Potato and Cheese Turkey Pockets Bento

This bento was inspired by my wondering "what else can I do with mashed potatoes?" Also I almost never have deli meat in the house so I was excited to get creative with sliced turkey!

Top tier of bento: Potato and cheese turkey pockets, cabbage and radish pickles, salami stars, turkey-nori rolls (I used the cut away meat from the turkey pockets!) and saucy simmered chard and carrots.

Bottom tier of bento: Ginger spaghetti squash (with cinnamon and bee pollen), curried beet stems,  lemony celery and asparagus. Veggie dividers made from cremini mushroom slices and beet greens. The squash is in a tin foil container. 

My Bento Recipes:

Potato and Cheese Turkey Pockets 
So here's another leftover mashed potato recipe! Husband says "Really, really good lovee! You're gunna make it again right?"

Ingredients:

4 slices cheese, about 1 1/2" X 3" (I used the pepper-jack we had but sharp cheddar would be dee-lish!)
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup mashed potatoes
4 slices turkey deli meat
1 teaspoon butter

Directions:

* Mound the mashed potatoes equally upon the slices of cheese and shape to fit the rectangular shape of the cheese. 
* Place each slice on a piece of turkey with the cheese slice face up. 
* Trim the sides of the turkey as needed and fold the turkey over the cheese. (Save these pieces for Turkey-Nori Rolls!)

* In order to seal the turkey I added a little piece of cheese in the fold... (it works it's adhesive magic when heated)

* Heat the butter in a large pan over fairly high heat. 
* Sear the pockets on both sides until the meat is golden and the cheese has just started to melt (30 seconds or so per side.) 
* Remove from the pan and let cool. The cheese will stay creamy if the pockets are pulled just as it's getting soft! These did stick to my pan a bit, so if you have one, use cast iron!

I packed these in, side by side, over quick salt pickled cabbage and radish pickles and topped with star shaped salami slices! To make little Turkey-Nori rolls just roll up pieces of turkey and seal with small slices of nori.

Saucy Simmered Chard and Carrots
It may not look it, but this recipe is full of rich flavor thanks to the reduction sauce.

Ingredients:

4 leaves chard, ripped into small pieces
1/2 a large carrot, cut in 1/2 and sliced on the diagonal
about 1 cup stock/water
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 clove garlic, minced (I use my zester, it works great!)

Directions:

* Bring the stock/water to a boil in a small sauce pan. 
* Add the carrots and boil for 4 minutes. 
* Remove the carrots and add the chard. 
* Keep stirring the chard as it cooks down. 
* After four minutes or when it has cooked down and is soft and bright green remove the chard and shock it in ice water. 
* Let the cooking liquid continue to cook down until it is just enough for a sauce (about 3 tablespoons). 
* Add the salt, garlic and butter and turn off the heat.
* Add the carrots and the chard (squeeze dry first) and coat with the sauce. 

Ta-da! None of those valuable nutrients get lost in the cooking liquid this time!

Lemony Celery and Asparagus
Pureed celery makes a creamy and low fat sauce!

Ingredients:

1 rib celery, sliced on the diagonal
2 stalks asparagus, sliced on the diagonal
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon lemon zest (use an organic lemon)
1/2 teaspoon tamari

Directions:

* Saute the celery over medium heat in the olive oil for 2 minutes. 
* Add the asparagus, lemon juice and lemon zest and cook 2 more minutes. 
* Add the tamari, stir to coat, and turn off the heat. 
* Remove from the pan and let cool before packing. 
* Garnish with a little extra lemon zest.

Curried Beet Stems
I love a good challenge. Like what am I going to do with these beautiful red beet stems? Boiled and curried? Why not! (Beet stems are also great for juicing or adding a splash of color to salads.)

Ingredients: 

3 beet stems, small dice with a sharp knife 
1 teaspoon yogurt
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
a pinch of sea salt 

Directions:

* Boil the beet stem bits for 3 minutes in water to cover. 
* Strain and let cool. 
* Add yogurt, curry and salt and mix until well combined and evenly coated. 

Gingered Spaghetti Squash

My husband is gluten free. I have been totally grain-free as I'm more sensitive and healing from a G/I disorder. Most days I have winter squash for breakfast and I cook it often (and also blend it!) Here the hubs got some of my spaghetti squash before it hit the Vita-Mix :)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cooked spaghetti squash
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger juice
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
5 drops stevia extract
cinnamon and bee pollen "sprinkles"

Directions:

* Mix the ginger juice, stevia extract and salt into the spaghetti squash.
* Sprinkle with cinnamon and bee pollen.