When I first heard about the October: Unprocessed challenge, I had already been experimenting with a similar idea during September. For no particular reason other than to push myself in the kitchen, I attempted a 30-day vegan stretch — simply to see what would happen.
I hoped for some health benefits (I did lose eight pounds) and wanted to understand what my vegan friends eat. Most of my adult life I’ve treated vegetables and legumes as side dishes to meat, not as the main attraction. I wanted to learn how to cook simply with fresh ingredients and rely less on animal products, while also trying to include more raw food where it made sense.
Surprisingly, the experiment was a hit. My family — all happy omnivores — enjoyed the meals, and an impromptu vegan dinner with friends was met with enthusiasm. We never had a dish we didn’t rave about. I felt proud to show that meat doesn’t have to be the centerpiece of every plate.
Now that October is underway, I’m repeating many of the same habits: choosing fresh produce, studying recipes, jotting down meal ideas, and reading ingredient labels. I expected the October: Unprocessed challenge to be simple, but it has proven as difficult as a committed carnivore trying to go vegan.
To me, “unprocessed” means avoiding preservatives, additives, colorants, and other shelf-life-extending or cosmetic ingredients. If an item contains only ingredients you would recognize and keep in your kitchen, and they are whole foods in themselves, I consider them acceptable.
That standard made me confront some surprising facts. Many products I enjoyed are processed — including my preferred almond milk. As someone who’s lactose intolerant I rely on almond milk for cereal, baking, and smoothies, but the brand I used listed ingredients like calcium carbonate, potassium citrate, carrageenan, soy lecithin, and D-alpha-tocopherol (a form of vitamin E). It was eye-opening and a little unsettling to realize how many additives are in everyday items.
This month I’m avoiding carbonated drinks and most store-bought condiments — ketchup, mustard, pickles, commercial mayonnaise, pre-made salsa, and processed cheeses. Other convenience foods I’m skipping are commercial bread, pretzels, granola bars, energy bars, packaged meats, and canned broths. Even canned tuna, although technically recognizable, feels too far removed from a quality piece of fish to fit my “unprocessed” goal.
My aim is to eat whole, identifiable foods and assemble them myself, rather than relying on products manufactured and stored for long periods. The challenge has made me more aware of the many non-food ingredients that quietly appear on labels. Whether those additives are harmless or harmful, they blur the line between food and industrial product.
I like this challenge because it increases awareness about how food reaches our tables and what we put into our bodies. Cooking with simple, fresh ingredients has renewed my respect for seasonal produce and the skills involved in preparing it.
Below is a recently made recipe that fits the unprocessed approach. It’s simple, natural, and comforting — perfect for fall. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Risotto with Butternut Squash and Sage
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Ingredients
- 1 Butternut Squash, halved, seeds removed, and cut into ½-inch pieces
- Olive Oil
- Sea Salt
- Freshly ground Black Pepper
- 2 Shallots, minced
- 5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1-1/2 cups Arborio Rice*
- 5-1/2 cups Vegetable Stock, homemade, or an organic store-bought variety without preservatives
- 1-1/2 cups White Wine, or, if preferred, 1-1/2 cups hot water plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons freshly chopped Sage
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spread the squash pieces on a nonstick baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Roast for about 25 minutes, until the squash is tender and beginning to brown. Reserve half of the roasted squash in pieces for finishing the dish.
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Place the other half of the roasted squash in a blender with the white wine (or hot water and lemon). Purée until smooth and set aside.
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Bring the vegetable stock to a gentle simmer in a large pot and keep it warm.
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In a heavy saucepan, heat a little olive oil and sauté the minced shallots and garlic until translucent but not browned. Stir in the Arborio rice to coat each grain with oil. Add the warm stock gradually, about one cup at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until the liquid is mostly absorbed before adding more. After roughly 20 minutes, stir in the puréed squash and wine mixture and the chopped sage. Continue cooking, adding more stock if needed, until the rice is al dente, about 30 minutes total.
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Fold in the reserved roasted squash pieces, remove from heat, and garnish with a sprig of fresh sage before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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