Busy Bee Cafe

After my weekend ordeal of being in the hospital, I thought I need to do something cute to cheer myself up just a bit. So I got a little Hello Kitty figurine for Little Bee and made her some funny face nigiri for her dinner

I’ve always felt that it’s so wasteful to throw away the stalk when I cut up broccoli florets but I never know what to do with it so I usually just throw it in the compost. I thought to find a way to cook it never crossed my mind until I came across this recipe at justbento.com.

It is a nice bento filler and also something healthy for me to munch on as a little snack…. it’s still a bit crunchy so it’s better than crisps (potato chips)

Ingredients:

Broccoli stalk cut into matchsticks – 1 cup
1tbsp vegetable oil
1/2tbsp light soy sauce
A pinch of chili flakes
1tsp sesame seeds

1.  Heat the vegetable oil on medium heat and add the cut broccoli stalk. Toss it around for around 4 minutes.
2. Add the soy sauce and chili flakes and toss to coat the broccoli stalk evenly.
3. Add the sesame seed and toss it again to even the seeds onto the vegetable.

Seriously… that is it. It’s now ready to be served, eaten or cooled down for your bento box.

I found this recipe on justbento.com (currently my favourite site). I don’t eat pork or anything that comes out of a pig but I don’t mind finding alternatives to feed my little family. So, now I am quite happy that I’ve found a substitute when a recipe has ham in it.

I have to say that my first go was OK but verging to disaster as it was a bit salty. My fault for being lazy and not rinse the chicken breast properly. But I am getting better at it and am happy to share my take on the recipe… as I decided to use what is in the cupboard, I don’t have sea salt as in the justbento recipe, I just used normal salt. It might taste better with sea salt… I’ll try it one day..,. when I remember to add sea salt to my shopping list.

Ingredients:

1tbsp clear runny honey
1tsp salt
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1tsp dried thyme
1tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 freezer/ziplock bag
cling film

1. Put the honey and salt in a freezer bag and squish the bag around to mix it.
2. Add the chicken breast into the bag and squish it around again to coat the chicken breast with the mixture.
3. Add thyme and pepper and squish the bag again to evenly coat the chicken.
4. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it and leave chicken to marinate in the fridge for 48hours.
5. After 48hours, take the chicken out of the bag and rinse well under the cold water tap. Leave it to soak in plenty of cold water for an hour to desalinate.
6. Bring a pot of water to a boil. While the water is heating up, take the chicken out of the cold water and wipe off access liquid with paper towels.
7. Lay the clingfilm down and roll the chicken breast tightly. Seal the edges by twisting them like a candy wrapper. Then take a smaller piece of clingfilm, roll it around the chicken again to secure the edges.
8. Reduce the heat and let the water simmer. Drop in the wrapped chicken and let it simmer for five minutes. Take it off the heat and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and leave it to poach for at least an hour.
9. After an hour, you can take it out and slice it and it’s ready for your sandwich or bento box

I tend to make more than one chicken breast at a time but when I do this, I still put each chicken breast in separate bag and cling film.

We went to the 14th Kite Festival over at Streatham Common today. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day… but there was no wind really, so, it was kind of a non-event kite wise while we were there but it was still a nice couple of hours in the park and Little Bee enjoyed running around

And she also enjoyed the lunch I made for her, basic meat soboro with simple natural orange coloured rice. Both recipes is my take from justbento.com.

For the meat soboro, I omitted sake as I do not use alcohol in my cooking.

Ingredients:

2 spring onions
1 clove garlic
2 inch ginger
2tbsp vegetable oil
500g lean minced beef
1tbsp brown sugar
2tbsp dark soy sauce
2tbsp oyster sauce

• Put the spring onion, garlic and ginger in a food processor and blitz them fine. Heat the oil and add the chopped spring onions, garlic and ginger. Fry for a minute.
• Brown the beef. Add the sugar, stir until the mixture slightly caramelized.
• Add soy sauce and oyster sauce. Stir and simmer until the liquid almost evaporate.

For this lunch box, I used a gingerbread man cookie cutter to get the gingerbread man effect First I put a layer of rice at the bottom of the food box, even it down and place the cookie cutter on top of it. I fill the cookie cutter with the soboro and then rice around the cookie cutter. Even everything down and carefully take the cookie cutter out. Then I put two grain of rice for eyes

I also prepared a little snack box for Little Bee of carrots (cut into stars and flowers) and a vegetarian frankfurter (stamped to look like a fish )

These are some of the cute sandwich cutters I bought from Japon Mania and I do think they are worth it!

We were sitting in the back garden Saturday afternoon having a picnic and I made her some jam sandwiches. She loves the bunny shaped sandwiches.

And today, she made her own mini sandwiches. Well, I spread the soft cheese and jam on the slices of bread and then guide her with the sandwich cutters and stamps.

Soon, she’ll be able to make her own little snacks

At last I got my bento goodies from Japon Mania! Should have had it delivered to work but I didn’t so it was at the post office waiting for me to pick it up since Tuesday.

I was so excited to get it that I didn’t take a photo of all the goodies but not to worry. I will start taking photos of them as I prepare Little Bee lunch boxes

Today’s lunch, it’s not a cute one but she still enjoyed it. I made chicken teriyaki with rice and broccoli.

I also boiled her an egg using the rabbit egg mold.

And for pudding, I cut up some strawberries so she could use the cute panda picks

OK. The practice begins. I know they are not in a box but this is a practice run

So Little Bee had peanut butter and marmite toast for breakfast.

For dinner, she had mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans, brocolli and beef burger.

Messy but it was fun

At last I’ve got my hands on the book!!!

Before I had a look in the book, I did make some cute snack for Little Bee for when we went out for her play date  yesterday but I was in a rush so I didn’t take any photo

The arrangements looks so cute in the book and feels like it’s going to be hard work but with current enthusiasm I am determined to make it happen!