4th of July Goodness

This Week's Bento Lunch

In anticipation of the upcoming holiday weekend, we decided to fill this week's bento with goodies that can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner or an evening picnic under the fireworks. Happy 4th of July! 

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Pasta Salad Picnic Lunch

Need to get out of the house? Pack a bento picnic lunch filled with pasta salad and greens and take yourself on a lunch date! With a side of whole-grain pretzels, sunflower seeds and grapefruit, this lunch will give you a little break from the mundane.

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Mediterranean Marvel

This bento lunch is a Mediterranean Marvel, filled with the best of the regions delicious foods--- from Italy to Greece! Packing this bento lunch is like giving yourself a mid-day vacation!



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Creamy Pesto Tortellini with Smoked Sausage ~ submitted by Lisa O'Hara

This Easy Gourmet Recipe submission is great for a family meal or a dinner party!

Ingredients:

1 package Three Cheese Tortellini
1 long link Smoked Turkey Sausage
1 cup fresh or frozen Peas
1 cup Creamy Alfredo Sauce
1/2 cup Pesto Sauce

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add in the Tortellini. When the Tortellini has cooked (all floating to the top) strain, but do not rinse. Place the Tortellini back in the pot.

While the Tortellini is boiling, cook the Turkey Sausage either in a skillet or on the grill. Once it has cooked, cut it into bite sized pieces.

In a sauce pan warm the Alfredo Sauce and Pesto Sauce together, stirring regularly.

Once these three elements are prepared add the Sausage and Peas to the Tortellini and pour the sauce in. Stir, until blended evenly.

This Week's Bento Lunch

This lunch takes only a few minutes to prepare, especially if you cook the pasta the night before. The colors are lovely, and the fresh flavors can't be beat!

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Pasta and Patties

This Week's Photo



Menu

* Whole Wheat Vegetable Patties
* Fresh Spinach Fettuccine
* Walnuts
* Organic Plums


Preparation Notes

Lunch-making can be especially satisfying this time of year with so many fresh vegetables and fruits in season. This pasta dish, for example, is incredibly flavorful and takes just a few moments to prepare. If you belong to a CSA and end up with miscellaneous vegetables at the end of the week, these patties could be just what you're looking for.

Prepare the vegetable patties. Chop well and set aside about 2 cups of vegetables. (Cabbage, green beans, spinach, onions, mushrooms, carrots, yams, zucchini, and chard all work well.) In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups of whole wheat flour and a pinch of salt and pepper. In another bowl, beat an egg and add about 1 cup of water, milk, or soy milk. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and stir lightly to mix. Add the vegetables and stir again. If the batter is too thick, add more liquid. Add a small amount of olive oil to a skillet and heat. Spoon the batter into the skillet. Pan-fry the patties on one side and then the other until cooked through. Serve plain, or with salsa, marinara sauce,or ketchup.

Boil the fettuccine and set aside. In a large pasta dish, mix fresh diced tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, minced garlic, and olive oil. Add the pasta and toss well to mix, then salt and pepper to taste.

Add a handful of walnuts to one of the medium containers.

Include two fresh plums.

Cabbage Pasta

Menu Steamed Broccoli Cabbage Pasta Satsuma Tangerine Whole Grain Crackers Preparation Notes Leftover pasta dishes are an obvious choice for lunch, but be sure to look beyond the oh-so-ordinary spaghetti with tomato sauce. Pasta is versatile and easy to make, and pasta leftovers retain their flavor well. Tangerines are colorful and deliciously sweet at this time of year--and perfect in size. The broccoli provides color contrast, nutrition, and a bit of crunch as well. And the whole grain crackers are wonderfully nutty, salty, and sweet! Prepare the cabbage pasta for dinner and pack the leftovers for lunch. (For the recipe, click HERE.) Steam the broccoli. Peel the tangerine. Add the crackers.