A Handsome Cooking Disaster

This evening, I tried to alter a recipe with less than wonderful results. As a kid, I loved these chicken squares my mother would make. I thought a vegetarian version would be doable so I whipped up my own version swapping out the chicken and dairy cream cheese with chickpeas and vegan cream cheese. The squares looked nice but did nothing for my taste buds. They seemed dry, not quite creamy enough despite using the recipe's suggested amount of veg cream cheese. I think the chickpeas were also just too chewy. If I try these squares again, I will use more creamy stuff and a less dense white bean. Luckily, my husband thoroughly enjoyed the chickpea squares and has scored himself a lunch for tomorrow.




The chickpea squares were going to serve as my lunch for my first post holiday workday, so I had to toss something together last minute. The bento box contains a Boca chick'n patty on whole wheat with a side of Vegenaise and carrots with hummus. In another bento, I have a green salad with sunflower seeds and Asian Miracle Dressing. I've been making an effort to consume more leafy greens, especially now while pregnant, and I have to say this is hands down my favorite dressing in existence. The only change I made to the recipe was swapping out the maple syrup with agave nectar. Yum!

The bambino's influence has led me to start replacing my multitude of junky snacks with healthier stuff. For tomorrow, I packed a banana, pumpkin seeds, strawberries, a nectarine, and canned pineapple. I can't eat a lot in one sitting anymore. I munch in small bits all day long. (Off topic ... Can you guess who got a new camera this Christmas?!)

A day is incomplete without a sweet treat. Since I've cut the cookies from my workday, I'll have to make due with a healthier alternative ...

Monday's Fortune Cookie: "Life is too short to hold grudges."