Today’s grocery shopping brought a smile to my face and 2 new foods in my basket, such as the yellow carrots above. Or maybe they were called “golden” carrots. I remember not. All I know is that I like carrots so much I figured I’d give them a whirl this week.  I thought they might look very interesting next to regular bright orange carrots.

Around the corner from the carrots was a fruit display I absolutely could not resist: pomegranate! It made me quite nostalgic and reflective. Pomegranate was one of the very first new-to-me foods I tried when I started Not Exactly Bento a year ago. I’d never heard of the fruit before and Adventures in Bentomaking featured it alot in her bentos at the time. When I saw it at the store, I thought I’d try it. I’ve loved it ever since that first taste. It never dawned on me that with the anniversary of Not Exactly Bento this month that pomegranate would make its way back to the grocery shelves. I’m sooo excited.

I also found this: quinoa pasta. I picked up a small box to try. Since I’ve grown to love quinoa so much in place of rice, I wondered what this would be like to try in place of regular pasta. Something made me pick up this “veggie curl” type pasta. I’m just unsure what to do with it. I want to use it as a side dish with some sort of dressing on the pasta, like a pasta salad. I just have no idea what to dress it with. Suggestions anyone?

I hope everyone has had a great weekend. See you again Monday with a new bento.