A very un-wintery break from all things routine

The nudges were subtle, but definitely, there.

“R- chan, you’ve been very busy?”

“The last time I saw something was … February 2nd?  I do read your blog without being prompted, you know…”

My father, ever the supporter, was dropping hints.

Then, a dear friend of mine who sends me cyber-encouragement through her site visits (the counts keep me going) noted the last entry… and I finally gathered my wits together to try to play catch up.

Work was indeed, hectic for the past few weeks.  Several business meetings in various local areas sapped my energy, as well as my creativity, and I found my bentos were starting to fall into a routine.  I realized I started depending on my husband, mother-in-law, and daycare provider – but truly, there were certain limitations such as meeting times, train schedules and closing hours to be carefully planned around.

Of course, the girls didn’t go hungry.

I was pleasantly to discover, my daughters loved the zucchini slices that were sautéed in canola or olive oil until the edges were barely translucent, and then tossed with soy sauce and lemon juice.  Chicken wings, drumsticks and turkey meatballs were staples – but the occasional mini-hot dog was also a big hit.  Sugar snap peas were available again – and these made great additions to the bentos when quickly blanched after being rinsed and de-stringed.  Broccoli, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, carrot and celery sticks were staples – as they were quick, healthy, and added crunchy texture to lunch.  The rice cooker was my best friend – and between onigiri, and steamed multi-grain rice topped with either sesame seeds or gomashio, I had the carbohydrates covered.

Blackberries and blueberries were also available, as well as the smaller sized Fuji apples I was able to buy in bags at Trader Joe’s. 

I then realized, I was so busy, I hadn’t stopped at the Japanese store in weeks… and realized I NEEDED to stop by when I had run out of soy sauce.  I cannot function without soy sauce!

I made a quick stop at the store, and picked up quail eggs, ginger, daikon, and frozen udon noodles.  I realized afterward, it is amaebi, or sweet shrimp season, and had neglected to pick up a pack of these delicious seasonal treasures of the ocean.  They are a bit of an acquired taste – both in texture, as well as in preparation.  The shrimp are eaten raw, and similar to eating crawfish, you twist the heads off, peel the delicate shells off, which easily peel off, and pop the tails into your mouth.  They are creamy and delicious – similar to the texture of scallop sashimi.

I can attest – you either love them or hate them – I fall into the “love” team, while my husband definitely falls into the latter due to the texture.

I’ll have to go back this week and hope the season isn’t over…

Needless to say.  Back to trying to step back into the bento blogging routine!

A beet-type of bento

The past two days were soup lunches for my daughter.   Yesterday, she gave me a serious look, and said, “Mama.  I want beets and gohan (rice).”  I replied, with an equally serious look, “OK.  We’ll be back to beets and gohan then.”

Today’s lunch included:

Steamed multi-grain rice (brown rice, barley, quinoa, millet, wheat berries) with kuro-gomashio or black sesame seed and’ salt

Roasted beets in heart shapes

Baked chicken drumsticks, seasoned with salt, pepper and a little squeeze of lemon

Blanched broccoli with katsuobushi and a drop of soy sauce

In a separate tupperware container, some blackberries were included to finish off the meal.  Hopefully she enjoys her routine bento again!

Last week of February – hello March!

I was excited to find fresh quail eggs at the Japanese store.  They were tucked away, between the organic chicken eggs and the tofu, little ten-packs of speckled eggs, each egg about 3/4 inches long.  In the past, I would purchase the pre-boiled, canned ones, but something exciting about boiling and peeling these mini-eggs.  I also love that there are ten – two each bento-packing day, and two left over to survive my younger one’s pilfering. 

Over the weekend, I made another batch of turkey meatballs.  The ingredients were the usual mixture (minced onion, garlic, ginger, carrots, celery, flax seeds and steel-cut oatmeal), except this time, I added a little scallion and a drop of sesame oil as I mixed the meat together.  The meatballs were extremely fragrant as they baked in the oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, covered.

Monday’s lunch was:

Sliced red bell pepper pieces.  My older one grabbed this pepper at Makinajian’s and insisted we NEEDED to have it – so I agreed and sliced it up for her lunch.  She loved them.

Turkey meatballs

Sliced roasted beets

Steamed multi-grain rice with black gomashio.  My goal for the coming week is to think of a different seasoning for the rice. 

Boiled quail eggs  

This was the star lunch that was completely finished off.  After dinner, both girls enjoyed some frozen vanilla yogurt while they skyped with their grandparents.

Tuesday’s lunch was:

Grilled salmon fillet, de-boned

Blanched broccoli, drop of soy sauce for seasoning

Quartered beets

Steamed multi-grain rice, black gomashio

Boiled quail eggs

Wednesday’s lunch – to try to mix it up a bit… but the same basics

Turkey meatballs

Boiled edamame

Steamed multi-grain rice with white and black sesame seeds

Quartered beets

Boiled quail eggs

Blackberries

This was also a hit lunch – with the exception of a spoonful of rice, my daughter cleaned out her bento box, and greeted me at her daycare door with a huge grin telling me she finished ALL her BEN-TO!

Thursday, homestretch – the last pair of boiled quail eggs. 

Grilled salmon fillet

Potatoes that were first boiled until fork-tender, then cooked on a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until the surfaces were browned.  Finished off with a sprinkle of sea salt.

Beets, quartered

I asked my daughter what else she wanted for lunch – and she insisted, the little eggies, beets, go-han (rice), edamame, ballies and fish.

It might be time for me to start reinventing her lunches! 

TGIF.  Woo Hoo!

One side note.  March 3rd, Thursday, was Hinamatsuri, or  Girl’s Day in Japan.  My parents sent both grandchildren, each, a set of their own beautiful, handcrafted dolls.  Some girls are fortunate to have several platforms for various other dolls (e.g. court ladies, musicians) according to their social hierarchy in the ancient Imperial court during the Heian era, but at our house, we have the first platform with the Empress (ohinasama) and Emperor (odairi sama).

As a child, I looked forward to eating the sweetened puffed rice, bits of pink and green puffed rice mixed with white ones – my mother reminding me not to gobble everything down at once.  A package from Japan arrived this past Monday from Jiji and Baba containing savory arare (small, dime sized rice crackers) and pink and white puffs with a little chocolate.  The girls have been enjoying a little bit each day, after dinner.

I had been so distracted with every other aspect in my life, I realized I had not set the dolls out to display.  I knew my parents would be disappointed, and I put them out after both kids and my husband went to bed last night.  They now adorn our dining room table – a little bit of Japanese culture to celebrate the girls.

P.S.  The key is to now put them away, very SOON!