Bento Box With Ice Pack

Reheatable recipes with rice (and preferably eggs)?

I’m going back to school and only have a 30-minute lunch. So my options are really eat from the vending machine, or make my own lunch. They have a microwave available, so I figured I could make something reheatable, bento-style (for those who don’t know, something like a Japanese lunch box).

I’ve read that I can microwave already-cooked rice by adding a few tablespoons of water before microwaving, so I’m good with that idea. I just don’t know how long. I bought some baby carrots, some broccoli, green pepper, mushrooms, hot dogs (that one just because I like the shapes you can make with them), grilled chicken strips, and eggs. I also have a lunch-box sort of thing with an ice pack, so I’m not too worried about my food spoiling. I’d be willing to add fish to my list when I go shopping next, I just forgot it this time. Also, feel free to recommend something that I haven’t listed.

I’d prefer something that could be reheated -or- eaten cold, just in case I don’t have time.

Try these:

http://southernfood.about.com/od/chickenrice/r/bl30626g.htm

http://southernfood.about.com/od/chickenrice/r/bl30628n.htm

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1646,132179-254197,00.html

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1742,149181-230196,00.html

This is cooking for one!

http://www.microwavecookingforone.com/Reviews4.html

http://busycooks.about.com/od/seafoodrecipe1/r/spinachfishroll.htm

If you like spicy foods jambalaya is great! You can make spicier or less spicy by increasing/decreasing the Cayenne and white pepper. Be careful with white pepper it is hotter than black and difficult to see how much you have put in!

http://www.gumbopages.com/food/jambalaya.html

You could also make Stew. Serve either with or without rice.

http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=stews

This is an English recipe. It is good and you can cook ahead, split it into lunch sized portions and then re-heat at school.

You really can re-heat just about anything in the microwave. I usually take the leftovers from what I had the night before. You may want to look into a crock pot. Most of these recipes may be made in one. All you have to do is throw in the ingredients in the morning and when you come home it will be cooked.

The only reason you need to add water to rice when you are microwaving it is if it has no sauce. If you have a fridge close to where you nuke your lunch, you can keep some chicken bullion in it and sprinkle it with that instead. It adds a bit of flavoring.

Here are some stir fry recipes for your chicken strips:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,chicken_stir_fry,FF.html

I do not do hot dogs (Once I found out their ingredients, I found other items to eat! ) but here are some recipes I found:

http://www.hot-dog.org/

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=Hot+Dogs

http://southernfood.about.com/od/hotdogrecipes/Hot_Dog_Recipes.htm

http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blmisc55.htm

Good Luck in School!

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