On our final full day in Chicago, the boys and I went for a Valentine’s brunch at The Chicago Diner, a vegetarian restaurant in the Boystown neighborhood:

The place was appropriately decked out for the “holiday”:

At my urging, Erik ordered an apple carrot beet ginger juice.

I ordered a chocolate soy milk Mexican hot chocolate with soy whipped topping:

Erik and I split the two best meals of the entire trip. A seitan and Swiss reuben with sauteed veggies on the side …

… and a sweet potato quesadilla with black beans, soy cheese, and guacamole:

Mmmmmmmmm, the filling:

When we were home at Peder’s place that night, I started to feel bad that we hadn’t actually celebrated Valentine’s Day. Peder gave me free rein in his bare-bones bachelor kitchen, and I was able to turn up quick oats, peanut butter, Hershey’s syrup, cinnamon, ground flax (I know?! Of all things he could have had?!). I mixed my ingredients (in unknown quantities) together, shaped them into hearts, and baked them for 15 minutes at 375:

They survived the oven beautifully intact and crunchy! I made icing out of plain yogurt and chocolate syrup:

I brought my creation to the boys, and we all enjoyed 30 seconds of official Valentine’s Day deliciousness.

And just for the sake of thoroughness, Erik got us this slice of strawberry cake at the airport Monday afternoon:

I got to eat the rose 😀

Do you have a weakness for heart-shaped frosted cookies?

(P.S. Starbucks is giving out free Peeled fruit snacks today, fyi. You know how I love my samples!)