20 Minute Bento

A balanced bento in under 20 minutes? You bet. Usually I make my bentos the night before since my husband works bakery hours (crack of dawn.) However, last night we went out with his folks, who are visiting, so I definitely was not in the kitchen.  This morning I got up with the hubs and in the time it took for him to make a cup of coffee and enjoy it I got this ready:

Top tier of bento: Spanish rice with corn and salsa, cut raw asparagus and radish with cilantro pesto.

Bottom tier of bento: Boiled chili-lime chicken patty and lime-avocado "sammies," lettuce with cilantro pesto, red onion and radish salad. Garnish: lime slice, radish slice, cilantro.

Here's the play by play:

1. Take frozen chili-lime chicken patty from freezer and put on a buttered baking sheet. Broil for 6 min.
2. Meanwhile, heat spanish rice (pulled from freezer night before) with frozen corn and a couple spoonfuls salsa in a pan until mixed and defrosted. 
3. While that's heating: pull out a bento and line it with tin foil (I'll be putting in warm/hot food.)
4. Cut veggies (radish, asparagus, lime, lettuce.)
5. Mash 1/4 avocado with lime juice and salt.
6. Flip chicken patty and broil the other side for an other 6 min.
7. Pack bottom tier of bento with rice mixture and cut veggies.
8. Blend a handful of cilantro (stems included), EVOO, sea salt, 1/2 clove garlic and some sunflower seeds until smooth in my mini-blender. Spread some of this on the veggies with a clean finger.
9. Pull chicken patty from the oven, cut into 4 pieces. 
10. Grab leftover red onion and radish salad from fridge and put it in a divider in the top tier.
11. Spread mashed avocado on two pieces of chicken patty and top with the remaining two pieces to make "sammies."
12. Finish packing the bento: add sammies, lettuce, a little cilantro pesto, and cut garnishes.
13. Close it up, toss a couple icepacks in the bag and hand to husband! SCORE!

I think it's important to show that putting together a healthy homemade lunch doesn't have to be a big production. I could have put the sliced chicken patty over rice and put salsa on a little salad, but I was feeling strangely inspired for 4:30 in the morning. 

If you love cooking, rock out with your pots out! But multiple sauces, sides, and cut garnishes aren't necessary. 

No matter what, you can pack food for your loved ones, food that won't cause them any reactions, and that will keep them satisfied. 

There's no better defense than offense right? A balanced lunch from home (and subsequent full belly) is the best way to avoid grabbing questionable food while out and about. It can be cheap, easy, and done in under 20 minutes.