WELCOME!

WELCOME TO MY BLOG!
For a while now, I have been posting my montly menus on Facebook. Well, I decided to create a blog so that more people will have the opportunity to check in and hopefully be inspired. As for the name of the blog, Sherri's Sanity, that is what montly menu planning is for me; my sanity. With 3 young kids, I do NOT have the patience for the clock to turn 5 and have no plan for dinner, it just adds to the craziness to the "witching hours" (those insane hours at the end of the day where we, moms, try to jam-pack 4 hours worth of stuff into 2) I HATE the hours of 5pm-8pm. BUT I have found that in my (almost) year of planning monthly menus, I have been so much less of a headcase during that time. When mom is happier, hubby and kids are happier. AND their tummies will be filled with yummy homemade food; even better!!Now, this blog will definitely take time to put together. Once again, I am a mother of 3 small kids and although I wish I could just sit down and crack it all out, that just isnt going to happen. So, check back often and I will try and keep things rolling. :) Another thing that fills my bucket, so to speak, is crafting! So I'm sure that will come along on the blog shortly too. Happy planning!!!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Protein Waffles

It's always a good idea to get some form of protein in the morning. "Eating protein in the morning is essential because it creates energy that outlasts carbohydrates. A boost of protein in the morning will help prevent your body from burning muscle fiber for energy. Breaking down muscle for energy actually slows the metabolism, so it is crucial that you prevent this from happening." (street directory.com)

For a change from meat and eggs, I came up with this recipe. I hope you like it!!

2 C whole wheat flour
3/4 C flax meal
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
3/4 C canola oil (or try splitting it up with applesauce)
2 C milk
2 eggs
4 tsp baking powder
Dash of salt
1/8 tsp almond extract (optional but very yummy)

Mix everything well and pour into preheated waffle iron. Warning, these are FILLING!!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Side dishes

Since the question was posed, I figured I would dedicate a post about side dishes. Yes, several meals that I make are all-encompassing dishes. However, there are others that do require a side dish. We tend to keep it simple around here, and yes, my kids do eat vegetables. Here are a few examples:

Pasta dishes:
boiled artichoke
steamed broccoli
steamed green beans
green salad
garlic bread
breaksticks
dinner rolls

Mexican dishes:
Mexican rice
Black beans
Cilantro lime rice
Chips and salsa/guacamole
green salad

Sandwiches:
Raw veggies and dip
Fresh fruit
Chips
Sweet potato fries
Corn on the cob
Pasta salad

Asian food:
Rice
green salad
Crab rangoons (recipe halved)

Soups:
Green salad
garlic bread
dinner rolls

Meat:
Steamed veggies (broccoli, corn, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, asparagus, squash etc.)
Corn on the cob
Barley and asparagus
Rice pilaf
fruit
green salad
corn muffins
mashed/baked potatoes
White bean salad (white beans, cucumber, red onion, red pepper, oil and vinegar, salt and pepper)
Pasta Salad
Dinner rolls

Some of the green salad variations I make are:

Green leaf lettuce, cucumber, broccoli, carrots, crumbled bacon and shredded yellow cheese. Serve with ranch or balsamic dressing (or whatever you like)

Spinach, feta, candied pecans, strawberries. Serve with poppyseed dressing

Green leaf lettuce or spinach or a combination, apples, Craisins, crumbled bacon, feta. Serve with poppyseed dressing

For my steamed veggies I usually sprinkle with chicken boullion granules and garlic powder before steaming.