Walking Backwards

Lately, we've been having difficulty balancing the healthy aspect of meals with the easy/quick factor and the requisite inexpensiveness. I seem to be able to manage to get two of those elements without difficulty, it's just getting all three that is proving to be tricky. I can do quick and healthy, but it gets pricey. Inexpensive and healthy is also easy, but it is not something you want to try when you only have 45 minutes to make dinner and a screaming preschooler and you've forgotten to go to the grocery store. Originally, I planned my meals and that made it a little easier because I didn't have to deal with the making-things-on-the-spur-of-the-moment problem, but that didn't work because I would randomly have cravings for fresh ginger tea and whole red bell peppers (it happens) and thus negate my planning and prep and shopping ahead. I have discovered two meals that I can make and have put myself on the wait list at the library for a half-dozen cookbooks that are promising me their fast/cheap/healthy secrets. The two meals we have managed thus far to approve in all departments are Thai green curry with brown rice and veggies, and red beans and rice with sauteed greens. If I could find an acceptable recipe with TVP (texturized vegetable protein) we'd be set because I bought a huge bag in bulk and it just didn't work in chili for us. That's all I know to use it in, too. Oh, and if there is a good recipe for stale tortillas and canned tomatoes, I think we'd never have a middle of the week shopping trip again. Except for red bell peppers.