Bento: #4

Even though I have more time to make food, I am still trying to keep things simple. When you I have an unlimited time frame to do something one of either two things happens: I procrastinate and never get anything done OR I pick extremely over elaborate things and I waste all the extra time I had on making it. I don’t want to replace 8 hours working with 8 hours cooking. I’m trying to remember that going forward.

Potato latke, sour cream and hot sauce, spicy pickles, carrots and hummus, apple Coconut Curry Chicken and Rice Soup, salad, banana Roasted vegetable pasta (sauce on the side), breadsticks, grapes, cheese, cherry tomatoes Shrimp fried rice, spicy pickles, boiled egg, orange Cheese and bean quesadillas, sour cream and salsa, spiced rice salad, oranges

Menu: Friend Visit!

My friend is visiting from the States for 5 days so this menu is VERY tentative and will probably just be a huge mess and eating out instead but I’m going to do the best I can to keep it together and at least make lunches for Andrew to take to work…

Saturday pancakes
shrimp fried rice

Sunday toast and eggs
out with Doc!

Monday stir fry noodles, pickles, boiled egg, fruit
pasta with vegetables

Tuesday broccoli cheddar soup, bread, salad, fruit
frozen pizza

Wednesday turkey sandwiches, salad, fruit, pickles
chicken katsu, rice

Thursday salmon, mashed potatoes, miso baked brussel sprouts
dumplings and rice

Friday cheese, pear, and walnut puffs, carrots and hummus salad, fruit
turkey sandwiches, chips and dip, popcorn

Things to Make

broccoli cheddar soup
stir fry noodles
chicken katsu
cheese, pear, and walnut puff pastries
sweet potato with oat topping

Shopping List

butter
milk
broccoli
cheese
mixed frozen veg
egg noodles
sweet potatoes (2)
oats
puff pastry
Havarti
pear
breadcrumbs
thin chicken breast
pasta
red sauce
frozen pizza
salmon
dumplings
cucumber
brussel sprouts
frozen peas
frozen spinach
bread
salad
apples
oranges
rice
carrots
cold cut turkey
eggs
chips
popcorn

Recipe: Arancini

So these little balls of goodness are absolutely delicious. The recipe makes enough that you could easily make them for a party where they’d be a crazy center piece and probably everyone would be impressed by them but I have to say they’re a ton of work. While most recipes call for already made risotto, the part where you make the risotto is the least work by far. Even with ready-made risotto you’re looking at a battering and breading process and then frying. To me that always produces delicious results, a ton of dishes, and exhaustion. So make these if you like getting at least 4 bowls and 2 pans dirty and you have the energy of a 6 year old at a birthday party.

Arancini

Adapted from The Guardian

Bento: #3

Lotta salad this week. Can’t help it because Andrew loves salad so much but I tried to keep it interesting by shifting the types of salad and the mix-ins. Also all of these salads do have dressing on them but because it’s oil based it’s basically invisible and just kind of makes the whole thing look wet. Sometimes I have to remind myself that food needs to taste good too and not just look instagram good. Honestly that’s the hardest part because you want people to think your food looks great but also you have to live your life and eat it. I know for a fact a lot of the food made for food blogs goes uneaten because no one is baking three cakes in a week and chowing down on them.

Vegetable Baked Ziti, salad, orange, apple, boiled eggs

Chicken burrito, cornbread, grapes, salad, orange

Salmon onigiri, salad, orange, apple

Onion and goat cheese tart, grapes, carrots and hummus, apple Double bean soup I ruined with too much masa, cornbread, salad, apple

Menu: Mornings

My SO has been having some slow mornings so my attack plan is good lunches and dinners because life is better when your food is awesome? Well, it’s one theory anyway. Also we’re moving towards Eurovision season so, that’s always nice 🙂

Saturday leftover tarts
out @ burger place

Sunday toast and eggs
homemade pizza

Monday chicken and rice coconut soup, salad, fruit
bean and cheese quesadillas, salsa, sour cream, spiced rice, fruit

Tuesday shrimp fried rice, pickles, boiled egg, fruit
baked fish, couscous, salad

Wednesday pasta with vegetable sauce, salad, fruit
chicken and rice coconut soup

Thursday bean and cheese quesadillas, salsa, sour cream, spiced rice, fruit
shrimp fried rice

Friday potato pancakes, sour cream, carrots and hummus, pickles, fruit
pasta with vegetable sauce, salad

Things to Make

chicken and rice coconut soup
shrimp fried rice
bean and cheese quesadillas
potato pancakes

Shopping List

soy sauce
tortilla
beans x 2
carrots
zucchini
potatoes
salad
apples
bananas
cucumber
grapes
coffee
pasta
red sauce
white bread
eggs
milk
butter
mozzarella x 2
cheddar
hummus
sour cream
cat litter
chicken breast
fish

Bento: #2

I’m thinking of going back to one new recipe per week since I feel like I post a ton without really getting anything back or having an audience. Part of me thinks I should attempt to build an audience and the other part of me is too busy worrying about having to pass my Estonian exam in two months. Oh well.

Chicken Teriyaki, Rice, Salad, Carrots and Hummus, Apple Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato, Grapes, Nuts, Chocolate Arancini, Cheese and Tomato Salad, Dipping Sauce, Carrots and Hummus Chicken Noodle Soup, Salad, Bread, Apple Baked Falafel, Couscous, Spicy Dip, Thai Pickles, Apple

Menu: Back Peddle

Skipped posting bentos and making a menu last week because I seem to always be blowing hot and cold on this site and it also brings to attention how little traffic or interest I receive for all the work I put in. The internet is a sea of noise and who would even bother to stop by a site with terrible pictures and mediocre looks. I don’t know if you make a nice looking blog and build traffic or try to build traffic and then make your blog nice-nice. Or you spend a lot of time and money on something that ultimately fails (woo! pessimism!). Oh look, a menu.

Saturday leftovers
out at friends

Sunday toast and eggs
out @ 7urti

Monday double bean chili, cornbread, salad, fruit
chicken burritos

Tuesday caramelized onion and goat cheese tarts, salad, apple, boiled egg
vegetable ziti bake

Wednesday chicken burritos, salad, chips and salsa
double bean chili, cornbread

Thursday vegetable ziti bake, salad, onion dip + breadsticks
vegetable pancakes

Friday smoked salmon onigiri, boiled egg, kinpira, pickles
pelmeni, salad, broth, bread

Things to Make

chicken burritos
vegetable ziti bake
onigiri
onion and goat cheese tarts
onion dip
double bean chili

Shopping List

tortilla
nachos
salsa
canned tomato
taco spice
black and white beans
apple
mandarin
grapes
carrots
mushrooms
eggplant
zucchini
salad
cucumbers
turnip
onions
tomatoes
coffee
shaped pasta
red sauce
bread crisps
cream cheese
goat cheese
milk
mozzarella
cheddar
cereal
cat food
smoked salmon
pelmini
frozen veg mix

Bento: Week #1 (The Renumbering)

Going to try the numbering thing so I don’t have to think about it. Only 4 bentos this past week and I think they’ll only be 4 for this week too but honestly we’re going to quality not quantity, right?

Vegetable Tortellini Soup, Salad, Grapes, Orange Bean and Cheese Quesadilla, Spiced Rice, Salsa, Sour Cream, Salad, Orange Vegetable Quiche, Pan Fried Potatoes, Black Grapes, Goat Cheese Salad, Yogurt with Jam and Honey and Walnuts Shrimp Red Curry, Rice, Thai Cucumber Salad, Apple

Menu: And Many More

This week is the 99th Birthday of Estonia  with parades and celebration everywhere maybe it’ll be a bit of a messy week and then on Friday my SO is going camping over night with his coworkers so this week should be a good one I hope. Hopefully I will be able to make some good food for the week though despite some bumps in the road. I’ve always been working really hard on my Estonian which leaves less time for everything else…

Saturday leftover scones
out @ 7urti

Sunday toast and eggs
vegetable lasagna

Monday coconut lentils, stuffed naan, stir fry cabbage, orange
mac and cheese

Tuesday grilled cheese, tomato soup, salad, boiled egg, grapes
teriyaki chicken

Wednesday veg. lasagna, salad, fruit, apple
coconut lentils

Thursday mac and cheese, roasted sweet potato and brussel sprouts, apple
lasagna

Friday teriyaki chicken, rice, stir fry cabbage, orange
grilled cheese and soup

Things to Make

stuffed naan
teriyaki chicken
mac and cheese
coconut lentils
vegetable lasagna
roasted tomato soup w/ grilled cheese

Shopping List

canned tomato
coconut milk
salad
1.5 kg tomatoes
mushroom
potatoes (3)
sweet potatoes
brussel sprouts
carrots
cabbage
oranges
apples
grapes
bell pepper
zucchini
lasagna noodles
elbow pasta
white bread
cheese
sliced cheese
mozzarella (400g)
ricotta (800g)
eggs
milk
wet cat food
cereal
frozen veg