Falafel Sandwich Laptop Lunch

Ugh, I have been super lazy about packing my lunches lately. So, in an effort to eat healthier and save money, I pulled out my trusty Laptop Lunchbox and packed myself a (somewhat) healthy lunch. Okay, so it's not a very pretty bento, but there is a cute little kitty in the tomatoes, so that should count for something right?

What's included:

The falafel sandwich is made from Falafelim frozen falafels. I defrosted a few, shaped them into a patty, then baked them. These falafels are the best because they don't have any additives like many of the pre-made ones or dry mixes do. The sandwich is on Rudi's gluten free bread with Whole Foods hummus, sprouts and thinly sliced cucumbers.

The little salad is some leftover Beets and Greens salad (kit from Eat Smart) from last night's dinner.

If you are a Pinterest addict like me I'm sure you have seen the two-ingredient muffins/cookies. Basically it's a cake mix and a can of pumpkin puree. Well, I modified the recipe a bit. My mini cake bites are made from a Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil's Food Cake Mix, a can of pumpkin puree, two tablespoons of coconut oil, a tablespoon of ground flax, a tablespoon of ground chia, and a cup of dairy free chocolate chips. So, this dessert isn't exactly healthy, but it's not that bad...right?

Lastly, a cup of cut tomatoes to add a few more veggies to my lunch. 

Om nom... I'm already looking forward to lunch.

Cookbook Review: Babycakes

Babycakes is a well-known NYC bakery which offers gluten-free, soy-free, vegan baked goods. I have never been there myself, but people just rave about it. I recently spent a week with my cousin who made a different babycakes recipe each day, and upon my return home, I ran out to get the cookbook.

Warning! Not all of the recipes are gluten-free. Several call for Spelt Flour which is easier to digest than wheat flour, and therefore may be o.k. for some people, but shouldn't be eaten if you are on a strict diet. Some recipes also call for soy due to product availability, but substitutions can be made.

I love this cookbook! It does have its faults, but when a recipe comes out, it is amazing. If regular baking is Chemistry, then Babycakes is AP Chemistry, so be sure to avoid substitutions as much as possible, measure with painstaking accuracy, and follow the directions exactly as they are written. Some factors can't be helped, like the difference in oven temperatures, or the quality of different brands of ingredients.

Several of my recipes didn't come out well on my first attempt, but I was able to identify the problem pretty easily, and my second batch came out great. The only thing is, it's an expensive lesson to learn. The ingredients are pricey!

My favorite recipe is the Brownies, my cousin's is the Blondies. I also really enjoyed the chocolate chip cookies. I haven't perfected the frosting yet, which is frustrating, but is apparently the most difficult recipe in the book. If I can achieve frosting, I can do anything!

The author has compiled a FAQ on her website, and will answer questions via the cookbook's Twitter if you are in need of help:

http://www.babycakesnyc.com/books.html

http://twitter.com/#!/BabyCakesBook

Have you tried Babycakes? What was your experience?

Star Wars Bento

A few weeks ago I splurged on a Star Wars cupcake decorating kit from William Sonoma. I'm a huge Star Wars geek, and would love to buy everything they have, like the awesome cookie cutters, and the apron, but they are really expensive IMO.

Today's bento is pretty simple. A nice salad and a star-shaped, triple layered, peanut butter and nutella sandwich on gluten free bread (in a Star Wars cupcake liner).

Bento Product Review: Justin's Nut Butter

Look at these fantastic little nut butter packets! Aren't they perfect for bento lunches, or snacks on-the-go? I particularly liked the selection. As you can see in the photo, there are several nut butters and several flavors.

Because I couldn't wait to try them, I didn't pack a fancy bento lunch. As I type I'm eating some Justin's Chocolate Peanut Butter on Udi's Gluten Free bread. One packet, at 170 calories, is perfect for two slices of bread. The ingredient list is impressive, being mostly organic and sweetened with evaporated cane juice. There is a perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter, with neither flavor overwhelming the other. Yum.

So, big thumbs up for Justin's nut butter products. I still have traditional and honey peanut butter to try, so I will update you if my opinion changes (but I doubt it will). I regret not buying more (I don't live near the store I found them in), but it's o.k., because I found them on Amazon:

Justin's on Amazon

You can check out the company profile on their website: http://justinsnutbutter.com/

and visit them on Facebook

Pikachu Bento Lunch

Today's lunch is a Pikachu bento. I don't know a lot about Pokemon, but since I have the food picks, and the characters are cute, I like to make Pokemon themed bento boxes. Pikachu is made from yellow soy cheese. The black accents are Nori, the white accents are white soy cheese, and his rosy cheeks are tomato. He is perched on an egg salad sandwich. Brussels sprouts, cucumber, and tomatoes on the side. This bento is a bit too green, but I didn't have any more colorful veggies to go with my sandwich.

Since I went Gluten Free, I have found many awesome alternatives for desserts and snacks, but I really missed sandwiches. Every brand of Gluten-free bread I tried was terrible. But I'm happy to say that I found a great brand. Udi's Gluten free products are great. So far I like their whole grain bread and their plain bagels, although the bagels taste more like bread rolls than actual bagels. My big complaint with other brands is the thick gooey-ness of the bread. It doesn't toast because it doesn't dry out. So weird. I love the bread mixes that I make in my bread machine, but they are difficult to slice thin enough for sandwiches. Udi's isn't gooey and it toasts up nicely. It tastes great too. Udi's is a bit expensive at about $6 a loaf, but so are every other gluten-free brand, so I can't complain about that.

Flickr Kyaraben Highlights

Since I have been horribly lackadaisical about my bento making/blogging lately, I thought I would highlight some of the awesomely creative and inspiring bento lunches our friends have been posting over at the Kyaraben Flickr Photo Group.

 

Are these amazing or what?!?! This is just a random sampling from the group. You can click on any photo to visit the original Flickr page. Many of these Bento artists have blogs so make sure you check them out. 

I'm regretting the fact that I didn't make a Halloween Bento. It is a really fun and creative holiday and I wish I had taken advantage of the excuse to make a creepy or scary bento. Maybe I will just make one now and call it a "gothic" bento!