This year we are experimenting with food. I went to full-time, plant-based food in early January for a multitude of reasons. Primarily, though, I did it just to see if I could. Like Fear Factor with less bugs & guts and more tofu & nooch.

I’m getting off track… we’re experimenting, y’all!

One night recently we went to Whole Foods on a quest for new foods and general fun. The kids and I had a good time walking up and down the isles examining products and talking about the variety of what we saw. When we were at the vegan section of the refrigerated case (you know, where they keep all the tofu, seitan, almond milk and veganaise) we saw something called Mochi. We saw there were several varieties, both savory and sweet, but settled on the cinnamon/raisin thinking it might make a neat breakfast item alongside some fruit.

The next day I took out my sharpest knife, cut up the brick of glutenous rice and spaced them out on a parchment covered baking sheet. I think I over cooked them as after they puffed up, their centers ran everywhere.

Fast and dirty review: It tasted meh, but less meh with jam. It is kind of chewy and sticky in my teeth. My son ate one….maybe. My daughter *loved* them. Loved!

Verdict: We may try another flavor (savory?) and try to decrease the bake time.

The best part of the experiment was that the kids were totally engaged in the purchasing, preparing and consuming of the food. That’s a slam dunk.