I like to cook with real food - real as in non-processed. You've probably seen the quote on Facebook or other social media from chef Jamie Oliver who said, "Real food doesn't have ingredients. Real food is ingredients."
Simple: Real food = real food. For real.
You should be able to pronounce the things you eat. You should be able to ascertain what you're eating without using a dictionary or having a degree in chemistry. You should know where your food comes from. You should know real food has a definitive shelf life. You should understand what nourishment makes your body feel full of energy and what makes you feel not so great.
If you don't know these things, there's no better time to start finding out than right now. Test a few things. Don't go full-on Paleo, full-on vegan or full-on anything. You don't have to say that you'll never eat such-and-such again.
You do need to give your body a chance. You do deserve to fuel your body with the fuel intended for it. Try a week without processed food, without eating out - a week of real food.
See how it makes you feel.
This recipe for spicy Italian fried rice has so many flavors - all real - that can be made by you in about 20 minutes.
Laurel Dunwoody is a certified personal chef who has prepared food in several local restaurants. She owns Love2Nourish, a local meal-preparation business that specializes in offering nutrition counseling services and healthy meals from fresh ingredients that customers can enjoy at home.
SPICY ITALIAN FRIED RICE
Makes: 4-6 servings
1 head cauliflower
1 pound spicy Italian sausage (ground)
1/4 onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, diced (I prefer baby portobellas.)
1 tablespoon garlic
1 bell pepper, diced
2-3 stalks kale, diced (remove spine)
1 teaspoon sage
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeo, deseeded and sliced
"Rice" your cauliflower using a food processer with either the normal blade or shredding attachment to get the consistency you prefer. If doing this by hand, you can use a grater (watch your knuckles).
Chop up your onion, mushrooms and bell pepper to have them ready.
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add in the sausage.
Cook the sausage until browned and then remove it from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions to the same pan, and cook a few minutes until the onions become translucent. Be sure to scrape up the sausage bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the cauliflower, sausage, kale and pepper. Season with salt, pepper and sage. Allow everything to heat up and cook, stirring occasionally for about five minutes.
Remove from heat and toss with cilantro. Garnish with the jalapeo.