This post brought to you buy...Butternut Squash (Bento #43)

Now, doesn't this look just yummy?

Before you ask, the yellowy orange stuff is not sweet potato. It is butternut squash. You might wonder what made me pick up a squash. First, I've never eaten any type of squash before this moment. In the interest of trying new foods, squash has been on my "Foods to Try" list, albeit on the low end. Then, Pioneer Woman posted a new recipe in her recent Thanksgiving dish series: butternut squash puree. Now, I'm not one for food the consistency of yogurt or pudding; so, puree isn't my thing. However, Pioneer Woman made butternut squash sound so tantalizing (and the romance story was hilarious) that I decided to move it to the top of the list when I found it at the produce stand yesterday.

I brought my one lovely yet smallish butternut squash home, sat myself down, and searched Recipezaar for something good to eat. I decided to look for a recipe where you would roast the squash in the oven. I thought this might be a good way to start. I found a recipe that looked absolutely tasty and tried out Herb-Roasted Butternut Squash and Sausages. This was the perfect dish to try out the squash. The squash seemed to take on a little of the sausage's flavor, but I could still taste the sweetness of this new food. I highly recommend the recipe!

I decided while I was at it I'd try a new green bean recipe too. Steamed green beans are getting a bit old lately. I have them alot in my bentos. I tried a recipe where after steaming you toss the green beans in a mixture of heated sesame oil, soy sauce, and sesame seeds. The verdict is still out on this for me. I'm not sure how much my taste buds like the soy sauce/sesame oil mixture. It seems a bit strong in flavor to me.

Tomorrow's bento includes:
Roasted sausage & butternut squash
Sesame seed green beans (recipe here)
Fish-shaped boiled egg
Pocky & Hello Panda treats for dessert

Bento #35

After the gym last night, I knew I was too tired to come home and cook. I stopped at Izzo's Illegal Burrito to get a quesadilla. Of course, it was too much. Half of it makes today's lunch leftovers.

Today's lunch includes:
Quesadilla, steamed carrots, boiled egg, raisins, sesame seed wafer, and hello panda cookies.

Cashew Chicken II (Bento #34)

One of my earliest posts in this blog was the Kylie Kwong's cash chicken recipe. I've been craving that dish, so I decided to make it again for this week's bentos. It came out MUCH better this time around. I learned a few lessons the last go around and I very much like how this one came out.

Tomorrow's bento includes:
Cashew chicken with cucumbers
Carrots with dressing & lady apple
Sesame seed bars & 3 Hello Panda treats.

A Rolling We Will Go...

Today's lunch is another rolled sandwich. However, this one has been rolled up ahead of time, no assembly required. Lunch consists of:

One rolled sandwich with a whole wheat tortilla, champagne honey mustard, smoked ham, and baby spinach.
A small amount of Zapp's BBQ potato chips, carrots with french dressing for dipping, grapes, and on the side of the dressing 3 Hello Panda treats.