Turns out, there is bad bacon.(HORRORS!)

My lil’ sis is super sweet. She bought me bacon-flavored chocolate when she was in NYC. Awesome sauce, right?

Wrong. It was gross. (We both thought so!)

This is a test. It’s SAT or ACT worthy. Read the first line again. Now, tell me why BACON+CHOCOLATE=G.R.O.S.S.

Derovalf. That is the answer. (That is the answer backward. Take that, cheaters.)

Flavored…even to a bacon lover, thinking about the process that must occur to develop bacon flavor makes me tilt my head to the side. The almost biochemistry side of me thinks this is pretty cool…(for the record, I like chemistry but it doesn’t like me.) The nutrition side of me thinks I smell a rat.

So, like a good little blogger, I looked into this ‘flavor’ deal for you. (Anything that can make bacon gross is worth the research.) The results were fascinating, and pretty horrifying. The Flavor industry is a HUGE, super-secretive, multinational money maker. There are scientists and chefs holed-up in laboratories all over the world, tasting recipes and foraging through orchards, then mixing millions of chemicals together to mimic real food.

For a quick tutorial, watch this YouTube video:

How Flavors Are Made

For a more in depth look at how the flavor industry flavors the jars, bags, and boxes of ‘psuedo-food’  to make it essentially addictive (tastes so good-I have to go back for more!), take 15 minutes out of your day to watch the following excerpt from 60 Minutes:

Behind The Scenes:Flavor

Take-home point from both?

“Much of what we are eating, with all of these flavors, you have to ask yourself; Is this really food?“, Dr. David Kessler, former FDA Commissioner.

Now that we have gotten into the new year (does that make it just the year?), take a step back, and take note of what kind of food you are eating. Ask yourself honestly…’Where does this come from?’. If you don’t like, or even worse, if you don’t know the answer, it is time to start making some changes. Next time you see natural and artificial flavoring on the back of your organic canned tomatoes, or favorite sausage, or WHATEVER it may be, at least think about what those short little words actually mean…

Oh yes, and as for the bacon-flavored chocolate? Lil sis and I decided that chocolate covered bacon can be salty, savory, and delicious. Funny how changing one little word can do that.

Lets keep ‘flavor’ the experiential portion of placing delicious, real food into your mouth…not a chemical additive that is scientifically derived and placed on an ingredient label.

Eat.Real.Food.

And try this recipe…flavored the real way, no lab coat required.

 Orange-Garlic Slow-Cooker Pork

An easy and SUPER flavorful crowd pleaser.

Kiddos and non-paleo guests gobbled it up!

Serves 4-6, (with leftovers if you have light-eaters!)

 

 

 

• 2-3lb Pork Roast
• Trader Joe’s 21 Spice Seasoning (just use your favorite spices if you don’t have this!)
• Sea Salt
• 1 Sweet Onion, sliced
• 1 Cup Cherry tomatoes (I used yellow)
• 5 Cloves of Garlic, peeled
• 1 Navel Orange, Sliced Thinly
• 1/3 Cup water or crockity stockity (broth)

1. Pat pork roast dry. Liberally season with 21-spice and a dash of sea salt. Brown the each side of the roast in a hot skillet, about 2 minutes per side.
2. Add the sliced onion and tomatoes to slow-cooker. Pour in your choice of water or stock.
3. Once roast is browned, use a sharp knife to cut 5 evenly spaced slits into the roast. Insert one clove of garlic into each slit.
4. Place roast on top of onions and tomatoes.
5. Cover roast with the thinly sliced orange. I added a sprinkle of chili powder to top mine off.
6. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5.
7. Once roast is fully cooked, remove roast and oranges. Dicard orange slices and pull or slice roast, whichever you prefer.
8. Add juices from slow-cooker, onions, and tomatoes to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Add additional stock and seasonings if you desire. You can pour this over your finished roast, or serve on the side.
9. Enjoy!

Until Next Time…

Mallory

Share[/facebook]