Thursday brings us closer to the weekend…

Thursday bento included:

Roasted Trader Joe’s pork tenderloin – I had seared the pork tenderloin, and roasted in a covered Corningware for 25 minutes at 325 degrees.  I let it rest, and allowed it to cool before slicing. 

Steamed multi-grain onigiri with a konbu (kelp) and tarako (cod roe) center.  I had picked this goodie up at the Japanese store.  The konbu is simmered in flavor-rich, soy-sauce and mirin, and julienned. 

Blanched string beans

Pickled turnips slices  and celery rib and leaves.  These sweet, crisp slices are marinated overnight (and beyond) in soy sauce, rice vinegar, slivered ginger, sesame oil and lemon juice for today’s version…  I’ll make a used marinara sauce jar full of this pickle – but between the girls and I, we quickly munch through an entire batch within 24 hours!  Often, I’ll start over the very next day with variations in the marinade.

Grape tomatoes

Blueberries

Papa is off to New Orleans with some friends – I’m trying to keep my wits and patience together with my foot, and the thought of maneuvering through the weekend activities on my own.  This too shall pass!

A summery March Tuesday

Hard to stomach the fact there was no significant snowfall this winter, and that I am seeing various flowers sprouting.  What happened to winter??

Today’s lunch included:

Sauteed zucchini slices in canola oil, sprinkled with a little salt and black pepper

Roasted beet hearts

Whole wheat penne pasta with sausage, beet greens, mushrooms and broccoli in marinara sauce

Baked turkey meatballs with grape tomatoes

My injured “paw” or as my parents lovingly nicknamed my feet “webbed feet” (similar to a duck) throbs as the day progresses.  My parents ask, worried over skype – “How’s your webbed foot today?”

“It has a headache…” I reply.

Can’t wait until I’m up to full speed, zipping about again. 

 

 

A little greens here, a little gomashio there…

It’s hard to believe January is over, and February has hopped on board.

My daughter’s bento box broke, so we are now substituting with a tupperware with silicone cups for sections.

I lived in Atlanta, GA during my high school years, and I enjoyed a little dabbling in Southern culture.  I fell in love with collard greens, as well as boiled peanuts.  Sometimes, I have business associates who come across canned boiled peanuts and they ship them up to NY with a chuckle… but they are never the real deal.

I was happy to come across some collards at my beloved farm – and decided to take on the greens challenge for this week.

Monday lunch included:

Baked turkey-grated onion-garlic-carrot-celery-ginger meatballie

Collard greens seasoned with a little vegetable stock, and pancetta.  I carefully washed a bunch of collard greens from the farm, cut off the tough stalk end, and carefully shaved the main “vein” of the green down the center.  I then rolled the leaves, and cut them into 1/8 strips.  Into a medium pan, 2 cups vegetable stock, a tbs of pancetta (I keep pre-cut pancetta in the freezer) and the carefully rinsed greens over medium heat.  The leaves turned brilliant green, and then a darker olive color.  I cooked until the liquid was cooked away on medium-low heat – about 45 minutes.  Not truly an authentic “Greens” recipe using smoked ham hocks or smoked turkey wings – but satisfactory!  A delicious balance of the sweetness of the greens, and of the salty and savory bits of pancetta in this home-y dish.

Multi-grain onigiri with grilled and flaked shiozake (salted salmon) filling, wrapped with nori

Blackberries

 

Tuesday lunch was:

Baked chicken wingette and drumette seasoned with soy sauce, lemon juice, poultry seasoning

Roasted beets in heart shapes

Zucchini slices sautéed in canola oil, seasoned with white pepper and soy sauce

Blanched sugar snap peas and grape tomatoes

Steamed multi-grain rice

 

Wednesday lunch included:

Turkey meatballie

Carrot sticks

Grape tomatoes

Blackberries

Steamed multi-grain rice topped with a little gomashio, or ground black sesame seeds and salt seasoning

Thursday lunch included:

Baked chicken wingette and drumette seasoned with soy sauce, lemon juice, black pepper

Sliced zucchini sautéed in canola oil, drizzled with soy sauce

Roasted beet hearts

A little homemade celery and turnip pickle mix, the vegetables sliced into 1/8 inch pieces – the celery cut on angles, the turnips peeled, and thinly cut by hand into thin slices, sprinkled with a little sea salt, a tbs of rice vinegar, a tbs or soy sauce, a tsp of black sesame seeds added and mixed well.  It’s a refreshing, tangy mix of vegetables, still crunchy, but lively.  The little one kept asking for “More! More!” as I was mixing the vegetables with the seasoning in a bowl.  I had come across Cathy Barrow’s article in the New York Times earlier this week- and this must have gotten me thinking about the tangy mix.

Whole wheat linguine with a little (Trader Joe’s jarred, I cheated…) marinara sauce

Tomorrow is pizza day.  It’s almost Friday… this week has been quite busy!