Meet The Foodie, Cook And RI Native Who's Putting An Italian Spin On Clean Eating

Have you noticed lately that you are faced with either organic grass feed beef with a side of kale or a 5 lb. cheeseburger with layers of mac and cheese and a mountain of truffle fries on the side? 

Do you waiver between being the voice of healthy, clean eating or the person with the coolest Insta-feed that has the hottest cardiac explosion? 

I find myself hovering between the two (and yes, my bi-personality enjoys both), but how do I really balance it out day to day?

Recently I have found my pants too snug and my Italian heartburn (“agida”) happening more than I would like to admit, so I decided to go back to what I always preached and practiced — Clean Eating! 

Listen, not saying I'm an expert on this, just saying that I try to eat like my Grandmother did — real and unprocessed food. She lived until 96 and her mother until 99. So eating pasta 3 times a week cannot be all that bad.

What I found to be the big culprit? Dressings and sauces.

I love both and yes, sometimes they are easier to buy at the market. But, just take a look at what is in the typical salad dressing or pesto. Put that sh*t down and make it yourself! I know it sounds like too much work. It's not. 

I would choose to make one or two a week. Pick a sauce of the week and use it on as many meals as you can.  PLAN…. because they will only last 4 to 5 days in the fridge, so slap that sh%t on everything.

Get started with this uncomplicated recipe from my kitchen.

Easy Arugula Pesto

What You Will Need

2 cups Arugula

1 cup basil

3 gloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon pine nuts (optional)

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

½ teaspoon salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in food processor and mix until smooth. If the pesto is too dry, add one to two extra tablespoons of olive oil and blend until smooth. 

About Lori Gizz

Lori is a visual artist, cook, and food stylist. She is a native of Rhode Island who now makes her home in NYC. She launched her website www.thegizzcooks.com to share her healthy and easy to copycat recipes and cooking with real ingredients, the way her grandmother always did. Follow Lori on Instagram @gizznyc for daily inspo and more creative food ideas.

 Photo Credits: Pesto Sauce And Bio Photos Are Courtesy Of Lori Gizz.

*This post has been updated from one that has appeared previously on this blog.