{"id":10685,"date":"2012-09-30T20:49:12","date_gmt":"2012-10-01T03:49:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shescookin.com\/?p=10685"},"modified":"2012-10-03T11:17:31","modified_gmt":"2012-10-03T18:17:31","slug":"october-unprocessed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shescookin.com\/october-unprocessed\/","title":{"rendered":"October #Unprocessed"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Iced<\/a><\/p>\n

Yeah, it’s Monday, October 1st, sooo what exactly does that mean? <\/em><\/p>\n

It means that this is the first day of the October #Unprocessed 2012<\/span> <\/strong>challenge!<\/p>\n

Are you ready to see if your healthy eating habits are REALLY healthy? Then take a giant leap for your body and sign up for October #Unprocessed over at eating Rules<\/em><\/strong><\/a> and join 4,000+ other folks who want to say NO to processed food. There’s no pressure, really. Similar to yoga class; first set an intention of what you want to accomplish during the challenge and do what is right for you<\/strong>, be it one day, a week, or the entire month.<\/p>\n

I signed up for the challenge and, although I consider myself a healthy eater and\u00a0don’t consume any boxed and most canned products as a rule, I do buy salsas and some bottled sauces like srircha. An avid label reader, I know that most packaged foods are laden with extra fat, sugar, salt, preservatives, artificial flavorings and food coloring – and I avoid them. \u00a0But, I also know that there is more to learn – especially in the area of additives such as Xanthan gum and “natural” flavors.\u00a0If you’ve never done anything this radical when it comes to eating you probably have quite a few questions.
\n\"October<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Blended<\/a><\/p>\n

How I started my morning: Iced White Tea with Mango and Coconut (recipe below)<\/p>\n

**Question #1 is probably, “How do we define \u201cProcessed?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Obviously there\u2019s a wide range of implications in that word.<\/p>\n

Andrew\u2019s definition is this:<\/p>\n

Unprocessed food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with whole-food ingredients.\u00a0It doesn\u2019t mean you actually have to make it yourself, it just means that for it to be considered \u201cunprocessed\u201d that you could, in theory, do so.<\/p>\n

He calls it \u201cThe Kitchen Test.\u201d If you pick up something with a label\u00a0and find an ingredient you\u2019d never use in your kitchen and couldn\u2019t possibly make yourself from the whole form, it\u2019s processed. (And,\u00a0if it doesn\u2019t have a label, it\u2019s\u00a0probably unprocessed).\u00a0It doesn\u2019t mean you actually have to make it yourself, it just means that for it to be considered \u201cunprocessed\u201d that you could, in theory, do so.\u00a0Andrew recently posted about the Kitchen Test<\/a> and will continue exploring this topic throughout the month.<\/p>\n

The goal of the challenge is to motivate<\/strong>, educate<\/strong>, and inspire<\/strong> you, not to frustrate you, judge, or make anyone feel\u00a0like they\u2019ve failed. Here are some common areas where people get stuck \u2013 and what you can do to\u00a0avoid or overcome them.<\/p>\n

Start from where you are. If you don\u2019t think you can feasibly cut out all processed foods for a month, make your goal to reduce them, or to focus on a few ingredients (cutting out high fructose corn syrup
\nand refined grains is a great start).<\/p>\n

**Question #2 is most likely, “What is a good strategy when dining out?<\/em>”<\/p>\n

Research the restaurant beforehand \u00a0– chain restaurants are required to post calorie information and most have online menus available, I generally don’t recommend chains at all, but if they offer simple salads or grilled or broiled entrees with recognizable fresh ingredients, they may be OK. \u00a0Patronize restaurants with farm-to-table menus and who make nearly everything in house – these are the kind of restaurants that I feature here under the Dining Out tab on my home page.<\/p>\n

Obviously, the best and\u00a0easiest way to ensure you\u2019re eating unprocessed food is to cook at home. But, if you don\u2019t\u00a0already cook at home a lot, that can be a big change and a major speed bump on the road to unprocessed eating. The first step to cooking more at home is to have a well-stocked pantry of staples, frozen and fresh fruits and vegetables, and unprocessed snacks.<\/p>\n

Download the PDF file to read more about October #Unprocessed, the Deliberate Exception Clause, Common Speed Bumps and What to Do About Them, Eating Out, Reading Labels, et.al. at EatingRules: The Official Guide to October #Unprocessed 2012<\/a>.<\/p>\n

See you on the bright side \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"Blended<\/a><\/p>\n

You’ve probably already skimmed the recipe for this refreshing morning or afternoon delight, but let me tell you a little about the White Tea: purchased on a recent trip to Hong Kong<\/a>, White Tea is minimally processed. It is generally only picked and air-dried, hence it is slightly fermented. the highest -quality white tea is picked early in the spring with the tips still covered with silky white down. These delicate teas carry flavors that can be described as savory, mellow, and sweet. Traditionally it is a popular tea in Hong Kong and Southern China. It is the focus of many studies for the level of antioxidants contained and is said to enhance the beauty of those who consume it. So I bought several boxes \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"White<\/a><\/p>\n

\n