Interesting article about fat...

[OakLeaf]

Yup, I use those pump sprayers too. I used to have another one for hair spray, and I'd fill them with spray that came in the regular non-aerosol bottles. I can't stand the waste, toxics and greenhouse gases involved in single-use aerosol cans.

Only thing is they're a real PITA to clean. It can be done though. Very warm water and a lot of dish soap, pump and spray through about a kawillion times, repeat with plain rinse water.

But I don't obsess over the amount of oil I use for sauteeing, and more often than not I'm cooking beans in the pressure cooker which requires a tablespoon or two of oil to keep the foaming down. So mostly I use the oil sprayer for greasing my silicone baking pans. Not that I do a lot of baking... and that's pretty much the only time I use butter (never margarine or crisco)

[kelownagirl]

You're supposed to wash them??

[OakLeaf]

You're supposed to wash them??

I guess if you're using them pretty constantly they stay flushed out. I don't worry about it until the oil starts smelling rancid

[Tuckervill]

I don't use non-stick pans anymore--they have some serious health issues of their own. No aluminum, either. Either stainless steel (with things that won't stick in the first place), or for eggs, gravy, etc., a very well-seasoned 30-year-old cast iron skillet, and its smaller companions. I got an enameled cast iron soup pot for xmas and I'm very pleased with it.

Karen

[Jolt]

I don't use non-stick pans anymore--they have some serious health issues of their own. No aluminum, either. Either stainless steel (with things that won't stick in the first place), or for eggs, gravy, etc., a very well-seasoned 30-year-old cast iron skillet, and its smaller companions. I got an enameled cast iron soup pot for xmas and I'm very pleased with it.

Karen

Yeah, I'm trying to get away from the nonstick pans myself after hearing about the problems with Teflon. As far as aluminum, the only time I cook in that is if I'm backpacking (the weight difference between that and stainless steel is quite significant when you're carrying everything on your back!). The only thing that stinks about avoiding the nonstick skillets is that the stainless steel one I've been using is the PITS to clean after cooking eggs etc. in it!!!

[OakLeaf]

stainless steel one I've been using is the PITS to clean after cooking eggs etc. in it!!!

Try old fashioned cast iron. It's a bit of work to get it properly seasoned, but once you've got a season on it, it's as non-stick as Teflon.

Most of my cookware is Le Creuset (enameled cast iron). Not nonstick, but way easy to clean. Scour it, soak it, throw it in the dishwasher. Love the stuff.

As far as bakeware, silicone! silicone! Totally nonstick, flexible and nontoxic.

I still long for a skillet I can abuse, though, and as much as I love it, cast iron ain't it. Does anyone know anything about Calphalon One?

[kelownagirl]

Hey I was looking at the silicone stuff the other day. Does it change the way you bake at all ie length of time, temp etc?

As far as the teflon etc thing - I'm not afraid. I gave up on worrying about every little thing, for better or worse. If the govt says it's bad and takes it off the market, then I'll stop using it. Maybe I got my head in the sand but it isn't worth the worry to me...