Empowering my 11 Year Old

A few weeks ago, Dominique said, "I'm almost positive that I'm going to be a vegetarian." Dean and I were like, "Okay." Then on Wednesday she said, "I've decided; I'm now a vegetarian." When we asked her what precipitated this choice, she said, "Because eating animals is murder." Oh my goodness. I'm liberal, but I love my meat.

I told her that God made animals for us to eat. To which she said, "We're all animals, so why don't we eat each other." Seriously? I said, "We are mammals, but we're not quite the same as chickens and cows." I was going to explain the whole poseable thumb and upright walking and ability to reason thing, but I stopped there.

I said, "How are you going to get your protein?" This is a big point of contention at our house. You can't just eat carbs for a meal...like "Hashbrowns," not a meal. "Mac and Cheese," sounds like two things, but it's really only one...and not a meal (in my mind). "Top Ramen," not only just carbs...but hardly in the food chain.

I said, "What about if we get you organically grown chicken." I explained how the chickens are treated humanely, not plumped up and injected with chemicals just for us to eat them. When she heard that they were "happy chickens" before their little heads were chopped off, she was cool with that.

So....today, I took her grocery shopping with me. We went to the poultry section and we looked at a package of chicken. It was a few bucks for three chicken breasts...boneless, skinless. Then I told her to support her new status as a "pseudo-vegetarian," we would go to the healthy store (it's like Whole Foods but it has a different name.) I've been in this store exactly once to buy chicken broth...an only because I forgot to get it at the other store.

We found a package of frozen, organically grown chicken breasts. We read the label to make sure the chickens were un-injected, farm grown and happy before they were butchered. Cost of about 6 frozen chicken breasts....$25.00!

I'm so not kidding.

I told her that I would support her new cause with ONE bag of chicken breasts a month. The ENTIRE grocery bill at the real store...for meals planned through Sunday dinner was $137.00.

I want to be supportive, but is there a cheaper way I can be supportive. I'm making pot roast on Saturday night. Let's see how long she holds out. I'll be proud of her if she does. I'll be proud of her if she doesn't. I'll be proud of her no matter what. I'm glad that she's making her own choices and making a stance for something she thinks is important!

A Tasty Chicken Recipe

I'm typically not one to cook, but since we have a kitchen that is manageable, I've tried a lot more than I ever have before.

My friend, Leona, gave me this idea, and it was quite tasty!

Chicken Cordon Bleu (Weight Watchers Style)

4 oz chicken breast
1 oz thinly sliced ham
"Laughing Cow" Cheese Wedges
Seasoning (like garlic salt or onion salt)
Toothpicks

Pound chicken with meat tenderizer until thin enough to be able to "roll"
I put saran wrap around the chicken and pound it that way.
Season chicken with your preferred seasoning (I used poultry seasoning and onion salt)
Place two very thin slices of ham in the middle of the chicken
Put one wedge of cheese on ham and "spread" with a spoon (the cheese doesn't easily spread)
Roll chicken and secure with a toothpick.
Coat with either bread crumbs or "Shake and Bake"
Place chicken rolls on baking dish (sprayed with Pam).

Bake at 400 Degrees for 35 Minutes.
Remove toothpicks and serve.

Very, very yummy and only 7 WW points.