How-To: Make a #12 from Jicama

Today, I'll show you how to make Seattle's famous #12 out of jicama. But perhaps, you're not a Seahawks fan ... okay, then you can still use this simple way to liven up your kid's lunch.

If your favorite team has a special number, then use that. Or incorporate the jersey number of your child's favorite player.

Basically, you need a cutting board, a paring knife, a sharp knife and cookie cutters. Plus a jicama, at least in my case.

Put down the cutting board on the counter, of course. With the sharp knife, slice the jicama in half; it's easier to work with this way.

Using the paring knife, peel the brown skin off of the jicama. You'll also want to make a second pass to peel away the fibrous white part, as it's a bit bitter.

Next, with the sharp knife, carefully cut 1/4-1/2" slices of jicama.

Once you have an even slice, put your cookie cutters (in my case - #12) on top, and firmly press down.

Tada! Veggie numbers. Told you it wasn't hard. And by the way, I don't waste the jicama scraps. Those get packed in tomorrow's lunch. :)

So ... this is an easy, quick way to jazz up your kid's lunch. Try it today!

Super Bowl 2015: Seahawks Bento Lunch

Today's lunch is dedicated to the Seattle Seahawks. All across my city, homes and businesses alike are showing their support for the Seahawks by raising #12 flags. At night, the skyline is lit up with green and blue atop the skyscrapers. It's really pretty.

Nestled among blueberries, a football-shaped egg is careening towards the cheddar-cheese-stick field goal post, which is situated atop baby spinach.

On the bottom half of the bento box, a jicama #12 sits on top more green and blue - broccoli florets and blue corn chips.

Come back later this week to see how to make your own #12 out of jicama. Hint: it's pretty easy!

Super Bowl 2015: Patriots Bento Lunch

Although I live in Seattle, and therefore am a Seahawks fan by default, I also want to acknowledge our Super Bowl opponent, the Patriots. Which is why today's bento lunch features the colors of the New England Patriots.

Any football fan, or anyone following the recent games leading up to the Super Bowl, will recognize the Patriots' colors as being red, white and blue. The red is represented by strawberries and red bell peppers, while the blue is acknowledged with blue corn chips and blueberries. Sticks of jicama constitute the white portion of the Patriots' colors.

A football-shaped egg (protein) is headed towards a field goal post made from cheddar cheese sticks (dairy).

Next week, I will feature a new Seahawks bento lunch, as well as a later post on how to make #12 out of a veggie. SEA ... HAWKS!

Shout out to the Seattle Seahawks!

If you're a follower of my blog, you'll know that I live in the greater Seattle area. Although my family and I are not technically fans of football, if you live in Seahawks country, you had better be a Seahawks fan. :)

So in light of their recent win, today is a throw back post to when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl last year.

Superbowl Bento Lunch

The Super Bowl is the time for epic plays, and equally awesome lunches. Here is my version of a Super Bowl lunch.

First, I made a bed of rice as the backdrop for the bento. Although I neglected to include it in the picture, I tucked a condiment container of soy sauce into the lunch, as flavoring for the rice. (If you put soy sauce on the rice too early, it soaks in, creating soggy, mushy rice. Adding soy sauce to the rice right before you eat it ... perfection.)

Broccoli resembles the grass of the football field, while sticks of cheddar cheese form a goal post.

The football is made from whole wheat quesadillas, cut into football shapes. I drew the 'laces' on the football quesadillas with a black food marker.

By now, I guess you know which team I am cheering for. I'm kinda obligated to do so, since I live in that state. :) In order to create the famous "12" sign with food, I utilized blueberries as the background. Next, I cut peeled jicama into 1/2"-thick slices, and cut out the #12 with cookie cutters. (In case you weren't aware, the Seahawks consider their (loudly exuberant) fans "the 12th man" of the team, hence why there are "12" flags flying all over Seattle.)

For dessert, I added a few Skittles to honor the Seahawks' leading rusher Marshawn Lynch. Legend has it that when Marshawn was playing football as a preteen, his mama used to give him Skittles before his games. Encouragement in the form of "power pellets" helped him to run faster and to play his best. Well, the Seahawks fans have run with that sweet memory, turning it into a shower of Skittles every time he scores a touchdown.

Go, Seahawks! But whoever wins, whether Seahawks or Broncos - kudos to both teams on a job well done.