I’m back!!!

I just checked my last entry date, I disappeared for exactly 8 months!!!

For the second half of last year, I was still bento’ing, but partly I was busy, partly I wasn’t that inspired to do anything fanciful.

Ever since the school term started this year, I have been doing, just that been busy and haven’t updated the blog much.  I will probably do batch updating.

For today’s post, I uploaded that I made this year.  Nothing much fanciful, but they are simple and not difficult to complete on the wee early school day morning.  Some of them, especially the rice bentos, were actually lunches that I made and brought to school for my children.  For those, I had more time to do. 🙂

Bao Bao Girl Bento:

Caterpillar Bento

Rilakkuma & Korilakkuma Bento

I

Simply in the Park Bento

B.A.P Bento (B.A.P is a Korean Pop Group)

Three Little Pigs Bento

Domo Bento

Frog Bento

Panda Bento

Woof Woof Bento

Biggy Bao Bento

Bento Tool Review – Lunch Punch Cutters

Seen this before?

Lunch Punch Match and Munch

I have always wanted to own Lunch Punch Puzzle set (the official name is Lunch Punch Match & Munch), totally glad to be blessed with a set to “play with”. 😛  Actually, it wasn’t me who was playing with it, but my daughter.

My daughter  first used the edible marker to draw on the bread, followed by cutting the bread into the various ‘puzzle pieces’ using the cutter.  According to the seller, one trick for the cutter is to use it on a flat surface, press down, twist and turn just a little, to cut through bread.

Daughter drew and cut

My daughter then had fun fixing her own puzzle pieces together 😀  She drew and made the rabbit one, while I made the other puzzle.

Had fun fixing the “puzzle pieces” together

Bread Puzzles!

And of course, the best part is to eat them 😛 (oops, the pieces were upside down :P)

Daughter enjoyed munching the puzzle pieces 😛

More complicated puzzle designs can be done using the other 2 cutters, with instructions that is easily available on simplethots’ website..

4 x 4 puzzle bread

What I love about the Lunch Punch Match and Munch

It’s BPA free.  My main issue with most bento tools is that they are not BPA free.  It was a pleasant surprise to read from the local supplier’s website that they are BPA free!

Another wonderful thing about these cutters is that they make the plain sandwich making really fun and interesting.  Provides great bonding time between the children and parents, especially if your child has an artistic flair, drawing on a ‘bread canvas sheet’ will certainly entice them to eat more 😉

There are also other designs available.  Check them out at simple thots !!!

Good news!  It’s the Great Singapore Sale!!!!

I was just been told that there is a promotion for these cutters!!! Woo hoo!!!!  Check out the Singapore promotion here:

Lunch Punch Great Singapore Sale Promotion at ToTT

The not so good side

For bringing to school, I wonder if my daughter will have the time to eat and fix the puzzle 😛  Oh well, probably not for packing to school.  Great for a relaxing picnic at the park, or just bonding time at home.

The size of the cutter is also slightly smaller than a normal slice of bread, which will gives breadcrumbs. This is especially so when making the bigger 4 x 4 puzzle.

The size of the cutter compared to Sunshine bread

However, such problem is not new to bento-making and can be overcome by using the breadcrumbs to make other yummy food.  Eg, some bento’ers use the sides to make garlic/furikake breadsticks, while others make bread pudding.  Bakeries are also selling bread loaves that are of smaller sizes, so this may not be a big issue. 🙂

Happy Puzzling 🙂

Bento 212 – Church Serving Day Bento

I started serving in my church taking care of babies 9 to 14 months.  With the location, it’s difficult to get lunch for my kids, I have no choice but to prepare bento for them on weeks when I serve.

I simply love the Kokeshi boxes which really came handy, especially the soup bowl. I made miso soup and put into my Zojirushi thermal food jar.  During lunch, my kids pour the soup into the Kokeshi box’s bowl, allowed the soup to cool and were able to enjoy hot soup in church, especially after being there for hours, it can be very cold there.  The portion is just right for daughter. The rice was at the bottom layer.  Good that the box is too small for son, else I be so tempted to get for son too.  Son’s church friend was drooling over their lunch :P, but son gladly shared his portion with his friend.  So proud of him 🙂

Eh, noticed new box? 😛 Couldn’t resist the Lego long lunch box 😛

I’m actually glad that I can still get my fingers busy with bento making during the holidays.  However, once term starts, will be tough on Sundays when I have to wake up early too. 😦  God’s strength be with me 🙂

Church Service Day Bento

Next post, look out for a interesting bread cutter review! 😀 😉

Bento 211 – Keroppi Bento

My Kokeshi Box in action 🙂  A very simple to do, 10 minutes Keroppi Bento.  Originally only planned to do 1, but giant Keroppi looked ugly.  Changed my mind and made 2 instead.

Main dish was marmite chicken, one of my family favorite 🙂

Some asked me if only Japanese rice can be used to make these shaped rice.  My answer is no.

Tips : Normal Chinese Jasmine rice can be used to shape into rice balls.  Just add slightly more water.

Keroppi Bento

Bento 210 Grimace Hello Kitty

Another bento where I got the inspiration from the current Singapore’s McDonald’s promotion.

This bento ain’t one for going to school or outing, it’s just my fingers itch from no bento making, so made this for my lunch.

I wonder how my kids have the heart to eat.  After completing, it took me another 2 hours to finally take my lunch. Simply  no heart to eat the effort.

Grimace Hello Kitty

Grimace Hello Kitty

Bento Book Review : akinoichigo 2010 and 2012

It’s school holidays here in this part of the world!!  So not been doing bento.  I do miss bento-making, but have no time.  But I also don’t want my blog to be so quiet.  So here’s something I hope will be helpful for my readers : bento book review.

Here are the two books by Akinoichigo that I’m going to write about 🙂

akinoichigo 2010 and 2012

My sister in law bought for me the left hand side 2010 book.  After looking through it, I love it so much that I bought to 2012 version from Kinokuniya.

I will just share about the similarities between both books.

Both shows

• templates for the characters
• both contain basic tools (2010’s version is more comprehensive)
• recipes.    Good for Japanese readers. For non readers like me, hmmmm….

akinoichigo templates 2010 2012

akinoichigo 2010

Besides the templates and basic tools, the 2010 edition contains:

• Bento basics instructions like bread balls, rice balls, etc
• Instructions for coloring food

Pictorial instructions are very detailed, certainly helpful for non-Japanese readers.

The 2010 version is very good for the characters lovers.  Hello Kitty, Rilakkuma, Thomas, Spongebox Square Pants are all here 🙂

Readers will also find the breadballs, rice balls and coloring instructions useful, especially for newbies.

Basic Bento Instructions, bread ball in this page

akinoichigo 2012

The 2012 version focused a lot on generic characters, like animals, flowers, cute boys and girls, vehicles (good for boy’s theme bentos, which is lacking in 2010).

There are many many many detailed pictorial steps included.  This is certainly the reason why I really love this edition.  I highly suspect she wrote the book with non Japanese readers in mind 🙂

Very detailed pictorial instructions

She also shows how to fill up a lunchbox. I know this sound so basic, but I know there are people who need help in this area.

Filling up of lunchbox

What I really love about the books

For recipes seekers, these are certainly not suitable, especially when they are all in Japanese.

But I really love the instructions, templates and ideas.  Pictorial instructions are very very clear and detailed.  2010 versions focused more on the famous characters like Hello Kitty, Rilakkuma.  2012 focused more on generic ones.  I like them both.

If I really have to choose, and there is only budget for 1 book, I recommend the 2012 version.

Prices

My sister in law bought the 2010 from Japan at about 880 Yen, while I bought the 2012 version in Singapore’s Kinokuniya at S$22.00

Verdict

9/10

Why I minus the 1?  If only there are translated English version.  😛

Hope this helps.

Next review to look out for…

A book and a bento tool 🙂

 

Bento Tools Indulgence

Christmas comes early for me 😛  Lots of new bento tools, expensive bento boxes that even I’m surprised that I bought, plus cool kitchen gadget, all arrived at my home at the bestest time ever.  Well, things at home weren’t that smooth, and I really needed something to cheer me up a little. Which was why all my purchases really chose the right timing to arrive 🙂

My purchases came from 2 sources, good old CK Tang (I have voucher :P) and Bento and Co.  Top with some stuffs I asked my sister in law to help me get from her Japan trip.  Weeeeeeee, I’m a happy gal! 😀

Here’s a picture of all the stuffs.  But the food processor and the bento book are so cool that I will dedicate a special post for them.  The Kokeshi Box and the Kimono Murasaki Bento box are two indulgence.  I was probably possessed when I click the “Add to cart” button.  Though pretty, I’m a little regretful that I bought them.

Haiz, to comfort myself, treat these as my birthday present then.

Indulgence

Bento 209 Lettuce Princess Bento

This week is a very tiring week.  Son injured his knee and was on cast and away from school.  Whenever any of my children on MC at home, I will be super busy.  Didn’t realised how exhausted I was until last night.  Plus I normally naps in the morning, with son at home, I didn’t nap at all!

Well, good that today is the last day of school! So last school bento for ther term/semester.  Well, I just may do some home bento for myself 🙂

Bento today is a very happy Lettuce Princess who is having school holiday 🙂  Food was Chinese Char Siew Bao

Lettuce Princess Bento

Bento 208 Hello Kitty Hamburglar Bento

Don’t know to love or hate McDonald’s.  Everytime they come up with such Hello Kitty promotion, I will go crazy over collecting them all.

Anyway,  I nearly had to send my gal to school cause I was nearly not in time to finish this up!  The ribbon was the last, spells the lousy work.  Other than that, pretty happy with it 🙂

Inside croissant is nutella.  They go well!!! Yum!!!

Hello Kitty Hamburglar Bento

Hello Kitty Hamburglar Bento

Bento 207 No Waste Elmo Bento

Today is another no waste Elmo 🙂  Did a squarish Elmo some time ago, this time it’s bread ball Elmo.  Both Elmos have no crumbs, no wastage.  (except the sides which I normally cut and eat them up)

Oh,  pictorial instruction further down. 🙂

No Waste Elmo Bento

 

Elmo Instruction