Bento #9

Let's talk summer Bento

*Serious Face*

Just a simple little Moroccan feast today
Stuffed peppers, spicy couscous
and green salad with pea shoots.
Casual.

Did I stuff my own peppers?
Errr...no.
Why would I want to do that?

Goats cheese.
Cranberry toasts.
*yawn, yawn*
"Same old, same old" I hear you cry.
!!surprise!!
home grown thyme!
Bet you weren't expecting that!

Ripe nectarine with raspberries.
And purple viola.
What???
Doesn't everyone
have flowers
in their lunchbox?
I'm shocked.

Food safety is important during the summer.
I have a fridge in my office
but if you don't you should read this post.

Me - I'm holding off on the fresh seabass ceviche
until it cools down again.

*****

I'm eating this with MissM...
she is advising me what to wear tomorrow
to a poetry book launch in Acton.

I don't even know where Acton is.

Bento #8

Stand by your beds
it's Bento time!

Can we can get any madder?
Or more extravagant?
Yes we can!

Dressed crab salad.
And why not?

< Don't lick the computer screen... >

Goats cheese with cranberry and hazelnut toast
and a golden oregano leaf.
Because coriander is so last week.

Red fruit salad with free range raspberries.
No expense spared around here.

I am eating this with Blogless Andrea
who sent me this link about sock knitting.
Willow pattern socks!
What's not to like?

Bento #7

Post-holiday, I am inspired
to dizzying new heights
of Bento achievement.

Couscous and roasted vegetables
with lamb from my Sunday roast.
Turns out you can use leftovers.
Who knew?

What's that I hear you cry?
"Give me a CLOSE UP
of the ORANGE tomato"

'kay...
since you asked so nicely...

Goat's cheese with nutty toasts.
Same old, same old?
I think not.
This coriander leaf was home grown.

My famous mango and black grape salad.
It is a secret family recipe
I could give you the method
but I would have to kill you afterwards.

I am eating this one with Jee.
She has done my job
and knows how much pain
the Exam term involves.
She will fan me with marksheets
and I will look at photos
of her adorable granddaughter
and I am sure I will stop hyper-ventilating.

Bento #6

The Four Course meal
'Madness in a Bento Box'

Today I opened the bento box
and thought to myself
"Are you crazy?
This is a four course meal...
Take a picture immediately
or no-one will believe you"

Broad bean and mint houmous croustades.
Warning! These are possibly addictive
and could affect your waistline.

Falafel with rice salad.
Warning! These falafel were disgusting...
don't try to recreate this at home.

Photogenic tomatoes.
Not much more to say about that.

Goats cheese on apricot flat bread.
With coriander garnish.
Because It Is Pretty.
Don't judge me.

Melon and blueberry fruit salad.
With pomegranate.
Because It Is Pretty.
See above.

I'm eating this with the Lady Professor.
She's my new best friend
because she sent me this link
Who's laughing now?

Bento #5

Readers Guide has made a Bento!
I am so excited about this!
I can pretend we are having lunch together!

This is a deconstructed Niçoise salad
made with quails eggs and smoked mackerel,
leftover potatoes and green beans.

Here is some Bento knowledge:

1.
Quails eggs only take 2 minutes to boil
but half a lifetime to peel.

2.
If you are eating in your office
with the Bento on your knee
do not get up too quickly
when the phone rings
or you will spend your lunchtime
cleaning pasta salad off the carpet.

3.
Do not make your Bento too pretty
otherwise you will stare at it,
amazed at your own cleverness,
and be quite unable to eat it.

And now, if you will excuse me,
I have a hot date with Readers Guide.
I want her to tell me all about
N's trip to South America.

Bento #4

Ta dah!
The Bento Box has landed!**

This was a surprise birthday present
from the Lovely but Ill Jenny.
A real Bento Box with features!
Layers, lids, compartments.

This allows me to have mini croustades
filled with lemon and coriander houmous.
I didn't make the croustade cases
but I did fill them with houmous
I know my skill set.

Rice salad.
with smoked mackerel.
And nuts.

Peach Melba salad.
Unnecessarily pretty.
Not much more I can say about that.

I'm eating this one with Jenny.
We are popping over to Shanghai
to visit the Jade Buddha temple.

Jenny will eat the famous
double mushroom noodles (双菇面)
while I admire the features of
my extremely groovy Bento Box
We'll be straight back for the
Department Board at 2pm. Honest.

*****

** apologies to those of a sensitive disposition

Bento #3

Did you think that the novelty would wear off?
You were wrong!

Today was a layered salmon salad
with mixed leaves, potatoes and spring onions
followed by strawberries and blueberries.

I find it surprisingly absorbing
to make these bento boxes.
They only take about ten minutes
and I enjoy assembling the ingredients.

I sprinkle sugar on the strawberries
so that it forms a light syrup
and prevents the strawberries from drying out.

This bento box is being eaten
with my favourite blogless buddies
Paola, ToffeeApple and Liz in Missouri.
We are meeting in Bloomsbury Square
and going to Persephone Books,
Loop (for the knitters)
Hatchards (for the readers)
followed by tea at Fortnums.
Is that a date, ladies?

There was a very exciting Bento happening today
but you will have to wait until next week
before all is revealed!
A Bento Ta-Dah!!

Bento #2

Poached salmon with potato salad and cucumber

I'm getting more confident.
This is a bought potato salad
with added cornichons
and some poached salmon.

It was pretty delicious,
although I say it myself, *as shouldn't.
(*Where does this come from? I've no idea!)

I added giant preztels
because this is my New York bento.
I pretended I was eating with bb.
We have a lot to catch up on...
she's been on holiday
and I want to hear all about it.

The strawberries are pretty, no?
Prettiness is permitted
under Rule #2
"Bento must be fun".

Bento #1

Feta & Butternut Squash salad

Here it is!
My first Salarywoman Bento box.
Who knew that aligning tomatoes
could be so much fun?

Rules of the Bento Box

1.
It doesn't have to be homemade
because the objective is
to stop having panic attacks at lunch time,
not to start having them in the morning.
This is a Tesco prepacked salad
and very good it was.

2.
It's got to be fun.
This is a practical plastic box
but I can indulge myself
with designer storage if I wish.
It's not going to break the bank.
Why not a collection of furoshiki cloth ?

You will see that I did not have room
for the tiny pot of salad dressing.
Beginners mistake, I am afraid.

Thanks to Sue for the link to Just Bento
and to MrM for the map mats.

Luncheon

I love our weekend lunches
of soup and good bread,
cheese and fresh fruit
when we have time to sit and chat.

Weekdays are quite a different story
and I had an unpleasant experience on Friday.
I went into one of the catering outlets for lunch,
looked at the limited choice of baguettes and ciabattas,
and felt overwhelmingly nauseous.

It was quite unexpected and I had to leave quickly.
I got my lunch off campus and as I ate it
I knew that I wouldn't be buying sandwiches again.
After seven years my body has rebelled.

I know that the solution is obvious:
to make my own lunches
but I'm fighting it.
I truly hate preparing packed lunches.

If you have any recommendations
for recipe books or websites
which will give me a kickstart
I would be very grateful.

So...
watch out for my forthcoming post on Bento boxes...
sigh.