Packing a lunch for the flight out I really wanted some protein. “You aren’t putting that in your lunch, are you?” Matthew asked me as I skilfully arranged a gorgeous citrus glazed piece of salmon into my bento. “You are going to stink up the whole plane!”

And stink it up I did.

When packing lunch for the plane make judicious use of your grocer’s deli case. A little variety in a 6″x6″ square box speeds up a long flight, and I promise it will cost less, and be more gentle on your body than anything you’ll find in terminal A, B, C or D.

No, that isn’t a typo. I didn’t mean to spell Bi Bim Bap, the popular and colorful veggie and rice bowl iconic to South Korea. But don’t feel bad for thinking so. This blog is full of engrish.com style spelling and typo mistakes. I like to think if my writing isn’t amusing to you, at least you’ll get a good chuckle from my ipad’s autocorrect.

Ah, I digress. Bi Bim Bap was my foray into Korean food. A vegetarian living in Seoul, cooked vegetables over rice became a fast friend those first couple years.

Today’s bento is a play on Bi Bim Bap, featuring a finely chopped kale with lemon tahini dressing (from Whole Foods Market), pinto beans cooked with miso and fish sauce, and creamy avocado. Oh, and a wee bit of salsa. Let me say this about finely chopping the kale, this makes it much, much easier to mix up with the rice and beans. Give it a try.

Last week the Whole Foods Market Portland metro held a first ever combined Team Member appreciation party. It was pretty awesome to see over 1000 Team Members and their families milling about. Each store’s bakery team crafted a cake, to represent each store in the metro. We left before getting a slice, but man, did they look tasty.

Loving the talent and creativity of my coworkers.

Happy Monday!

I’ve posted before about my love of Hail Merry Raw & Vegan (AND DELICIOUS) macaroons. We sell a second product, Merry’s Miracle Meyer Lemon Tarts. Their siren song had never lured me in, not even at my weakest need for a sugar fix. I’m not a lemon bar or even lemon dessert person.

But you know what lure me in? Our yellow sales tags. I’m a sucker for most things on sale. This has its pros and cons. Clearly.

So, logically, as they are on sale this month I bought one (now 5).

H.O.L.Y M.O.T.H.E.R O.F G.O.D

they don’t suck.

The crust is almond meal, coconut oil, and coconut flakes. And the center, the creamy tart center. I almost don’t even want to know how it is done, because I don’t want to ruin the magic.

Their suggestive serving is 3, mine is one.

Enjoy

*Hey since I’m referencing my work, Whole Foods Market, let me remind you that these views are mine, not necessarily those of the company.

I’ve learned something about heating up bentos at work, in the microwave, in the staff lounge that smells of old shoes.

Don’t. Microwave. Avocado.

Just don’t. It doesn’t taste good at all.

Do make these Vegan Enchiladas from Food and Wine. They are phenomenal. I need to work out a way to reduce the oil in them, but man on man. What else can make even the coldest and wettest of March days seem warm and fuzzy but a colorful saute of veggies snuggled in corn tortillas topped with cashew cream? No. No there is not.

Clockwise from the top left: Tongues of Fire, Lupini, Appaloosa, and Scarlet Runner Beans.

These heirloom beans are new to our bulk section at work, and before I could think better of my already full pantry, I my silver metal scoop was deep into the bin of beans. Committed.

I’ll be pouring over my cookbooks looking for bean recipes, but please, let me know your favorites.

Let me show you how I feel about dumplings.

Dumplings, pot stickers, shu mai, mandu, savory filling swaddled in thin dough, pan-fried and steamed.

I adore them, I want to put a bunch in my pocket like a toy poodle and take them for a walk along the Willamette when the cherry blossoms are out. I want to kiss each one on the head and tuck them in, in my mouth. I love dumplings. In fact, I’m eating some right now, as I type this.

Keeping a bag in the freezer makes quick work of pulling lunch together on a busy morning. Here I’ve fan fried, then steamed kimchi mandu, nestled them in nice with sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes. I stretched a carrot and hijiki salad with some frozen edamame (another freezer staple), and rounded out lunch with leftover fried rice.

Show your dumplings a little love, and they’ll love you back.

What I do love, people, is popcorn, and Popcorn Indiana has found a way to press popcorn into chips. I give you Chip’ins.

Divine intervention? Perhaps.

What I also love about these chips is the sodium count isn’t terribly high, a calorie ratio of 1 part calories to two parts sodium- incase you are wondering why I care, most nutritionists recommend a 1 to 1 ratio calories to sodium. Have a look next time you are in the supermarket and let me know how many products you find with that ratio (it isn’t a lot, let me break it to you).

I can only recommend the Sea Salt flavor as I haven’t tried the others. Go forth and munch, people. Go forth and munch.