I’m not terribly interested in making the super cute, fancy bentos that you might have seen pictures of (as fun as those look). My focus is more on the portion control and making sure I don’t get bored with my food. Fortunately, Maki offers all kinds of advice and recipes aimed at nutritious, economical, and easy lunches. She even takes into account that the traditional Japanese bento ingredients are hard to come by in most parts of the world. Give the site a look through and you’ll probably find something tasty to try.
My first bentos have been pretty tame and barely need a recipe, but here you go anyway.
Roast Beef, Provolone, and Red Pepper Wraps (makes 2)
¼ lb roast beef
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 small bunch arugula or other leafy lettuce
4 slices provolone
2 good sized sandwich wraps (I used spinach)
Smoked Turkey, Cheddar, and Avocado Wraps (makes 2)
¼ lb smoked Turkey
½ avocado, sliced and removed from skin
1 small bunch arugula or other leafy lettuce
2-4 slices good cheddar (depending on their size)
2 good sized sandwich wraps
After having eaten both, I think I may modify the turkey recipe a bit to add some red pepper to it or at least some kind of dressing. It’s a touch on the bland side, actually, though the smoked turkey and cheddar are a good combo. Red pepper and roast beef are a winner for sure, and I do love avocados.
I chose a mixture of raspberries and blueberries and some cubed cheeses for my two snacks/sides. And no, I didn’t pay a premium for those cute little pre-cut cubes in the bags. Its way cheaper to grab some big blocks and chunk them up yourself. I have enough for two people for more than a week.
