How are you, my friends? Everything going peachy on your end of the world? 

I took a little break…not a real break, but ones I start to read a book my nose cannot get unglued from the pages. Some books I can read many times, just like watching certain movies and it feels as I am reading it or watching it for the first time.

I have a few favorite movies that I think I watched at least 50 times, if not more… I am a sucker for the periodical English movies!

But then again I can read Jane Austin books million times and never get tired. With few projects on my hand and a book, I kind of lost myself and neglected this corner. OK! I know you came for food…and I am talking about books and movies! Sorry…

What is Yubu-Chobap Or Inarizushi? 

This is Korean style Inarizushi. It is originated in Japan, so it is a Japanese type of sushi that Korea adapted. 

There is a slight difference but not much at all. If you never had it at the sushi bar or bought it already made, say in Publix or healthy food store, the taste is very delicious. Yubu = soybean curd (fried tofu) | Cho= vinegar | Bap = cooked grains (rice,beans,barley etc.).

Even though this is an instant version, and I didn’t tuck the rice into the fried soybean as you would normally see, by the way, I have an explanation why; it was still delicious and perfect for lunch boxes and make a great snack! Why didn’t I tuck it or turn around?  I wanted you to see how pretty it looks on the inside.  

So, when you get instant one, as I did -fried tofu pouches are packed into plastic and in liquid, which you squeeze out before filling it with rice. I know, I took the easy way out but let me tell ya, it saves so much time. It also comes with dried seasoning, sauce (vinegar, sugar, and salt),  

What I like to do, is adding many different vegetables, sometimes even leftover minced meat and mixing it with rice. It is that much more flavorful, healthier and of course delicious but possibilities what you can mix with the rice are endless.

Q: What Box is safe for me and my child?
A: Look for the boxes that have clear written label that they are BPA FREE just in case if they are plastic- 
BPA stands for bisphenol.  BPA is an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960s. Seeking out BPA-free products may not always be easy to do. Some manufacturers do label their products as BPA-free, but some do not. If a product isn’t labeled, keep in mind that most aluminum cans or bottles have linings that contain BPA, while steel bottles or can do not. Polycarbonate plastic is generally hard, clear, lightweight plastic. It often has the No. 7 recycling symbol on the bottom. (source Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.from Mayo-clinic)

◾ When you are making food at night for the next day lunch boxes make sure about the box like mentioned above. Always preheat food after taking it out of the fridge, let it cool down a bit then close the lid. 

◾ IF you are using seasoned PANKO bread crumbs, be careful how much seasoning/salt you are using on chicken. If your breadcrumbs are plain to make sure to season it. TASTE and see!!! 

◾ For this, I used long grain rice, but it is best if you use short grain premium rice. The best results.

FOR MORE LUNCH BOXES VISIT SCHOOL/WORK LUNCH BOX PAGE 

Lunchbox option:

Beef Meatballs

1 Boiled egg

Hot dog (1/2)

Broccoli

Grape Tomatoes 

Few slices of Eng. Cucumber 

Roasted Butternut Squash 

Grapes 

Water for beverage or sugar free beverage

When you are making lunch box, please use what you have. It doesn’t take too much time to pack if you prepare at night, and if you have leftovers, lunch box will be done even faster. 

Of course, it doesn’t have to be exactly the same, I want to give you an idea and to encourage you to make it at least a few days out of the working/school week. The expression on the child’s face is priceless, and this goes beyond the PB&J sandwich. 

Somebody recently said: “Your lunch-boxes are cute, but how do I make my child a hot meal?”

What I do after preparing everything at night, I preheat it in the morning what needs to be preheated. Then simply put it together. It is still warm, not as hot as you would get after cooking it right away, but let me tell ya, even a warm meal is better than cafeteria food. 

Offer a child color, choices for fresh fruits and vegetables, and last but not least talk to your child and see what he/she would like to eat the next day.  Your child can eat a homecooked hot meal when it gets home.

Besides, you can sometimes pack a lunch in the thermal lunch box, and it will, of course, keep the food warm.

Communication is the key because your child will be part and included in his healthy meal choices and it’s up to us parents to suggest healthier one. 

Where you can get instantly fried tofu kit?
Korean, Japanese, Asian or International markets/stores. 

Now, let’s get cookin’

Print

Lunch Box: Yubu Chobap (Inarizushi)

2 lunch boxes

Course LUNCH BOX

Cuisine Asian

Keyword school lunch boxes, lunch box, work lunch,

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 2

Author Sandra | Sandra’s Easy Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 pk Instant Yubu Chobap kit
• 2 cups Rice
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• Vegetables that I used:
• cooked peas 1/3 cup
• shredded carrot 1/3 cup
• 1/2 cup sweet peppers green, yellow, orange, red, chopped/almost minced
• 2 scallions chopped

Instructions

1. Rice: 2 cups rice, washed several times really good, then soak in water for 15 minutes and up to 45 minutes(drain after). You want water to be as clear as possible, and I do use short grain premium rice. Add about 1.5 cups of water, add 1/4 tsp salt, and cook on high until it boils. Do not take the lid off. Once it boils, turn the heat on low/simmer for 7 minutes. After 7 min. do not take the lid off, take the pot off the stove burner and let the rice steam for additional 3-5 minutes. Take the lid off, and fluff the rice. Should be perfectly cooked, but not overcooked or burnt. Cooking rice also depends on what kind of rice you are using. I stick to my method for years and I never overcooked it or burned it, but stay close.
2. Rice Mixture: Combine washed (cooked/peas) and chopped vegetables, add rice. Mix together then add sauce (vinegar, salt, and sugar), and add half of the dried seasoning. The other half you can use to dip in after you fill/stuff fried tofu with rice filling. Mix it well to combine all the ingredients together. Open pouches, make balls out of the rice (usually the size of the pouches) and stuff it in the pouch. You can sprinkle seasoning on top or dip each stuffed pouch in the seasoning.

Before Monday starts let me share one more yummy lunch box idea. It does take little more time to make these stuffed bread rolls, but trust me they are so worth it. 

My kids… no, to correct myself,  my whole family and friends love this and it’s one of the favorite after-school snacks, lunches or even dinners with some salad on the side. 

These are perfect, obviously, for lunch boxes for school or work, but also fantastic to take on trips, potlucks, and picnics. You can eat them hot right out of the oven (although it is too good and dangerous) or cold. 

You can, of course, pair it with anything that you have or like, but I added some radishes, English cucumber, and cherry tomatoes from my garden; And for the fruits: raspberries and blueberries that go perfectly well with a strawberry yogurt smoothie. 

As for the roll itself, I made two kinds, and again you can add what you have and like.

We all love and it is one of the top ones that my family or friends always asking for, which is stuffed with sauteed ground beef, onions, and garlic,  but you can be creative and add roast beef + cheese + peppers, ham + cheese, sauteed potatoes and onions, breakfast sausages + cheese + eggs, Nutella etc.

Possibilities are honestly endless. It is also convenient.  It stores well in the fridge, you just need to reheat and eat; OR if you going to take it the next day just make sure to preheat for few minutes in the microwave, let it cool down to a room temp., then pack. 

You can roll it and make it like a stick looking or you can make a bun out of it…it’s your call!

See how easy that is…but wait there is more, just kidding! You can also use pizza dough from the store or make your own as I do.    Check out the RECIPE WITH A VIDEO for Stuffed Bread Rolls with Ground Beef and Onions…HERE

For ham roll

1 Tbsp. Cream Cheese – room temp. (spread on the dough before adding ham)

4 slices of thinly sliced Virginia Ham or any on hand

One handful of shredded cheese such as mexican chese blend

Before I complete this post I feel that I do have to write about it in every of the lunch box posts for safety.

Q: What Box is safe for me and my child?A: Look for the boxes that have a clear written label that they are BPA FREE just in case if they are plastic-
BPA stands for bisphenol.  BPA is an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960s. Seeking out BPA-free products may not always be easy to do. Some manufacturers do label their products as BPA-free, but some do not. If a product isn’t labeled, keep in mind that most aluminum cans or bottles have linings that contain BPA, while steel bottles or can do not. Polycarbonate plastic is generally hard, clear, lightweight plastic. It often has the No. 7 recycling symbol on the bottom. (source Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.from Mayo-clinic)

My Bento Boxes are No. 5 PP/BMA FREE- but these cheaper ones that you can get in the grocery store are not safe to use in the microwave or to put hot meals in them, so you HAVE to let the food cool down BEFORE closing the LID. READ HERE about the difference between recycling symbols on the bottom of your lunch boxes, bottles, etc. No. 5 – PPKetchup bottle, a No. 5, may one day be a broom. Ketchup and medicine bottles, PP, or polypropylene, fall under recycling category No. 5. Recycled through many curbside programs, PP has a high melting point, so it is chosen for containers that can hold hot liquid. Polypropylene can be recycled into signal lights, brooms, brushes, rakes, bins and pallet trays. 

Print

Lunch Box: Stuffed Bread

Makes 1 lunch box

Course LUNCH BOX

Keyword school lunch boxes, lunch box, work lunch,

Servings 1

Author Sandra | Sandra’s Easy Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 about 10-12 inch Stuffed Bread
• Lettuce
• 3 Radish  sliced
• 1/4 English cucumber sliced
• Handful Cherry/or grape tomatoes

Fruits:

• Raspberry
• Blueberry

Drink:

• Fruit Yogurt Smoothie

Recipe Notes

FOR MORE LUNCHBOX IDEA CLICK HERE

 

School is around the corner and I already started with school lunch box preparations. We had a great Bento party the other day.

Well, when I look the other way it was my working day, while I finished cooking and shooting my kids and nieces ate all my made bentos.

It was fun watching them and they especially loved pandas as well as chicken salad sandwiches. Every time when I make characters in a bento, it is a winner because not only that kids eat the main meal, but all the fresh fruits and veggies around it, which is fantastic.

This bento is great! You can of course switch and make it the way your kids like, but even for work lunch I think this is a pretty good idea; you can make it larger if it’s for the adult. 

Now, I used deli turkey bologna, because that’s what my kids wanted, but often I use Virginia ham, mesquite deli chicken, or deli smoked turkey breast and just switch cheeses such as mozzarella, smoked provolone, cheddar or Swiss cheese etc.

Depending on what I have or what cold deli salami I used. 
Fruits and vegetables you can also use what is in season and of course what your kids like. I think broccoli, celery, and carrots are pretty common veggies that they know and would eat raw.

Green apple with a Peanut – Butter is fantastic, although make sure to check if anybody around your kid in the classroom had PB allergies, and you can easily substitute it with almond butter, or pecan butter etc. Also, I never tried it, but you can check “NoNuts Golden Peabutter” 
It’s Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Soy Free. 

Q: What Box is safe for me and my child?
A: Look for the boxes that have a clear written label that they are BPA FREE just in case if they are plastic- 
BPA stands for bisphenol.  BPA is an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins since the 1960s. Seeking out BPA-free products may not always be easy to do. Some manufacturers do label their products as BPA-free, but some do not. If a product isn’t labeled, keep in mind that most aluminum cans or bottles have linings that contain BPA, while steel bottles or can do not. Polycarbonate plastic is generally hard, clear, lightweight plastic. It often has the No. 7 recycling symbol on the bottom. (Source Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L. D. From Mayo-clinic)

HOW TO MAKE HEART SHAPED BOIL EGG:

• Use corner of any carton such as a box, milk carton etc. 
• Cook egg for 5 minutes in boiling water with 1/2 tsp of salt. 
• Turn off the burner, and let it steam under the lid for the next 7 minutes. 
• Drain the hot water and replace with cold/iced cold water. Let it sit in that water for next 3-5 minutes before peeling. (This way it’s easier to peel an egg)
• Place peeled eggs into the carton with the corner (lengthwise), right in the middle. 
• Place in the middle chopstick, thicker straw or similar and slightly press and shape an egg a little… Just a slight pressure. I used a plastic straw. 
• Place rubber bands on both ends and wait for 10-15 minutes. (NO need for the third rubber band) 
• Cut in the middle and you will have a perfect heart shaped egg.

Print

Lunch Box: Biscuit Deli Turkey Sandwiches

1 lunch box

Course LUNCH BOX

Keyword school lunch boxes, lunch box, work lunch,

Servings 1

Author Sandra | Sandra’s Easy Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 Biscuit
• 2 Sliced Deli Turkey Bologna  or any other
• 1 slice  Cheddar Cheese
• 1 boiled Egg

Vegetables:

• 3 Broccoli Florets
• 1/2 Rib Celery cut in two bites pieces
• 3 baby Carrots
• Served with “classic ranch dressing -Bolthouse”

Fruits:

• 1 Granny Smith Apple
• Served with Peanut-butter and nuts any nuts will do

Beverage:

• Water

Instructions

1. Add and arrange however you would like it. Put Turkey and cheese in the bisque and slice in half. Any direction you take, you can’t go wrong.

Recipe Notes

FOR MORE LUNCH BOX IDEAS, VISIT MY PAGE:

SCHOOL/WORK LUNCHBOX IDEAS