seattle times article about daiso in alderwood mall
daiso is a japanese “dollar store”. i haven’t been to check it out yet, but i’m hoping to find some good bento supplies. right now i either buy from uwajimaya’s limited supply, or i can order online direct from japan. but for 48 paper cups, $3.00 plus shipping seems like too much money. if daiso carries these things, then i could recommend it. the article says they will likely be opening more stores throughout the country, so keep your eyes peeled!
japanese translation of title: buta-baraniku to daikon no nimono
i like packing bentos for saturdays, even tho neither of us has to leave the house because it means lunch is taken care of. generally we nibble on them throughout the day. whenever he gets hungry he can just open up his bento and eat something. same for me – lunch is made so i’m not tempted to eat something unhealthy. anyways maybe i’m just weird, but i like saturday bentos. also it’s a good use of leftovers from the week’s bentos…
his bento
back, from left: simmered pork with daikon, rice with nori flakes; front, from left: daikon carrot pickles, chikuwa fritters and calamari fritters, stir fried corn and green beans, kiwi slices
my bento
back: rice with nori flakes, simmered pork and daikon raddish (i don’t use seperators because i like how the juice gets into the rice); front, from left: meatball, stir fried corn and green beans, calamari and chikuwa fritters, daikon and carrot pickes; left: kiwi slices
note that i also got the bento boxes i had ordered from j-list.com!! they are even cuter than in the pictures!!
his bento
left, from top: cucumber salad with dressing, meatballs, apple slices, broccoli, steamed carrots; right: rice with bonito flakes
my bento
back: rice with bonito flakes; front, from left: hard boiled egg, steamed carrot, steamed broccoli with mayo, meatballs, cucumber salad with dressing
he doesn’t like hard boiled egg, which is a shame since it’s such an easy way to add bulk to the bento. that’s ok, more for me!!
his bento
left: salted salmon and rice with nori flakes; right, from top: steamed broccoli and carrot, chrysanthemum turnip, tamagoyaki with wakame; upper left: apple slices
my bento
left: salted salmon and rice with nori flakes; right, from top: kiwi slices, tamagoyaki with sugar and soy sauce, steamed carrots and broccoli
i screwed up when i bought fish the other day.. the herring was right next to the mackerel and i grabbed it by mistake… argh! i don’t really like herring that much but i thought if i just coated it in miso it would make it a little better. it’s not bad but not great. i wish it was mackerel 
his bento
left: stir fried turnip greens, rice with umeboshi; right, from top: chrysanthemum turnip, apple slices, stir fried corn and green beans, miso herring
my bento
back: stir fried turnip greens, rice with umeboshi; front, from left: miso herring, stir fried green beans and corn, apple slices, chrysanthemum turnip
his bento
from left: beef fried rice, steamed carrots and broccoli with mayo, chikuwa fritters, lotus root salad; not pictured: apple slices for dessert
my bento
right, from top: lotus root salad, steamed carrot and broccoli with mayo, chikuwa fritter, tamagoyaki, persimmon slices; left: steamed rice with furikake, salted salmon
bento, american style! hee hee
his bento
left container: apple slices; right container, from top: tuna fish sandwiches, daikon carrot salad
my bento
left: banana; right, from top: tuna fish sandwiches, daikon carrot salad
tuna fish sandwich with a japanese flavor:
1 can of tuna
japanese mayo
dash of mirin
dash of light soy sauce
shoku pan
mix together, don’t use too much mayo, just enough so it sticks. spread a thick layer on one slice of bread, squeeze more mayo on another slice. cut off the crusts and trim the sandwich so it fits into a container. for a more shallow container, you can cut the sandwich into thirds or even fourths.
i’m looking for more japanese style sandwich recipes, so if anyone knows any or knows any links to any, feel free to post below!!
my bento
front: oyako don with chicken and shingaku (instead of mitsuba..) over white rice sprinkled with nori; back: apple slices
i made the oyako don recipe from the bento box cookbook, only i substitued dashi for water and 1 whole green onion for regular onion.. and shingiku for mitsuba. i guess mitsuba isn’t in season, although i can usually get it when it is. i thought a darker green with more nutrition might be a better choice anyways………
no bento for him today.. he went to the dentist and his mouth hurts to much to eat anything we’re having ochazuke for dinner hahaha..
ochazuke
his bento
right: mixed rice with kamaboko; left, from top: steamed carrot and broccoli with mayo, cuban style chicken wings, apple slices, chikuwa fritters, spinach wrapped in egg sheet; not pictured: honey cake for dessert
my bento
clockwise from left: steamed carrot, potato, and broccoli with mayo, chikuwa fritters, persimmon slices (so ripe they got a little moooshy), cuban style chicken wings, spinach wrapped in egg sheet; bottom: mixed rice with kamaboko
his bento
he only has 1 color of chicken wings because he doesn’t like spicy things. left: rice with salmon furikake; right, clockwise from top: apple slices, daikon greens and aburage nibutashi, sweet simmered shiitake, chicken wings with nori; not pictured: cream puff for dessert
my bento
first lunch in the kakashi bento!! left: rice with umeboshi and shiso furikake; right, from top: daikon greens and aburage nibutashi, chicken wings with nori and shichimi togarashi, tofu leftover from sukiyaki, persimmon slices
