Do you know Bento?

A Bento or OBento is a boxed lunch popular in Japan. http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Bento&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi
I had been tossing the idea around on getting Bento gear,( there is so much cute specialty stuff you can use to turn them in to little works of art) for a year or so now.

This summer I was Diagnosed with PCOS Polly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome & put on Meds, for High Cholestorol, High BP, & a BC pill to try & regulate my ovaries. In order to get off these meds I need to loose weight....well things got pushed to the side & here it is the new year.
so like many, I made reslolutions

#1 Take the darn Meds! I went & got a day of the week pill case & now keep it by my bed,
I have successfully taken my meds for a month straight!

#2 Eat More Veggies & Fruit, Over the past month I have incorporated salads & at least 2 veggies or fruit with every meal into the diet.
Here is also where I hit a stumbling block...I hate packing a lunch, I get Bored eating the same thing & I really do hate left overs. Solution?
BENTO! they are fun, cute, and you really can put anything into them. http://www.lunchinabox.net/ has great tutorials on how to change up leftovers, a portion recomendation chart, as well as incorporating traditional Japanese foods into your daily Bento.

planning out Bento's has also tweaked my intrest in other ways, last night I attempted a California roll, a fish less sushi, for my first go it wasnt bad! Brad refused to try it...he will come around eventually I am sure. http://whatscookingamerica.net/Appetizers/CaliforniaRoll.htm this is the basic instructions
& here is what I used,
For the rice
1/2 C rice
1 3/4 C water
1 Tsp Vinegar
2 Tsp Sugar

the sugar & vinegar help to make the rice sticky.

Black sesame seeds
1 cucumber peeled seeded, & sliced in long thin strips
1/2 an avacodo peeled & sliced into thin strips
a drizzle of Ginger wasabi sauce.

This was just enough rice to make one roll, the extra veggies got munched on through the evening.

I rolled mine with the Nori on the out side.
Nori is dried & roasted seaweed, granted I did not have good "top quality" & god knows how long it had been on the shelf, but it was still OK tasting, just seemed a bit strong smelling.

I didnt have a bamboo mat, but tin foil works pretty good too.
a drizzle of soy sauce over top & yum!

I really Have to thank the two Young ladies from Ithica that bring Sushi to Hector Tat-days for inspiring me to even try Sushi...I had the california roll there last year & have been craving it ever since, Now I can make my own!

Now I am just waiting on my Bento gear & soon I hope to have cutsey lunch pics up :)