"The Junk Run"

Last night my youngest went to bed with a migraine. He is prone to these, but I knew it was because he was very hungry. He's sensitive, and this whole 'eating healthy' thing has him thrown for a loop. One he is already a picky eater, two in the past when he was very young and they say "they'll eat when their hungry" we learned he wouldn't. Literally the child went for 3 days till he threw up bile rather than try anything other than the one food he was accepting at the time. So to watch him struggle with this change is a bit painful. He really wants to eat right, but doesn't like very much.
This morning I got up and made barley/sweet rice for breakfast. I figured I can make this happy and enjoyable. Added a little buttery spread, maple syrup, and put a happy face on it...

see the results....

A sigh of relief for one meal down.
I had mine plain, with a side of steamed greens.
Ok so today was there was so much to do. I had gas up car, banking, post office, trip to the library, 3 vegan meals to make, laundry, math & english lessons for my youngest, client emails, texts, edits. I felt over whelmed and my time in the kitchen was getting to me.
While I was out on errands after lunch, pic coming, I wanted to get 'something' anything really. I realized it's a habit if I'm out especially by myself I will treat myself. Not every time but often enough, to something anything. I get little down time and extremely small amounts of alone time. I guess it's my thing. The other day I had to go into the dollar store, so I bought some flower seeds instead of something bad for me. Helped!
Today I went to Kroger... I was in the mood for a Sonic Blast. I bought coconut milk ice cream, VERY good, few ingredients, organic. Yum. I also found vegan chicken nuggets. I know still way processed 'stuff' in my opinion, but my son needs to eat. I found a few other goodies I figured would help fill in when he isn't eating enough, and really dislikes whatever I've worked on an hour and half to make.
This satisfied my 'junk run habit' BUT hit my pocket book hard, a whopping $74. ouch! Yes eating premade vegan or easy vegan is expensive. Pic coming. I got a few goodies, a few necessity's, a few things to save my starving son from his own nature. It added up. I get too tired to make dessert after making all the other aspects of a meal, but I need to have 'something' on hand so I know it's there when I'm out and have that need to treat myself.
I think in the end I will save money over $5-$7 bucks when I'm out here and there. I think I'll also have to make room in the budget for some of these fake fast foods for my son, at least until we found other viable options. Either way, it's been a bit eye opening into habits I have, and helped me resolve to continue to make things from scratch because it keeps our meals more affordable to be sure.
So here are pic's of my lunch & dinner, and my 'junk run'. Lunch is Fried Udon Noodles Page 229 we love this meal. Dinner is Tostadas (Kinda) Page 217, I LOVED this meal. My other test today was my husband was in the mood for food himself. He took off to a place I use to always go to when I was feeling drained and needed some protein. Logans Roadhouse. He was there while I had my lunch. Well he had left overs. So he eats one Tostadas, and then pulls out his left overs and eats a burger and french fries in front of me. Kinda hard after all the work to make my meal, but I know he's not me and this is my journey. The great thing was though it wasn't until after dinner and I was cleaning it up, it hit me he had done that and it hadn't bothered me. I had been so happily enjoying this new tostadas I didn't care! :-) How amazing is that??? I don't even know! lol
So a pretty nice victory for me on this 'junk run' hectic/overwhelm, child worry day. Oh and did I tell you I can wear a pair of jeans I have that I couldn't get on this winter? Yeah, oh yeah I can not only wear them but they are loose. ;-)
THAT will keep me going on my days where I'm just plan mad I'm hungry and it's gonna take me an hour to put together my meal. Yes, the hunger is mega intense I've not had hunger like this in any of my recent memories. Veggies definitely don't leave you with full feeling for long. I'll stop talking, pics I know your thinking it. ;-)
LUNCH:

"Junk Run" no junk here though. (except that one top brand of hummus did not like it, it's all air and icky).

This dinner was followed by two scoops of chocolate coconut milk ice cream. I felt very taste and craving satisfied to be sure.