100 Days of Real Food

A friend of mine sent me a text about this book/blog awhile ago.  I requested it from the NCPL and got it a few weeks ago.  It is now my newest obsession.  Real Food.  This is where I'm ultimately headed.  I'd love to have noting processed in my diet or in my house, for that matter, but it's a long road.  Anyway, the deal with this is a family of four took  a pledge to eat only real food for 100 days after the mom, Lisa Leake, read a
Michael Pollen book, In Defense of Food.  The blog originally just documented their 100 days, but now it's become almost like a movement, reaching internationally.  The book, is similar to a lot of books I've read, in which the first part states the science and persuasion about why you should eat this way and the second part is the recipes.  I knew most of what was in the first part, you probably do too if you've been reading my blog for awhile, but the concept is really cool.  I love how she added a lot of "how to" ideas and I'm REALLY loving the lunch box ideas she has.  It's written as a how-to, encouraging you to eat locally and helping guide you as you try to cut out more and more processed foods from your diet.  It's a big jump to just go cold turkey, but Lisa does a great job showing you how eating only real food is something that you can manage.  I've tried a few of the recipes so far and loved them all.  Last night we made the Cheesy Broccoli and Rice and even Evan (trading on your name again) said he liked it.  Reading this book is what motivated me to start making my homemade whole wheat bread and baking snacks, like I talked about yesterday.  Going to the farmers market was part of this new "thing" too.  I actually shouldn't call it a new thing, it's not really new to me.  It's just a renewed interest- re-motivating me. (Yes, I just made up a word.)  

I'll share Lisa's Cheesy Broccoli Rice recipe here, but if you check out her blog (or the book) there are tons of other recipes to try as well as other tools to help you cut out processed foods (she suggests just trying a 10 day pledge instead of the 100 or just doing mini-pledges.)  I'm thinking about doing something like this with my family, but I'm waiting to get some feedback from this blog from a certain someone.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

From Lisa Leake,  100 Days of Real Food

Ingredients
1 C uncooked brown rice, cooked (3C cooked)
3/4 lb broccoli roughly chopped and steamed
2 TBSP butter
1/4 c diced onion
2 TBSP whole wheat flour
1 1/2 C milk
1 1/2 C grated sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp yellow mustard
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 C whole wheat breadcrumbs
Olive Oil

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. combine the cooked rice and broccoli in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.  Sprinkle in the four and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the flour begins to brown but not burn, whisking continuously.
4. Whisk in the milk, watching for lumps.  Sprinkle in the cheese, salt, mustard, and pepper and stir until well combined.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the mixture is the consistency of very think gravy, less than 5 minutes.
5. Pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli and rice.  Mix thoroughly and spread evenly in a 8x8 baking dish.
6. Sprinkle the casserole with the breadcrumbs and then drizzle (or spray) enough olive oil over the top to coat the breadcrumbs.
7. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are nicely browned.  Serve warm.