Koala Bento as Requested by a Fellow JET Hopeful ^_^

So, I spend a lot of time chatting about JET. My other blog is about JET and I am fairly active on the official forums in preparation for the next application. One of my biggest Japanese related hobbies is bento (obviously :P) and one of the other JET hopefuls asked for a koala bento. So, here it is.

 Koala Bento (87 I think)
Shrimp Salad Onigiri
Cucumber
Ham Flowers
Shrimp w/mayo, salt & pepper
Soy sauce
Lettuce Liner
Cheese Koala

So, I don't do a lot of charaben, making this a challenge. So it's pretty sparse and the photo is once more from my phone and poorly lit kitchen. Not the most beautiful, but absolutely delicious ^_^ And you can't really see it but the koala has little leafs sticking out of his mouth. But, I still made a bento XD

Posting Because I Should

So, I did make a bento yesterday and last Monday, but they were ugly and rushed and boring, so I never took a picture. Anyways, I was looking through all my posts and I realized that I suck at life. I had done so well losing a bunch of weight and now I've blown it. The point of this blog was to keep me honest and trying my best. So, I need to get back to my embarrassing honesty.

I don't want anyone to read this, but I need to post it anyways and hope that no one bothers to read my blog. A short prelude to my embarrassing admittance of weight: I had lost a bunch of weight that I had regained since I posted in my blog ages ago. I had gotten down to 185 without forcing myself or anything. I was enjoying my diet and I was enjoying my weight loss. Then I picked up my wedding dress and it was probably an inch and a half or two inches too big, but I lacked the time to have it sent back and a new size sent.. 1-2 inches is between 10 and 20 pounds... This was seriously depressing... So, I had to stop losing weight and even gain some back because I am not rich enough for the other options. In the end, I gained it back (and my wedding dress was awesome), but then I gained more. I had a meal plan at school and needed to not lose that money, but school food is terrible. So I'm going to bury the depressing number right here and keep talking and hopefully you won't notice. I ended up at 225 on the worst day I weighed myself. This morning I am at 218. I am making more bento and trying to eat healthier, so I am losing weight, but it's hard. Ryan and I should be moving out now that I am a college graduate. We are moving back up to Maine and having our own apartment should help me have better control on what both of us are eating.

Anyways, I have no pictures, but I will give a short description of my two bento.

5/7/12 (85)
My Bento
Smoked Barbecue Chicken Leg (perfect <3 oishii)
Shelled Edemame (more fun in the shell, definitely)
2 Hard-Boiled Eggs with Kewpie Mayo on top
Steamed Broccoli

5/14/12 (86)
My Bento
Shelled Edamame (I seriously need to finish these off)
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Cheese Stick
Salami Rolls


The list of things in my bento display how unphotogenic and boring my bento were. But, they were bento, they were delicious, and they kept me full. So, yeah... That's where I'm at.

A Serious Backlog of Bento and Getting Back on the Wagon

Wow... So bento blogging failure on my part... I honestly have not made that many bento in the last couple years. I spend a lot of time looking at other people's bento, but I ended up moving back to my parents house so that I could finish college. The lack of a kitchen has been a serious detriment to my bentoing. However, I have general life news to report and a few bento to share!

First of all, I graduate on May 19!!! Secondly, I got married last October 7!!!! Thirdly, and lastly, I am moving into my own apartment with my husband at some point this summer. So I will finally be back into my bento obsession! On a sadder note, I have ended up gaining back a lot of the weight I had lost and then some. So, I will be fighting to get back those pounds and still reach my goal.

I think that I will go through my bento I've made over the last two years (there are only a few sadly) and end today with that... But, I will be expanding my cooking, my bento, and my life as I continue this year and work into adulthood. I've also started doing stuff with the SCA and I am making my first kosode (middle ages Japanese garb) now and look forward to doing more cool things. When I get my kitchen, I'll go over all the awesome wedding gifts I got for my kitchen and all the bentoing I am excited to do! I'll try to make at least one bento a week or have something to post, I promise <3 Last, I'm applying for the JET Program, so if anyone is interested in my journey through that I made another blog for that at christineandjet.blogspot.com.

Now onto the bento!

20 March 2010 (72)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Rice
Heart Made of Shrimp
Pink Shrimp Flakes

Bottom Tier:
Gyoza
Lettuce
Pink Quail Eggs
Gummy Candies
Furikake for my Rice in the Penguin Cup

 19 January 2011 (79)
My Second Bento

Soba Noodles
White Sesame Seeds
Cucumber Slices
Bell Pepper Slices
Quail Eggs

 17 July 2010 (76)
My Bento

Potato Salad
Babybel Cheese Wheel
Leftover Curry
Sauteed Beansprouts

 19 January 2011 (77)
Ryan's Bento

Top Tier:
Rice
Black Sesame Seeds
Lemon Container of Tonkatsu Sauce

Bottom Tier:
Lettuce
Tonkatsu
Bell Pepper Slices
Soy Sauce Fishies
Green Apple Agar Agar Jelly
Quail Eggs

 19 January 2011 (78)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Lettuce
Tonkatsu
Soy Sauce Fishies
Kitty Cup of Red Bell Peppers
Manga Agar-Agar Jelly

Bottom Tier:
Rice
Black Sesame Seeds
                                                                                    Bottle of Tonkatsu Sauce

 27 February 2010 (65)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Soy Sauce Egg (yummy!!!)
Rice with Sukiyaki Furikake mixed in
Homemade Pork Dumplings
Fishy full of Soy Sauce

 8 March 2010 (66)
My Bento

Strawberry Mochi
Meltykiss Strawberry Chocolate ♥
Pork Dumplings
New Potatoes
Kamaboko decorations
Fishy of Soy Sauce

 16 March 2010 (67)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Cutie Oranges
Pork Dumplings
Quail Eggs
Pasta
Okinawan Sweet Potato Stars (in both tiers) with Cheese Stars

Bottom Tier:
Mozzarella Balls with Herbs
Mini Bell Papers Filled with Garlic and Herb Cheese
Ham Flowers
Piggy of Soy Sauce

 16 March 2010 (68)
Mum's Bento

Top Tier:
Mini Bell Peppers filled with Swiss Cheese
Mozzarella Balls with Herbs
Quail Eggs
Pasta

Bottom Tier:
Ham Flower
Dumplings
Piggy Soy Sauce
                                                                                    Okinawan Sweet Potato Stars

 18 March 2010 (69)
Ryan's Bento

Top Tier:
Baked Mac n' Cheese
Ham Flower
Broccoli
Piggy of Soy Sauce

Bottom Tier:
Tonkatsu
Cutie Orange
Broccoli
Meltykiss Strawberry Chocolate

 18 March 2010 (70)
Mum's Mini Bento

Meltykiss Strawberry Chocolate
Tonkatsu
Ham Flower
Pasta
Mozzarella Balls with Herbs
Piggy of Soy Sauce

18 March 2010 (71)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Heart-Shaped (sorta) Egg
Penguin of Sukiyaki Furikake
Ham Flower
Meltykiss Chocolate
Mozzarella Balls

Bottom Tier:
Rice
Tonkatsu
Broccoli
Piggy of Soy

16 May 2010 (73)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Cutie Orange
Piggy Onigiri (Rice, Ham, Katsu Sauce)
Broccoli

Bottom Tier:
Homemade Pork Dumplings
Bell Pepper Butterflies
Ham Flowers
Garlic and Herb Cheese
                                                                                    Broccoli

 26 June 2010 (76)
My Bento

Orange Slices
Cucumbers
Potato Pancake
Cherry Tomato
Italian Sausage

 29 June 2010 (75)
Ryan's Bento

Pork Gyoza (homemade)
Carrot Sticks
Cherry Tomato
Pasta Salad
Lettuce Liner
Shoyu Fishies
Italian Dressing Piggies

 22 May 2010 (74)
My Bento

Pork Gyoza (homemade)
Carrot Sticks and Flowers
Laughing Cow Wedge
Rice
Shoyu Piggy

 31 March 2012 (80)
Chuck's Bento

Rice
Homemade Gyoza
Green Onion Tamagoyaki
Red Bell Pepper Strips

 31 March 2012 (81)
Mum's Bento

Top Tier:
Small Rice Balls
Homemade Gyoza
Cheese Tamagoyaki

Bottom Tier:
Salad (Tomato, Cucumber, Red and Orange Bell Pepper)

 31 March 2012 (82)
Dad's Bento

Top Tier:
Homemade Gyoza
Cucumbers
Red and Orange Bell Peppers

Bottom Tier:
Rice

 31 March 2012 (83)
Ryan's Bento

Rice
Homemade Gyoza
Green Onion Tamagoyaki
Cucumbers
Red and Orange Bell Peppers

 31 March 2012 (84)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Rice

Bottom Tier:
Homemade Gyoza
Cheese Tamagoyaki
Green Onion Tamagoyaki
Cucumbers
Red and Orange Bell Peppers

 This isn't a bento, but it was my first successful tamagoyaki!!! So I thought I'd share <3 You should definitely check out Soul, Soup, Soap by Izumi Takaya and learn how to make tamagoyaki and awesome other bento things <3 I also made bread from her site!




Sorry there were so many bento, but I'll do better ^_^ Keep bentoing!

No pictures... But sort of a bento to report

I did pack a bento today, I can paint a picture of it really easily: My Winne the Pooh single tier bento with a lonely rectangle of chicken tetrazzini. That was it. It was boring but delicious. I didn't weigh myself out of sheer terror this morning because I went to a party yesterday afternoon before the Superbowl so I completely overate... But yeah, that's my update in my attempt to be consistent.

Getting Behind on Posting but Not on Bento!

So, I promised I'd update more regularly, but school is still kicking my ass. But, I promise I've been bentoing almost everyday. I fell off the wagon three time: one day I just wanted a sandwich because I didn't feel well; one day I got lazy; one day I stayed home sick. Despite these three failed days, I am proud to say I've made one or more bento for every day I've eaten a meal away from home for the last two-ish weeks. Without further ado: My Bento!!!


26 January 2010 (56)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Cinnamoroll Hard-Boiled Egg
2 Homemade Pork Dumplings
Piggy of Soy Sauce

Bottom Tier:
1/2 Cup Rice

Lid:
3 Strawberry Milk Candies





27 January 2010 (57)
My Bento

Only Tier:
1/2 Cup Rice
Cucumber of Soy Sauce
3 Homemade Meatballs







28 January 2010 (58)
My Bento

Only Tier:
Noodles with Garlic and Butter
Broccoli
2 Homemade Meatballs
3 Japanese Gummies





29 January 2010 (59)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Frozen Blueberries with Chocolate Chips
2 Homemade Meatballs
Carrot Sticks
Babybel Garlic & Herb Cheese Wedge

Bottom Tier:
Spanish Rice




1 February 2010 (60)
Mum's Bento

Top Tier:
Penguin with Poppyseed Dressing
Red & Orange Pepper Slices
1/2 Cup Rice

Bottom Tier:
2 Homemade Pork Dumplings
Edamame
Piggy of Soy Sauce



3 February 2010 (61)
My Bento

Top Tier:
1/2 Cup Rice
Lettuce Leaf Cup/Divider
Leftover Roast Chicken

Bottom Tier:
Carrot Sticks
Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb Cheese Wedge
Edamame





5 February 2010 (62)
I made this one for a friend at school

Only Tier:
1/2 Cup Rice
Carrot Sticks
Leftover Chicken Breasy
Edamame
Piggy of Creamy Italian




5 February 2010 (63)
My Bento

Top Tier:
Chicken Wing
Edamame
Carrot Sticks
Mashed Potatoes

Bottom Tier:
Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb Cheese Wedge
Apple Bunny
Apple Slices


5 February 2010 (64)
Chuck's Bento

Top Tier:
Chicken Leg and Wing
Edamame
Carrot Sticks

Bottom Tier:
Checkerboard Apple
Apple Slices
3 Japanese Gummies




So those are all my backlogged bento, and I was even better this week! I got back into weighing myself daily ^_^ I am at 201.4 lbs, which is higher than I want, and higher than I was a few months ago. But, I am getting back into the swing of things and eating healthier. I'm doing my best to pack myself more veggies in my lunches, I'm especially proud that I've been eating so many carrots. I really hate carrots, but with a cheese wedge I can eat a few and survive ^^; Also, if anyone else shares my aversion to carrots, the cheese wedge helps, but also if you microwave them in the same container as the rice at lunch time it steams them a little making them a little closer to cooked carrots, which is great if cooked carrots are more palatable to you ^_^

Good luck with everyone's bentoing! ^_^ See you next post, or comment if someone actually comments ^^;


P.S. Sorry about the really bad photos on these. I do my bento in the morning when I'm not quite capable of most human activities yet, and I only have a few minutes before I have to run out the door and drive the hour to school ><; I'm trying to take better photos, but some days just aren't for me ^^;

Yet Another Couple Days of Consistent Bentoing

Somehow I keep getting my photos in the wrong order, but I'm trying to at least number and date them correctly despite my editing abilities lacking something >.<

25 January 2010 (55)

Top Tier:
1/2 Cup Rice
4 Meatballs

Bottom Tier:
Bean Sprouts with Soy Sauce and Mirin
Strawberry Milk Candies from Japan ^_^







24 January 2010 (54)

2 Onigiri with Sukiyaki Furikake
2 Meatballs
Piggy of Soy Sauce
Bean Sprouts with Soy Sauce and Mirin









So I have a couple things to report: Once again, I have failed to weigh myself so I'm not sure where I'm at... I promise I'll do it tomorrow... Probably... Also, never leave your bag of bean sprouts unsealed for even a single day! I was so sad to discover this morning that my bean sprouts were turning kind of brown and splotchy and they smelled slightly funky... I pulled out some of the less scary ones, and cooked them hoping it was salvageable... But as lunch rolled around, lo and behold, my bean sprouts were too weird and scary to eat T_T But now I know to never let it happen again, and my family has been told that if I forget to put my bean sprouts away they need to be wrapped tight and tossed in the fridge.

Tomorrow there won't be a bento, unless I make one for my mom. She really wants one, since I let her try one of the dumplings I made from scratch ^_^ I'm thinking that I might go out for sushi or something... Or I'll be poor and eat at home because it's what I can afford realistically. Tomorrow I will also have to deal with my new morning problems: I was getting a ride to Salem for school with a friend, but she is now living on campus, thus no ride for me. So I can either catch the train, or drive myself... Neither are as great as carpooling, unfortunately, but it's better for her to be on campus, so I'll work it out.... And be completely jealous of her schooliness.


Okay, so this is getting long and ridiculous I know, I promise this is the last thing. I was really involved in a lot of stuff at MCLA, where I used to go to college, and I loved it. But now I live off campus, by about 40 minutes. 40 minutes is a lot of commuting for getting involved with community stuff at school, especially when you are already there for 8 or 9 hours every time you're there. I only have class Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so trying to add more to that and my 20+ hour work week may very well do me in. But, I feel completely disconnected from the school. Sure, I show up, I take classes, but that's all it is: I take classes there, but I'm not a part of the college. Oh well, such is life.


If anyone actually bothered to read all of my ranting and raving and whatnot, thank you, and I apologize for being all over the place!

Until next bento, happy eating ^_^

Been a while, but I'm back!

So it took a while to get back into the swing of things, but now I'm moved home, I am working at CVS again and I'm attending Salem State College. I'm also making bento regularly FINALLY! For work, for school, for whenever. I made my first bento stash, it is working out great. I made dumplings completely from scratch, meatballs from scratch, and a whole bunch of rice which I preportioned for bento ^_^

16 January 2010 (48)
PB&J on an English muffin
Cheez-Its
3 Japanese gummies



19 January 2010 (49)

Top Tier:
Onigiri with Shrimp Salad filling
Pepperoni & Monterey Jack cheese cubes on picks

Bottom Tier:
Yellow Pepper Slices
Peppercorn Dressing in the Kiwi mayo cup






20 January 2010 (50)

Top Tier:
2 Pork/Veggie Dumplings
Bottle of Soy Sauce
2 Japanese Gummies

Bottom Tier:
1/2 Cup Rice
Bean Sprouts with Soy Sauce







21 January 2010 (51)

Top Tier:
2 Onigiri with Sukiyaki Furikake
Bean Sprouts with Soy Sauce
2 Japanese Gummies

Bottom Tier:
2 Dumplings
Pig of Soy Sauce





22 January 2010 (52)

Top Tier:
2 Onigiri with Sukiyaki Furikake
Bean Sprouts with Mirin & Soy Sauce
Carrot

Bottom Tier:
Dumpling
2 Meatballs
Pig of Soy Sauce




23 January 2010 (53)

1/2 Cup Rice
Fishy of Soy Sauce
3 Meatballs
Bean Sprouts with Mirin & Soy Sauce









I am sort of sad that I missed my 50th bento and didn't do anything special, but it will definitely remind me that I need to keep better track of my bento and post them immediately instead of a week or two late. I am REALLY enjoying being back to my bento, and my mom even bought me a little single tier bento from the Disney store with Winnie the Pooh on it (Winnie the Pooh used to be my absolute favorite) so I'll be taking that tonight ^^

In respect to my weight goals, I have had little to no success right now since I'm getting back into a different routine. But in the last week or so I've lost a couple pounds. I'll be lugging around 6 classes worth of books at school and be walking up plenty of stairs, so I figure that and a trip or two to the gym will help a lot.

Thanks to anyone who is actually reading this ^_^ I promise I'll stay on schedule now! I might even get online tonight or tomorrow to post my bento for work today!