very special bento: Harvest Muffins and banana-raisin "sushi"

A couple months ago a friend emailed me to tell me about a contest she heard about. Sponsored by the California Raisin board, the "Let's re-Do Lunch" photo contest was looking for healthy lunch alternatives featuring California Raisins.

Now let me just share here that California raisins have a special place in my heart. It may sound silly, but it's true. I am from California and I happened to live right smack dab in the middle of the raisin heartland. I've driven thousands of miles back and forth past grape vineyards throughout my teen and young adult life. It's a little bit of homecoming for me, those little boxes of raisins. :) 

My raisin-themed bento creation for the contest:


This little bento contains a Harvest muffin (pumpkin-carrot-maple-raisin yumminess), banana-raisin "sushi", carrot coins, pistachios, grapes and strawberries.

To make the banana-raisin "sushi" bites I cut a banana into chunks, rolled the pieces in juice to prevent browning, used a wide straw to cut out the centers of the banana, then filled the hole with raisins. :) 

The actual photo I submitted to the contest was this one...


I was a little bit surprised and a lot ecstatic when I found out that I was a finalist in the contest! The prize is simply amazing - $5,000 (that's five thousand dollars!), $1,000 donation to a food bank of my choosing, and a year's supply of California raisins! Wow!!

The contest is being hosted on Facebook and the voting period is going on from now (!!) through November 29th. Whoever gets the most votes wins! Eeeek! :)

Naturally, I ask that if you can spare a moment of your time, please vote for my entry, Bento Box with Harvest-Raisin Muffin & Banana Raisin "Sushi". 

There are 10 finalists in the running, including my witty friend, Wendy. Wendy's raspberry carrot raisin slaw is beautiful, truly. I'm not sure I would have ever thought I'd put the words "slaw" and "beautiful" together in the same sentence, but leave it to Wendy to make it happen!

You can vote once a day, and I would be ever so delighted, thrilled, and thankful if you would!!  And if you are on the Another Lunch Facebook Page, I'd like to apologize for my vote groveling.  I know it's annoying. I'm sorry. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop doing it... I mean, it's $5,000. Can you blame me? :)  Please bear with me. It'll be all over on the 29th (that's Ethan's birthday, that's got to bring me some luck, right?!!).