Techniques

Non-Stick Cooking and Your Health

I love to cook and don’t shy away from complex and time-consuming recipes; in fact, I take pride in the artistry and technique that I employ. But over the years, I have become increasingly aware, and therefore, concerned about the health implications of the foods, cooking techniques, and even cookware that I have been using.

One of the challenges of cooking, in general, and especially stove-top, but also in baking, is how to avoid sticking. While I have been mostly concerned about this from the perspective of producing a beautiful end-product, the clean-up can be an issue as well.

This article talks about non-stick cooking and the health-related factors that I think you might also find to be important enough to influence how you cook. My last article was “Health Implications of Cooking with Oils,” and this topic serves as a nice complement.

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Dutch Oven Pot Roast

This is a pretty simple recipe yet it is very satisfying to put together. The aroma, appearance, flavors and texture of this savory dish are all about comfort from a wet and cold of a winter day.

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Super Healthy Zucchini Pasta

Zucchini pasta might, at first, seem a little odd in concept. But once you try it you will probably add it a frequent recipe. Not only that, it is pretty fun to make and kids love participating in this entertaining process. But the big win is how healthy and incredibly inexpensive this dish is.

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Crockpot (Slow Cooker) Pot Roast

A pot roast is another traditional comfort food! This recipe is so incredibly simple and the flavor will knock your socks off. If you cook this in the crockpot, set to low, you could probably start it just as you leave for work. When you come back, your home will be filled with the most tantalizing and entreating aromas!…

Deliciously Healthy Meatloaf

If ever there was a comfort food that takes you back to all those good feelings that come with a home-cooked meal prepared by your mom, it is probably meatloaf. But as time goes on, as much as we love meatloaf, it is pretty high in saturated fats and cholesterol, and may not fit your desire for healthier eating. Here is a fabulous recipe from the book, The Dude Diet, by Serena Wolf. The best thing is that not only is this easy, and low cost, everyone loves it, even the kids!…

Honey-Tarragon Glazed Baby Carrots

I use tri-colored baby carrots for this dish because they are so wonderfully colorful. The French seem partial to tarragon as you find it in so many of their recipes, especially sauces such as Béarnaise Sauce. Tarragon’s distinctive yet subtle herbal flavor is particularly well suited to use with fish and chicken, and as part of vinaigrettes and sauces. But I have to say, that the understated flavor and aroma of tarragon combined with butter and honey make for some sublimely delicious carrots….

Smoked Salmon with a Brown Sugar and Dill Dry Rub

This smoked salmon recipe is super easy, fast, low effort, low cost, and reliably produces a fabulous smoked salmon. The aroma is delicate yet mesmerizing, the meat is super moist and tender, and the flavor is out of this world. Best of all, this dish is equally good cold as it is warm….

A Simpler Variation on the Traditional French Cassoulet

This is an amazingly wonderful variation on the French cassoulet, but one that is little easier and less expensive than the traditional recipes, yet the aroma, flavor, and texture of this recipe is every bit as delightfully delicious as it is inexpensive.

Don’t be put off by this being a French recipe. This is not the sort of thing that is only achieved by a French chef. Yes, it is a little involved, but it is still pretty easy to follow and achieve this spectacularly savory and sumptuous meal.

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Smokehouse Maple Grilled Pork Loin Chops

Smoke and maple sweetness both go so well with pork and I love how they are combined in McCormicks Smokehouse Maple seasoning. These king’s cut pork loin chops are moist and so delicious. Best of all they are super inexpensive, fast and easy to prepare….

Blueberry and Orange Bundt Cake

I have always admired Bundt cakes. I think it might be the variety of flutes and channels that create a visual intrigue combined with that unique shape. To me, they are a bit like snowflakes. This blueberry and orange recipes has fabulous color with the explosions of blueberries juxtaposed against a wonderfully dense and aromatic golden-orange. This cake is sublime in its beauty, taste and texture.

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