Berbere Meatball Bento

Back with a few bentos while I still can take a picture in natural light. I got the idea of berbere meatballs, on Lunchbox Blues he uses many different meats for his meatballs and such. I had to try some bison to see what it was all about. I picked up a roast from Whole Foods and prepared it in my Le Crueset French oven, almost like you would short ribs. It was very tasty, but very expensive.  Anyway I don't use ground beef so I used ground pork here in these meatballs. You could really use whatever you like, chicken, turkey, lamb, if you like it you can use it.

I didn't have a Berbere spice mix so after I cleaned out my spices, and re-labeled them and such, I had a clear view of what I had and what I needed. I like to use the stainless steel spice jars, they have a clear glass top, but I still think I can keep most of the light out from them. I mixed my own Ethiopian spice blend and I loved it. I know I will use it in many things not just stews and such. I will post the spice blend recipe for you later. These meatballs were quite addicting, he was lucky to get any in his lunch!

Today's bento:  Berbere meatballs, on a bed of organic mixed greens, enoki mushrooms. Strawberries and cherries. Mixed rice and grains pilaf with flowering chives. Some sweet and spicy mustard tucked in there and I send along some organic black cherry yogurt.

Mine was simple with the same meatballs, a couple slices of sesame crepe, strawberries. carrots, and the same yogurt. I didn't need to dip them in anything!

The berebere spice blend I just made. Recipe to come.

I thought I would share a few photos from yesterday while we were out on the ICW this is one of my favorite houses...there are many along the way that I could see myself living in...

A stop for lunch at The New Pass Grill, a perfect view, just don't feed the gulls!

Another favorite house...I see a theme here.

aaaaahhh, enjoying a relaxing Sunday on the water, with some friends. A swim at the sand bar, a good place to loose your anchor, lucky we could find it in shallow water.

An Osprey was just watching us as we went by, it's not easy getting a clear shot moving in a rocky boat as you are zooming in! Even if the boat wasn't moving it's rocking back and forth!

He flapped his wings for us, or maybe it was "she" but didn't leave the post

Casual Bento

I usually pack my husband a lunch and sometimes a nice looking bento. Co workers would look at his lunch and wish they had it...said they would eat out next door either if they brought a lunch like that. Well, my husband has opened his own business and told be I didn't have to pack a bento lunch anymore because no one was there to see it...except himself that is.

I do pack his lunch but maybe a little more casual than normal. He also has a fridge and microwave if he needed to use it. A simple bento of a sandwich, fruit and a little greens.

Just trying out my new camera and my zoom lens. I can take a photo of our neighbor's cat who thinks he lives at our house and he doesn't even know it.

We had to trim back our tall night blooming cereus peruvianus after the tropical storm Debby. What a relief getting rid of the two oh-so-tall stalks that were leaning over the driveway.

Shortly after Debby left us we went to Siesta beach to check on how it looked out there...after all these lifeguard stands were all over the weather channel as a video was shown trying to move them to safety.

It looked pretty clear, but amazing to see where the water had been.

It is a large beach, not many around here have such a long distance to walk over the sand to get to the Gulf of Mexico.

It is always a beautiful walk.

Tiny Hippo Bento

I know, I haven't graduated to cutting out a hippo fro cheese or egg sheets yet, but using this container as a guide I might just be able to pull it off. I found this cute little container perfect for dips and dressings, so I filled it with Jason's Deli style fruit dip, you can get the fruit dip recipe here. I also tucked in some veggies, steamed romanesco, carrots, snow peas. A little arepa sandwich with salmon, cream cheese and dill. Sharing a little of my work place. Some of the kids artwork that is hanging in the office next to the health room door (where I work). I love these... ...it's painted on crumpled up brown paper bag paper. The colors are so vivid. I should take some more photos of it I was in a rush when these were taken. We have so much beautiful art that the kids do hanging around the school.

The colorful crazy socks of one of our regulars that we see each day. She comes in to check her blood sugar and to get some insulin after she eats lunch. When I first saw these I told her I wanted a picture of it...she giggled. I bring my camera quite often to work, so this time when she wore some crazy sock I was ready. She loved posing, I wish I could show you her cute smiling face!

Here is Marina Jacks at Sarasota Bay front, we like to go here and have breakfast, there is a park, fountains for the kids, beautiful view, and dogs are welcome to tag along with their owners. There are always plenty of dogs and it's so nice we can take him to breakfast at O' Learys. I think I've already posted picture of that before, if not I'll be sure to. It's so nice that in outdoor restaurants we can bring our dogs with us We do have to follow the rules, but of course our dog is well behaved. :D

Tucker met a new friend, she is just under a year old and very well behaved too. Tucker has mellowed in his old age. When we are finished eating breakfast we have to take him around a little bit more... ...after all there are so many good dog smells to check out.

Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend!

There will be more to come...

Old Bento #2

Here is another bento I had posted on my other blog The Tiny Skillet . I will bring them over to The Tiny Bento here and there, or now and then!
This is probably as "cutsie" as Maranda would let me get(for now). I got a set of six flower cookie cutters that range smaller to bigger. The watermelon radish is the smallest. I tried to cut the pickled daikon radish in a small circle for the flower center, but just could find anything to do it with.
Under the radish flowers is some steamed rice with furikake sprinkled on it. To the right of that are fried spam and cucumber flowers, broccoli could of been placed a little better. Strawberries and red grapes with the only small pick I have (for now). Baby carrots with circles (flower buds) of daikon radish (the smallest circle I could do for now).



This was one of the first container that I got with just bento in mind.
It is so hard to get much bento anything around here. I got the idea to use this from Target thanks to Debra of hapa bento. I had also bought an all blue one for Maranda . They work quite well for a bento lunch, just leave the spoon out. Sometimes I will use the smaller container and sometimes not. So there you have it. Thanks for looking!

Old Bento #1

I decided to bring over all my old bento lunches that I posted on my food blog The Tiny Skillet.


This is one I posted when I was still toying with the idea of making bentos. I had a lot of color to play with, but no real bento box yet. As you can see it was all fruit and veggie and I sent it along with a wrap for my husbands lunch.

Top row: kumquat, and watermelon radish
next row: strawberries on a wooden skewer
next row: cantaloupe, edamame, quick steamed asparagus, and broccoli
All on a bed of fresh spinach!