Dangers Of Nonstick Cookware Can Be Avoided

A potent combination of a durable nonstick cooking surface and the latest metal alloys has been giving more traditional cast-iron and stainless steel serious competition lately. Who doesn't want the ease of dishwasher-safe, high-performance, lighter-weight pans?

But as with most things, convenience comes with a price. Many nonstick cookware surfaces have the following health risks:

PFOA: Perfluorooctanoic acid is used in making many nonstick coatings like Teflon but is not actually included in the finished product. However, trace amounts of these potentially carcinogenic fumes are released when these pans are overheated to 500 degrees or above.

Cadmium: Although no longer such a widespread problem, some older and foreign-made enamel cookware is likely to contain toxic levels of this metal. Extreme poisoning symptoms include chills, fever, and muscle aches.

WearEver's latest Pure Living Bakeware Collection eliminates these risks by using a ceramic coating which has the added benefit of being tough enough to withstand metal utensils. So no worries about scratching up this set after a couple uses.

Here's a simple recipe for Apple Turnovers to get you started courtesy of WearEver:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 cups water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (substitute extra-virgin olive oil)

One 17.25-ounce package frozen puff

1 cup brown sugar, packed

Pastry sheets, thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use 2 large ungreased WearEver Cookie Sheets.

Combine the lemon and 4 cups water in a large bowl. Place the sliced apples in the water to keep them from browning.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain water from apples, and place them into the hot skillet. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and cinnamon, and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Stir together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Pour into the skillet, and mix well. Cook for another minute, or until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat to cool slightly.

Unfold puff pastry sheets, and repair any cracks by pressing them back together. Trim each sheet into a square. Then cut each larger square into 4 smaller squares. Spoon apples onto the center of each square. Fold over from corner to corner into a triangle shape, and press edges together to seal. Place turnovers on a baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until turnovers are puffed and lightly browned.