Bentos: Newly Minted

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Packing something different every day is an actual challenge for me! It also mean cooking more often than I’m used to but I’m finding that I enjoy it. The only problem is that I keep forgetting to take pictures of the new dishes before I put them in the boxes. Live and learn I guess…

creamy

Creamy White Beans with Mushrooms, Rice, Tomato-Cucumber-Red Onion Salad

strom

Turkey and Cheese Stromboli, Salad with Walnuts, Orange

veg-lasanga

Vegetable Lasagna, Garlic Butter Rye Toast, Mixed Salad

chicken

Roasted Drumsticks with Carrots and Potatoes, Apples and Oranges

Menu: A Chill

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The weather is just starting to get chilly here. I’m actually not sure how cold it gets in the later months but I guess we’re about to find out. Anyway, this week I decided to make the perfect cold weather food, chicken noodle soup. Making it from scratch with homemade roasted chicken and stock from the bones of that it should be great in protecting us against the cold.

Saturday leftover lasanga
out @ Villa Thai

Sunday vegetable egg noodles
baked fish, couscous, salad

Monday chicken noodle soup, rye bread, fruit
pasta with spinach and cheese

Tuesday tamagoyaki, salt cured pickles, furikake rice, fruit
baked chicken, breaded eggplant, mashed potatoes

Wednesday out with coworkers
gnocchi, salad

Thursday vegetable cornmeal fritters
chicken noodle soup

Friday gnocchi, salad, breaded eggplant
vegetable pizza

Things to Make

chicken noodle soup
gnocchi
vegetable cornmeal fritters
tamagoyaki
salt cured pickles
furikake’d rice
breaded eggplant

Shopping List

grapes
eggplant
carrots
pepper
zucchini
onions
2kg potatoes
salad
cucumbers
egg noodles
nori
thin noodles
bread
muesli
cat food
whole chicken
frozen mixed veg (stir fry)

Recipe: Fried Cauliflower

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This is one of those recipes that will completely blow you away. I actually don’t like the sauce that came with the original recipe and prefer to just use a bottled teriyaki or even just a sprinkling of soy sauce so I’m not including it here but basically this a recipe for the most delicious fried cauliflower that you can serve over rice with some sesame seeds – if you don’t end up eating it all before that.

Fried Cauliflower

Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Bento: Round the Clock

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Trying to make each bento with a unique food four times a week is a challenge that I wouldn’t suggest unless you’re not working or you really love being extremely industrious by the way. I finally found a thing that will work as a divider in bentos though so look forward to those next week!

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Smoked Salmon Roll Ups, Mac and Cheese, Grapes, Nectarine

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Chicken Goulash, Rice, Must Leib (Black Rye Bread) and Butter, Apple

uiche

Vegetable Quiche, Salad with Walnuts and Nectarines, Banana and Grapes

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Red Chickpea Curry, Rice, Cucumbers and Carrots with Hummus, Boiled Egg

Menu: The Birthday!

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This is Andrew’s birthday week which means much nicer meals. Also instead of a cake (because he’s not a sweets guy), Andrew picked some savory bread rolls that he would like made for him and also to take in to the office and impress his coworkers :p

Saturday eggs with cheese
out @ F-Hoone

Sunday fajita bowls
baked salmon, couscous, salad

Monday turkey and cheese Stromboli, salad, fruit
vegetable lasagna

Tuesday creamy white beans, rice, cucumber tomato salad
pasta with spinach

Wednesday out with coworkers
chicken drumsticks with roasted vegetables

Thursday vegetable lasanga
Stromboli, salad

Friday chicken drumsticks with roasted vegetables, fruit
tapas night: egg on toast, grilled asparagus, brie, apple slices, wine

Things to Make

Fajita Vegetables
Turkey and Cheese Stromboli
Vegetable Lasagna
Tuscan Style White Beans
Drumsticks with Roasted Vegetables
Cilantro-Scallon Swirls

Shopping List

apples
oranges
cucumber
salad
pepper
mushrooms
squash
tomato
onions
red onion
cilantro
scallions
basil
white beans
two types sliced cheese
ricotta
mozzarella
pasta
yeast packets (two)
lasagna noodles
pasta sauce
rice
cat food
Kalkunifilee Suitsusink / Kuumsuitsu (turkey slices)
salmon

Mid Week Shop

potatoes
asparagus
chicken drumsticks
carrots
zucchini
bread
eggs
brie
milk

Bento: Post Production

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I was able to use up the last of the leftovers during this week and make much fancier food. Going forward I hope I can keep up the unique thing every day of lunch but I’m not sure if I can have that many ideas. I’m sure after a while some of them will repeat.

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Grilled shrimp salad, carrots and hummus, boiled egg, kiwi and nectarines20160916_095213

Vegetable fried rice, carrots, oranges and kiwisimg_20160912_084226

Sticky chicken, garlic ginger green beans, rice, orange slicesimg_20160914_103402

Bean patties, red peppers and hummus, apple and kiwi

Menu: Maybe Takeout

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This menu might get a little juggled because we’re going to a store on Sunday that might have cheap takeout so we’ll see what happens but my plans never really go 100% like I planned them. Sometimes you gotta go with the flow.

Saturday leftovers out of the fridge
out @ F-Hoone

Sunday one pot mac and cheese
chicken goulash, rice

Monday Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Cucumber Lavash Roll Up
udon noodle stir fry

Tuesday goulash, rice, fruit
Spinach, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Quiche, Arugula-Pear-Walnut Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Wednesday out with coworkers
Chicken Chili with bread

Thursday Spinach, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Quiche, Arugala-Pear-Walnut Salad with Lemon Vinegeratte
vegetable pancakes

Friday cheesy chicken chili, bread, fruit
leftover quiche, cake, wine

Things to Make

White Chicken Cheesy Chili
Spinach, Tomato, and Goat Cheese Quiche
Goulash
Arugula-Pear-Walnut Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Cucumber Lavash Roll Up
Brown Butter Spice Cake

Shopping List

grapes
nectarines
lemon
arugula
pear
cucumber
carrots
chilies
zucchini
tomato
walnuts
cream cheese
cheddar
lavash
elbows
smoked salmon
tomato sauce
flour
udon noodles
taco seasoning
frozen veg
frozen veg (mexican)
puff pastry
cat food
hand wash
muesli
powered sugar
nutmeg
brown sugar

Bento: Needing Stuff

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I could really use some dividers and I miss my old bento boxes but we’re making do with what we have right now. The selection of tupperwear in the store is pretty uh, haphazard and there aren’t really dollar stores here so I just make do with what I’ve got.

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Apple, Nectarine, Grilled Shrimp Saladtuesday

Apple, Nectarine, Chicken Kerala, Ricethursday

Apple, Vegetable Hash, Boiled Egg, Bread, Kiwi, Camembert friday

Kiwi, Apple, Spiced Couscous, Meatball and White Bean Vegetable Soup

 

Menu: Lack of Dividers

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Augh I don’t have any of my bento stuff here and all my dividers are still on their way so I have to make lunches without them which is a sort of tricky thing but I’m trying to work around it better this week at least. Also I accidentally bought 4€ cheese and on purpose bought 4€ snap peas so it was a kind of expensive shopping week!

Saturday salad with cheese and pear
out @ Frenchy

Sunday out @ market
potato pancakes, salad

Monday sticky ginger chicken, rice, green side dish, nectarine
fried rice, boiled egg, cherry tomatoes

Tuesday bean burgers, zucchini fries, oranges
pasta with spinach

Wednesday out with coworkers
fish and chips

Thursday fried rice, boiled egg, cherry tomatoes, apple
sticky ginger chicken, rice, green side dish, fruit

Friday pasta w/ spinach, carrots/hummus, kiwi
leftovers

Things to Make

potato pancakes
zucchini fries
fried rice
bean burgers
sticky ginger chicken
garlic ginger snap peas

Shopping List

oranges
nectarines
cherry tomatoes
zucchini
snap peas
pears
peppers
jalapenos
onions
salad
parmesan
black beans
cheese
milk
chicken
cat food
rice
mixed vegetables

–
midweek stop
apples
fish sticks
french fries
cat food
eggs
milk

Recipe: Stovetop Chocolate Pudding

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Stovetop pudding comes together easily in a couple of minutes and can be made to look extremely fancy for an easy dinner party treat. Top with whipped cream, pieces of fruit, or shaved chocolate for maximum effect or simply eat it right out of the bowl. Also you can sieve all the ingredients to make sure it doesn’t have any lumps at all or you can be like me and take your lumps where they happen.

Chocolate Pudding