Every year, I try to come up with a funky idea for Easter.

I've been longing for an excuse to buy some of these brightly coloured egg boxes in the supermarket, so my gorgeous

Easter Bento Boxes

gave me a great reason to do so!

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A bento box is a traditional Japanese selection of edible goodies packed beautifully into little boxes in single portion sizes. Some are simple, some very ornate.

I've come up with my own version especially for Easter- a savoury one, a sweet one and a mixed one.

You can go to as much or as little effort as you wish with these-I've used shop-bought dips, little crackers, fruit, vegetables, sweets and treats.

You could use homemade dips, make tiny little sandwiches-whatever takes your fancy. Just try to make them colourful and vibrant and you can't really go wrong!

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All of my Easter Bento Boxes work out to between 8-11sp/5-7pp/approx.230-320kcal per box-much less than most Easter eggs and much more fun!

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YOU WILL NEED

Colourful egg boxes.

(You could use plain ones and decorate them with pens or washi tape. (My favourite!)

Colourful plastic eggs.

These were from The Works and cost £1 for a pack of six eggs.

I washed them thoroughly in hot soapy water and left them to dry on paper towels. 

Six eggs are enough for two boxes as you use both halves separately.

Fluffy easter chicks.

I would say these are optional but I don't really believe it. They are so cute and an absolute necessity! 

This whole box was £2 from The Works.

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Simply pop the clean, dry plastic egg halves into the egg boxes. Try and use a variety of colours in each one.

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The Savoury One

Take a selection of goodies and decide what you are going to fill your little egg-shapes with.

I weighed the dips into the egg containers. Just pop the whole box onto your scales, recalibrate back to zero and dollop in the dips. The plastic egg containers I used held 30g of dip.

These lovely Tesco Healthy Living dips worked out to 2sp/1pp per 30g portion.

Add veggie sticks, slices of mini peppers and for a Springtime look, some chives and fresh mint.

If you have the time, decorate the lid of the egg box with washi/decorative tape and a couple of cheeky chicks!

The lid won't close fully once you've filled the boxes, but still look inviting and amazing like this.

I used:
30g Roasted Garlic Dip 2sp/1pp
30g Coronation Dip 2sp/1pp
30g Beetroot Dip 2sp/1pp
1/2 bag of  Tesco Vegetable Crackers 2sp/2pp
Fresh veggies; cucumber, carrot & peppers

TOTAL: 8sp/5pp/approx.230kcal

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The Sweet One

Repeat the process with sweet treats and plenty of fruit.

You could make some little washi tape flags using cocktail sticks. These look gorgeous and also help to pick out the grapes and marshmallows-especially if you fill one of your containers with fruity yoghurt for dipping.

The flag picks make it more fun to eat too!

Egg boxes have perfectly-positioned holes to pop the flags into! It reminds me of a little sand castle.

Note the funky carrot-shaped paper napkins in the background! These were from Tesco's Easter range.

Decorate the outside of the box.

I used:
1 box mini smarties 4sp/2pp
1 mini packet iced gems 5sp/3pp
10g mini marshmallows 1sp/1pp
Fresh fruit;mango, grapes, strawberries

TOTAL: 10sp/6pp/approx.300kcal

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The Mixed One

If you prefer, you can pop a mixture of savoury and sweet goodies in one box together...snack followed by pudding!

I used:
30g Beetroot dip 2sp/1pp
30g Coronation dip 2sp/1pp
1/2 bag Tesco Vegetable crackers 2sp/2pp
1 small funsize bag Malteasers 5sp/3pp
Fresh fruit and veg

TOTAL: 11sp/7pp/approx.320kcal

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Remember, you can make these to fit in with any aspect of the plan you are following by using appropriate ingredients! 

Have fun and Happy Easter to you all.

Anyone who reads my blog regularly will know that I have a very sweet tooth and that I'm always coming up with lovely low-fat goodies to help satisfy my cravings...but I thought, as a refreshing change from sweet things this Easter, I'd bring you these gorgeous, palate-cleansing cabbage rolls! They're a great way to save on carbs too-especially if you're having a few chocolatey treats.

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These fresh bright green Savoy cabbage leaves sit on the plate like little Springtime bowls filled with shredded carrot nests, low fat feta, fragrant basil leaves and a kick of sweet chilli sauce. They're so quick to make, roll up like a dream and make a crisp, fresh, filling snack for 2pp/approx.120kcal the lot!

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YOU WILL NEED : (per portion)

3 raw Savoy cabbage leaves

1 teaspoon sweet Thai chilli dipping sauce

1 carrot

50g light Greek-style cheese

(low fat feta)

basil leaves

black pepper/lemon pepper

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Arrange 3 cabbage leaves onto your serving plate. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of sweet chilli sauce.

Savoy cabbage leaves work well for this as they are very thin and pliable and easy to digest when raw.

Using a julienne peeler or coarse grater, shred the carrot then distribute equally between the cabbage 'bowls'.

The carrot looks like a vibrant, funky nest, nestled in its cabbage container.

Next, dice the low fat Greek-style cheese into tiny cubes and pop into the carrot nests.

Finally, scatter with a few freshly torn basil leaves and season with black pepper. I'm crazy about lemon pepper at the moment-it really brings this dish to life!

Serve open like this for a vibrant touch of Springtime.

To eat, simply roll the stalk edge into the centre of the leaf...

Then bring the outer edge of the leaf to meet in the middle. If it's a large leaf, you can fold the sides in as you would a regular wrap.

You should have a lovely, neat roll that contains the filling perfectly.

Tuck in and enjoy!

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Easterliscious!

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To Ring the Changes...

Try using other ingredients as your filling...one of my favourites is houmous, warm crisp falafel and chilli sauce.

I use 2 Cauldron falafel

and 30g low fat houmous.

This works out to 6pp/approx. 250kcal

Experiment with your own combinations!

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PRINT RECIPE HERE

Some of you may remember my Popcorn Pops from a few months ago...well, with Easter coming up, I thought I'd do a rice krispie egg-shaped version!

Easter eggs are delicious but so high in propoints/calories and can be quite costly, especially if you have a few to buy.

My Eggypops still give you a great bite with a chocolate hit and come in 2 sizes -

A large, 5pp/approx.200kcal one

and a

small, 3pp/approx.120kcal one.

They are made of tightly compacted rice krispies, bound together with molten marshmallow and drizzled with chocolate and sprinkles before being adorned with a cute Easter chick!

They are really easy to make and low cost.

They make great gifts.

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You Will Need: (per Eggypop)

For the Large Eggypop

30g rice krispies

3 sugar free marshmallows

10g chocolate

1/2 teaspoon sugar sprinkles

1 decorative chick

1 decorative straw, lollipop stick or skewer

*

For the Small Eggypop

15g rice krispies

2 sugar free marshmallows

8g chocolate

1/2 teaspoon sugar sprinkles

1 decorative chick

1 decorative straw, lollipop stick or skewer

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Weigh out the rice krispies.

(Make each eggypop individually).

I used this own brand range. This 440g bag (enough for 14 large eggs or 29 small ones!) cost 77p.

Add the marshmallows to the bowl and microwave for 20 seconds.

Work quickly but carefully as the marshmallows are molten hot at first. Bring the rice krispies together with the marshmallow, a bit like making pastry, scooping and squeezing the mixture together. Insert a lollipop stick and continue to squeeze the mixture tightly into a ball around it. Soon you will find that it comes together and you can form it into an egg shape. Make sure that the rice krispies are tightly compacted together so they won't fall apart when you bite into the eggypop.

Once you have a pleasing shape, weigh and melt the chocolate.

Using a spoon, drizzle the eggypop with the melted chocolate. You should be able to virtually coat the small version.

There's enough chocolate to generously drizzle over the top third of the larger version. While still wet, scatter with sugar sprinkles and press a decorative chick into the chocolate.

 You could add a decorative paper case. You just need to fold it in half and make a quick snip with some scissors so that you can thread it onto the stick.

Place carefully in the fridge to set thoroughly.

Once set, you can pop them into cellophane bags and tie with rustic string for a gorgeous, low fat alternative to a traditional chocolate Easter egg.

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Eggypoppiliscious!

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N.B.

If making these with young children please take extreme care initially as the marshmallows are very hot for a few seconds. Once the mixture has come together and started to cool, this is an ideal family activity!

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TIP

Using the same recipe, you could make cereal bars any time of the year. This one has some raisins inside and a tiny strip of chocolate to hold the freeze-dried fruit topping. You could add dried fruits and nuts to your personal preference. Just remember to adjust pp's/calories accordingly.

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PRINT RECIPE HERE

I wanted to come up with something cute but sophisticated this Easter....a little treat reminiscent of the egg-filled chocolate nests I loved as a child, but with a touch of Slice-of-Slim magic to keep the damage to a minimum.

My crispy, cocoa and icing sugar-dusted nests are sprinkled with tangy, freeze-dried fruits and filled with speckled 'eggs' which are actually made of white chocolate-dipped grapes!
So, you get your chocolate fix but it will only set you back 3pp/approx.130kcal.
(They are exactly 3pp so two are 6pp..etc)

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You Will Need: (For 4 Nests)

12 Grapes
40g White Chocolate
1 Warburtons Squareish Wrap
1 teaspoon Cocoa Powder
1 teaspoon Icing Sugar
5g Freeze-Dried Mango
5g Freeze-Dried Strawberries



Start by melting the white chocolate in a small pot/ramekin. Leave the ramekin standing in a little hot water while you work to keep the chocolate at a good consistency.
Pop the grapes onto bamboo skewers.



Spoon the chocolate generously over each grape until totally covered.



Tap the skewer with your finger to allow any excess chocolate to fall back into the pot.



Pinch a tiny amount of cocoa with your fingers and sprinkle onto the wet chocolate for a speckled effect.


Repeat with all the grapes. Stand them in a tall glass to set. Don't allow them to touch. If possible, put them in the fridge to set thoroughly.



While the 'eggs' are setting, make the nests.
Take a Warburtons Squareish Wrap.



Roll up then slice finely into 2-3mm strips using a sharp knife.



Pop into a bowl and mist with a few sprays of Frylight oil. Mix it in with your hands, unravelling the strands and tangling them together.



Heap the strands into four equal mounds on baking parchment.



Shape each one into a pleasing nest shape because once baked, it will go rigid and stay in the shape you make.



Bake for about 10 minutes at 180 degrees C until golden, crisp and rigid.



Sift cocoa powder and icing sugar over the nests to sweeten, flavour and colour them.



Handle carefully. Place onto your chosen serving plate.



Weigh out the freeze-dried fruits. 
(Click HERE for post on them).
If you can't get any, use a few chopped dried cranberries, almonds or chocolate drops instead. Just add the propoints/calories if you do this.



Sprinkle the fruits equally between the four nests. Allow to settle into the natural cavities and folds of the nest. It makes such a pretty bejewelled effect.



Finally, very carefully pull the set 'eggs' off the bamboo skewers and arrange 3 on the top of each nest.



For a sophisticated treat, serve on a pale and pretty serving plate.



For a more funky Springtime look, I served mine on some plastic grass!

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Edible Easter Treateries!

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TIP


You can make these into a spectacular dessert by adding fresh fruit.

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PRINT RECIPE HERE