Bento 217

I roasted a chicken yesterday. When I was at the market, I made a point to buy a large chicken, just to make sure there will be left overs for Bento!

Today, #2 doesn't stay back for any activities so I've cut short on the top box. There is roasted potatoes, garlic and mushrooms on one side of the metal bottom box. On the other side is shredded roasted chicken. (This is an awesome dish!)




In another box is a mix of Oak leaf, baby Butterhead, smoked Turkey ham, carrots, tomatoes and some roasted cashew nuts. All these were tossed in a sesame seed dressing.

Another delicious bento!

Bento 216

It's been a crazy week culminating with a Church coffee morning sale yesterday. Preparations were done for the food three days ahead because so much marketing had to be done in advance!

I'm exhausted and aching everywhere. I'm probably getting a tad too old for this. LOL!

This morning's bento box has two cylinder shape of "Nasi Lemak" topped with some "sotong pedas" (spicy squids). This is very unusual in #2's bento box because she doesn't like rice and she cannot eat spicy foods.

This morning when she saw me packing this for her, she asked to have more "Sotong pedas". Nasi lemak and sotong pedas are both her favorite foods!
I'm confused too, don't ask me.

There was another favorite scone from the Royal Lake Club in the same bottom bento.



Some fried salmon, mashed for easy eating and fried long beans to compliment.

Healthy eating 'can cut crime'

Prison chiefs have been urged to consider the findings Encouraging healthier eating could be the government's secret weapon in the fight against crime, according to experts. A study by researchers at the University of Oxford has found that adding vitamins and other vital nutrients to young people's diets can cut crime. They found that improving the diets of young offenders at a maximum security institution in Buckinghamshire cut offences by 25%. The improvement was huge Bernard Gesch The study - one of the first to show a scientific link between healthy eating and crime - has now been extended to see if the findings can be applied to the population in general. Bernard Gesch and colleagues at the University of Oxford enrolled 230 young offenders from HM Young Offenders Institution Aylesbury in their study. Half of the young men received pills containing vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. The other half received placebo or dummy pills. The researchers recorded the number and type of offences each of the prisoners committed in the nine months before they received the pills and in the nine months during the trial. They found that the group which received the supplements committed 25% fewer offences than those who had been given the placebo. The greatest reduction was for serious offences, including violence which fell by 40%. There was no such reduction for those on the dummy pills. 'Huge difference' The authors described the finding as "remarkable". Bernard Gesch said the finding could have policy implications Writing in the British Journal of Psychiatry, they said improving diets could be a cost-effective way of reducing crime in the community and also reducing the prison population. Mr Gesch said: "The supplements just provided the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids found in a good diet which the inmates should get anyway. Yet the improvement was huge." He added: "This approach needs to be re-tested but looks to be cheap, highly effective and humane." The study is of great importance not only to those who work inside prisons but also more widely in the community Bishop Hugh Montefiore He said that given that nutrients were the building blocks of the brain and its associated structures, it was highly likely that a good diet would have a direct impact on behaviour. The study was organised by Natural Justice, a research charity set up in 1991 to investigate the social and physical causes of crime. Its chairman Bishop Hugh Montefiore of Birmingham, said: "The study is of great importance not only to those who work inside prisons but also more widely in the community." He added: "There are many causes of anti-social behaviour. But our project has shown that an important factor is the lack of proper nutrition. "The reduction of disciplinary offences by 25% among those who took the supplements cannot be shrugged off as insignificant." Strong evidence Sir David Ramsbotham, former chief inspector of prisons, urged officials to consider the findings. "It must make sense for the prison service to explore every avenue that might enable every prisoner to live a useful and law abiding life. "If healthy eating is part of a healthy lifestyle, and a healthy lifestyle is a crime-free lifestyle, I hope that they will look seriously at exploiting the evidence presented to them." Ron Blackburn, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Liverpool, said: "Efforts to reduce offending usually require major resources. "This research programme promises to have an impact on antisocial behaviour with minimal intervention and deserves full support." The above article was found here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2063117.stm

Bento 215 & CONGRATULATIONS DJ!

This morning was an early wake up call to reach school by 7.00a.m. because #2 and her school choir had a district level choir competition to compete in. They have in the last few months practiced fervently for this competition.

#2 is the President and also Choir conductor of the DJ Choir. Today, after umpteen years of being unplaced in the District level schools choir competition, DJ emerged the CHAMPIONS!

Credit must be accorded to the Choir teacher in charge, the Choir mistress, all the dedicated choir members and prayers from all quarters! It has been a long, tedious and hard journey to reach this great achievement.

Next up is the State level championships! Good luck DJ!

This morning's bento was quick and simple. Mixed salad with pears in one box and some fish balls skewered with kyuri. There was konnyaku noodles mixed with tuna mayo.

Sake no Nanbantsuke

This smilebox recipe has been long outstanding!

Ingredients:
Sake - 4 pieces
Carrot - 1/3
Onion - 1
Lemon - 1
Plain flour for coating
Salt and pepper

Dressing:
Shoyu - 1 - 1.5 tbsp
Vinegar - 4 tbsp
Sugar - 4 tbsp
Dashi - 1 cup
Salt - a pinch
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp

Method:
1. Marinate Sake with pepper and salt and coat with flour.
2. Fry Sake till crispy.
3. Slice lemon and onions.
4. Layer sliced lemon in a casserole and then Sake, topped with onions, lemons and carrots.
5. Prepare dressing and pour into casserole to soak Sake.
6. Serve after at least 2 hours or more.
7. Can soak overnight and serve the next day also.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Bento 214

If you have noticed, I've been packing an extra box of mixed salad for #2 over the last week or so. It's because she's had to stay back for extra curricular activities up to 4.00p.m. and that means she needs enough to keep her going till then.

Today, just like the last week, it's chopped mixed salad with slivered ham and fish balls tossed in sesame seed dressing. It's packed in the usual cool gel box.

In the metal bottom box are Lebanese rolls packed with fried chicken shreds, sliced kyuri, baby romaine, sliced fresh button mushrooms and a dash of kewpie mayo.

The plastic top box consists of yellow Kiwi and a small silicon cup of White's toasted oats.


A complete picture of today's bento set!

Bento 213

This bento took 20 minutes to prepare in the morning. On the left box there is leftover roasted Rosemary lemon chicken, fresh mushrooms and rollo rosa drizzled with Kewpie mayo, all wrapped in a freshly pan fried pancake.

In the middle is a box of cut apples.

The right box is currently #2's favorite box. It's packed with lots of cut vegetables and tossed in salad cream. The cooling gel in it's cover maintains the cool temperature in this box of salad.

I was at Daiso @ the Curve last week and bought two more sizes of this type of box with cooling gel.

The oval one below is 380 ml in size.


This square one below is 450ml and is quite large. I am thinking that besides salads, sushi is another good item to pack in these type of boxes.

Gardasil

Bento 212

This morning's bento was simple and tasty. Some fried sprouts and corn and a chocolate cake in the bottom box.

Some left over globe grapes and grilled pork which tastes just delicious.

Yum, Yum!

Cinnamon Banana

There has been requests for, how to make "Cinnamon Banana"? This is very easy!

Slice a banana



and sprinkle cinnamon sugar. I buy this from McCORMICK.


Enjoy!

WOW!

Two days ago, #2 mentioned about "Britains Got Talent" - about an elderly 'dowdy' lady who wowed the entire audience. I happened to check out You Tube and was 'WOWED'!

Check it out if you've not heard.

Click here

Bento 211

#2 loved the box with the cooling gel which I packed her salad into yesterday. She asked to use the same box again. I grilled some chicken breasts and sliced them up and tossed them with some chopped up romaine salad, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers. I used sesame dressing today.

In the top box are some cut up pears, apples and raisins tossed in some orange juice.

In the bottom metal box is a cinnamon and raisin cake and some sesame seed stick crackers.

Bento 210

It's been a busy weekend of activities and parties. This morning I didn't hear the alarm clocks and was sound asleep until I heard thumping on my room door. I guess it was #2, I rushed to get ready and downstairs to prepare her bento.

Here is a box of salad mixed with a quarter slice of fried salmon, all mixed up with some salad cream. #2 requested for this box where there is a cooling gel which can keep the salad cool.



In her regular box are some boiled and fried fish balls, skewered together with a slice of carrot. There are some Kundang fruits and tomatoes.

The last batch of de-seeded globe grapes.

Getting to know Bento Pet

I've always had fun with packing my bentos. I do them at my pace and my way. I'm a MAMA with 3 girls I term 'babies'.

This is a last minute submission because I wasn't feeling well this morning and when I did feel better this afternoon, I donned on my apron and began working on the ONE cooking skill which I enjoy most - SUSHI!

So, who am I? Javapot wants to know.


I am a "Tiger" Mama. By depicting you my Chinese Zodiac sign, you should be able to calculate my AGE! Telling you how old I am shows you that I am comfortable in my own skin. I'm always busy with my 3 baby 'cubs'.

I used my single layer Jabuko box to pack the "Tiger" sushi made up of egg soboro, ground black sesame seeds, simmered kampyo, nori, gamaboko, French bean and Japanese sushi rice.

I stuck "my" eyes a little cross eyed because I'm always dazed and amazed at the things my 3 little cubs do and share with me during our 'after-school' chit-chats.


I'm a free and easy person. I love to eat fruits and vegetables although my eldest daughter will tell you that "I'm ALL about carbs!" The size and content of the "Tiger sushi" is relative to how large I am in reality. *sniggers*

I'm always on the prowl to taste and experiment new food and recipes. Notice my skewered kimchi roll, spring onions with tuna mayo roll and "bunga kantan" (Torch ginger flower) veggie roll?

The 3 tomato heads depict the loves of my life. My husband is missing here because I think if he had to say one thing about "Bento" even if to save his life, he'd be dumbfounded! LOL!

Hope you've got to know me better.


Edit: Added a zoom in picture of the "Tiger" sushi.



Go here to vote for your favorite bento!

Lebanese bread roll ups

Not feeling too good today, down with a bad headache. I did a quick fix roll up sandwich today.

The kids and I have been patronizing this place called Desserts Bar nearby. I'm sure if you're in the vicinity of PJ or KL you would have seen it or even tried their ice-creams.

This year they seem to have expanded their menu not only in the area of desserts but also light snacks. Every month or so they have a menu promotion which is very worth eating. One of their sandwiches I noticed, came with cous cous. I thought that it was an interesting ingredient to add to the egg roll up which they served.

This morning, I made Lebanese bread roll ups which consisted of cous cous mixed with mayo, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and chopped tomatoes on a bed of romaine salad.



Then I lay strips of crabsticks on the cous cous combi and topped with freshly cracked pepper.

Folded the Lebanese bread and tucked it under the romaine salad and gave it a tight nip and tuck!



Viola! The whole roll cut into two. It was very filling!