Steamed Salmon Sushi Rolls

Happy May 1st!

Time flies so fast.  Before we know it, school is off and summer break kicks in.  I am usually one of the most excited person for this time-awaited break.  For us, this means an endless trip to Disneyland, Universal Studios, Legoland, Discovery Center, Sea World, the ZOO, playdates and picnics at the beach. But this year, I'm not quite liking it because I would have to work fulltime, and kids would be left home with nothing special to do until I come back home after work. I have discussed my work schedules with my kiddos, and they seem pretty good with change now that they've grown. I have arranged a weekday off from work to bring them to playdates, movies and picnics in between, and reserved the bigger trips on weekends with hub.

Sushi is on board again.  This time we made it pretty healthy for the growing kids.  I know that nothing is better for a kid's tastebud than a SPAM Musubi.  But let's face it, it's not very healthy when consumed on a daily basis, or say frequently.  I don't want to send sashimi (raw sushi fillings) to school either.  So I thought of steaming the salmon first to be on the safe-side.

Why salmon? Simply because we love salmon and it's one of the healthiest fish one can consume.  It's packed with all the essential nutrients that one need to live a healthy life.  Salmon is classified an oily fish, which is a good protein source, omega 3 fatty acids, and Vitamin D.  Do you know that calcium needs Vitamin D to be absorbed and synthesized?  Vitamin D is important for the health of our bones. It protects our bones and helps in calcium absorption. Primary source of Vitamin D is the sun, but with its harmful effects nowadays, we often lather our skin with sunblock.  Thus, shielding the essential effects of the sun to our body.  So where else can we find Vitamin D?  The answer always points to foods and supplements.

The kids are having Salmon Sushi Rolls for lunch today. Salmon were marinated with salt & pepper with lemon rind. Placed on a dish and steamed on a double boiler. Steamed for about 15-20 minutes. The sushi was filled with salmon flakes and a wee bit of light mayo.  You can always skip the mayo if you wish.  But mayo gives off a nice flavor to the salmon when eaten with rice.

My sushi rice was made with a drizzle of sesame oil, sesame seed and dried bonito mix.  I used to make it with Sushi vinegar, but somehow kids love it better without it. And rolling makes it easier for me too.

Have a great lunch!! 

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Chicken Nuggets, Corn Kernels & Melon

Finally the kids are back to school after Winter Break. They've been off for 3 weeks and they've been missing their friends and teachers. Honestly, I love to be with my kiddos every single day of my life, but there are times I wish for ME time too.  And that's when I want my sanity back...LOL!! Kids can drive you crazy at times. Don't you agree?

We're always good on first days. No jitters...no tantrums...always on time & early. These were the days when the kids were still excited and hyper.

For their first days, I didn't make anything special, but fulfilled their requests. Missy A had her favorite chicken nuggets meal with BBQ sauce on her green condiment cup, corn kernels and melon cubes with a puppy food fork. Everything packed on her favorite Goodbyn Small Meal Box.

Mr. G got a similar lunch except that I doubled the portion size.  And his lunch was packed on his favorite blue lidded EasyLunchboxes.

The kids also had their Emergen-C Raspberry Drink (pre-mixed to boost up their immune system this flu season) on their individual Goodbyn bottles, and a package of Mini Oreos for their sweet treat.

Breaded Salmon + Brown Rice for Work

Finally got the chance to take a picture of my hub's lunch for today. I usually would prepare my kids' meals first so I could stage them while the kids were still asleep.  And would prepare breakfast next. His lunch would always be last since leftovers never look good on pictures the next day unless I heat them up. Honestly, hub's never picky as long as he has something packed.  One of the several things I'm so grateful for.  

This morning, I had time to cook for him. Finally! I was able to thaw some salmons overnight. I made him breaded salmon over brown rice.  He also had some melon cubes and fresh garden salad that he prepared after I took a shot of this.  I wasn't able to wait any longer.  The kids were up and didn't wanna miss to blog about his lunch too by the time I got back from school.

Here's his lunch!

Seasoned and breaded Alaskan salmon.  One of his favorites so far.

And packed on our favorite EasyLunchboxes.

Have a good lunch, everyone.

Happy back to school!

All bento accessories are available through Bento USA,

the cheapest and most complete online bento products in the USA.

Other bento gears are also available thru My Amazon Affiliate Link.
Thank you for your support!

Aknowledgements:

K-Bento: Turkey Cheeseless Meal

It's the cracker bento days once again. 
This time it's Turkey Cheeseless Meal.

This is one of Missy A's favoured lunches ever.  Aside from it's easy to eat, it's healthy and filling.  Plus she can have a little bit of everything in front of her in a small box, except cheese. She's not a fan of any of it. So she has yogurt drink (not pictured) on the side instead. Perfect for the preschoolers and kindergartners, and toddlers alike.  Just adjust the portion size.

In her Goodbyn Small Meal Box, which appears to be her most favorite, is 4-5 pieces of whole wheat crackers, About 2 pieces of turkey coldcuts, cut into squares, and was held by a purple lion food pick.  She also has a portion of her brother's cubed red pears, and a Holiday Edition Oreo. Not sure if you can see the Snowman on the Oreo. But the kids are loving it.  It has a red filling.  The sad thing is, it has artificial food coloring. So be wary if you're someone allergic to it.

Be happy!

Happy Birthday, Missy A!

It's been 6 years now since I've given birth to our little angel.  She is the daughter that we've always wanted and a wonderful sister to Mr G.  They are inseparable. We love to think that they're the best of friends every parent would want their children to be.  And no, they're not perfect. As a matter of fact their imperfectness filled each other's needs to grow and learn better.

This day marks the birth date of Missy A. Nothing spectacular planned as compared to last year.  This time she opted for a smaller and simpler party.  Since it's a school day, we sent in 3 dozens of Krispy Kreme Christmas Sprinkle Donuts, juice boxes and apple slices for her class of 24 + 2 of her BFFs and 4 Kindergarten teachers.  We successfully pulled out 2 of her best buddies, which normally aren't allowed, from their respective classes to celebrate with her.  Thanks to their K-teachers for such kind accommodations.

I also sent in her birthday lunch bento on her Goodbyn Lunchboxes - Mix and Match - Small Meal Box.  I made chicken taco this morning, but she opted out for the corn tortilla shell. So she just had the chicken filling and a cracker instead with red pears and Golden Oreos.

 

After school, she requested for a playdate party at Chuck E Cheese. We booked a party package for 8 kids (for her 3 friends and sibs, plus Missy A and Mr G).  It was a blast! Since it was a weekday, the place was not even packed.  It was just us and another walk-in party group who graced the venue.  We almost had the place to ourselves. It was a fun, cozy evening for all of us. Parents got to catch up on everything and chowed the night away while the kids played and had fun. We liked it better this way. Invite only guests your kids truly interact with, and parents whom you know and care about.  That's what we call a stress-free party. Don't you agree?

 

Missy A had very few presents, but had her wishlists filled.  So for her it was the best night ever. We plan to do it that way from now on. Have the birthday child write up a wishlist and distribute them to inquirees. Whatever left unfilled is what we purchase for our birthday child.

 

Hope you had a fabulous and fun Wednesday!

~Marie~ 

Momables Lunch: DIY Pizza Buns

It's the first day of December and Christmas is almost here.
We plan to make all or most of our lunches Christmas-sy for the remaining 10 school days this December.  We don't own any Christmas themed cookie cutters, so it might be a little bit tougher for us  to pull our lunches together.  But we'll try our best and do the countdown.

It's the third today, so there are
22 
more days before Christmas

Today's lunch is inspired by Momables,

The Pizza Buns!

As all of us know, Momables always have an easy fix lunch. That's why I love them for always being so reliable and for fixing kid-friendly lunches all the time.

I don't have mini bagels on hand this time, so I made use of hotdogs buns instead. Actually I like the buns better because of their flexibility to fold together and  eat them like pizza sammies.  Missy A is not a fan of pepperoni, so she had turkey bacons on top with Mexican blend of cheese.  I made them a little bit festive by adding the gingerbread girl on the mandarin Cuties.

Mr G had a similar lunch except that he had pepperoni toppings on his pizza.  He also had  red globe grapes and red pears on the side.  Both lunches are packed on an Easy Lunchboxes.

For her snack recess, Missy A had some fudge coated pretzels and red globe grapes
with a mini apple juice. Snacks are packed on her Goodbyn Lunchboxes - Small Meal Box.

Tools used:

Thank you, Goodbyn! {A Review}

 I was feeling fortunate lately when Goodbyn sent me their pink Mix and Match Sets and a bottle for a review and a giveaway.  I was truly ecstatic!  As a matter of fact the review shouldn't be due till my pre-Christmas event, but I just can't wait to thank them enough and show them my sincerest appreciation.  Come back for my giveaway coz that wouldn't happen till next month. 

We ♥ Ponies

Well, well, well.  It seems we have some "neigh-sayers" in the audience. My Little Pony is Missy A's first love.  She loves anything horses and pink and purples. If there's anything we have, horses is part of the theme.  Or it will be a long argument as to why nots.

Day 12: I am thankful for RICE

One of the mostly used staples in our kitchen is rice. We are huge rice consumers and can't survive a meal without it.  So just imagine when we get into shortage of rice crops? We'd surely starve.

Adults eat brown rice, which is low in saturated fat, and very low in cholesterol and sodium.  It is also a good source of Selenium and Manganese.  They are best to prevent chronic illnesses such as Diabetes and Hypertension.

We eat all kinds of rice except the forbidden rice, which is black in color. Not because of its taste or its color, but because I haven't found where it's sold yet.  But I'm sure it would be a long discussion with my kids why it's black, of all colors. We don't have any Trader Joe's or Henry's nearby, and I'm not a diligent driver who would drive far and beyond just to find what I'm looking for. I'm mostly an online shopper who'd rather skip the long lines and busy hours.  Not unless it's just across the street or less than 5 miles away.  Hub does it for me. I just give him all the list and the brands that I prefer.

Day 3: Thank You for Friends

No man is an island, so today I am grateful for friends who has always graced our lives.  They have brought out the best and worst in us which led to life's realization in a whole new way. They who have so much love, care, support, shoulders to cry on, who are patient, honest, loyal, sincere and faithful. They are YOU who have stuck with me at my best and worst possible bento I could come up with. So thank you!

Today I am with my MOMMY friends. The whole day just after we brought the kids to school. By the time you read this, we already took off for a MOM's Day Out.  A good friend got tickets to watch The Ellen DeGeneres Show.  We had stand by tickets so there's 50/50 chance to get in or not. If we don't get in, we get guaranteed seats next time we come back.  But I am with high hopes that we get in coz it's the Twilight Week. I'm not a huge fan until recently when I was forced into reading the Breaking Dawn since all 3 of them were talking about it. I told you peers play an important role in our lives. They could make and break things for you...LOL!!  So let's see what happens today.  You'll hear me talking about it tomorrow.

Day 2: Thank You for Fridays

Star & Hello Kitty Sammies

It's the 2nd day of November.  TGIF!!

Yes, I give thanks for Fridays.  We always look forward for Fridays because it has splendid meaning to our week.

For me, it's the end of my early morning bento chores and for always rushing to school.  I know that I could have done things differently to make my mornings peaceful, but it has been my routine for so many years. And it is so much easier when you just follow through your routine rather than change it.

For Mr G, it's the end of his never ending homework, and it's the start of his weekend to play video games and watch tv shows.  So I made him a star turkey and cheddar clubhouse for a job well done in school. All packed in his favorite box, Easy Lunchboxes.

Day 1: Thank You for November

Octodogs

It's November! It is time to give thanks.

I thought of posting daily stuffs that I am mostly thankful for, 

which made me survive the day.

I thank for November because it is the birth month of my mother, who is responsible for my existence. I miss her so much since we live a million miles away. We moved to California after marriage to start a family. We visit once in a while, but it's not the same that I can just see and talk to her anytime the need arises.

November is also a month that bridges October to December. 

So without it, it wouldn't complete the calendar year. I love November because it's the time of the year that allows us to reflect on our lives and be thankful for what we have and appreciate the simple blessings we get on a daily basis.

I packed turkey octo-dogs for their school lunch, as I reminisced the days mom prepared hotdogs for breakfast each school days.  Bento wasn't known at our household back then, but she'd packed home-cooked school lunches for us too every single day.

Missy A had octodogs with crackers and ketchup on the pink condiment cup.

I made use of Starbucks plastic coffee stirrers for my watermelon kebabs.  I love using these because they're not sharp and safe to use around smaller children in school.  So if you're a coffee sipper, you might want to save this pretty little stirrers that could make lunch packing fun and exciting.

K-Bento: Turkey-dog in a Bun & Eco LunchBox

Missy A requested for her favorite turkey dog sandwich last night for her lunch today.  It's always nice to hear request from my kidlets. It takes out the burden of brainstorming what's lunch for school.  As I always say, we plan ahead and draft our menus while we shop in our local grocer the weekend before, but there are last minute change of hearts as well.  For those days, I'm doomed to come up with something creative from what's available.  That's when you see the lunches were dressed up.
Otherwise, they can go as simple as they can be.

turkey-dog in a bun, green grapes, and ketchup on the pink cup

K-Bento: Fieldtrip Sack Lunch

October 17 is fieldtrip day for Missy A. 

They had an educational tour at the Centennial Farm, 

where they learned about animal lives and planted a radish crop,

which they brought home as a souvenir of their trip. 

They were required to bring sack lunches and a water bottle/juice pouch

that were packed on disposable containers/baggies,

with proper name labels for easier distribution.

Since Bento Bloggers and Friends were doing a Halloween Hop on this day, 

I decided to theme her disposable containers as such.

K-Bento: Ham Chia Pockets Kebabs

It's Parent-Teacher Conference Week. 

I was scheduled to meet up with her Kindergarten Teacher this afternoon at 12:15. Nothing to worry about since she's academically ready and equipped when I sent her to school. I worry more about social.  Missy A started out the school year so shy and reserved.  But I was glad to be told that she has slowly come out of her nutshell, and has now made good friends with most of the girls in her class.

For lunch, Missy A had 8 mini ham on toasted chia pockets kebab with strawberry hearts on her Hello Kitty bento box.  Love to see her devoured this lunch as she chatted with her regular lunch buddies. 

Tools used for today's post:

K-Bento: PB on Mini Cinnamon Toasts & A Recipe

Missy A has a budding inclination towards cinnamons lately.  She adores the cinnamon toast waffles to the point that she requested it for school.  We bought the one by Eggo and my children went crazy over them. A package of 10 mini waffles all gone in a single eating.  So we have to purchase more to pack for the following day's lunch.

K-Bento: S is for Sandwich Spirals & A Tutorial

Missy A has a Peanut Butter addiction. She can literally snack on it by just spooning it out straight from the jar. Since she can't do that in school, she eats PB sandwiches in so many ways that I could find. One of them is the sandwich spirals that has gone viral on the bento world.  This is the first time I'm sending sandwich spirals to school, but she's been eating it at home as I improve my skills on rolling them tightly and neatly in place.

World Animal Day Hop: A Seahorse & Friends

October 4, 2012 is World Animal Day.

That calls for another Blog Hop.

My fellow Bento Bloggers and Friends prepared lunches of varying animals on each hop. So brace yourselves as we amuse you and your kids with the different animal lunches showcased on this special day.  This is like virtual animal museum of the Bento World.

School Lunches: Momables Chix Nuggets

Today the kids didn't like anything but their favorite crispy chix nuggets that I have learned to make thru Momables. If you're looking for the recipe, it can be found here. I'm not just so keen on making them with shapes because I always make them faster when just molding with my hands.  You just have to be generous enough with the breadcrumbs for the success of making them crispy and crunchy. We bake them for extra healthy options. Kids don't like them fried anyway.

School Lunches: Piggy Chia Pockets

If you have been following my blog, you already know that I was given the opportunity to try out CuteZCute newest baby. Yesterday's lunch featured the bears and the kitty lunches. If you haven't seen it, check it out here. Today's school lunch is courtesy of CuteZCute cutters again. This time on Chia Pockets. 

It's school's picnic lunch today.  This is a fun event that helps promote school camaraderie among students. Everyone from TK-6 sits on a tarp covered ground, all gathered together with the teachers and the principal eating and chatting together. It was my first time to witness this event since Mr. G started 1st grade in this school. Now that he's in 4th grade and Missy A in K, I have all the time to sit back and enjoy this moment of their school age years.

School Lunches: Panda Bears and a Kitty Ravioli Meal

Recently I was given the opportunity to try out a new cutter by CuteZCute.  It's one of the cutters that I've been wanting to own.  It's a cutter and a stamper in one. You can use them on breads, cheeses, hams, fruits, tortillas etc.  They cut very clean and are kid-friendly.  The set comes in 4 faces, a frame and a pick to gently push out small & intricate designs off the cutter.  It has a panda, a kitty, a frog and a pig.