Shiso Onigiri Bento

Ugh, I’m so behind on blogging my bentos already! I made this one for Wednesday, going lighter without meat, but still bringing in calories with three onigiri. Using shiso furikake for onigiri is still my current favorite way to make onigiri because I love the taste of ume and the purple is so pretty. I put little cut flowers of fish sausage on top of each and then added in fresh veggies and a cut up kiwi. To cut the kiwi like that I just cut all the sides off and then quartered it. I thought it looked pretty with all the cut shapes! Here’s a closer look so you can see the onigiri. The flakes moisten up in …

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Kansha: Celebrating Japan’s Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions

The celebration of Japan’s vegan and vegetarian traditions begins with kansha—appreciation—an expression of gratitude for nature’s gifts and the efforts and ingenuity of those who transform nature’s bounty into marvelous food. The spirit of kansha, deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy and practice, encourages all cooks to prepare nutritionally sound and…

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