Green Pan Review And GIVEAWAY! Plus A Kid-Friendly Recipe, Too! 7/15

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE to cook. I prefer to make my meals from scratch, and I rely on high-quality, dependable cookware to provide delicious meals for my family every day. I have a wonderful set of cookware, but I recently learned that even high-dollar non-stick cookware can pose serious risks to pets, and even to human beings! Traditional non-stick is achieved by coating the fry pan with PTFE (PolyTetraFluoroEthylene); a waxy, synthetic substance. PTFE has well-documented disadvantages in practical household use. Above 260° C/500°F, this PTFE coating starts to decompose. The released fumes are proven to be lethal to small pets like birds!  On humans, these fumes can potentially harm the respiratory tract and cause nausea and headaches. So, when you overheat your pan you damage not only your pan but possibly also your health. How scary is that?! This was not something I was aware of at all, so I began looking for a better, greener alternative to my traditional cookware to use while preparing meals for my family.

I was really excited when I discovered Green Pan! What is Green Pan and why is it superior to other cookware? Let me explain the technology behind this eco-friendly line of cookware. GreenPan™ does not use PTFE, but brings with Thermolon™ non-stick technology a healthy alternative to the market.  Thermolon™ is heat resistant up to high temperatures. This means that GreenPan™ has an extra safety feature; if you overheat your pan, even up to 450°C/850°F, no toxic fumes will be released and the coating will not blister or peel. Let me tell you, this is a HUGE added bonus in my home...Especially when my husband tries to cook! He has a really bad habit of making the pans WAY too hot, and often sets off our smoke detectors in the process. Just imagine what toxic fumes our cookware could be emitting during these kitchen disasters! I have 3 children, 2 of which are under the age of 2, and we also have a small dog. I do not want these harmful fumes around my family, and Green Pan eliminates this concern with their amazing line of products!

Not only is Green Pan the safer choice for cooking, it is also a more environmentally responsible choice. In addition to using natural minerals rather than synthetic plastic in their non-stick coatings which eliminates harmful fumes, Green Pan is helping to reduce their carbon footprint in other ways, too! As a matter of fact, since Green Pan uses Thermalon technology in their cookware, less energy is used while making these products, which means there is 60% LESS CO2 emissions when compared with the manufacturing process of traditional non-stick cookware!
Green Pan also uses up-cycled materials in creating their cookware, which greatly minimizes waste of useful materials, therefore keeping these materials out of our already out of control landfills. They are also committed to finding new ways to use less packaging to further reduce waste! I love a company that cares about the world that future generations will grow up in, and I feel it is never too early to start teaching our little ones to respect the planet we live on. As a parent and a global citizen, I feel it my my responsibility to find greener ways to live, and Green Pan definitely helps me there.

So Green Pan is taking the culinary world by storm by offering eco-friendly cookware, but this cookware is also attractive and offers a great level of convenience for the home cook! Check out the awesome features of Green Pan!

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I was fortunate enough to receive the a Green Pan Open Frypan from their Copenhagen Line of Professional Cookware. I have used this great little pan many times now, and have been very pleased with its performance. This pan heats up quickly and evenly, and does not make my food taste funny, as some other cookware can sometimes do. My meat browns and sears beautifully, veggies saute perfectly and maintain their natural flavors, and even pan sauces come out absolutely mouthwatering when cooked in my Green Pan! I have had absolutely no issues whatsoever with clean-up, either! These really give non-stick a whole new meaning! I even made a gooey, cheesy mess in the pan on purpose and burnt it to make cheese crisps. (I know...I'm odd...But burnt cheese tastes GOOD! Think of the burnt edges found in homemade mac & cheese!) While my cheese "burned" and became very crisp, the pan had absolutely no residue or stuck on food AT ALL. Even when preparing buttery pan sauces or roux, this awesome pan comes completely clean just being rinsed off with the kitchen sprayer!

My only complaint? The pan wasn't big enough to cook more than one chicken breast in at a time, and was too small for all-in-one skillet meals. That's not the fault of the pan, though. With a family of 5, I am just used to using larger pans for most of my cooking. This pan is the perfect size for sauteing veggies, making an omelet, or cooking one burger or grilled cheese sandwich. So while I sadly will not be using this to cook family dinners in, I can use it for snacks, lunches, and side dishes quite easily. Overall, I LOVE my Green Pan as well as what the company stands for. They also many other cookware lines and even a fabulous looking line of ovenware for those who like making yummy casseroles, lasagnas, and even pizzas! I literally spent HOURS drooling over their gorgeous lines of cookware, and I hope to someday own more pieces from their collections!

Here are some photos of the Copenhagen Open Frypan I received, as well as my son's experience using our Green Pan together to create a kid-friendly treat!

The Green Pan goodies I received!

Notice the smooth interior finish of this pan! NO screws! This makes clean up a cinch!

My little chef eager to get to work with the Green Pan!

Kyle was very eager to help me put the Copenhagen Open Frypan from Green Pan to the test. He is going into the 6th grade, and has been showing a very active interest in cooking. (With adult supervision, of course!) So I took this as the perfect opportunity to teach him why greener cooking methods are beneficial for families and for the Earth. I showed him some of our old, not so nice pans. (My husband's old pans that were destroyed by his crazy, non-cooking ex-wife that have been stored in a box for the past 6 years.) He noticed the wear and tear, and I explained that these pots and pans can actually be harmful to us due to the materials and chemicals used in their surfaces, and the reactions that can occur when they're over-heated. I then explained to him the difference between ordinary cookware and the Green Pan. He was SO happy that we have "one good frying pan" and asked me why they didn't send me a whole set to "help save our breathing"! He is young, and doesn't realize that things just don't work that way. I thought his enthusiasm was adorable, and I am happy any time I get the chance to teach my kids to be more eco-conscious. Kids are never too young to learn to have respect for the world we live in.

So not only did I have a wonderful teachable moment as far as the environmental benefits of using Green Pans, I decided to kick it up a notch Emeril Style, and have Kyle make a super-fun, kid-friendly recipe using our Green Pan! I normally make more complex dishes, but since Kyle is a beginning chef, I thought I would keep it simple. We made a surprisingly easy and delicious variation of a childhood classic, Grilled Cheese. What kid doesn't love grilled cheese?! I know when I was a kid, I LOVED my Grandma's grilled cheese sandwiches. Every time we went to spend the night at her house, I would eat a couple of them! I have now perfected the deliciousness that is grilled cheese, and I like putting new spins on this tried-and-true favorite. Grilled cheese can be so much more than a sad little slice of American Cheese slapped between some buttered bread...It can be decadent and rich, and even fun by switching up your ingredients! Don't believe me? Keep reading!

I taught Kyle how to make Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches using my Green Pan. Sounds odd, I know. But these unconventional sammies are absolutely to die for, and are very reminiscent of the much loved appetizer they are named for. Yes, these sandwiches taste eerily like the real deal! And they are SO easy to make! Here is the recipe followed by step by step photos. Try it with your budding Bobby Flays! They're sure to love it, and the sense of accomplishment a child gets when learning to cook is priceless, and will help foster a love for the culinary arts as well as create wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

Kid-Friendly Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
(Makes 2 sandwiches)

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon sour cream or mayonnaise
  
• 10 pickled jalapeno pepper slices, or to taste - chopped
• 2 slices of bread. Any bread! I used whole wheat today, but Ciabbata, Sourdough, and Hawaiian Bread are wonderful, too!
  
• 4 teaspoons butter
• dash of cayenne pepper, if you dare!
  
• 8 tortilla chips, crushed (optional)
  
• 1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
• 2 slices of crisp, crumbled bacon (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream or mayo, cayenne pepper and pickled jalapeno in a small bowl. Set aside. Preheat skillet over medium heat, adding 1 teaspoon of butter to the pan to melt.
2. Place half of the cream cheese mixture on each slice of bread. Place one piece of bread in your buttered Green Pan, cream cheese side up, and top with half of the crushed chips, crumbled bacon, and half of the shredded cheese.  Place the other piece of bread on the sandwich, cream cheese side DOWN, and butter the top of this slice.
   
3. Grill until lightly browned and flip over, about 3 to 5 minutes; continue grilling until cheese is melted and the second side is golden brown.

Cream cheese/Jalapeno mixture, margarine, and shredded cheddar.

Cream Cheese mixture spread on both slices of bread.

Place one slice in hot, buttered pan and top with cheese, bacon and tortilla chips. (This photo was taken before I added the chips and bacon.)

Top with 2nd slice of bread and cook on both sides until they are nice and golden brown and the cheese mixture is melted.

Enjoy! These yummy sandwiches have a little crunch, a little spice, and a LOT of taste! Your family will LOVE them!

BUY IT:

Eager to get some Green Pan cookware for your family?

You can find out where to purchase this amazing cookware on the Green Pan website.

You can also follow Green Pan on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!


WIN IT:

One VERY lucky follower will be receiving a Copenhagen Open Frypan from the generous folks at Green Pan! How cool is that?! I know you'll fall head over heels in love with this amazing cookware! And you'll be reducing your carbon footprint, too! It just doesn't get any better than that!

Please complete the mandatory entry FIRST. Also include a valid e-mail address in each comment so I can contact you if you win! Feel free to use the following format to prevent spammers from bugging you! yourname(at)aol(dot)com.

MANDATORY ENTRY:

• You MUST be a public GFC follower of this blog
• Visit Green Pan and tell me another product you love or something you have learned!
  

EXTRA ENTRIES:

• +2 Like Green Pan on Facebook. Leave user name.
  
• +2 Follow Green Pan on twitter. Leave user name.
  
• +1 Like this post on Facebook using the handy "like" button at the bottom of the post.
• +2 Share this giveaway on a blog post, tweet, Facebook status, linky, or sweepstakes site. Leave URL. +2 for EACH method! Can be done DAILY!

       Feel free to use the following tweet:

#GIVEAWAY Win a great eco-friendly pan from @realGreenPanUSA and @oopsimpregnant Ends 7/15 http://alturl.com/4xqn4

• +2 Subscribe to this blog via e-mail and confirm your subscription.
• +2 Friend me on Facebook. Leave user name.
• +2 Follow me on twitter. Leave user name. 
• +2 Follow me on Networked Blogs. Leave user name.
• +1 Vote for me on Picket Fence Blogs. Can be done DAILY.
• +1 Enter any of my active giveaways. 1 ENTRY PER GIVEAWAY ENTERED! 
• +10 Grab my button and leave the URL where I can see it!

This giveaway will be open until 11:59PM EST on 7/15/2011. I will choose my winner using random.org. I will post the winner on this blog as well as tweet, share on Facebook, and contact them via e-mail. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond or I will be forced to redraw. Thanks for entering, and good luck!

***Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***