My dears, did you have a nice weekend? I spent the long weekend at a family beach cabin, where we cooked big breakfasts and dinners and played on the beach all day. So fun! I was thinking about the one kitchen gadget that makes cooking a.) better and b.) healthier, and I wondered if you all had one--if not, definitely make the investment ...
The best kitchen investment I've made in my life wasn't the fun, and pricey, appliances I've splurged on over the years at Williams Sonoma or the Viking range that cost me an arm and a leg (almost literally). Nope, the thing that has been the biggest investment in home cooking and health has been the cast iron skillet I purchased at a hardware store several years ago for about $14.99.
Why cast iron when you can get all those fancy "non-stick" pans? Sure, cast iron can't go in the dishwasher, so you will have to hand wash it, but here's why I'm so smitten:
*Cast iron adds a bit of iron into your food (don't worry, you can't taste it!). And because a lot of women have low iron levels, this is an awesome way to get a boost of an important nutrient you need.
*You don't have to use as much oil/butter in your pan. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet (which means it has a good retention of oil) means that your pan has some natural non-stick properties.
*You don't have to worry about the chemicals associated with some non-stick pans (a biggie for me). For a while now, I've had concerns about the health of some non-stick pans. They're often made with chemical ingredients that health experts say may not be healthy. Plus, when they chip (and they all do), you're eating those chemicals. Not cool. And, this new study, just out this week, reports that some of these non-stick surfaces could be upping cholesterol levels, along with other health side effects--eeks.
*You can put them in the oven. Love that you can take a cast iron skillet from the cooktop to the oven without any pan transfer. (You can't do that with non-stick!)
Do you have a cast iron skillet?
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