My Monday lunch won’t be much of a surprise as I mentioned on Saturday it would contain quinoa. The following day I shared my Thai bean sprout salad recipe, revealing a tweaked version could be found in today’s bento too.
Well, I was glad with my meal anyway. ;) I made the leftover quinoa stir-fry with kale chilli and nuts look fancy by shaping it with an onigiri mold. But looks come second and yes — it still tasted good (both with and without shoyu)!
Upper tier
- Red lettuce
- Taugeh (bean sprouts) & cilantro
- Soy sauce fishy
- Toasted peanuts
- Homegrown garden cress
- Mix of cucumber, grated carrot, a little bit of celery stalk and cilantro
- Dressing container for the Spicy Bean Sprout Salad
Lower tier
Quinoa stir-fry with kale chilli and cashews, nori details- Cherry tomatoes with basil
- Radish flowers
- Sauteed mushrooms with fresh herbs (left over from my Sunday lunch of mushroom bruschettas, inspired by Stephanie in the Whip Up Something New! challenge)
On the side
- Pear and kiwi fruit
- Ontbijtkoek with soy margarine & agave syrup (last minute addition, not shown)
I hope someone can answer the following question for me. I know 25 grams of (dry) beans in a meal combined with grains provide sufficient protein. Now bean sprouts were mung beans just a few days before… And the nutritional value of sprouty greens is much higher concentrated than their full-grown adult versions. So: does eating bean sprouts and grains at the same time work as well?
Just for the sake of argument I’m ignoring here that quinoa is really a grass seed and no grain. ;)
Other sources of protein in this bento are cashews, peanuts, mushrooms.
Graasland 
10 reacties
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dinsdag 8 februari 2011 bij 02:31
bobo
Interesting meal , would like to have a try..:)
dinsdag 8 februari 2011 bij 10:24
Uniflame
I can’t really help you with your question. I do eat plenty of beans, but to be honest I don’t pay very much attention to the exact amount I need to have. Or which beans I eat. I just make sure I have enough variation. I eat beans, mushrooms, all kinds of nuts and fish for protein. But I have no clue how much I exactly need to eat.
That being said, I have never ate quinoa before. Your bento looks tasty :)
woensdag 9 februari 2011 bij 21:10
Chinoiseries
Once again a beautiful, mouthwatering bento :) I think the quinoa “sushi” is a really clever idea! Must try that too myself, sometime. And I promise I will make and blog about a bento soon!
woensdag 9 februari 2011 bij 21:47
Iris
That looks delicious. I was under the illusion that quinoa in itself is a source of protein?
I am actually trying to figure out a “bento” of my own for tomorrow. I’m working at the library all day and want a “healthy meal” with me. It is not going to be as good looking as your bento, that’s for sure. First try, no official bento thing, etc. But I am enjoying thinking of what to put in there. Only problem I have are vegetables, guess I am going with a simply salad for now.
donderdag 10 februari 2011 bij 14:03
Gnoe
Thanks all!
@Iris: you’re absolutely right: quinoa is supposed to be high in protein!
Of course I’m really, really curious about your first bento *ever*! Never mind that you don’t have a fancy bento box from JP etc.: as long as it’s a lunch in a box that is more than sammies thrown in, it’ll be perfect! Salads are fine too; I often put them in myself. And remember I’ve been bentoing for more than 3 years now (not daily though) so my lunches look better than they did in the early days. But they’re still not as fancy as those of many others and I’m often rather embarrassed ;) So you go grrl! :)
@Chinoiseries: hehe now that you’ve actually *promised* I’ll be holding you to it :))
vrijdag 11 februari 2011 bij 08:14
Amy
Oh, what a lovely bento box! :) I’m sure it tastes just as great as it looks! Thanks for sharing.
Amy
http://utry.it
maandag 14 februari 2011 bij 16:45
Nan
That is just about the healthiest meal I’ve ever seen! I’ve read that quinoa is very high in protein, and is a complete protein, so I’d say you are all set!
maandag 14 februari 2011 bij 18:51
Rebecca Jean
Glad to have you back!
I featured your beautiful bento in Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays {No.20}.
♥ Rebecca Jean
Midnight Maniac
maandag 14 februari 2011 bij 21:11
Gnoe
Yay! How cool is that?! Thanks! :) I have a post drafted for next weekend which I’m hoping to submit too :)
zaterdag 5 mei 2012 bij 15:49
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