Insulated Jar & Sides #39

Sesame asparagus (recipe below), TVP soboro over rice (I promise there is rice down there, even though you can't see it), and red and yellow peppers with ketchup (recipe from Makiko Itoh's The Just Bento Cookbook).

The TVP soboro wasn't actually meant to be soboro. It was a recipe I'd found over at the Buddhist Chef for taco meat that was too sweet to be taco meat for my tastes but I thought would work really well as soboro--and it does!

I modified Makiko Itoh's Green Asparagus with Sesame Sauce from The Just Bento Cookbook for this Sesame Asparagus. Someday I will have a mortar and pestle and can make her version with proper homemade sesame paste, but until then, this is pretty darn good. This whole lunch was pretty great; also, it's gluten free, and if you can get your veggies in season, pretty darn cheap, too.

Sesame Asparagus
Serves: 1

5 medium asparagus spears
1 tablespoon tahini
A pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
About 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (for garnish)

While bringing a pot of water to a boil, trim the asparagus and cut into 1-inch pieces. Boil for 4-5 minutes (it should still be bright green). Meanwhile, mix tahini, sugar, and soy sauce.

Drain the asparagus and shock in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain. Toss with sauce.

Pack or plate and garnish with sesame seeds.