Product of the month: Cast Iron Pans

Cast Iron pans have a reputation of being high maintenance, but don’t let the daunting cleaning instructions deter you from this essential purchase. Durable and versatile, the cast iron pan is the ultimate kitchen staple, providing you with cooking (and nutritional!) benefits.

Let me tell you why it’s worth it to use cast iron in your cooking:

• Cast iron pans are naturally nonstick if they are well seasoned
• They distribute heat evenly and perfectly so there are no “hot spots”
• Cast iron is the perfect material to sear your proteins, like meat, poultry and fish, that may otherwise brown poorly in lower quality pans
• There is nothing that you can’t cook in cast iron: cornbread, vegetables, eggs and stir fry all come out beautifully
• The iron in the pan actually leaches into your food and boosts your iron consumption
• You get a nice little arm workout, because they’re HEAVY!

Tips:

Spend a few minutes learning how to season and clean your pan so that you can avoid rust.

Buy two! Keep a separate cast iron pan for fish. Since iron is porous, it’s best to keep a separate fish pan.

Need some inspiration? Try our cast-iron roasted salmon recipe to break in your new pan.