*(the loaf, the muffin and the bento)*

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First, the Loaf.

I used my cake "mix". Its the standard recipe I use for whatever fruit is lying around in the fridge for a while. This time there were Tangerines. Four of those ripe, juicy babes. But I'm the only one who eats them around here, so I used more fruit and less flour. And I made glaze, for the first time.
Makes 1 small loaf:

1 cup flour
1/2 sugar
2/3 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
2/3 glass skimmed milk
3 chopped up tangerines, seeds removed
1 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon lime liquor
Combine all dry ingredients.
In another bowl, mix oil, egg, milk and liquor. Mix on high with electric mixer.
Add liquid to dry ingredients. Mix well. Be sure that there is enough liquid, the dough should be runny.
Pour into baking pan (I prefer the silicone ones) and bake for 35 to 40 min on med-low temperature.
Tangerine Glaze

1/2 cup confectionery's sugar
juice of 1 tangerine

Combine ingredients in a bowl and pour over the loaf while it is hot.

This loaf came out incredibly moist and soft. The glaze soaked into it and the texture is amazing. I'm definitely making this again, specially because I already ate a third of the loaf, its so good. I suspect the lime liquor was responsible for intensifying the citrus flavor. This recipe also turns out great for bananas, apples and mango, or any other fruit with a certain moisture to it.

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Another thing that was lying around for too long in the fridge was a big chunk of bologna. Yeah, baloney, mortadella, as you wish. There was a piece of parmesan cheese begging to be used, so I decided to make them into a chewy, cheesy Muffin.
Makes 10 medium-big muffins:

1 1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/4 canola, 1/4 extra virgin olive oil)
2 eggs
3/4 cup skimmed milk
200 grs bologna
2 teaspoons chopped up garlic
1 cup grated parmesan
4 small sundried tomatoes - chopped
green olives - to garnish

Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, oregano and pepper flakes.
Meanwhile, sauté the bologna with the garlic in olive oil.
In another bowl, beat eggs, oil and milk.
Fold liquid into dry ingredients.
Add the bologna, the cheese and the tomatoes to the dough. Mix well.
Use an ice-cream scoop to pour the dough into lined muffin tins.
Garnish with olive.
Bake for about 15 minutes in med-low oven.
These turned out nice and cheesy. They are also a bit on the spicy side, which is a good thing. I found them to be filling, and they would go along well with a strong bitter ale and an afternoon of Scrabble with friends. The Mister gave them His thumbs up.
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Finally, my first Bento(s). Saturdays can be pretty hectic for me. There is work, then there is dance class, then there is another dance class and more work. And no time for lunch, whatsoever. But there is a little time in the morning and in the afternoon for eating at work, so I figured I would pack myself a healthy lunch and a snack to have enough energy to keep going.

I made about 4 cups of Japanese rice last night, separated enough for two Onigiri's and put the rest into the freezer. I used a mold for the Onigiri's (shame on me), and wrapped their sides in seaweed. The rest of the Bento I packed this morning before leaving for work. Took me about 30 minutes to wash and dry the salad and pack everything up nicely. All before my first sip of coffee.
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The smaller bento was supposed to be breakfast/snack. I packed a whole wheat yam muffin with raisins, two small honey sachets, half a pear in wedges and two slices of my tangerine loaf. I also took a fiber bar but it was not necessary.
I finally had "lunch" at 3 pm. There were two Umeboshi Onigiri's (one would have been enough) on a bed of lettuce, lined with thinly sliced horseradish. In the other compartment there was shredded romaine and iceberg lettuce, roma tomato sakura (although you can't really see them), diced horseradish and a small omelet filled with pickled turnips. The omelet took a minute to make in a special microwave mold. I took a sachet of soy sauce for seasoning.
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Bento's are definitely fun, and very healthy (if you make them so). So I'm glad I have a good reason to be making them every week.
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*thinking food*

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Maybe yesterday in the afternoon was a turning point. A trigger to force me through a complete food "rehabilitation", for good. I hope. But it is bad that it had to get to the point of me fainting after a hefty lunch to feel the real extension of the worst of my habits: skipping meals.
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Its not that I don't like to eat. On the contrary. I appreciate food so much some times I actually fear it. You know, that old love and hate relationship. Neither is it that I don't know what to eat. Food to me is as much a remedy to the soul as it is to the body. And I love to cook, oh I do...
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"So why do you skip meals?". Well, because I do not like to eat alone. Its not just the eating alone. Food to me is a social event. Something to be shared and enjoyed, savored and talked about.
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But no matter how I put it, it is very very hard to have more than one meal a day with the Mister. Except for the weekends, when we usually set out to explore new menus. And eating alone is... It's just sad.
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I guess that even if it is sad, one must eat. And at this point I am very stubborn: Food is not supposed to be boring and sad. Its supposed to be enjoyed and uplifting. After a lot of food porn skimming, the answer dawned on me: Bento. That is the way I can enjoy cooking once a day, preparing the ingredients for the next days meal in advance and experiment, inside a box.
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Last Friday I set out on a journey for Bento supplies in the Oriental neighborhood. Although I still lack a few staples, right now I have enough to get me started on my favorite part of this new interesting universe. And that is cooking cute.


Takoyaki in the making.
Takoyaki: Japanese octopus dumplings!
A traditional Japanese grocery store in Liberdade. This place has the best bento trays for sale, but they don't carry much of the hardware required for making your own.
Corean coffee icecream.
I also had a Yam and milk black pearl drink this day, and that is my favorite flavor, definitely.
Ume-boshi, Onigiri molds, Temaki kit, and Chinese plum candy (low cal).
This cotton candy is supposed to become bubble gum. Hmmmm... sugar.
A lot of chinese preserves. I specially like the mustard leaf one.
And my brand new first bento box.
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According to Just Bento, cooking in advance and freezing makes the task of creating healthy and enjoyable meals a walk in the park. So that is what I did today (actually, today was busier than the whole of last week - and it feels as if it were a full week too): I cooked, and cooked, and cooked. And also ate. Yum!

For typical Brazilian black beans:

Select the desired amount of beans on the night before. Wash well, and leave in water overnight.
Cook in pressure cooker for an hour.
In another pot, stir fry garlic, onions and pepper. Add bacon or desired meat (bacon is traditional in Brazil although I prefer using a poultry sausage of some kind).
Add beans and salt to taste, and some more water.
To make the beans creamier, mash them slightly at this point.
Let boil until the broth has thickened as desired. Serve with rice.


Salad: Romaine and iceberg lettuce, shredded. Sakura and star shaped Roma tomatoes and chayotte, miniature onions and mint leaves, dried parsley.

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Right now I have a freezer full of healthy foods. And a heart full of good intentions, food wise. Hope the latter lasts longer than the first.
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Maybe "Cooking Mama" will help me. Its truly a fun way to spend even more time in the kitchen. And kitchens sure are fun.

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