Kawaii Bento Boxes: Cute and Convenient Japanese Meals on the Go
by Joie Staff
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Book Summary Information
Author: Joie StaffEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-09-01
ISBN: 4889962603
Number of pages: 80
Publisher: Japan Publications Trading
Book Reviews of Kawaii Bento Boxes: Cute and Convenient Japanese Meals on the Go
Book Review: Kawaii & Unhealthy (beware of bad carbs and fried stuff)
Summary: 2 Stars
I received this book a few days ago. I have yet to try any of the recipes. Frankly, they might look good, but they don't sound very tasty to me.
I'll start with the bright side, so we can get it over with.
**** PRO'S ****
- Bento Basics: There is a nice introduction at the beginning if you don't really know what Bento-boxing is, the most important being how to balance a bento's nutritious value. You'll also get a list of basic ingredients and tools and how to use them properly.
- Playing with your food: this book delivers what it promises: how to make food look cute. It's just technique, after technique, after technique, with pictures and images to help with the execution.
- Bento fillers: At the end of the book, you get a list of bento fillers, arranged by colors and prepared in small portions... Being the only Bento-fan in my family, this is a plus for me. Besides, the recipes don't look that bad... I will definitely try those ^_^
... That's pretty much all the good stuff from this book.
**** CON'S ****
- Fried...
Lot's and lots of fried foods: fried chicken, fried pork, fried sausages, fried potatoes, fried seafood.
- Processed foods to the rescue!
Yup, why prepare food or use quality products when you can buy a pre-made version or a cheap substitute at the supermarket? Processed cheese, processed ham, Spam (canned ham), sweets, potato chips, sausages (too many wieners in this book), chicken nuggets and so on...
- Unhealthy recipes
...And, I mean it: it's BAD! Trust me: you want to keep your children AWAY from some (many) of the recipes in this book. Better to stay with the ham&cheese sandwiches and carrot sticks. Spam and potato chips should never be in the same container... And, if you ask me, Spam should stay where it belongs: hidden away in your nuclear shelter, to be eaten only when every else has turned into radioactive poison!... Bacon-wrapped asparagus? Couldn't they at least wrap it in ham or turkey or even prosciutto? Why bacon? Why?
Overall, I find the recipes to be too high in calories, too sweet, too salty and too fat for me.
Some of it (which avoids all the bad stuff I just mentioned) looks relatively okay, I will probably try those, if only thanks to the small portions produced by each recipe.
But I became a Bento-fan for its nutritional value, so this book is very disappointing for me (especially since it got so many good reviews).
Summary of Kawaii Bento Boxes: Cute and Convenient Japanese Meals on the Go
A bento box meal (single portions of different foods packed in one reusable container) is a Japanese tradition that lends itself well to today's busy lifestyle. Although bento boxes are available to take out from restaurants and food stands, they are most frequently prepared at home, very often by parents wishing to provide their children with delicious, healthy, fun--and environmentally responsible--lunch and snack-time alternatives.Kawaii Bento Boxes offers dozens of recipes and menus. For each box, the authors include detailed instructions for cooking, seasoning, decorating and assembling the components as well as an icon indicating how long it will take to prepare. The meals are not just easy to make, they are tasty, nutritious and economical, with each portion carefully calculated so that there are no leftovers. There are also suggestions for the right container for each meal. Most of the ingredients used are familiar and available to American cooks. Here are whimsical creations like soccer balls and animal faces made from shaped rice, tulips cut from dyed hardboiled eggs, hearts and stars carved out of vegetables, and much more. Perfect for parents looking to liven up their children's school lunches or park snacks, or for busy people who want to fix a quick and cheerful meal to take to work, Kawaii Bento Boxes highlights the Japanese passion for making food a treat for the eyes as well as for the mouth.
CONTENTS:
ONIGIRI BENTO
(16 variations including faces, soccer ball, animals, triangles, spheres)
RICE BENTO
(11 variations including bear, rabbit, ship, seasoned rice, teriyaki chicken over rice, etc.)
SUSHI BENTO
(12 variations)
BREAD BENTO
(12 variations including mini-sandwiches, rolls, etc.)
NOODLE BENTO
(9 variations including spaghetti, yakisoba noodles, udon)
SUMMER AND WINTER BENTO
(12 variations including summer dishes that wont spoil in the heat and winter dishes that are better when eaten warm)
TRADITIONAL/POPULAR/FAVORITE BENTO
(11 variations including favorite dishes like hamburgers, fried shrimp, fried chicken)
TIPS ON HOW TO STUFF THE BENTO BOX
WHAT TO STUFF IN THE BENTO BOX (including calories, carbohydrates, protein, etc.)
CUTTING AND DECORATING
MENUS BASED ON COLOR
EASY DESSERT RECIPES
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