Toddler bento 004

Toddler bento 004

Well, sadly for me daycare didn't work out for Miss A. But I will try to continue making bento's for her even though she will eat them at home. Today's bento: scrambled egg on cos lettuce leaves, cherry tomatoes and green grapes.

Toddler bento 003

Toddler bento 003

After going overboard last time with food that didn't get eaten, a simpler toddler bento today. Just yoghurt and fresh fruit (green grapes and plum).

Never mind the fact I had to go pick her up after only an hour (she had been crying non-stop since I dropped her off).

Toddler bento 002

Toddler bento #002 - Moroccan couscous with peas, scrambled egg, fresh plum pieces, bran buds, raisins, banana and whole milk.  After I made this 'bento' it felt like I had enough food for a 10 year old! I knew she'd never eat all this, but hoped she would try a little of everything.

The banana was shared with me, she ate most of the bran buds, and I fed her some of the couscous and egg. Saved the rest for later when she had the plum and raisins, but the couscous and egg ended up being thrown away. I really hate wasting food (I'd sooner just eat it myself) but it had been in a hot car so I didn't know if it would still be ok.

Toddler bento 001

Finally I have a 'reason' to make bento again! My little girl "Miss A" is now 18 months old and yesterday she started in-home daycare for the first time. Means I'll be making her a packed lunch to bring twice a week.

Toddler bento 001

Her first lunch was just a selection of things I hoped she would eat (she is not a big eater, and I knew half of it would come back, which it did). You probably can't really call it a -bento-, but my aim is to make her interesting lunches of the bento kind.

Pasta bento

One thing I love about bento is it really helps with portion control, making it easier when you want to lose some weight. After having baby I lost so much weight there was a time I felt I was too thin, but have since gained some of it back, now I want to lose some again. So a bento at home today, using what I had on hand. Might be time to go shopping for some vege bento fillers.

Pasta wheels in a squash and tomato sauce, 1-egg tamagoyaki and brocolli.



German Pancake with Pears

German Pancake with Pears

It's an oven-baked pancake, resembles the traditional Dutch 'Apple Cake' but without the all the butter and a lot less sugar. Pears are used instead of apples but either can be nice.

German Pancake with Pears
4 eggs
1 cup milk
2 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup self raising flour
2 pears, cored and thinly siced

Combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon and salt, beat with electric mixer.
Add flour and beat again.
Pour the mixture into a greased round cake tin or oven-proof skillet.
Top with the sliced pears.
Bake in preheated oven (230 degrees Celcius) for 20-25 mins.

Optional:
Mix equal amounts of sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top prior to baking.
OR
Sprinkle with powdered sugar after baking.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Salmon, soba, and roasted red bell pepper sauce

Living in a tiny studio apartment with my 14 month old, is not ideal. Hoping it's only for another 3 months, which means another house move at the end of June. My bento stuff is mostly packed away in boxes due to lack of space in my 'kitchen' that doubles as living room, bedroom, dining room, and storage. I do live within 3 mins of a supermarket AND an Asian food store so I should be able to get back into making bento. Here is today's bento lunch eaten at home. See below for recipe for roasted red bell pepper sauce with lime. 

Soba noodles, red bell pepper sauce, salmon, tomato and cucumber

Soba noodles with toasted sesame seeds and 'soba sauce' from the Asian supermarket. Red bell pepper sauce with lime, cooked salmon, tomato and cucumber slices.

Red roasted bell pepper sauce with lime
2 large red bell peppers (capsicum)
2 Tbs good olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice & zest of 1 lime
salt & freshly ground pepper

Roast the bell peppers for ~10 mins until the skin blackens. Cool and peel off the skin.
Warm the olive oil gently and stir in the garlic for a minute.
Place roasted pepper, olive oil, garlic and juice & zest of 1 lime in food processor and mix till desired consistency. Season with salt & freshly ground pepper.