project pink/octobre rose bento

Hi bento pals! This Project Pink bento was made in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the  special Octobre Rose event at the wonderful Bento Blog of Mademoiselle M. Given the importance of diet in cancer prevention, shown in recent discoveries about antioxidants and DNA-protective compounds in fruits, veggies, whole grains and fish, my bento includes some of the most potent anti-cancer whole foods...

Farmer's market kale, lightly steamed, is layered on top of a multigrain mixture including black and brown rice. Purple cabbage, vivid and refreshing, golden tomatoes, avocados and shrimp (in a light ginger dressing) lend their antioxidant properties and healthy fats. For dessert, raspberries, a favorite sweet berry full of health protective compounds.

I look forward to seeing all of the bentos being created around this theme--I've enjoyed seeing Lia's, Debra's and Emily's thus far, all beautiful!

Bento has encouraged me to prepare and enjoy ever more wholesome, vivid and seasonal foods (how awesome is it that the most rainbow colorful, fun to bento foods are the healthiest?) and I love the constant input of our bento community of creative cooks through the seasons, so rich in ideas and inspirations for healthy cooking--surely a proactive approach to wellness!

We are in full squash glory at the farmer's market now...I will be cooking up one of these spaghetti squash quite soon:

Have a great week, friends!

mixed grains and autumn veggies bento

 I've been so inspired this week by the creative and savory whole grains at hapa bento--as so often happens, Debra bentos just the seasonal flavors and textures I'm craving (or that I start craving once I've seen her latest post!)

So today's vegetarian bento combines green mung beans, black rice and a seven-grain Japanese mix with rice and barley varieties and sesame seeds along with butternut squash and mushrooms for a very October-flavored lunch...and added it to this month's B.O.M.B. event chez hapa bento!

mixed grains and green mung beans before cooking:

vibrant squash at the farmer's market:

 in the bento: over yummy mixed grains, a goat cheese autumn bunny and butternut squash ginkgo leaf, snow pea shoots and a baby bella mushroom, mashed butternut squash, golden tomatoes, Japanese burdock pickle, and a mini tart filled with mushrooms and Greek yogurt...plus half of a crisp granny smith apple and honey-dipped walnuts...

yay, it's almost Friday!

libra bento

Hi bento pals, hope your weekend was relaxing and fun! The Saturday farmer's market felt particularly interesting and well-rounded with a richer array of autumn treats, the cool bright air bracing and delicately balanced between warm and cool, summer and winter like the sign of Libra we are currently moving through (Happy Birthday Carolyn and other Libra bentoists!)...

With notions for a Libra astro-bento on my mind, it seemed perfect timing that hubby suggested that we make a bento together using ingredients we'd selected at the farmer's market (Libra being the sign of partnerships and creative collaborations). Many fresh market treats ended up in our jointly made Libra bento including these delicate, vibrant grapes from Reid Orchards:

Exciting to see many varieties of heirloom apples and pears at the market...it is really fall!

vibrant fresh greens...I love mizuna

and a last taste of summer...

a lovely patch of morning glories just beyond the main market area:

We brought home a romantic dahlia bouquet...I've been waiting expectantly for these lush autumn beauties to appear at the market for the last few weeks:

Breakfast with smoked trout, tapenade, chevre from Cherry Glen Goat Cheese Company and yummy farmer's market radishes and tomatoes...

In A Taste of Astrology, my go-to astrological cookbook, author Lucy Ash describes a "sweet and fragrant" collection of Venus-ruled Libran foods to include pears, grapes, figs, cherries, game, peaches, almonds, coriander, cinnamon, celery, roses, legumes and apples.

Hubby and I managed to include many of them in our jointly produced bento (which was quite fun to put together this afternoon)! For his two bento sections, Jamison broiled a delicious buffalo tenderloin medallion from Cibola Farms and arranged it with an heirloom tomato and celery, and also made some yummy market lima beans (aka "butter beans") paired with cinnamon and coriander.

My little green salad features baby greens from Wisteria Gardens with tiny figs and grapes from the market:

A pretty image of the baby greens and October fruits salad taken by Jamison:

and another nice capture by Jamison--of his market "butter beans" with cinnamon and coriander:

the buffalo was excellent...

for the first time in ages, I made spaghetti squash and remembered how really good it is (sure to appear again in upcoming fall bentos)! Here it is blended with some Reggiano Parmesan and goat cheese, topped with cute yellow market tomatoes...

We shared the fruits of our "bento for two" efforts with a subtle fig and plum accented Cabernet Sauvignon from Poets Row, Sonoma County--delish with the soft but deep autumn flavors here.

Have a lovely week ahead and happy cooking, friends!