Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box by Ophelia Chien is an interesting collection of recipes to pack in a bento box. The cookbook gives quite a few tips and suggestions for how to create a healthy lunch. While these recipes are not the quickest or the simplest for a novice cook to create, this is a great book of recipes for anyone keen on learning how to create a traditional bento box meal.
Title: Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box: Over 60 Simple Recipes for 30 Lunch Box Meals Under 500 CaloriesAuthor: Ophelia Chien
Publisher: DK
Genres: Cookbook, Lifestyle
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Rating:
Make mealtimes healthier and more mindful with beautiful, balanced bento boxes.
A carefully assembled bento box can bring joy to even the most stressful day. Learn the craft of bento, eat well, and save money with this introduction to the Japanese style of boxed lunch. With a mix of Japanese, Chinese, and fusion Bentos, there are recipes to appeal to every palate. Prepare one of 30 bento box meals, or mix and match over 60 different recipes to create your own bento box combinations. Helpful tips for prepping ahead and making efficient use of kitchen time means you can have beautiful Bentos packed and ready to go quickly each morning.
• Something for everyone--includes meat, poultry, and fish Bentos as well as vegetarian and vegan options.
• Easy to prepare--simple recipes with clear instructions and easily sourced ingredients
• Low cost--save money by preparing bento meals at home instead of eating out
• Calorie-conscious--built-in portion control with fewer than 500 calories per bento box meal
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
Review: Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box by Ophelia Chien
I have always enjoyed a bento box meal, as it makes for a fun and exciting way to shake up a lunch routine. The recipes in this book are all centred around a classic Japanese bento box that consists of starch, protein, and vegetables. The packed meal is visually pleasing with pops of colour and fun details.
❀ Contents: Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box by Ophelia Chien
- Bento Basics
- Traditional Japanese Bento
- Pan-Asian Bento
- Western Style Bento
- Staples
❀ Lots of Images
There are many images in the book that showcase all of the different bento boxes, giving the pages lots of colour and whimsy. Each recipe also indicates the amount of time to prepare and cook the items, as well as how many servings it creates. Most of them require refrigeration, though, so not all recipes are ideal for those without access to a fridge away from home.
❀ Not as Quick as EXPECTED
I was very excited to try some of these recipes, and I found the instructions to be easy to follow. The ingredients are also not hard to find in a typical grocery store, which is a bonus for me. However, each meal is divided into three portions–the main and two sides–and while each portion that goes into the bento box takes about 10 minutes to make, the prep time is much longer when you account for each one. I was a little disappointed to see that the time spent making a bento box is not as quick as the title indicates. There are also a lot of dishes and pans that are used for the recipes, so the clean up is another time-consuming factor to consider.
Pineapple Shrimp
❀ Visually Stunning and Easy to Follow
Healthy, Quick & Easy Bento Box by Ophelia Chien is a cookbook that is visually stunning and easy to follow, although the recipes are not as fast to prepare as the title implies. This fun and interesting method for lunchtime meals is definitely a great way to add excitement to your day. If you don’t mind spending a bit more time making lunches and cleaning up the dishes afterwards, this is a recipe book to try.
About Ophelia Chien
Ophelia Chien is an avid cook and the creator of Vanilla Infinite, an Instagram account where she shares her colorful bento box creations. Originally from Taiwan, she currently lives in Mountain View, CA, where she is pursuing her MBA.
About Lori
Avid reader. Contributor to The Candid Cover. Educator.
The pineapple shrimp on the picture looks really yummy! 🤤
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…Can’t-Wait Wednesday: A Small Hotel by Suanne Laqueur
The shrimp turned out quite well!
I have never made one. That looks really good!
It is quite delicious! 😉
This looks good love to make one
I hope you enjoy them if you try!
My sister loves the idea of bento boxes, and I think may try them for her daughter when she starts school in the fall just because the variety is so fun. It’s a bummer that the recipes take long to prepare, but maybe if you’re prepping ahead for a few days, it’s worth it.
If you are prepping for a whole week, it would be worth the extra time, for sure! I think that the concept of a variety of colourful food makes lunch so much more enjoyable, especially for kids.
I just got rid of some really old cookbooks, and was thinking how I’d like some new style cookbooks. This would be one to get for sure!
i love the vibe of a bento box. super smart