Happy Little Lunches

They're cute, small and healthy.. and if you are into colorful little things like I am, you have probably heard of them before.. Bento Boxes!

Bento (弁当) is a Japanese small-portioned lunch box that traditionally consist of rice, fish or meat and vegetables, but the possibilities of ingredients and containers to use for it are endless!

Here is a great page to get to know the basics with more links to recipes and other interesting things.

The lunches can range from elaborate and stunning designs from Bento-addicted hobbyists..

© luckysundae

© annathered.com

.. to simpler everyday versions as family and school lunches

© lisastorms.typepad.com

© mymealbox.com

© justbento.com

Unfortunately, we don't really have the time or money to make our boxes as colorful and healthy, but I think they are still making the day a little better and happier.

About a year ago, I started putting little snacks in boxes when Jamie got his job at the microbiology lab here on campus. He didn't really have time to take a big lunch break and always refused buying himself something to eat there. But working from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with classes in-between and not eating anything just didn't seem right to me.

So I began to pack random things and leftovers we had at home into a small container and just stuffed it into his backpack before we left for classes in the morning. After a few days he actually started to like the idea and I had a new hobby.

(Making this Stormtrooper Onigiri probably helped a bit in the process..)

Most of them included some kind of Onigiri, steamed or fried vegetables and soy sauce with some chili flakes for dipping.

Of course, with Jamie's love for sweets, I usually also had to include something more 'fun'.
I started making little iced butter cookies and no-bake energy bites to add as a little sweet extra.

The box I used at first didn't really make it easy to separate the rice and spicy vegetables from other things, like cookies and fruit, but after a little search online, I found a relatively cheap alternative:

The 3.6 Cup Lock & Lock Container

  

© meetthedubiens.com

I love this box! It's so nice and fun to fill, has just the right size and is extremely easy to clean. The four little movable compartments also made it easier and quicker to put things together. Now, pretty much everything was possible!

I started to use tortillas to make small pizza rolls and mini soft tacos, which were a big hit!

Whenever I had enough time, I still tried to include rice and some kind of meat. The smoked German salami and little sausages we brought from our vacation were a really nice addition too.

I also started including little portions of whole grain crackers, nuts and trail mix.

I'm sure you also noticed Jamie's addition of Haribo..

Still trying to keep them at least a little bit on the healthy side, I started to include orange slices, mixed canned fruit and self-made Granola bars.

Like I said before, they are not really the typical Bento box and probably not the healthiest or prettiest either.. but I think they do their job and Jamie seems happy!

Tomorrow's lunchbox: 

• Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers & German Pepper Crust Salami
• Spicy Peanut/Cashew Mix
• Tropical Fruit Mix
• Chocolate Covered Marzipan Candy

Are you making lunch boxes for yourself or somebody else? 

What are some of your favorite ingredients/recipes?

A delicious dish with many names..

People call it Gulasch, Goulash, Gulyas, Gollasch or Gujasch, but in Hungary it's Pörkölt, which basically means 'roasted'.

Its origins go all the way back to the Middle Ages, where Hungarian shepherds would cook it over open fire. Back then, paprika was not available and Pörkölt was just a simple soup with roasted meat and onions.

© Wirths PR

Today, Pörkölt is a stew that's cooked in many different ways and a great variety of ingredients. Beef, pork and deer are the favorites of my family, but veal, horse and lamb are very popular as well. For poor students like Jamie and I, turkey and chicken can be great options too!

Common additional ingredients are garlic, potatoes, black bread, red wine, mushrooms, bell peppers or even sauerkraut, for example. In my opinion, the most important ingredients by far are onions, paprika and caraway. The more of them you have in there, the better the Pörkölt! 

The following recipe is just a rough outline; I have no idea how much paprika, onions and other spices I actually put in mine, but it's definitely more than what is given here. Feel free to use it as a start and add whatever ingredients you like best!
 

Pörkölt

   2 lbs Goulash Meat

   2 Onions

   6 oz Tomato Paste

   4 ts Broth (powder)

   4 tbsp Paprika

   2 tbsp Chili Powder

   1 tbsp Pepper

   1 tbsp Marjoram

   2 ts Caraway (ground)

   Salt

   Lemon Juice

   Oil

Cut the onions into small pieces and the meat into bite-sized cubes. Put both into a large bowl, mix with a few drops of lemon juice, add some salt, cover and let it rest for about an hour in the refrigerator. 

Roast the meat and onion mix for about 10 minutes at a higher setting in a pan with some oil. It's better to fry smaller portions at a time to make sure all of the pieces are nice and brown. After that, continue to roast for about 15 minutes at a medium-low temperature.

Pour in 3-4 cups of water (or whatever amount is needed to cover the meat) and add caraway and broth. At a medium-low setting, let it simmer until most of the water has evaporated; stir occasionally.

Add 3-4 more cups of water, tomato paste, paprika, chili powder, marjoram and pepper and stir. Simmer at low heat and stir occasionally until the meat is tender and you have reached your desired consistency.

Noodles, rice, dumplings, baked potatoes, polenta or just fresh bread are great choices for sides.  

  Enjoy!