Smile.. It Makes People Wonder What You Are Up To.

One of my favorite phrases "Smile, it makes people wonder what you are up to" inspires

my lunch for tomorrow.  That and some really cute little  hat picks I got a while

ago, but never had a great idea for using them.

Check those cute little hats out!!!  Don't they make those tomatoes look so cute!  

I wonder if they will still be smiling when I eat them tomorrow!  I made their faces with

a bit of nori, and two face punches.  I also have a "meatball" wrap with some marinara for

dipping, along with some yummy baby cabbages.. otherwise known as brussel sprouts.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!!!

Meow!

I took my kitties to get the last of their baby shots today!

They are such "big girls" now.  So big that they LOVE to play "King of the Chair".. 

this means they climb up the back of my kitchen chairs, and balance on the top.

Tonight Mayhem was balancing on top of a chair I had left pulled away from the table.

She realized she could jump to the top of the garbage can.  One slight problem.. my

trash cans have those rotating lids where you can just drop the trash in the top.. This resulted in 

one very surprised kitty!  I quickly rescued her, and moved the chair... 

Tomorrow's lunch contains a Kitty Sandwich, Orange Slices, Cooked Broccoli, and Salad.

(Mayhem on the left.. Mischief behind on the right)

Only two new toys!

Typically when I go to Japan Town I struggle to stay within my

self imposed budget for Bento Tools.  I had a list of things of hoped to find this time.

Sadly, there wasn't much new this trip!  When we go to JTown, we like to hit

Daiso, and IchiBanKan.  Which are kind of like going to the dollar store... it can be hit and miss,

sometimes everything is spectacular, and other times, nada.  They had lots of cool stuff, but

it was all stuff I already have!! I'm not sure if that means they need new inventory, 

or if it means I have to many Bento Supplies!

Anyway.. lol, I did buy some new animal head picks I have been wanting.  I also bought a dumpling

press, which I have seen others use to make little pocket sandwiches.  It's probably a good thing for

my budget!!  In any case, we also saw Wicked (although getting to the theater was crazy due to a rally!!)

So after a fun filled crazy weekend I am tired, and not feeling overly creative, but I

still had to try out my new press, and use my new picks!!!

Lunch tomorrow is two cashew butter and jelly sandwiches, salad, and an apple.  I'll probably toss

a cheese stick in for good measure as tomorrow promises to be busy!

Here is the box closed (sorry for the shadows.. I was in a hurry).  The little saying on the box

reads "I wish it is a good day today"

ENJOY!

"We can't all come and go by bubble"

This weekend I am off to The City to see Wicked for my second time!!

So tonight I tossed together a quick Wicked inspired lunch.

I used my green tupperware Bento Box, and a smaller green bento container.

Lunch is a salad (dressing hiding under the bubble), sandwich, and yogurt.

I decided to do a more silhouette like version of Glinda..

Elphaba is represented by her hat, and of course all the green (even the

yogurt has a drop of green food coloring in it).

"Every little trait however small, 
makes my very flesh begin to crawl, with simple utter loathing 
theres a strange exhilaration in such total 
detestation. It's so pure so strong 
though i do admit it came on fast 
still i do believe that it can last 
and i will be loathing, 
loathing you my whole life long "

A New Kale Recipe

I love Kale!!  But I find I am always cooking it the same way...

So I asked my friends on Face Book how they like to cook Kale.

One of my friends says she likes to saute it with garlic and cherry tomatoes,

and then top it with balsamic vinegar and a bit of salt.  

I ate some hot with dinner tonight, YUMMMMMM

Tomorrow's lunch contains a wrap, kale, 

kiwi hearts & blueberries,

and yogurt.

I tossed in the Panda Baran and picks for cuteness, since I was in a hurry tonight after

going to the chiropractor to get my head put on straight. 

I love some Soup and Salad!

Let me start off by apologizing, you don't get to see the soup... 

It's still cooking!

But you do get to see the salad and wasa that goes with it!!!

Salad with some ranch, craisins, wasa, a laughing cow blue cheese wedge,

and some cheddar hearts.  It will be paired with a spicy Soy Chorizo Soup. 

YUMMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This fun little layered box is a cheap one, I got it at Daiso. It closes up, and then

has a box band to hold it shut during travel.

No Time! No Time!

Today was a great day at work, followed by an awesome, but long meeting, followed

by a chat with a coworker that I needed information from.  The drive through 

never looked so tempting, but as I had some chips and dip during the meeting I knew what

I really needed for dinner was veggies and some protein.  I had half a purple cabbage still

left from my produce delivery, and I had found a recipe on pinterest for a Spicy Warm Purple

Cabbage Salad.  I was a bit skeptical, but... I love regular cabbage.. so I thought, lets try

cooking this purple cabbage.  Let's just say I found a new favorite!  LOVE.  I put

some in my lunch and will see if it's good cold, and if not I will pop it into the microwave.

Tomorrow's lunch is one of my quick and simple lunches as I am exhausted and feeling

a bit snuffy.  I want to make sure I get a good night's sleep. So this lunch was packed in less than five minutes, as it contains predominantly left overs!! 

Lunch is:  Spicy Warm Purple Cabbage Salad (the cheese heart will get added to the sandwich, and is just here to look cute), some frozen edamame that will be nicely defrosted by lunchtime,

 kiwi with a cute little heart pick, and a veggie patty sandwich topped with a cheese heart.

Now let me share a little secret with you.. I prefer to photograph my bento outside as the lighting in 

my house is awful, but since I often pack at night.. well... I have a makeshift little photo studio on one of my kitchen chairs, so I can angle it to get the best light.. Tonight Mischief decided to photo bomb.. silly kitty, that's Mama's lunch!!!  

New Bento Gear!

My friend Carrie got me some new Bento Gear for my Birthday/Christmas.

Tomorrow's lunch uses the new boxes, picks, and insulated lunch bag

she gave me.  They are SO CUTE!!!!

Lunch is a stir fry of baby portobello mushrooms, baby bok choy, carrots, and brown rice.

I used my egg mold to mold the brown rice into heart shapes (probably would have been better if I did it with fresh rice instead of leftovers..).  There is also a little fish filled with soy sauce.  The protein 

is greek yogurt with blueberries (more are hiding under it), with some speared on cute little heart picks. 

Here are the containers with the lids on.  The main dish container has chopsticks in the lid (I didn't notice until right now that the chopsticks are not centered.. oops.. sorry).

Carrie knows I LOVE hedgehogs, so she bought me this cute insulated lunch bag to carry my lunch in.

THANKS CARRIE!!

ROAR!!!!

So I am pretty sure when my alarm clock goes off in the morning I will

be feeling a bit grouchy, and will want to roar like a Dinosaur...

BUT, I also know I will love seeing my students after our three week

winter vacation.  I know I have missed packing my lunches, and I am

excited to use some bento gear I received for my birthday/Christmas... but for

that you shall have to wait a bit!  So, back to tomorrow's lunch,

which shows a bit of Dino Love!

Lunch for tomorrow has mixed greens with a couple of Veggiesaurs (they contain peas and carrots..

I've never tried them before, so tomorrow is a first), some salad dressing hiding under the carrots

 and radishes to add to the salad, some Farmers Market Cous Cous, a tangerine, 

and a little chocolate crispy cookie thing tucked in for desert. 

An update on my fur babies, they are getting SO big, and are as sweet as ever....

Thanks for reading!