I was expecting tasty but not mind-blowing, but after whipping a batch of this leaf-green hummus in the food processor, I don't really see much chickpea-based hummus in my future—it was just that good. The edamame has a simple sweetness that plays down the earthy qualities of the roasted garlic and tahini. While chickpea hummus has a tendency to be heavy and pasty, this version is light with a fantastic green freshness. Its versatile flavors work equally well as a sandwich spread or condiment on its own. More

Makiko Itoh, author of The Just Bento Cookbook, assembled a list of 10 bento rules that keep her bentos healthy, fun to eat, and easy. One of these rules is that a bento should not take more than 30 minutes to assemble. This one comes together in a snap—just under five minutes. More

Thinly sliced cucumber and turnips are massaged with salt to eliminate some of their moisture, then dressed with a mix of yuzu zest and juice for a bright, citrusy pickle that retains its crispness beautifully. This salad acts as equal parts vegetable, condiment, and palate cleanser making it a wonderful bento companion for any of the Japanese-inspired proteins in The Just Bento Cookbook. More

Chicken Kara-age AKA Japanese fried chicken (or JFC for short) is a total crowdpleaser. These little chunks of soy-sake-ginger marinated chicken coated in cornstarch and deep-fried until golden have a tendency to disappear almost as quickly as they come out of the fryer. More

These Miso Tofu Nuggets with Edamame are perfect bento material—crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside croquettes of tofu mixed with big, umami flavors. The tofu is whipped together with ginger, miso, sesame oil, scallions, and edamame, forming a salty, custardy batter that's dipped in cornstarch then shallow-fried. More