LEARN MAYA PACKED LUNCH RECIPES + #MAYAXSHOPGIRLJEN GIVEAWAY

Before we start our #MayaXShopgirlJen #TeamSofIshaGiveaway, let me share with you a budget-friendly and healthy way of eating every day at work or in school when you bring your own packed meal. Sometimes though, we tend to fall back on the same dishes which takes the enjoyment out of eating what we prepare daily. 

To put the fun back into packed lunches, the Maya Kitchen has come up with great meal ideas that are practical and full of flavor and variety. You can find a ton of delicious dishes that you can try at www.mayakitchen.com, and here are the three sample recipes that you can try with your fambam.

If you love sushi, you’ll love this homemade twist on the Japanese menu staple. The Easy Cucumber Spam Musubi layers Spam slices, Japanese rice, and eggs into scrumptious bite size pieces. Seasoned with authentic ingredients readily available at the supermarket, it’s a great dish to savor and share.

EASY CUCUMBER SPAM MUSUBI

Rice:

• ¼ cup vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon hondashi granules
• 3- 4 cups cooked, Japanese rice
• ½ cup finely chopped cucumber, seeded
• nori sheets, as needed
• 2 pieces cooked beaten  or scrambled egg
• 1 can Spam slices or any meat loaf slices

Seasoning:

• ¼ cup crushed or grinded nori sheet
• 1-2 teaspoons togarashi
• 1-2 teaspoons black or white sesame seeds, roasted
• 1 small sachet of bonito flakes

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil or olive oil
• 4 tablespoons brewed soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• sesame seed, for sprinkling

Prepare Rice:  

Combine vinegar, sugar and hondashi granules in a small pan and bring to a boil and turn off heat.  Pour and mix the vinegar mixture onto the hot rice, add cucumbers mix until well blended. Cool and set aside. 

Prepare Seasoning:  

Combine and mix together.  Set aside.

Prepare Sauce:  In a small pot, blend together all ingredients the sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar.  Mix until well blended then lightly heat up until sugar is dissolved and sauce is hot.  Set aside. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of sauce before serving.

To Assemble: 

Hand-press the prepared rice and make sure to get the shape of the cut Spam or meat loaf slices and egg slices or one may use  a dessert mould or cutter to shape the rice. First, place a piece of nori sheet on a clean working surface then arrange on top the shaped/pressed rice.  Sprinkle seasoning, put a slice of egg, season again before putting on top the Spam then wrap it with nori. 

Yield:  16 pieces

Looking for a light and easy lunch? Try the Whole-Wheat Crabsticks Salad Wrap. A yummy combination of green and red lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and crab sticks in a wrap using MAYA Whole Wheat “Think Heart” Pancake Mix.  

WHOLE WHEAT CRABSTICKS SALAD WRAP
Crepe:

• 3 pieces eggs
• 3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
• 1 ½ cupsfresh milk or water
• 1 pack MAYA Whole Wheat “Think Heart” Pancake Mix 200g

Filling:

• green and red leaf lettuce, as needed 
• 10 pieces crab sticks(imitation) or kani, shredded
• 2 pieces carrots, julienned and lightly blanched
• 1 piece medium-sized cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned

Dressing:

• ½ cup Japanese mayonnaise, as needed
• wasabi powder or paste, as needed
• honey (optional)

Prepare Crepe:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well blended and smooth.  Pour ¼ cup crepe mixture onto a lightly greased preheated non-stick pan or teflon coated pan and tilt from side to side until crepe mixture form in the pan. Let it set and cook. Set aside to cool.

Prepare Dressing:
Combine mayonnaise and wasabi.  Mix until well blended. To equalize the taste you may add honey.

To Assemble:
Lay one crepe on a clean working surface and arrange on topside of crepe the  lettuce leaves, crabs sticks, carrots and cucumber. Drizzle mayo dressing over the vegetables; close and wrap. Best serve cold.

Yield: 10 wraps

A fantastic choice is this take on a Korean favorite – the Veggie Bibimbap in Sesame Soy Chili. Filling and flavorful, this dish with rice, mushrooms, toasted sesame seeds, and stir-fry vegetables can also be assembled and layered in one container that’s convenient to tote around.

VEGGIE  BIBIMBAP IN SESAME SOY CHILI SAUCE:

• 1- 2 cups cooked Japanese rice
• olive oil or sesame oil, as needed for stir-frying
• 2-3 pieces shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 pack enoki mushrooms
• 1 piece small-sized carrot, julienned cut
• 1 piece medium-sized onion, sliced
• ½ cup blanched spinach
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 piece cooked omelet or scrambled egg, sliced

Sesame Soy Chili Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3-4 tablespoons brewed soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon gochujang chili paste
• sesame seeds, for toppings

In a sautéing pan, heat up a little amount of oil and stir fry each mushrooms and vegetables separately until cook and season each with salt and pepper.  Set aside until ready for plating.

Prepare Sauce:
In a small pan, blend together all ingredients for the sesame soy chili sauce until well blended then lightly heat up until sugar is dissolve and sauce is hot.  Set aside.

To Assemble:
Arrange and press at the bottom of a lunch box or container a layer of rice and top with little amount of each stir-fried mushrooms and vegetables.  Do these layering until all ingredients are used.  Top with sliced eggs and toasted sesame seeds.  Serve with sauce on the side or drizzle sauce in each layer of rice and stir-fried mushrooms and vegetables.

Yield: 2 servings

And as I've mentioned many times on my Instagram and Fanpage, October is a special month for us because we are celebrating Sofi and Isha's birthdays. Yaaaay!!! Just want to give a shoutout to the generous hearts of our favorite brands for all the support and love. 

And to kick-start our series of giveaways, here's our first!

Here's an easy-peasy mechanics for #MayaXShopgirlJen:

1. Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
2. Share (the first photo) in your Instagram and Facebook with caption: Check out Maya Packed Lunch Recipes and WIN #MayaXShopgirlJen #TeamSofIshaGiveaway  http://www.shopgirljen.com/2017/10/learn-maya-packed-lunch-recipes.html #ShopgirlJenGiveaway then TAG 3 of your friends.
3. Don't forget to Tag Shopgirl Jen Facebook and Follow and Tag Maya Kitchen on Instagram and Facebook Page 
4. Comment below in this order: Name, Instagram/Facebook handle, Link of your post. Make sure your post is in public

Note: Repost, Regram, Share as many times as you want but don't forget to comment your name and link on the comment box to make your entries counted.

That's it! This giveaway is open nationwide and will end on November 5, 2017 at 11:59PM.

Thank you all for joining and thank you Maya Kitchen for celebrating with us!