Lodge Cast Iron Cookware

I have always loved non-stick cook ware... why?! Because I hate doing dishes and love how easy they are to clean. In fact a few years ago all I wanted for Christmas was a full set of Paula Deen non-stick cookware in speckled green. I remember my husband saying, "are you sure thats what you want, don't you know how bad non-stick coating is for you". Of course I ignored him! Like anything would happen right?! Well I should have listened. Because ignorance is bliss and the more I learn the more I find out just how VERY toxic it is, no one should use it! When non stick cookware reaches a certain heat it releases chemical fumes into the air and also directly into the food your cooking. According to scientists the chemicals we absorb from non-stick cookware can take up to 20 years to leave our bodies! And its estimated that some 90% of Americas show high levels of the chemicals found in non stick cookware. http://articles.mercola.com. These chemicals have already been proven to show increased instances of cancer in the pancreas, liver, testicles, and mammary glands, as well as miscarriages, thyroid problems, weakened immune systems, low organ weights and low birth weight in babies. And that's just what we DO know, what about the stuff they haven't discovered yet? See this link http://www.ewg.org for tips on how to more safely cook with non stick cookware if you are "stuck" having to use it.


So now i'm in the process of phasing out all my Paula Deen and only using Cast Iron and Stainless Steel cookware. I highly suggest Lodge cast iron products, they have been the standard in cast iron since 1896! There  are SOOO MANY types of cast iron pots and pans, not just the old skillet I had imagined! You can cook/bake just about anything. Cast Iron can be spendy purchased directly through https://www.lodgemfg.com/ but it's a huge investment for your family, they will literally last you a lifetime. Check out amazon.com for some amazing prices (they just might not have all the options lodge.com has!). My coworker got 2 skillets for about $20 on amazon! I was surprised at how easy it is to use cast iron, I had always been intimidated by it because it was so heavy and I imagined that it would be hard to use (all I could think of was cowboys cooking on cast iron over an open flame in the wild wild west. And I am no cowboy!). After about a month of use my skillet has become "seasoned" and food sticks less to it! I highly recommend using coconut oil when cooking with it! I have tried several oils and coconut oil works best. I even rub a little coconut oil on it after washing and it keeps it from getting any rust when it dries. Purchase a couple of the Lodge scrapers & steel wool, they will be your best friend during cleaning! Make sure to wash the cast iron as soon as possible after cooking on it, run under cool or warm water, use scraper to scrape any remaining food off and then scrub with steel wool to finish cleaning, set aside to dry and apply coconut oil. NEVER EVER use soap on your cast iron! Cast iron is porous and will absorb the soap and make it rust like crazy, plus you don't want soap in your cooking.... Just warm water, scraper, and steel wool. I also suggest purchasing some of the slide on silicone hot handle covers! Cast iron handles can get very HOT! Dont burn yourself! Both the silicone handle covers and the scrapers are super cheap, just a few bucks each. Good luck and happy toxic free cooking!!!

The hot handle cover, scraper and steel wool.