Bento roundup

Sorry I have been absent the last couple days.  Rob didn't need a bento on Tuesday, I was just plain too tired to post on Wednesday after having trouble sleeping without my hubby.  Then yesterday, I managed to burn my hair while cooking dinner - Chicken Tortilla Soup - and was just not in the mood to post after that :o

I guess it's just been one of those weeks for me...

So, anyway, Tuesday night's dinner was Feta, Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts - yum!  I didn't use a recipe - just sounded good and I had reduced fat feta that needed used, had the bag of sun dried tomatoes from Christmas and had Chicken Breasts that I had to decide what to do with - it all just fell together :)

OK, I didn't have the Spinach, but I had Ahmetia pick some up on her way home from class :)

Doesn't that chicken just look delicious?  I will definitely be making this again! :)

I was feeling tired and lazy, so it was nice to have the leftover chicken to add to the salad - and to make it pretty w/ no time investment, I added a few wheat gluten cakes to act as croutons.

Wanna make the chicken?  Here's the recipe:

Feta, Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 Pkg Fresh Spinach (or you can use frozen)

1 Tbs. EVOO

1 Tsp Garlic (I use the minced in a jar)

4 oz Feta (I used reduced fat)

2 oz Sun Dried Tomatoes (I used the bagged kind - no oil) - chopped

Dried Basil (fresh would be even better)

Salt & Pepper

Pound chicken breasts either between plastic wrap or in a food storage bag - I like to use a heavier freezer bag big enough to do all 4 at once - to about 1/2 inch thick or less

Saute spinach (stemmed and washed) in olive oil and add garlic

Mix feta, tomatoes and spinach in a bowl and season with salt and pepper and basil to taste

Divide feta mixture between each of the breasts and roll tightly. If needed, secure w/ toothpicks - I didn't find this necessary.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, until chicken is cooked and juices run clear.

The leftovers were really good in a salad - I think it may have been even better cold the next day :)

In the top tier, he has Macaroni salad, Tabouleh, Sun dried tomato hummus and pineapple and blueberries.

He also had gummies for a treat in the lid and in his bag I added half a whole wheat pita for the hummus and tabouleh.

So, last night for dinner, I decided to make Chicken Tortilla Soup again (I made some a couple weeks ago with leftover roast chicken - not sure if I mentioned it here.)  Anyway, I leaned over the pot to get a spoonful to tast and managed to singe my hair - I think it singed on the side of the pot, rather than in the flame.

Needless to say, my evening was ruined and I was not in the mood to post or to pack a proper bento.

The lack of sleep didn't help...

I didn't even remember that we had this Tupperware container.  It came with a little condiment cup that sits in the lid, but I didn't use it here.

This is a whole wheat pita stuffed with lettuce, hummus, cucumber slices and tabouleh.

I bought a little set of Wilton Valentines cutters at the grocery store last week and used the double heart on the cucumber slices and the plain heart on the red pepper to at least make it look a little nicer.

He also had a small container with Macaroni Salad that is not pictured.

And in case you want it, this is the recipe for the Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I didn't use a recipe and it changes a bit each time I make it, but this is how it was made last night and it worked out to 3 points per serving before adding shredded cheddar (1 oz 2%), fat free sour cream and a sprinkling of green onion.

Makes 6 servings

Tammy's Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 8 oz chicken breast

Chicken base & 3 cups water (or canned chicken stock)

2 c canned diced tomatoes

2 c. canned tomato sauce

1 small can diced green chilis

1 c salsa

1 small onion diced

1 c chopped bell pepper

1 can progresso black bean soup

2 Tbs chili powder (or to taste)

1 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

2 Tbs hot sauce (or to taste)

1 Tbs minced garlic (or to taste)

Poach the chicken breast in chicken stock or water and soup base until cooked through and tender (I buy the base at Sam's Club - this was the first time I poached chicken breast - kept it nice and moist).  Alternatively, you could use leftover cooked chicken or pre-cooked chicken such as tyson grilled strips.

I used a paper towel in a strainer and strained the stock into a large pot, chopped up the chicken breast and added it.  Then add all the other ingredients into the pot, bring it to a boil and simmer until veggies are desired tenderness, taste and adjust spices as necessary (you may want to start with less cayenne and hot sauce and adjust from there)

I like this topped with reduced fat sharp cheddar, fat free sour cream and green onions.

I also cruch up lime tostitos into Rob's, but leave that out of mine to save the points.

 

This was Kat's dinner bento on Tuesday.

She has her homemade Bean Sprout Namul, Spinach Namul, Wakame Salad (purchased) and clementine segments.

In the other tier, she has steamed rice with an umeboshi and tamagoyaki.

These were Kat's lunch and dinner bento for Wednesday.  They're on campus on Wednesdays from around 11am to around 8pm.

In the first bento, she has yakitori, rice and baby carrots and in the other tier, kiwi, pineapple and spinach namul.

In the second bento, she has rice, curry chicken & onions and sweet simmered black beans, blackberries, blueberries and more spinach namul.

Ahmetia also had a bento, but unfortunately the only photo she took of the entire bento was blurry...

Happy Bento-ing!