help! very busy - need quick meal recommendations

[jennica]

Hi all. I am in my second semester of college, and last semester I became a vegetarian after seeing a PETA video in class. I was pregnant and didn't know it at the time, and have not been able to stomach meat ever since. Well, I guess I'm not technically vegetarian, I do take fish oil supplements every day and I was craving tuna big time and started eating a little bit of that. So, whatever it is called when you just eat fish and no other meat. I also eat eggs and dairy, but buy all those at a co-op now where they get it from a local farm so I know the animals are ethically treated. I couldn't afford to buy meat that way, so just stopped eating it. Dh and Ds still eat meat if it is available or offered to them, but I don't buy or prepare it anymore so they don't get it at home.

What I need help with is Ds. I am in school full time right now and am 4 months pregnant, so I am pretty worn down and don't have too much time or energy to put into cooking. I haven't been buying any microwavable or canned food (due to BPA concerns and the pregnancy) so we have nothing convenient on hand. All he wants to eat are noodles. He loves eggs, but he complains of stomach aches after he eats them. He hates peanut butter sandwiches, or melted cheese in a tortilla shell, or crackers and cheese, or pretty much anything that I can prepare quickly for him. I am at a total loss as to what to give him anymore. He likes grilled cheese. He likes rice and will sometimes tolerate lentils or beans in it, but he prefers white rice over brown, and rice takes a long time to prepare and he is usually starving by the time I start making something. He loves noodles, but hates red sauce. He will eat white, but is there really that much protein in white sauce? I'm worried he isn't getting enough protein.

So, I am looking for ideas of quick things to make for Ds that will include protein and that he will eat. It's really hard for me right now to prepare things in advance, so quick lunch items would be great. If we were eating meat I would heat up some chicken nuggets and some veggies and he would be good to go, or I would make him a turkey sandwich or something, but it seems like there is nothing like that he likes that is easy and doesn't have meat in it. It's getting really frustrating and I can't afford to buy meat that was treated ethically for him to eat so I need to figure something out.

[es1967]

Here are s few things I make for my 3 1/2 yr old that he loves. I can't imagine how hard it is having to go to school and them make a healthy lunch/ dinner. I find if I prepare a big meal on Sunday I will have leftovers for one or two meals.

Veggie burgers with avocado
Broccoli soup ( made creamy by blending afterwards)/loves all soups
Tofu, quick stir fry and rice
Black bean burritos w avocado
Raviolis (either soy or cheese),top w parm and toss w a little butter
Loaf recipe (recipe from magical loaf studio)serve w mashed potatoes and veg
Tofu fish sticks (prepare the breading ahead) and then just bread and bake
Gardein products-have you tried any of these? really quick
Veggie hot dogs
Homemade pizza(either make your own or buy prepared crusts and have ready
in the freezer)

Tonight I made an Indian lentil dish called Pakistani Dahl and DS even enjoyed it with rice. As I think of more I'll add them on.

Have you tried the quorn chicken fingers? My meat eating DH likes them even better than chicken.

[mumkimum]

Miso soup - I make a quick one by cooking some carrots & onions in sesame oil, add water for 5-10 minutes then soba noodles, then miso at the last minute with some scallions. You can put tofu (cubed) in it too.

If you ever end up with time to cook beans - you can absolutely freeze them to use later (for fast burritos or soup or whatever) like canned. And we often use a rice cooker - if you can find a cheap one (even a small one) it makes it way easier to make rice since you don't have to think about it - we often do homemade veggie fried rice as a fast meal.

Frozen pea soup (you can find other variations of it too).

[Ianthe]

Are you comfortable getting processed kid friendly vegetarian meat substitutes? They make chick'n nuggets, "turkey" deli slices, veggie burgers, etc, that are fast and kid friendly.

Other suggestions would be, maybe on the weekends you can make up a batch of beans and freeze them in portions to cook throughout the week. There are lots of protein packed dinners you can do with cooked beans on hand. I put them with rice, tortillas and pasta, with some veggies for a quick meal.

Hope that helps! I understand! I'm a FT college student and mama too!

[mamamoon89]

I would worry less about protein...you need a lot less than people think, and there is more of it in non-animal foods than you'd expect. Getting enough vegetables and whole grains is just as, if not more important. An AMAZING book for healthy vegetarian recipes and nutrition is Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair, her website cookusinteruptus.com has a lot of the recipes too.
Your son might like beans and lentils better if they are pureed into other things (i.e. soup)...sometimes kids don't like the texture. Also, try putting nut butters (almond butter is great) into soup, hot cereal, etc for added protein and creamy flavor.
Here's a meal idea that can go into lunches or be eaten hot:
For 1 adult-sized portion:
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 small zuccini, grated
1-2 tbs olive oil
1/2 c dry orzo, cooked according to package directions
2 tbs grated parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil at medium heat in a skillet, add onion and garlic, saute for several minutes. Add zuccini, saute a few minutes more. Combine cooked orzo, vegetables, and parmesan cheese. Yum!

[mommabear]

Originally Posted by es1967

Loaf recipe (recipe from magical loaf studio)serve w mashed potatoes and veg

I googled the magical loaf studio, and oh my gosh, that is the coolest thing ever!

[jennica]

Thanks for all the ideas! I was trying to avoid substitute meat products because I wasn't sure how great processed soy is for you, but after reading this thread through I did pick up some veggie burgers and some "chicken" nuggets for Ds. I think if we have them maybe once or twice a week while I am in school, it will be fine and make life a lot easier. I also do have access to canned beans - Eden brand doesn't use BPA in their canned beans (they do in their canned tomatoes though ) so I do have the convenience of just opening a can for beans. Also, Goya rice has a rice with beans mix that I have used a lot and we just stuff it in tortillas for a few days, which is helpful. The protein thing just worries me because I am pregnant and everyone says I need to increase protein, and with Ds I know he needs it for brain growth. I think maybe I should just keep track one day and see how much we are getting and if it is enough. Thanks for all the tips though, I will need to write some of these down and work them into our life.

[elizawill]

my kids love quesadillas. i put a little earth balance on the quesadilla & fill it with pinto beans (i make a pot each week, so they're easily on hand) and some veggie shreds. fold the quesadilla in half & toast both sides in the pan. i serve it with sliced fruit. it's quick, easy, and yummy. you could add more than beans & cheese of course, but that's how my kids like it. hth.