japanese

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Bento contents:

  • Brown rice mixed with assorted pickled vegetables (230 cal)
  • Dry-fried crispy fried tofu (220 cal)

Total calories (approx): 450 cal (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 5-10 minutes

Type: Japanese, vegan

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Bento contents:

  • Fried rice with ham, lentils and garlic chive blossoms (400cal, more or less depending on the fattiness of the ham)
  • Broccoli stem, celery, walnut, apple and carrot salad with lemon dressing (60 cal)

Total calories (approx): 460 cal (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 15-20 minutes

Type: Japanese, leftovers yay

Homemade furikake no. 2: Carrot and sesame seeds

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Carrots are a staple of just about everyone's fridge I think. They are really good for you, but it can be rather hard to find different ways of eating them. This sweet, savory and spicy furikake uses up whole carrots as well as bits of carrot left over from other uses. Plenty of sesame seeds are added for flavor and texture - and they're not bad for you either. The warm, brown-orange color perks up a dull looking bento, especially on white rice.

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Bento contents:

  • 1 1/2 cups (370ml) sweet potato rice (300 cal)
  • Braised spicy daikon radish and carrot (50 cal)
  • Japanese-style omelette (tamagoyaki) with green onions (120 cal)
  • Stewed dried shiitake mushrooms (5 cal)
  • Broccoli florets with wasabi sauce (5 cal)

Total calories (approx): 480 cal (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 30 minutes total (20 the night before, 10 in the morning)

Type: Japanese, no meat (egg)

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Bento contents:

  • Vegan mushroom rice, with 1 cup white rice (190 calories)
  • Black bean mini burgers with tomato sauce (250 calories)
  • Instant radish pickles (5 calories)
  • Blanched spinach (20 calories)

Total calories (approx.) 465 calories (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 30 minutes total (20 the night before, 10 in the morning)

Type: Japanese vegan

Homemade furikake no. 1: Radish leaves, bonito flakes and tiny shrimp

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If you've been exploring the aisles of a Japanese grocery store or looking at bento recipes, you've probably encountered furikake already. Commercial furikake usually comes in small foil packets or glass jars, in all kinds of salty flavors. Furikake is a dry or semi-dry condiment that is sprinkled on, or mixed into, rice. David Rosengarten, ex-Food Network host and gourmet food expert, declares it to be a miracle in a jar.

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Bento contents:

  • 4 shiso onigiri with 1 1/2 cups brown rice (330 calories)
  • 2 'large' hard boiled eggs (160 calories)
  • Mixed steamed vegetables (about 40 calories)

Total calories (approx): 530 calories

Time needed: 15-20 minutes

Type: Japanese picnic/hiking bento

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Bento Contents:

  • Brown rice (1 cup, 220 calories)
  • Chicken and vegetable stir-fry (250 calories)
  • Glazed baby carrots (50 calories)

Total calories (approx.): 520 calories (how calories are calculated)

Time needed: 15-20 minutes

Type: Japanese

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