Because everything I make has to pretty much be dairy-free because of Annie and I (she goes insane if she has dairy... I wish more study would be done on the link between dairy and autistic-style behavioral problems), I have to use lots of Asian and vegan recipes.  I want to try these Vegan Enchiladas, but enchiladas are always labor intensive and I'm more likely to turn that into a casserole.

I have been reading a discussion on pregnancy diets, what's healthy and not healthy, which I have not participated in because I disagreed soooooo much with what was said.  Because I've read so much about toxic additives, pesticides, and foods and what effects they have on an unborn baby, I am extremely careful.  I take my prenatal vitamins when I remember, I use nothing that is even bad to smell, like permanent markers.  I look up everything before I eat it.  I had a huge craving for pate, and you would think it would be full of iron but it is also full of listeria and too much vitamin A.  That being said, I eat totally on cravings.  I'll pack away donuts if that's what I want, and I eat constantly.  I don't really gain get overweight though because I try to stay active.

Each craving represents something that my body is telling me I need, and I find too that the cravings are influenced by the baby.  With my first I could eat most things, and I had huge cravings for garlic and spread it on bread like butter.  My oldest child eats almost everything and loves garlic.   With my second I only wanted plain foods and had a huge sweet tooth (normally I don't like sweets), and she loves oatmeal, bread and sweets.  She's very picky.

With this baby, I'm craving spicy foods and soup.  Spicy curries, chicken and rice soup, chips and salsa, which is great because those are the things I normally like, lol.  I bet that this child will love spicy food too.

So here's some more easy-peasy recipes I want to try: 

Pico de Gallo (I've had this lots growing up in Arizona, but never made it), is fresh tomato, limes, onions and stuff chopped together to put on top of things like whole-wheat crackers, eggs, or a dip for chips.  It's how salsa should be.  

I am the queen of sandwiches...but it's tricky now without cheese.  Avocado is an awesome replacement for cheese, but it's the bread that really makes a sandwich.  I've made lots of cucumber/tomato/avocado sandwiches, egg salad and fried egg sandwiches, but I'd like to try Pork and Fennel, Bacon and Pesto, and these scrambled egg sandwiches with gravy on top!  

It's tough for me to make a main meal, but once I have it, I am awesome at turning leftovers into great casseroles, pilaf and sandwiches.  My family just isn't a meat and potatoes kind of family.  

I have a bunch of green tomatoes - I think it's time to fry them.  But as for main dishes, maybe some Chicken Lo Mein, Triple G Chicken Wraps, or Chicken Mango Quacamole wraps.  We all want pizza though, but I'm not sure it can happen because I'm too cheap (and picky) to buy soy cheese.  The solution is authentic Italian pizza marinara - sauce on bread, although I'm sure I could take some liberties and add some other stuff.

And now... to go eat lunch. :D