I’ve been googling for a few hours now. Every now and then I go on these total research missions and tonight, well, it’s on.

My latest mission is to find recipes for cost-effective, nutritionally sound meals.  The truth of the matter  is hiring a nanny who lives out of our home is going to cost just as much as our mortgage payment and monthly household bills.  Both of our salaries are being heavily zapped for the next year and a half,  and so something has to give.  I’m totally freaked out. This has me right out of my comfort zone. Worth it, absolutely, but it’s placing me in a position I am totally not relaxed with financially.  All luxuries are out. Vino, my beloved vino, is cut back to one nice, not awesome but nice, bottle a week.  When the day comes we no longer require a nanny fine vinos are FIRST on my list to return, however, until that incredible day resurfaces, I’m cutting back on my vices ( I feel a pang of remorse and sorrow just saying it out loud).

Meat is on the chopping block.  I am an organic meats only kind of shopper.  Once upon a time I really didn’t differentiate my meats, however, things are different now. As they say, once you know you know…I know. And now I can’t eat conventional anything.  I especially have a hard time eating chicken outside of my home knowing it is not organic.  It might taste amazing, but I know now what lies within. It bothers me.  So i really have a hard time eating it and this boils over into what I will and will not feed the children.  My choice, organic meats, isn’t as cost-effective as its counterparts. So, it’s being consumed in much less quantity. 1 – 3 times per week.  So honestly, I am finding myself walking on totally unfamiliar ground. As one whose diet and that of her families was very meat focused, this is all new. It’s going to be difficult to change what the kids are accustomed to without resistance on the front line. I’ve got to come up with a plan, and find a way to win them (and myself!!!), over.

I’m noticing a trend in the healthier recipes. Eggs and fish.  I’m allergic to egg and can’t stand fish.  I’m like a big baby, I just can’t get it down.  I end up pouring ketchup all over it mentally convincing myself the texture isn’t the grossest thing ever and reminding myself “it’s good for me”.

I can’t sell it on the kids if I can’t get it down. They notice everything and question why I am not trying it when they have to ”try” at least two bites.  My episode with scallops was a disaster.  The gagging, so intense the kids wouldn’t touch theirs. My husband looked destroyed. He hand wrapped them in his select bacon, grilled them to perfection and well, mom almost threw them up one bite in. Damn’t. They won’t even touch them now. They just pick the bacon off….it’s not worth it.  I’ve bought countless fish variations of not-really-fishy-fish. Regardless of how prepared I end up pouring ketchup on it and gagging it down. It’ s just not my thing, but I know it’s good for me and doesn’t cost that much when frozen (two pack of thick haddock filets $5 – that will feed all of us!).  So I hunt, continuously, for the recipe that won’t make me add ketchup and die a thousand gross deaths in front of my kids.

Unless i puree and hide various types of  beans in whatever it is I am cooking, the kids won’t eat anything other than brown beans in a tomato sauce.  Quinoa pasta is a hit, but not quinoa itself.  My daughter’s will both eat it, quinoa that is. My son will sit in protest refusing to eat it until I lose it and send him to bed (usually about two hours in to his absolute refusal to pick up his utensil and even just try it for mom).  So it becomes a giant pain the butt to serve it. I serve it anyway as it is one of those foods they will eat it “like it or not”! (LOL sound like my mother there ha ha ha) but honestly, some days, I can’t stand the chatter. A meal that isn’t resisted is somewhat peaceful / sacred almost.

Those are the meals I am trying to create, thus my google’ing like crazy tonight.

So what is a Mom to do?

Any ideas?

What home-made,  vegetarian dishes do you prepare for your little ones ?