Benot Box - Bento Fiesta (Bean and Rice Burrito)

Last night we had Mexican food for dinner, so we decided to use our leftover beans and rice to create a bento fiesta for today's lunch. Although Mexican food is often high in calories and fat, keeping items simple and pairing them with fresh fruits and vegetables is a healthy way to enjoy this popular cuisine.



Menu

•     Bean and Rice Burrito on a Whole Grain Tortilla
•     Green Salad
•     Salsa
•     Tortilla Chips
•     Mango Slices

Preparation Notes

• Fill a whole grain tortilla with beans and rice. Roll up, cut in half and pack into your large unlidded container.
• Toss tomatoes with green leaf lettuce and pack into your large lidded container along with your dip container filled with salsa.
• Fill one of your medium containers with tortilla chips.
• Slice and peel a mango to put in your other medium container.

Source: Laptop Lunches

Unbaked Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 stick oleo (butter)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 3 cups one-minute oatmeal
• 1/2 cup (crunchy) peanut butter

Instructions:

• Mix sugar, oleo, milk, and cocoa in pan and bring to a rolling boil.
• Boil exactly one minute.
• Remove from heat and add oatmeal and peanut butter.
• Drop on wax paper by teaspoonful.

Twinkie Cake

Ingredients:

• 10 Twinkies
• 4 bananas
• 1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• 1 (8 oz. Carton) Cool Whip
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions:

• Cut Twinkies in half
• Layer Twinkies in 9x11 inch long pan with cream side up
• Slice bananas over Twinkies
• Mix pudding as directed and pour over bananas
• Drain pineapple, pour over pudding
• Top with Cool Whip
• (Optional) Sprinkle with nuts

Notes:    You can use strawberries or fresh peaches instead of pineapple if desired, about any canned fruit works.

Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients:  

• 1 box yellow cake mix (reserve 2/3 cup)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs, well beaten
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

• Reserve 2/3 cup yellow cake mix; with the remainder, mix 1 egg and 1/2 cup softened butter.
• Press into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350F (preheated).
• While that is baking, mix 2/3 cup cake mix, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 1 tsp. Vanilla, 3 eggs (well beaten), and 1 cup chopped pecans.
• Pour over crust and bake 30-35 minutes.
• Cool and cut into bars.

Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 lb.) box frozen broccoli
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 stick oleo (butter)
• 8 oz. jar Cheese Whiz
• 1 can cream mushroom soup
• 1 can cream chicken soup
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cup minute rice

Instructions:

• Cook 8 minutes
• frozen broccoli, salt and pepper, & 1/4 cup water
• Heat
• oleo, cheese whiz, mushroom soup, and cream of chicken soup
• Raw
• chopped onion, chopped celery, and minute rice
• Mix all ingredients together and bake at 325F for 45 minutes.

Notes: Add 1-2 cans of chicken to make this a one-dish meal.

Bento Box - Easy Pizza Bento

Pizza's for lunch! Need we say more? While pizza for lunch is a definite treat, we also included steamed kale and persimmon wedges to help balance the meal out, so enjoy!

Menu

• Pizza Muffins
• Parmesan Cheese
• Steamed Kale with Mixed Seeds
• Persimmon Wedges

Preparation Notes

• Top a whole grain English muffin with marinara and sliced swiss cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese has melted. Let cool before putting into your extra large container.
• Fill your dip container with parmesan cheese and store in your extra large container with your pizza.
• Steam kale. Once cool, mix in sesame, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. Put your Kale salad into one of your medium containers.
• Cut a persimmon into wedges and put into your other medium container. 

Source: Laptop Lunches

Bento Box - Veggie Omelet

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it is often also the most rushed. Having breakfast for lunch is a great way to enjoy some of your breakfast favorites--but in slow fashion.


Menu

• Vegetable and Cheese Omelet
• Home Fried Potatoes
• Orange Segments
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin

Preparation Notes

• Make an omelet with cheese and your favorite steamed vegetables to put into your large lidded container.
• Cut a lemon poppy seed muffin in half and put both halves in your other large container.
• Prepare home fried potatoes, let cool and put into our medium container.
• Peel and cut an orange into segments to put into your other medium container.

Source: Laptop Lunches

Bento Box - Savory Coconut Curry and Rice

Enjoy this curry mild or spicy according to your preference. Balance the meal with some tart apples and sweet peanut butter and dark chocolate--a lovely meal for a cold, wintery day!

Menu

• Long Grain Brown Rice
• Tofu Potato Curry
• Fuji Apple Slices
• Peanut Butter
• Dark Chocolate

Preparation Notes

• Prepare the curry according to the recipe HERE. (included below)
• Cook the rice.
• Slice the apple.
• Scoop the peanut butter into the dip container.
• Add a square of your favorite chocolate.

Source: Laptop Lunches


Tofu Potato Curry


There's nothing like a hot curry on a cold day. Make it mild or spicy according to your preference. Serve over brown rice, or take the opportunity to introduce yourself to a whole grain that you've never tried before.

Ingredients:

• 1 can Vegetable Broth
• 1 can Coconut Milk
• 2 Tbs. Curry powder (or to taste)
• 1 Brick of Firm Tofu
• 2 White Potatoes
• 2 Red Potatoes
• 4 Carrots
• ½ medium Red Pepper
• 1 Serrano Pepper (optional)
• 1 Stalk of Lemon Grass (optional)

Directions:
  1. Cut tofu and vegetables into cubes.
  2. Mix broth, coconut milk, and curry in a sauce pan.
  3. Add peppers, lemon grass, and tofu.
  4. Cook on medium heat until liquid comes to a low boil.
  5. Turn heat to low and add potatoes and carrots.
  6. Cover and cook until carrots and potatoes are tender.

Bento Box - Potato Pancakes and Applesauce

Few things go together as well as potato pancakes and applesauce. Combine that with a bit of spinach, salad dressing and some sausages, and you've got an awfully good lunch.

Menu

• Cinnamon Applesauce
• Potato Pancakes
• Mini Spinach Salad
• Italian Dressing
• Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Sausages

Preparation Notes

• Prepare the potato pancakes.
• Scoop some applesauce into the large water-tight container.
• Fill the dip container with Italian dressing.
• Pack the spinach around the dip container.
• Add some of your favorite sausages. (Pictured here: Tofurky brand Italian Sun-dried Tomato Basil Sausages.)

Source: Laptop Lunches

Bento Box - Lasagne Leftovers

Pack your leftover lasagne from last night's dinner. Consider updating your favorite recipe by using whole wheat noodles, eliminating the meat, reducing the amount of cheese, using lowfat cheese, and including a layer or two of spinach or sauteed vegetables.

Menu

• Lasagne
• Steamed Cauliflower
• Oatmeal Bars
• Orange Slices

Preparation Notes

• Pack your leftover lasagne from last night's dinner. Consider updating your favorite recipe by using whole wheat noodles, eliminating the meat, reducing the amount of cheese, using lowfat cheese, and including a layer or two of spinach or sauteed vegetables.
• Steam the cauliflower.
• Prepare the oatmeal bars, a healthier alternative to many pre-packaged cereal bars and cookies. Use the recipe from page 74 of the Laptop Lunch User's Guide.
• Slice the oranges.

Source: Laptop Lunches

Bento Box - Comforting Bento Lunch

As the winter continues on, we decided to put together a healthy, yet comforting bento lunch. Eaten hot or cold, this week’s lunch is sure to warm you up and keep you plowing through these final weeks of the season.

Menu

• Macaroni and Cheese
• Tomato Soup
• Steamed Cauliflower
• Sliced Bosc Pear

Preparation Notes

• Prepare macaroni and cheese, let cool and put in your large unlidded container.
• Prepare tomato soup, let cool, put in your large lidded container and sprinkle with minced parsley.
• Steam cauliflower for one of your medium containers.
• Slice a bosc pear for your other medium container.

Laptop Lunches Products Used:
Bento Set Original or 2.0

Source: Laptop Lunches

Bento Box - Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese may not be the most nutritious choice, but preparing it from scratch provides an opportunity to have fun and add value to an otherwise starchy meal. Select whole wheat pasta, use lowfat milk and cheese, and add some fresh chopped herbs or vegetables like parsley, broccoli, peas, zucchini, onions, and mushrooms.

Menu

• Cabbage Salad
• Made from Scratch Macaroni and Cheese
• Sliced Banana
• Steamed Yams

Preparation Notes

• Prepare the a shredded cabbage salad according to the recipe HERE. (included below)
• Prepare the macaroni and cheese from scratch. Mollie Katzen's "Not-from-a-box Macaroni and Cheese" recipe from her Honest Pretzels Cookbook is one of our favorites.
• Slice the banana.
• Peel, cube, and steam the yam.
• If you're cooking for kids, getting them involved in the kitchen will foster excitement for this great lunch.

Nutty Cabbage Salad

Keep a head of cabbage in the refrigerator for those days when you need a fresh vegetable and don't have time to run to the store. It's versatile and doesn't spoil as quickly as many other vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 1 heaping Tbs. almond butter
• 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbs. tamari or soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. water
• 5 cups shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans
• 2 chopped scallions
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:
  1. Stir the almond butter, vinegar, tamari and water to form a smooth paste.
  2. Chop the cabbage, nuts, scallions and cilantro.
  3. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

Bento Box - Frittata for Lunch

Frittatas are delicious, and they're great for using up whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand. Be sure to include lots of fresh herbs as well. Don't be intimidated by the Caesar salad. Instead check out this simple recipe.

Menu

• Frittata
• Caesar Salad
• Navel Orange Slices

Preparation Notes

• Prepare a frittata of your choice (try the recipe HERE). Be sure to include lots of fresh herbs and vegetables. (recipe shown below)
• Slice the orange.
• Prepare the ingredients for the Caesar salad:

1. Tear romaine lettuce into bite-size pieces.
2. Prepare the dressing:

• 1 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove of garlic (minced)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 3 Tbs. olive oil

3. Sprinkle some of the dressing over the lettuce and toss.

4. Add parmesan cheese and croutons (optional).

5. Toss again.

• Alternatively, pack the salad ingredients separately and assemble at lunch time.

Source: Laptop Lunches


Asparagus Fennel Mini Frittata

Enjoy this delicious frittata for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Frittatas are a wonderful way to add fresh seasonal vegetables to your weekly fare.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium red potato, julienned
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 8 asparagus spears, chopped
• 4 Tbs. fresh fennel, thinly sliced and chopped
• 3 eggs, beaten well
• 3 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
  1. Coat a small frying pan with the olive oil.
  2. Add the julienned potatoes and chopped onion, and sauté until just cooked through.
  3. Add the asparagus and fennel and sauté for about a minute, stirring occasionally.
  4. Beat the eggs.
  5. Mix the parmesan cheese into the eggs.
  6. Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan and stir once or twice to combine with the vegetables.
  7. Cover and cook on low heat until the eggs have set. Remove from the pan and enjoy.

Bento Box - Four Cheese Ravioli

Ravioli is easy to prepare and, with the seemingly endless combination of fillings and toppings, is sure to be a hit amongst the entire family. We served our four-cheese ravioli with a fresh green salad, oranges and chocolate squares for dessert, which made for quite the lunch time treat.

Menu

• Four Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce
• Green Salad
• Tuscan Salad Dressing
• Orange Slices
• Dark Chocolate Squares

Preparation Notes

• Cook the ravioli, and spoon it into one of the large containers. Top with marinara sauce and fresh basil.
• Create a simple salad by tossing your favorite greens with dried cranberries and walnuts, and pack it in the other large container.
• Fill the dip container with Tuscan dressing to drizzle over your salad.
• Fill one bento divider with dark chocolate squares, and place the chocolate and Tuscan dressing in your medium container.
• Slice oranges to put into your other medium container.