Tortilla Disaster

     After a disappointing risotto review from my daughter I decided that maybe I should take a step back into more familiar territory and ease the transition into vegetarian foods. This girl is after all very used to meaty meals and casseroles. I ponder over previous favorite dishes and come up with a simple idea. She loves tacos, I love tacos, it's a no brainer!

     So I enter the grocery store Monday convinced there has to be a way to make a tasty vegetarian taco that is similar to the tacos I've given her for the past few years. Something that I could sneak past her taste buds. I think I found a promising ally in this product:

I forgot to snag a picture before cooking... Sorry

     They did sell one all seasoned up for tacos already, but I didn't want to chance it being too dissimilar from our previous life tacos, so I pick up a packet of low sodium taco seasoning. I also pick up a jar of medium salsa, green pepper, onion, and corn tortillas. Those were my downfall. I should have known a girl who grew up eating flour (and eventually whole wheat) tortillas would not be thrilled with another change to her favorite meal. In my defense, the corn tortillas are much healthier. No sodium, gluten free, and fewer calories.

     Under her watchful eye I cook up our dinner. The veggie protein cooked up beautifully, though maybe next time I'll let it crisp up a little more, it was a tad on the spongy side. I chop my veggies and sautee them with my 'meat'. I add my seasoning packet and recommended amount of water, then a little more as it seemed a bit dry. Around this time the peanut gallery pipes up that dinner is "smelling pretty good". I dump the jar of salsa into the pan, splash some into my eye, jump around the kitchen for a minute with tears coming down my face (which was no end of amusement to her), and serve up with some shredded cheese.

Looks like tacos...

     Immediately she starts poking at the tortillas, "What are these things?", she asks with disdain. 

   "Corn tortillas, I thought we'd try something a bit different", I reply doing my best to not sound exasperated, "Give them a try.". 

     After a tentative bite she puts her taco down and declares, "I don't want to eat that. It's gross."

    

     We play another game of lets make a deal. She gets her tortillas cut up and everything in a bowl instead. Better, but not good enough. She still didn't want to finish her meal. And sadly I couldn't disagree too much with her, I didn't like the tortillas that much either. The texture was just a bit off-putting. But I'm an adult and have learned from my mother (HI MOM!) how to eat every meal joyfully. So with the promise of a small homemade oatmeal toffee cookie shake (that she had to share with me, I earned it too!) in exchange for a clean bowl she slowly picked away at her dinner without further complaint. I always remember to add that clause, complaining (excessively) will make her forfeit her treat.

     As it stood, this meal got two thumbs down. To the floor. She literally put both her thumbs on the floor and told me she never wanted to eat those tortillas again. "But the filling is good", she informs me. Well, that's a step in right direction I guess.