Frying Pans

Every cook has their favorite equipment. For some it’s their collection of knives, while others can’t live without their blender. For an everyday cook who feeds a hungry family, quite often their favorite item is their frying pan.

Almost everyone is extremely conscious about what they are eating. With an increase in cancer and heart disease rates it’s vitally important to choose foods that are low in saturated fats. Mistakenly many people think that if you cook in a frying pan you have to add oil which in turn will create long term health problems. In fact, some people shy away from using the frying pan completely for this very reason.

That doesn’t have to be the case. It can actually be one of the healthiest ways to cook many things, including fish, beef and chicken. The key to low fat cooking in a frying pan is to use one that has a coating on it. Teflon is applied to the frying pan during the manufacturing process. Not only is it completely safe it also serves as a non-stick surface. This means that you can cook anything without it sticking to the surface of the pan.

Cleaning it is just as simple as using it to cook. Anything that is left in the pan can be wiped away with a damp cloth. The outer surface of the frying pan should be cleaned with a mild detergent. It’s really important not to use any type of abrasive on the cooking surface of the pan as that can lead to damage of the Teflon. Some types of frying pans are dishwasher safe and you should read the label carefully when you first purchase it.

If you are a vegetarian you are probably interested in cooking dishes that contain vegetables and perhaps tofu. These also cook up nicely in a frying pan. Without the extra added fat during the cooking process, your dish will be very healthy and will taste so fresh. That’s one of the complaints about vegetables that are cooked in heavy oil, such as zucchini sticks or French fries. The taste becomes so compromised that it’s difficult to recognize it. If you instead throw some small pieces of potato in your frying pan with a mixture of fresh, seasonal herbs, you have a treat that’s much tastier than a deep fried dish could ever be.

Don’t give up on the idea of cooking without fat. Your food will be tasty if you just add the right seasoning and use a good quality Teflon coated frying pan.