Has some friend or some article ever told you to avoid processed foods?  Well, guess what. That would be almost impossible to do because most foods have been at least minimally processed before we purchase them or after we handle them at home. Even a cut-up watermelon is considered processed, but how often do you need or want to carry home a whole watermelon? 

Food scientist Dr. Catherine Cutter explains that, from the point of view of the USDA and FDA, “processed food” is any food that has been altered from its original form. She points out the following: “If you peel or cut an apple, you’ve processed it, although only minimally.  If you bake it or turn it into applesauce, you’ve processed it even more.  Bagged lettuce is also processed, and so is pasteurized milk.”

Crock pot cooking becomes much more popular in the wintertime. I think that people definitely eat more in the winter, and hot, warming foods are favorites. Foods with a lot of liquid, steam and a pleasant aroma) seem to have extra appeal. Maybe it’s because of the warmth that the liquid (I’m thinking of a bowl of soup) can give to your body as it’s consumed. The steam from the food also warms up the air around the cooker, the bowl, and the entire room.