Just Bento

This is my speeded-up, Swiss-influenced take on a Spanish classic. continue reading...

Buchimgae or jijimi or chijimi is a thin, savory pancake from Korea. It’s similar to a Japanese okonomiyaki, but is a bit less complicated to make. (Also closely related is pajon, a pancake with lots of green onions.) It’s basically a pancake-like batter holding together a lot of vegetables and other ingredients. It’s a great way of using up leftovers, and holds up a lot better than okonomiyaki as a bento item I think. It makes a nice change from rice or bread based bentos.

Here are two batter recipes. One is a traditional one using wheat flour and beaten egg, the other one is a vegan and gluten-free variation. Use the one that suits your needs. The traditional one is a bit lighter and crispier, and the vegan one is denser. continue reading...

These light and crispy shrimp are fairly low in calories, even though they are fried. You only need about 1 cm / 1/2 an inch of oil to fry these in a regular frying pan, so don’t be afraid to try them even if you don’t do much deep-frying. They are very easy to make with frozen shrimp, and just a bit more work with fresh shrimp. continue reading...

My thoughts on the fifth and final week of the Get Started Bento Challenge. continue reading...

My Week 4 was quite interesting and relevatory for me. More below… continue reading...

My Challenge Week 3 in a nutshell: Did pretty well, but exercise remains an issue. Spring couldn't come fast enough for me! continue reading...

My Week 2 in a nutshell: I was fairly happy with my bentos. I’m progressing at bit on my fitness goals - at least I did some exercise! And on the one day when I didn’t have bento, I really felt it. continue reading...

My Week 1 in a nutshell: I met my bento-oriented goals for Week 1, but failed to meet my fitness goals. continue reading...