How to Make Easy Bento Lunches from Leftovers

Bento lunches in under 5 minutes...

(See my original post for simple instructions for How to Make Super-Easy Japanese Bento Lunches)

 Nearly two years ago I told you about how lazy I am about making my husband's bento lunch...

...every morning.

Unexpectedly, that post ended up becoming the most popular on my blog.

What does this mean?

Perhaps it means that there are a lot of people, just as busy as I am!

We still want to make delicious and healthy bento lunches, but don't want to spend more than five minutes on it.

I'm not a crazy bento mama.  I don't get up at 4 am to make decoben.

(I don't know how anyone can find time to do that and live a normal life!)

I just save heaps of time and money by packing my husband's lunch.

One of the easiest ways to make a bento lunch in 2-5 minutes is to just pack leftovers.  Here are a few photos of things I have used in my husband's lunches.  

(I will be doing posts for all the recipes, so stay tuned♡)

Top:     Teriyaki Chiken Bento with shredded cabbage

Does it get any easier than this?  I often make a large batch of chicken teriyaki and freeze half of it to use in bento lunches, pizzas, salads, anything! Recipe coming soon!

Nagoya Tebasaki Bento

My husband is from Aichi so this is one of his favorite dinners, and bento!  (And one of mine too)  

Recipe to come soon!

Beef Nikujaga Bento

...I hope I'm not looking to lazy here...

Calamari Bento with Mini Hamburg/ Hambaagu

Tonjiru and Meatball Bento

 Tonjiru means "Pork Soup".  Those two silicone cups are filled with Tonjiru minus the broth (drained on paper towel).  Soup is NOT a bento food, but I just included this one to show you can turn anything into bento filling!  And those are asian style meatballs from the freezer, just to make it too easy.

Kuri Kinton

A sweet paste of candied chestnut and Japanese sweet potato, kurikinton has a unique, delicate flavour that is enjoyed by adults and also makes a yummy treat for my kids.

As a part of New Year celebrations, its golden colour makes it a symbol of wealth and prosperity in the coming year.

If you can't get Japanese sweet candied chestnut, just make it with sweet potato.  It is still delicious and will look good in your New Year juubako box.

It keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days.

Recipe

400~500g Japanese sweet potato (deep purple skin, yellow flesh) Called "satsumaimo" in Japanese
1 Jar of Japanese sweet candied chestnut.
a pinch of salt

1-2 Tbsp mirin
up to 1/2 cup sugar, depending on sweetness of sweet potato

1.  Cook and peel the sweet potato:  Peel the skin, chop roughly and place in a saucepan with just enough water to cover them.  Boil until soft.  Drain water.
2.  Mash sweet potato with a potato masher.   Gradually add the syrup from the jar of sweet candied chestnut.  Keep mashing until very smooth.
3.  To get it extra smooth, scoop it into a strainer and press through with a spatula, returning it to the saucepan.
4.  Place over low heat and keep stirring and kneading with the spatula.  Add salt, mirin and sugar to taste.  The amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of the sweet potato.  In Japan the sweet potatoes are quite sweet so I only added about 2 Tbsp mirin and no sugar.  In Australia, the sweet potatoes were not as sweet, so I added about 1/2 cup sugar. Add chestnuts and keep stirring over low heat for another minute.

Serve at room temperature.

Japanese sweet potatoes (satsumaimo) and jar of yellow candied chestnuts:

SERVING TIP:

Just scoop onto a small individual serving plate.

OR

To make into chestnut-shaped balls like mine, place a heaped tablespoon into the centre of a large sqare of plastic wrap.  Bring the edges of the wrap together and twist together at the top, to create a chestnut shape.  Refrigerate until an hour before serving.

I like serving it this way as it is easier to serve individual portions, and I like the neat look.