The best thing about them bento boxes? VARIETY!

Here are some ideas from what I’ve made in the last few weeks – more to come for sure!

As I continue to embark on weight loss I’ll be posting more of these ideas. In general most of these lunches are between 400 – 600 calories and should keep you full! Typically I add a piece of fruit or some almonds in the afternoon to hold me over until dinner.
Check out my Pinterest board that is dedicated specifically to lunch bento boxes…there are some other great ideas!

Have some other ideas for great bento lunches? Please share them below!

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes. Drain through a strainer, and rinse until the water runs clear. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel, replace the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. If making for the freezer, uncover and allow to cool, then place in plastic bags. Flatten the bags and seal.

2. Meanwhile, place the finely diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels. If using the onion, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and drain on paper towels.

3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with sliced avocado and cilantro sprigs.

Instructions

1. In a stockpot, melt butter on low heat (to keep it from burning).
2. Add onions and garlic to butter, turn up to medium heat and saute until the onions are translucent.
3. Add in carrots, celery, and squash, mix well into onions and let saute for additional 5 minutes, stirring a few times.
4. Add in vegetable stock and boil all vegetables for 35-40 minutes. They should mash easily with a fork.
5. Mix in brown sugar, nutmeg and ginger. Stir until they dissolve into the soup.
6. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
7. Blend in batches using a blender of food processor (or hand blender in the pot). They key here is to blend it for a good amount of time so it gets really smooth.
8. Add back to stock pot and stir in the light cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Serve with a dollop or swirl of sour cream for a delicious contrast.

In the last 3 months I’ve actually been the chef for 3 dinner parties…definitely not cooking for one. More like cooking for 20! But I digress…I made this delicious tomato bisque for one of the parties and it was a huge hit with everyone. It’s definitely not the most low-fat recipe, so if you’re on a diet I wouldn’t advise it. But if you’re looking for something to tantalize your taste-buds give this soup a whirl. You won’t be disappointed! And as always with soup, I usually make enough for 2 meals so I can have some for lunch at work the next day!

1. Saute the onions and garlic in the butter until soft in a stock pot.
2. Add the tomatoes, tomato juice, basil, and bay leaves; simmer for 40 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes
4. Put cream cheese in and let it somewhat melt in the soup (it’ll still be chunky, but softened.)
5. Blend in batches using a blender or food processor (or hand blender in the pot). They key here is to blend it for a good amount of time to get it really smooth.
6. Add back to stock pot and stir in the light cream and season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

One of my readers Sarah M. wrote in asking if I could provide some ideas for meals. Here are some of  my favorite ideas for using a store bought rotisserie chicken:

1. Chicken Noodle Soup: Not only is the meat perfectly tender, but you can use the carcass to make the BEST chicken stock. Here  is my chicken stock recipe.
2. Chicken Quesadillas: Shred the chicken with 2 forks and melt between two tortillas and cheese (add in veggies like peppers and onions and salsa for an extra kick!)
3. Pulled Chicken Sandwich: Ever made pulled pork? You can do the same with chicken, except in this case you don’t need the slow-cooker. It’s already super tender. Shred the chicken with 2 forks and mix well with for favorite BBQ sauce. Put in on a crusty roll and you have yourself a mighty fine sangy.
4. Pulled Chicken Tacos: Similar to the idea above, shred the chicken and prepare with taco seasoning as it states on the package. (If you only  have a small portion of chicken, then just mix it with 1/4 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of the seasoning. I usually just eyeball it).
5. Chicken Enchiladas: You can follow my enchilada recipe here and just add in chicken during step 8 before you bake it! You could also season the chicken like I mentioned in #4 to get some extra flavor.
6. Chicken Salad: You could easily make my walnut cranberry chicken salad with rotisserie chicken. Stick it in a toasted pita

Do any of my readers have other ideas to add to this list?

Have a recipe or a cooking question like Sarah’s to ask? Visit my “Suggest A Recipe” form and you might be chosen next.

Happy eats!
@ashkalei

The recipe below will make approximately 8-10 cups of chicken stock, which you can use immediately, store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to two months. This is ideal for making single or double servings! It’s full of flavor and you definitely won’t regret the time you spent making it.

1. Heat the butter in the bottom of a large stock pot. Simmer onions in oil for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so.
2. Add 12 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add in the two bouillon cubes, stirring frequently until dissolved.
3. Add chicken parts, all vegetables, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and parsley. Return to a boil. (Note: The best way to get a lot of flavor is to use the bones from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. I know it’s KIND of cheating, but it’s great because you can save all the chicken meat and use it in a chicken soup after you make the stock!)
4. Boil all ingredients for 5 minutes, then reduce to a moderate simmer (low-medium heat). Leave the top off the stock pot as you want some of the water to boil off and reduce to lock in the flavor.
5. Simmer uncovered for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Pour broth through strainer or cheese cloth to remove all the chicken, vegetables, peppercorns, garlic and bay leaves.
7. Enjoy your fresh made chicken stock!

After many failed attempts at making the perfect crispy tofu, I figured out the trick: press out as much of the water as you can. Since I don’t have a tofu press (hoping to get one soon!), I typically slice the tofu and press the water our gently with paper towels. It can be kind of wasteful, but the result is significantly better food for my boyfriend.

Here are some quick steps for making great seared tofu that is tasty and crispy!

1. Heat 1 tbsp canola or peanut oil in a skillet at medium heat.
2. Take 1/3 block of extra firm tofu and cut into 1/2 inch rectangles.
3. Fold in paper towels and gently press the water out.
4. Cut the rectangles into cubes and put into skillet pan. (Be careful! The water can make the oil spit out…be sure to cover with a grease screen)
5. Let sear on medium heat until you start to see one side brown. Gently toss with plastic spatula and allow other sides to brown (takes about 15 mins total).
6. About 3 minutes before you take the tofu off the stove, lower the heat to medium low and add your favorite sauce or seasonings and toss  well. (Some of my favorites are low sodium soy sauce, hoisin sauce, Frank’s sweet chili sauce, or Trader Joe’s General Tso’s sauce)

This recipe also tastes good if you saute peppers and onions in with the tofu!

So give it a try…I promise it’s not that scary :)

Good Oils

• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Avocado oil
• Fish oils
• Walnut oil
• Grain-fed butter
• Ghee

Oils to avoid

• Vegetable oil
• Corn oil
• Oils made from GMO grains
• Margarine and other artificial trans fats
• Lard
• Grape seed oil (it’s very high in Omega 6 fatty acids which we need to be consuming less of)

I typically use Olive Oil (not EVOO) for cooking as it works for most things. If I need something that can still retain its healthiness at high heat, I use walnut oil. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) should never be heated up because doing so not only destroys the benefits of the olive oil, but it can also turn that healthy oil into a damaging trans fat that will actually harm your health. Non-virgin olive oil burns at 320 degrees F.

For many of you this might be the first you’ve heard of there being a significant difference between olive oil and extra virgin olive oil. EVOO is what you get after the first press. When the oil is pressed multiple times, you have a lighter oil that is best for cooking. The more it’s pressed, the lighter the oil. I only have EVOO in my house for drizzling as the flavor can be a turn off for some.

I also love avocado and walnut oil, but they are really expensive and usually come in small quantities.

What other oils do you have experience cooking with?

Buying fruits and vegetables in season can take any dish you make from good to phenomenal. Below is a list for you to go shopping with!

Summer Fruits

Apricots
Asian Pear
Barbados Cherries
Black Currants
Blackberries
Blueberries
Boysenberries
Breadfruit
Cantaloupe
Casaba Melon
Champagne Grapes
Cherries
Elderberries
Figs
Grapefruit
Grapes
Honeydew Melons
Jackfruit
Key Limes
Limes
Loganberries
Lychee
Mulberries
Nectarines
Olallieberries
Passion Fruit
Peaches
Persian Melon
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries
Sugar Apple
Watermelon

Summer Vegetables

Beets
Bell Peppers
Butter Lettuce
Chayote Squash
Chinese Long Beans
Corn
Crookneck Squash
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Endive
Garlic
Green Beans
Green Soybeans (Edamame)
Jalapeno Peppers
Lima Beans
Manoa Lettuce
Okra
Peas
Radishes
Shallots
Sugar Snap Peas
Summer Squash
Tomatillo
Tomatoes
Winged Beans
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Zucchini

Here is a great link that talks about the many health benefits of adding avocado to your diet!

The recipe below assumes that you know how to cube an avocado…if you do not look here for instructions!

Instructions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper until emulsified. Add avocado, tomatoes, and red onion and mix with dressing. Note – stir lightly as the avocados will start to mash.

Happy Eats!