tsp. soy sauce

Boil a small pot of water. Add ramen noodles.
Cook 3 minutes, adding a handful of baby greens & the sliced radish during the last minute.
Remove 2 tablespoons of hot water and mix with the miso.
Drain noodles (I give them a brief rinse too).
Top noodles with green onion, pour on miso and soy sauce.

One of my favourite hot breakfasts!

But here is my New Year's
Day breakfast: just
simple fruit...strawberries,
banana, clementine.





Add here is one of my
new favourite products...
vegan soy-free gluten-free
rice cheese slices! This
is the pepper jack flavour
and in my opinion it's
really yummy!